North Carolina State University
Exploring Genetics Across the Middle School Science and Math Curricula
Where is a geneticist's favorite place to swim? A gene pool. Young geneticists complete hands-on activities, experiments, and real-world problem solving throughout the unit. With extra focus on dominant and recessive genes, Punnett...
Curated OER
Congruent Segments
The task, should your class decide to take it, is to list a series of reflections that transfer a line segment from one position to another.
Curated OER
Name That Shape
It can be so much fun to learn about new shapes! Kindergartners are shown a series of different shapes; each one is a different color, size, or orientation. They look at the shapes and discuss that no matter their color or size, a square...
Discovery Science Center
Kindergarten Observing, Comparing and Contrasting
Although this is a science instructional activity, it can be adapted to help meet Common Core standards in math as well. Starting scientists describe physical properties of objects and explore three forms of water. To address the Common...
EngageNY
Complex Numbers and Transformations
Your learners combine their knowledge of real and imaginary numbers and matrices in an activity containing thirty lessons, two assessments (mid-module and end module), and their corresponding rubrics. Centered on complex numbers and...
Curated OER
Garden Grid
Basically, your class reads about different garden plants from an included handout and seed packets that you provide, and then uses a grid to plan out where to place the plants. They can practice counting with the seeds, grouping,...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Modeling: Making Matchsticks
Math: The only subject where the solution to a problem is seven million matches. Young scholars first complete an assessment task estimating the number of matches they can make from a tree of given dimensions. They then evaluate provided...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Matching Situations, Graphs and Linear Equations
What do guitars, candles, and helicopters have in common? They're all in this resource. Learners complete an assessment task to determine the amount of profit made in a guitar class based on given information regarding variable...
American Statistical Association
Scatter It! (Using Census Results to Help Predict Melissa’s Height)
Pupils use the provided census data to guess the future height of a child. They organize and plot the data, solve for the line of best fit, and determine the likely height and range for a specific age.
American Statistical Association
Armspans
Young mathematicians collect data on the arm spans of classmates. Then they sort the data by measures of center, spread, and standard deviation. Finally, they compare groups, such as boys and girls, to interpret any differences.
EngageNY
Distributions—Center, Shape, and Spread
Data starts to tell a story when it takes shape. Learners describe skewed and symmetric data. They then use the graphs to estimate mean and standard deviation.
Intel
What Does This Graph Tell You?
What can math say about natural phenomena? The fifth STEM lesson in this project-based learning series asks collaborative groups to choose a phenomenon of interest and design an experiment to simulate the phenomenon. After collecting...
American Statistical Association
What Fits?
The bounce of a golf ball changes the result in golf, mini golf—and a great math activity. Scholars graph the height of golf ball bounces before finding a line of best fit. They analyze their own data and the results of others to better...
Curated OER
Twenty Questions: The Hundred Chart
Use the 20 Questions game to practice math vocabulary and number properties! Project a hundreds chart and hand one out to learners. Ideally, give them counters (beans would work well) to mark off the chart so you can play multiple times....
Howard County Schools
Generous Aunt
Witness the power of exponential growth with an activity that investigates two different savings plans. Class members create tables of values to see how and when a savings plan increasing exponentially exceeds one increasing linearly.
Education World
Putting Turkey on a Table (or a Graph)
Grateful learners put turkey on a table (or a graph)! Through a creative project they show statistical information about turkey population, production, and consumption. A great Thanksgiving lesson that can be applied at any time to the...
Yummy Math
Hot Summer. . . Cold Winter
A table of each state's record temperature reports data that middle schoolers can place on a number line for analysis. A written explanation of how to use this tool and the concept of absolute value are also included. Nine questions are...
Illustrative Mathematics
Triangular Tables
Somewhat of a puzzle, this problem gets pre-algebra preteens to write an expression representing a seating chart using triangle-shaped tables. This single task is an applicable lesson for meeting sixth grade Common Core math standards....
Illustrative Mathematics
Congruent Triangles
Geometers prove that triangle PQR is congruent to triangle ABC by describing any combination of rotations, reflections, and translations that would prove it so. There is only this single task on the handout, but a detailed explanation of...
Helping with Math
Supplementary Angles
Pupils calculate the measurement of supplementary angles when one angle is known. The one-page assignment has six simple problems. It contains links to related resources as well as the answer key. Be aware that although the publisher...
Curated OER
Fish Tanks: Volume and Surface Area
Given a very realistic challenge, your young geometers design residential fish tanks in rectangular and triangular prism shapes. They compute the volume of water each will hold. They also determine the size of plastic covers for each...
Curated OER
Making History....Literary
Connect the Common Core ELA standards with history by employing a balanced literacy approach to reading.
Intel
Forensics: Get a Clue
Although the methods are all scientific, forensic science was started by police officers rather than scientists, who relied on observation and common sense. Young detectives use many tools to solve crimes around the school in a...
Scholastic
Study Jams! Addition & Subtraction of Decimals
So current with preteens is the topic of downloading tunes into their computers! In a relatable lesson, viewers are taught to figure out if Zoe can afford to purchase two songs if she has $3.00 left to her credit. Mia talks them through...