Middle schoolers redesign their school to make it more energy efficient, and create a model of their design. Learners get together in groups of 5, and they take on the task of making their school more energy efficient. To do this, they...

Does your bank pay you for allowing them to hold your money? Class members research three different ways they can earn money using money already in the bank. Topics include certificates of deposit, statement savings accounts, and...

Who's ready for the dance? When two middle schools combine for a dance, your learners' job is to calculate the ratio of girls attending. Provided with three different solutions, you can choose from setting up a ratio, linear equation, or...

Apply pattern knowledge to bead patterns. The formative assessment lesson provides pupils the opportunity to show what they know about patterns and functions. Learners take a pre-assessment, then build upon their answers at the beginning...

Middle schoolers will read word problems, create questions, and come up with solutions. They are taught to use previous knowledge combined with current content to solve problems logically and algebraically.

Explore nutrition and healthy eating habits with a study on youth obesity. Learners watch a PBS documentary on the obesity epidemic which discusses government programs aimed at healthier choices, as well as more localized efforts. Kids...

Upper elementary and middle school learners explore currencies from a variety of countries. They use the Internet, video, and engage in hands-on activities. They practice converting U.S. currency to foreign currency and vice versa. This...

Pre-algebra protégés critique a graph depicting Tom's trip to the bus stop. They work together to match descriptive cards to distance-time graph cards and data table cards, all of which are provided for you so you can make copies for...

Students use quilt patterns to illustrate ratios. In this fractions lesson, students color quilt patterns using given fractions and ratios of colors. A finished "quilt" is assembled from the work of the students. This is an...

Here are a set of graphing lessons that have a real-world business focus.  Math skills include creating a scatter plot or line graph, fitting a line to a scatter plot, and making predictions. These lessons are aimed at an algebra 1...

How can you fit an entire school on one sheet of paper? You use scale! Scholars measure rooms in the school and, using the correct scale, design a floor plan that includes area calculations with their data.

NASA presents a mini-unit on distances in our solar system. It incorporates scientific concepts of gravity, mass, density, and payload while your aspiring astronauts also employ mathematics skills. They calculate speed, they determine...

Space science and math collide in this inquiry that investigates launching times for antacid-tablet rockets! Upper elementary or middle school learners collect data as they launch these mini rockets. They apply concepts of place value...

Daily routines not only help to manage classrooms, they can also provide students with rich opportunities for learning. This activity supports young learners in developing their number sense by counting up the school days on a class...

Upper elementary and middle school scholars study the economic factors that caused so many Arkansans to migrate to different parts of the country looking for work. Use this history lesson plan to help your charges gain a better...

Upper elementary and middle school pupils fill out a chart creating six equivalent fractions and then compare them to six different objects and/or shapes. They group together 16 various terms related to ratios and proportions. Pupils...

Upper elementary and middle school learners explore number sense by completing a list of multiplication problems in class. Learners discuss the difference between whole numbers and decimals while solving multiplication problems. They...

The lesson plan provides a richly detailed narrative and sample problems for teaching or reinforcing how to work with percentages. In particular, your audience will compute the costs per serving of food and simulate setting menu prices...

Setting financial goals is a common occurrence in middle school that your learners can practice using this activity. They will be able to solve for how many hours Seth needs to work to save up for a skateboard, helmet, and trip. The...

The LCM will be your new BFF. Learners review least common multiple and least common denominator applications, mostly on fractions, from middle school. Scholars then see how the LCM can be applied to various types of problems from...

How do you solve for an unknown angle? In this sixth installment of a 36-part series, young mathematicians use concepts learned in middle school geometry to set up and solve linear equations to find angle measures.

With many options to pay for college, middle schoolers learn about each possibility and that continuing their education is worth the investment. They discover the difference between a grant and a loan and that some expensive...

Here is a great opportunity to introduce your mathematicians to a food they may never have heard of, quinoa. It may help to show a short video on quinoa, or make some quinoa for the class to try. Once they get over how to say quinoa,...

Learners produce original tessellations, using equilateral triangles where three unique symmetrical faces rotate, use shape, pattern/repetition, and color to create a striking composition, and create "beasties" inspired by bestiaries of...