Curated OER
Chopping Cubes
Middle schoolers work in small groups to make various geometric solids with Play-Doh. They use fishing line to make cuts and observe the shapes of the cross-sections. Pupils complete an assessment in which they answer questions such as:...
MENSA Education & Research Foundation
Shapes - Kindergarten
Extend scholars' learning experience with a unit consisting of five shape lesson plans, an extension activity, assessment, and rubric. Begin by reading a story about shapes, then conduct an overview and assign pupils' their first...
Concord Consortium
Betweenness I
Just between us, this is a pretty cool lesson! Given two functions with the same slope, learners write three new functions whose outputs are all between the given functions. The question is open-ended, allowing pupils to explore the...
Concord Consortium
Betweenness IV
Challenge your classes to think between the curves. Given two function formed by the combination of two exponential functions, individuals must write three functions in which all values would lie between the given. The question is...
Concord Consortium
Gravity
Weight is a function of the distance from sea level. Learners explore the many implications of this fact in an inquiry-based task. Given the function, pupils answer questions before manipulating the function to rewrite the distance...
Concord Consortium
Functions by the Slice
Piece by piece ... dismantling a function can highlight interesting patterns. The task asks learners to slice functions in sections with the same vertical change. They then recreate the graph with these slices positioned horizontally....
Concord Consortium
Cultural Growth
Scholars read and interpret a graph relating bacterial growth in a culture over time. They apply knowledge of derivatives, estimation, and graphing to the skill practice questions.
Concord Consortium
From Tan to Ten
Combine simplifying trigonometric expressions with evaluating them! An open-ended question presents a trigonometric expression and numeric values for additional expressions. Learners must determine a value for the original expression by...
Concord Consortium
Intersections II
How many intersections can two absolute value functions have? Young scholars consider the question and then develop a set of rules that describe the number of solutions a given system will have. Using the parent function and the standard...
Concord Consortium
Fermi Weight
Wait, there is an estimate for how much that weighs. The resource contains three questions about weight. Using dimensional analysis and benchmarks, pupils determine a reasonable weight for trash, food, and a grain of salt.
Statistics Education Web
What Does the Normal Distribution Sound Like?
Groups collect data describing the number of times a bag of microwave popcorn pops at given intervals. Participants discover that the data fits a normal curve and answer questions based on the distribution of this data.
Illustrative Mathematics
Throwing Baseballs
This is a wonderful exercise for learners to apply their critical thinking skills along with their knowledge of quadratic functions and parabolas. Young mathematicians investigate a real-world scenario about the height a baseball reaches...
Curated OER
Course of Antibiotics
This model of the amount of anibiotics in a person's system is represented abstractly by a finite geometric series. Learners translate this real-life situation into algebraic form and then extend their knowlege by answering questions...
Mathematics Assessment Project
A Million Dollars
Could you carry a million dollars in $1 bills? As a middle school assessment task, learners investigate different questions regarding a million dollars. They then determine how long it would take to make a million dollars, how...
Mathematics Assessment Project
100 People
It's a small world after all. In the middle school assessment task, learners use data that imagines there are only 100 people in the world to answer questions about population demographics. Young mathematicians use ratio and proportional...
Curated OER
Buses
Busy buses bustling back and forth. In this middle school assessment task, learners use information given in a graph to answer questions about bus schedules. They then determine how many times a bus passes by other buses going in the...
Statistics Education Web
Text Messaging is Time Consuming! What Gives?
The more you text, the less you study. Have classes test this hypothesis or another question related to text messages. Using real data, learners use technology to create a scatter plot and calculate a regression line. They create a dot...
Balanced Assessment
Shirts and Flags
Learn the importance of geometry to tailors. Given a shirt sewing pattern, scholars determine the actual size of the shirt. After which they answer questions that require problem solving and extending their understanding of scale.
Curated OER
Linear Programming
Students explore inequalities to determine the optimal solution to maximize a profit for a company. In this linear programming lesson, students discover how to graph inequalities and how to determine the algebraic representation of a...
Curated OER
Solve Word Problems of Equal Share
Youngsters solve division word problems. They will make their own division word problems using objects in equal groups. They share how they solved their problem with the class. Division worksheets are included to support the process....
EngageNY
Solve for Unknown Angles—Angles in a Triangle
Assist your class with each angle of geometry as they use exterior angles to form linear pairs with adjacent interior angles. They cover multiple vocabulary terms and work practice problems, complete with justifications, before...
American Statistical Association
Colors Challenge!
Does writing the name of a color in a different colored ink affect one's ability to read it? Scholars design an experiment to answer this question. They collect the data, analyze the statistics, and draw a conclusion based on...
Statistics Education Web
How High Can You Jump?
How high can your pupils jump? Learners design an experiment to answer this question. After collecting the data, they create box plots and scatter plots to analyze the data. To finish the lesson, they use the data to draw conclusions.
Illustrative Mathematics
Converting Fractions of a Unit into a Smaller Unit
There is more than one way to answer a question; especially when you have fractions in measurement. Here are three questions with real-world situations in which 5th graders are asked to provide answers in three ways: a larger unit of...