Shodor Education Foundation
Estimating With Fire
Watch the damage from a forest fire in this interactive simulation activity that challenges learners to estimate the burn area using different approaches. Learners are given a worksheet to track the different burn patterns and practice...
Curated OER
Drawing to Scale
Students examine the process of drawing a picture to scale. They analyze and discuss real-life blueprints for a house, and create a scale drawing of an original invention using calculators and rulers.
Shodor Education Foundation
Pythagorean Theorem
Most adults remember learning about the Pythagorean theorem, but they don't all remember how to use it. The emphasis here is on developing an intuitive understanding of how and when to use the theorem. Young mathematicians explore...
Shodor Education Foundation
Triangle Area
While the instructional activity focuses on right triangles, this activity offers a great way to practice the area of all triangles through an interactive webpage. The activity begins with the class taking a square paper and cutting in...
Shodor Education Foundation
An Introduction To Quadrilaterals
Young geometers investigate and apply properties of quadrilaterals. After a review and discussion of key terms, students use a computer applet to explore four-sided figures and classify them according to their attributes. The...
Curated OER
Comparison of Univariate and Bivariate Data
Learners explore the concept of univariate and bivariate data. In this univaritate and bivariate data lesson, pupils discuss the differences between univariate and bivariate data. They work sample problems where they must construct box...
Shodor Education Foundation
Visual Patterns in Tessellations
Geometers explore the concept of tessellations. They use a tessellation applet to manipulate shapes and design their own tessellation using the applet.
Curated OER
"Pizza"rama With Fractions!!
Young mathematicians explore number values by utilizing food as a visual aide. They discuss the differences between halves, fourths, and eighths and how they are visually represented by a pizza. Then create their own pizza in class and...
Curated OER
We All Scream for Ice Scream
High schoolers explore the formulas for volume of three-dimensional objects. They participate in various activities involving ice cream, ice cream cones, small candies, and gum balls, recording their calculations on a lab sheet.
Mathematics Assessment Project
Applying Angle Theorems
Polygon ... an empty bird cage? After finding the angles of a polygon, young mathematicians use the provided methods to solve the problem in multiple ways.
Curated OER
Patterns in Pascal's Triangle
Students examine the patterns in Pascal's Triangle. For this recognizing lesson, students view a model of Pascal's Triangle and describe the patterns of the multiples. Students identify the shapes that are made within Pascal's Triangle.
Curated OER
Finding the Area of Shapes
In this area of shapes unit, upper graders participate in hands-on problem solving activities to find the formulas for the area of a parallelogram, a triangle, and a trapezoid. They manipulate the geoboard to explore relationships among...
Curated OER
It's About Time!
Students examine concept of time, and explore difference between analog and digital clocks; students make art project to represent time and create a time-story problem and solution.
Improving Measurement and Geometry in Elementary Schools
Rep Tiles
In addition to the catchy title, this lesson plan provides upper graders an opportunity to more closely scrutinize the attributes of plane figures. In particular, they focus on the similarity of different shapes. Both whole-class and...
National Security Agency
Classifying Triangles
Building on young mathematicians' prior knowledge of three-sided shapes, this lesson series explores the defining characteristics of different types of triangles. Starting with a shared reading of the children's book The Greedy...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Calculating Volumes of Compound Objects
After determining the volume of various drinking glasses , class members evaluate sample responses to the same task to identify errors in reasoning.
American Statistical Association
How Long is 30 Seconds?
Is time on your side? Pupils come up with an experiment to test whether their classmates can guess how long it takes for 30 seconds to elapse. They divide the class data into two groups, create box-and-whisker plots, and analyze the...
American Statistical Association
How Tall and How Many?
Is there a relationship between height and the number of siblings? Classmates collect data on their heights and numbers of brothers and sisters. They apply statistical methods to determine if such a relationship exists.
Curated OER
Know Your Angles
Explore types of angles and the characteristics of each. After observing a PowerPoint Presentation, learners tour the school facilities and use a digital camera to capture prescribed angles. Using the digital pictures and written...
Curated OER
Book Club Order
Young scholars complete a simulated book order form for their class. In this book club lesson, students budget and plan an order form for their fellow young scholars, discussing why they chose specific books.
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.
Statistics Education Web
10,000 Steps?
Conduct an experiment to determine the accuracy of pedometers versus pedometer apps. Class members collect data from each device, analyze the data using a hypothesis test, and determine if there is a significant difference...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Unit Circle: Special Angles—Just Know One
It's all about the patterns! Young scholars learn that the unit circle repeats itself in all four quadrants. Using these patterns, they evaluate the sine, cosine, and tangent of special angles.
American Statistical Association
Happy Birthday to . . . Two?
How many people do you need in a room before two likely share the same birthday? Scholars consider this puzzle by analyzing a set of data. They ponder how to divide the data and determine the proper size of a group for this event to...