Illinois Valley Community College
STEM Activities for Middle School Students
Use STEM activities within the class to provide connections to concepts. The resource includes activities that range from working with buoyancy to building rockets and launching them. Other activities involve the engineering design...
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Angles - Unlocking Geometry
Students investigate the concept of angles and how they are used in geometry. They construct polygons using various types of angles and then classify them according to their physical properties. Students use a computer program in order...
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What's Shaking? Three-Lesson Unit
Your young architects use the Internet to research tall structures or sky scrapers to help in the design of their scale drawings. This is instructional activity one of three in which learners design, build, and test model skyscrapers for...
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Hurricanes on Track
Fifth graders develop a questionnaire to investigate weather in different part of the US. They investigate how weather in one part of the country affects weather in another part. They predict the development of hurricanes.
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Virtual Field Trip
Are we there yet? Young trip planners learn about their state and plan a trip. They will select sites to see in three cities in their state, and record associated costs in a spreadsheet. While this was originally designed as a...
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Student Census
Students collect data from their peers and store the information in a database. As students manage the information they realize the usefulness of a database as a tool to manage large amounts of information in an efficient and accurate...
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Decimal Multiplication
Learners use base ten blocks to lead them in the concept of understanding multiplying numbers with decimals. In this multiplication of decimals lesson plan, students also use digital activities to help them with the multiplication.
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Geometric Figures and Applications
High schoolers study geometric figures. They use graph paper or Geometer's Sketchpad to construct and decorate geometric shapes, and also create a 3-D polygon using construction paper and a given template.
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Time Management
Students record their daily activities and graph the results using the educational software program called Inspiration. This lesson is intended for the upper-elementary classroom and includes resource links and activity extensions.
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Weather, Weather, Everywhere!
Sixth graders collect weather data to compare temperatures around the world. Using the Internet, learners collect data, put it into spreadsheets, and analyze and graph the results. An interesting way to cover the topic of weather.
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Basic Multiplication Facts - MathKeys Software
Students explore multiplication concepts. In this multiplication lesson, students define "array" and draw several arrays to represent multiplication number sentences. Students construct arrays on the computer using MathKeys...
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Symmetry and Geometric Shapes on Campus
Build on your learners' previous knowledge of geometric shapes and symmetrical figures. Then set them out to take photos of geometric shapes on campus. They assess whether the photos contain symmetry or not.
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Altitude Tracking
Students estimate the altitude of a rocket during several flights. They create their own altitude tracking devise. They examine and discuss their results at the end of the activity.
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Box and Whiskers
Middle schoolers discover how to relate collected data with a box and whiskers graph in a number of formats. They collect, organize, create, and interpret a box and whiskers graph. Pupils interpret the difference between sets of data,...
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Passport to the Eastern Hemisphere
Seventh graders explore the Eastern Hemisphere. They investigate the customs, currency, climate, location and other facts needed in order to travel to a specific country. Students receive a stamp on their "passport" when their research...
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Measure Twice, Cut Once
Elementary schoolers learn about metric units and how they are used by engineers. They learn how engineers use the units to measure mass, distance, and volume. Then, they estimate measurements of units, and compare them to actual...
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The Crash Scene
Fifth graders explore geography by participating in a mapping activity. In this engineering lesson, 5th graders identify the differences between latitude and longitude and practice locating precise points on a globe or map. Students...
Alabama Learning Exchange
As If Numbers Weren't Complex Enough Already!
The class explores the concept of complex numbers on a website to generate their own Mandelbrot sets. They will practice performing operations with complex numbers and then to get a visual understanding, graph the absolute value of a...
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Orbital Bliss
Most young mathematicians are aware that the planets don’t orbit the sun in a circle but rather as an ellipse, but have never studied this interesting feature. This resource looks at the planetary orbits in more detail and helps learners...
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Compare and Order Numbers
Students compare and order numbers to 100. They count numbers forwards and backwards. Given specific numbers, students place the numerals in the correct order. Students use bean bags, cubes, or blocks to compare and order numbers.
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The Nitty-Gritty of Checkbooks
Young scholars explore how to maintain a checking account. They control, disburse money, and keep their checking account balance. Through a PowerPoint demonstration, video streaming and hands-on practice, students apply the information...
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Data Lesson Vital Information
Students prepare and collect data and use excel and create a graph. They collect data about the number of pattern blocks that are put on tables. Students then record that data in Excel.
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String 'Em Up
Students create different patterns using beads. They observe the teacher make patterns with different colored beads, identify the patterns, and create a necklace with colored beads, explaining what their pattern consists of to the class.
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The Real Cost of College
How do people pay for college? Learners explore the concept of paying for college, they discuss possible ways to pay for college, research the cost of colleges, room and board, and other college living expenses.