Investigate bubbles through the use of scientific inquiry. Pupils blow bubbles using several methods and measure the resulting bubble print. Measurements are recorded on a data table and transferred to a bar graph. Results are discussed...

Parallelograms are pairs of triangles all the way around. Pupils measure to determine the area and perimeter of a parallelogram. They then find the area of the tirangles formed by drawing a diagonal of the parallelogram and compare their...

Have you ever examined a pumpkin and estimated the number of lines it has? In this math lesson, students count the actual number of lines, record and graph the results. They investigate the circumference, weight and buoyancy of the...

Evaluate young mathematicians' understanding of area and perimeter with this series of three assessment tasks. Challenging students to not only calculate the area and perimeter of irregular shapes, but to explain in writing their...

Lead the class in a Greek history lesson with a geometric twist. Pupils relate a short video about geometric properties to modern-day methods of solving for unknown angles. They discuss parallel line theorems and complete...

Study diffraction patterns using CDs and DVDs! Scholars measure the diffraction patterns of a light wave as it hits a CD or DVD. Using the information, they can measure the distance between the tracks. 

If a car gets heavier, it goes farther? By running an activity several times, teams experience Newton's Second Law of Motion. The teams vary the amount of weight they catapult off a wooden block car and record the distance the...

Read all about it! Challenge your class to build taller and stronger. Newspapers provide the means to build towers in a simple activity. Scholars try to build as tall a tower as possible with just two sheets of newspaper.

It's imperative to be as precise as possible. Future engineers learn about precision by building a cardboard machine. The base, corners, handles, and paddles must all be assembled with precision or the machine won't work.

Searching for a detailed lesson plan to assist in describing rotations while keeping the class attentive? Individuals manipulate rotations in this application-based lesson plan depending on each parameter. They construct models depending...

Off they go — launching rockets is fun. The lesson plan contains templates to build paper rockets that can be launched from a PVC pipe launcher. Individuals or groups build the rockets and determine the shapes for their fins. Included...

As an introduction to Steiner Trees, class members are challenged to find the shortest paths to connect multiple points. The teacher introduces the problem by showing how to connect three points. Groups then go outside and construct a...

Which materials are best for groundwater runoff, and which are best for percolation? Discuss the water table with several experiments about different types of soil, pollution, precipitation, and filtration. The experiments assign...

Tiny particles can provide big learning opportunities! Middle school scientists explore the world of nanoparticles through reading, discussion, and experiment. Collaborative groups first apply nanotechnology to determine water...

Tenth graders analyze graphs and by comparing trees. In this geometry lesson, 10th graders investigate the use of different graphs using bar and regular graphs. They work groups at the computer.

In  this standardized test preparation worksheet, 8th graders solve several varying problems.  This twelve page test preparation worksheet asks students to show their work and explain how they arrived at their answers. 

Students build models of types of levers. In this simple machines lesson, students use dowels and modified wooden rulers to build different types of levers. They compete to create the most efficient lever in the class.

Learners test the stickiness of natural substances. In this adhesion as a property of matter lesson, students build a tool to test the adhesion of natural "glues" such as honey, peanut butter, flour and water paste, and jelly. Learners...

In this power law function worksheet, students use data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space telescope to apply the power law function to physical phenomena. Students use a graph to solve four problems.

Sixth graders use newspapers to investigate fractions. They work in small groups to categorize articles, measure them with the grid transparency, and calculate the values represented. Afterward, they write a reflective essay on the role...

Students identify the characteristics of a bridge and build with junk materials.  In this bridge building lesson, students use cereal boxes, paper towel or toilet paper tubes and tape to create their bridges.  Bridges must...

In this craters worksheet, students solve 3 problems including converting units of Joules into a number equivalent to a one-megaton nuclear bomb, finding the diameters of craters in a given picture and determining the energy needed to...

Measuring volume can be a mystery for 5th graders, but this hands-on activity gives the gift of discovery. The volume of simple rectangular solids and irregular shapes are calculated through various methods including displacing liquid in...

Sixth graders measure circumference and diameter to the nearest eighth of an inch, record measurements on a spreadsheet, and use the internet to complete a "scavenger hunt" of facts concerning pi.