What do you need to prove triangles are similar? Learners answer this question through a construction exploration. Once they establish the criteria, they use the congruence and proportionality properties of similar objects to find...

Identifying and verifying reproducible patterns in mathematics is an essential skill. Mathematicians identify the relationship of sides when an angle is bisected in a triangle. Once the pupils determine the relationship, they prove it to...

What does it take to show two triangles are similar? The 11th segment in a series of 16 introduces the AA Criterion for Similarity. A discussion provides an informal proof of the theorem. Exercises and problems require scholars to apply...

Mathematicians can be famous, too! Introduce your class to Eratosthenes with a reading passage. After they complete the passage, learners respond to five questions, some of which require opinions and others reading comprehension skills.

As they investigate scaling figures and calculate the resulting areas, groups determine the area of similar figures. They continue to investigate the results when the vertical and horizontal scales are not equal. 

Investigate relationships between angles, arcs, and segments in circles. Pupils use geometry software to discover the relationships between angles, arcs, and segments associated with circles. Class members use similar triangles to...

Use what you know about parallel and perpendicular lines to write equations! Learners take an equation of a line and write an equation of a line that is parallel or perpendicular using slope criteria. They then solve problems to...

Scholars apply the concepts of box plots and dot plots to summarize and describe data distributions. They use the data displays to compare sets of data and determine numerical summaries. 

The shape of the histogram is also relative. Learners calculate relative frequencies from frequency tables and create relative frequency histograms. The scholars compare the histograms made from frequencies to those made from relative...

Fold, fold, and fold some more. In the first installment of a 35-part module, young mathematicians fold a piece of paper in half until it can not be folded any more. They use the results of this activity to develop functions for the area...

Develop a formula based upon numerical computations. The 31st part of a 33-part unit has the class determine the formula to convert a temperature in Celsius to a temperature in Fahrenheit. They do this by making comparisons between the...

Surface area or volume? Pupils first review the difference between surface area and volume. They then use a two-dimensional net that helps them develop formulas for the surface area and volume of cylinders.

Everything the class knows about similarity in one small package. The last portion of a 16-part series is a three-question assessment. In it, pupils demonstrate their application of similar figures and their associated...

Keep your mind and body fit with a fun activity about the five food groups. After going over the functions of fruit, vegetables, grains, meats and beans, and dairy, as well as oils and fats, learners participate in a bean bag toss...

Study the difference between mass and weight. Your math group will compare the weight of an item to the amount of space that it uses. They'll then use conversion factors to find the difference between kilograms and pounds. Essential...

The most famous climbers of Mount Everest could never have made it to the summit without the assistance of the local Sherpa. Christine Taylor-Butler's nonfiction children's book Sacred Mountain: Everest is the focus of an extensive...

Develop probability distributions from simulations. Young mathematicians use simulations to collect data. They use the data to draw graphs of probability distributions for the random variable in question.

Who has the best street smarts? An educational lesson has future mathematicians analyze street maps and measure angles on the map to determine if streets are parallel. They also consider safety issues at different types of intersections.

Young scholars solve problems involving area. In this geometry lesson, students calculate the area of an object and relate it to the area of the ocean. They define what exactly and area is and then solve problems relating to the real world.

Students determine what the pulse is before examining how to measure the heart rate in different situations. They build a simple device that measures the heart rate, take heart rates, and record them on a worksheet. They discuss how...

Young scholars investigate how friction affects the movement of a block across surface areas. They test five different kinds of surfaces—smooth surface, wax paper, a paper towel, course, and fine sandpaper. They predict and record the...

Students discover the actual size and weight of many insects and animals. In this biology lesson, students investigate animals and insects to determine their actual weight and size. In groups, students create an animal or insect of their...

Seventh graders examine force and motion. In this seventh grade mathematics/science lesson, 7th graders collect and analyze data regarding the use of an atlatl to throw a spear. Students describe and analyze the motion which leads to the...

This lesson starts with geometers discussing how to find the volume of a cone and pyramid, using what they know about the volume of a cylinder or prism. Then, using the formulas, they calculate the volume of cones and...