Working with a map that does not have a coordinate system on it, small, collaborative teams must come up with a coordinate system for their map. Groups then explain their coordinate structure to the class.

Boat ramps move with waves and changes in water level. Scholars decide on the proper length for a ramp so the angle connecting both sides is appropriate. They visualize the situation and use a simulation to view the results with their...

Take foldables to all new heights. Pupils build and fly different types of paper airplanes in the 14th portion of a 22-part unit on aviation. Groups collect data on distance and flight time for each plane and compare the data from the...

Looking for the best inclined plane for the job? Groups calculate the theoretical mechanical advantage for four different inclined planes. They determine the actual mechanical advantage by measuring the amount of force needed for the...

Four is the perfect number—if you're talking about parallelograms. Scholars determine a possible fourth vertex of a parallelogram in the coordinate plane given the coordinates of three vertices. They read a conversation...

This is an interesting geometry problem. Given the figure, find the area of a triangle that is created by the intersecting lines. The solution requires one to use what he/she knows about coordinate geometry, as well as triangle...

While the lesson 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 in half; can they...

Use the alphabet as a tool for teaching your class about geometric figures. Break apart capital letters into line segments and arcs. Classify angles as right, acute, or obtuse. Identify parallel and perpendicular lines. An excellent...

Your learners find as many rigid motions of the plane as they can that are symmetries of the configuration of circles. Rigid transformations of the plane are explored and become more concrete to them as they visualize and execute...

While it may seem incredibly obvious to the geometry student that congruent sides make congruent triangles, the proving of this by definition actually takes a bit of work. This exercise steps the class through this kind of proof by...

When mathematical errors happen, part of the learning is to figure out how it affects the rest of your calculations. The activity has your mathematicians solving for the area of a circular pipe and taking into consideration any errors...

Geometers explore symmetries of isosceles triangles by using rigid transformations of the plane. They complete four tasks, including congruence proofs, which illustrate the relationship between congruence and rigid transformations. The...

Young theatre artists engage in a scavenger hunt to acquaint themselves with set design. The challenge is to search the site and match a separate maquette with each of the 24 clues.

Learners follow a series of instructions for drawing and coloring different shapes in order to learn the difference between the perimeter and area of a polygon. Then they are asked to find the perimeter and area of a 3x4 rectangular...

Your learners collaboratively find the lines of symmetry in an equilateral triangle using rigid transformations and symmetry. Through congruence proofs they show that they understand congruence in terms of rigid motions as they...

Class members work in pairs to build a catapult to launch a grape a given distance. The catapult project, a compound machine, reinforces pupils' understanding of simple machines.

Discover different dimensions with paper folding. Pupils first read about zero, one, two, and three dimensions, and then learn about the fourth dimension, time. They then use origami to create models of shapes in three dimensions and use...

Making money is important to teenagers. It is up to your apprentices to determine how much two wage earners make with their after school jobs. Participants work with a table, an equation, and a graph and compare the two workers to see...

One step at a time! A seemingly linear relationship becomes an entirely new type of function. Young scholars build their understanding of step functions by completing a three-stage activity that incorporates multiple representations of...

Explore how lines of symmetry help define different categories of quadrilaterals. Looking at a square, rectangle, trapezoid, and parallelogram, young mathematicians discover that each shape has its own, unique symmetry. Encourage your...

After learning that the sum of interior angles for triangles is 108 degrees, take it further to show that the sum of angles in any polygon is the same! Using hexagons, pupils practice finding the measure of the six congruent angles. Make...

Take a look at climate change from another angle. Readers learn about the MISR instrument on the Terra satellite and how it studies Earth. Pupils experience how the multiple cameras give scientists multiple views so they can better study...

Just exactly where does the name conic come from? This brief hands-on exploration explains it all. Have your class cut cones to create their own conics, then assess their understanding with a few identification problems. Consider making...

If both pairs of opposite sides of a quadrilateral are congruent, is the quadrilateral a parallelogram? This task asks learners to determine the answer and to support their answer with a proof. The resource includes a commentary for...