Illustrative Mathematics
Setting Goals
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...
Illustrative Mathematics
Harvesting the Fields
This problem involving rates may look simple at first, but it is actually quite challenging. Two different sized fields are harvested by a team of workers and learners must use different rates to calculate the number of workers on the...
Illustrative Mathematics
Triangular Tables
Somewhat of a puzzle, this problem gets pre-algebra preteens to write an expression representing a seating chart using triangle-shaped tables. This single task is an applicable lesson for meeting sixth grade Common Core math standards....
Curated OER
Quinoa Pasta 3
A mixture of quinoa and corn is for dinner in this collaborative task that sets up nicely as a system of linear equations. Your supper guests discuss numerical precision and percentages as they formulate a plan of how to solve the problem.
Teach Engineering
What's Wrong with the Coordinates at the North Pole?
Here is an activity that merges technology with life skills as individuals use Google Earth to explore the differences between coordinate systems and map projections. The self-guided activity is the fourth segment in a nine-part unit....
PBL Pathways
Gas Prices
How can math help your vehicle run better? Complete an interesting project-based learning task with your classes to determine the cheapest approach to mixing the ideal octane level of gasoline. Scholars create and solve a system of...
Education Development Center
Similar Triangles
Model geometric concepts through a hands-on approach. Learners apply similar triangle relationships to solve for an unknown side length. Before they find the solution, they describe the transformation to help identify corresponding sides.
Agile Mind
Isabella’s Credit Card
An in-depth activity that involves a real-world problem about credit card debt. Learners are given a scenario in which Isabella plans to stop using her credit card and pay off the balance by paying a fixed amount each month. The first...
Curated OER
Egyptian Fractions
You don't have to be an ancient Egyptian to decipher fractions in this activity that focuses on adding fractions with unlike denominators and developing fraction number sense. Egyptians represented fractions differently than we do. They...
Illustrative Mathematics
Lake Algae
Introduce learners to exponential growth with this real-world problem about algae that is rapidly spreading across a lake in a city park. The task presents the rate of growth and an end value and asks learners to determine what happened...
Illustrative Mathematics
Pick Two
Learning to break apart numbers into smaller pairs is a critical step young mathematicians take as they develop their number sense. To practice this skill, children are provided with sets of three numbers and are asked to pick the two...
Illustrative Mathematics
The Escalator, Assessment Variation
A great way to practice with unit rates, the activity gives your mathematicians an opportunity to compare different statements and select which are true. They can practice with "choose all that apply" by setting each statement into its...
Denton Independent School District
Pieces to the Puzzle Fraction Project
Four polygons each have a fraction with unlike denominators printed on them. Creative math minds select several shapes to create a design with and then write and solve a math problem involving the addition of all of the fractions...
Education Development Center
Extending Patterns with Exponents
Don't think negatively about exponents. Young mathematicians dissect a fictional conversation between pupils trying to evaluate an expression with a negative exponent. This allows them to understand the meaning of negative exponents.
Illustrative Mathematics
Medieval Archer
This activity presents a problem about a computer game which uses functions to simulate the path of an arrow fired by an archer. Learners use the given function to determine where the archer must stand in order to fire an arrow that will...
Curated OER
Comparing a Number and a Product
Mental math strategies are important for fifth graders to be able to determine the greater sum without actually solving the equations. As a summative assessment, this eight-problem worksheet can give insight into the understanding of the...
Illustrative Mathematics
Fishing Adventures 2
This resource is part of a series which expects participants to be familiar with graphing inequalities on a number line. It is a word problem that asks your class to graph a discrete solution set and interpret it in the context of an...
Curated OER
Find 1
Extend your class's ability to represent unit fractions on a number line with this challenging worksheet. Given two number lines, one labeled with zero and 1/4, the other with zero and 5/3, students must accurately locate the number one...
Illustrative Mathematics
Designs
A resource that makes for excellent group work as students explore the area and perimeter of different complex designs made up of squares and circles. The commentary gives a clear definition of perimeter, but suggests that group members...
Curated OER
Cash Box
Solving systems of equations with a twist! If you are looking for something out of the ordinary, then this is the problem for you. In this scenario, some money is found on the ground and you need to determine if it belongs in the cash...
Illustrative Mathematics
Firefighter Allocation
Creating equations with one variable to solve real-world-type problems is a key skill any algebra learner needs to master. Here the focus is on realizing that one can write the equation in different ways depending upon how one...
Curated OER
Basketball
Tap into the competitive nature of teenagers as your class practices setting up and solving rational equations. This activity starts with a specific ratio of games won to games played, then asks how many more games must be played to...
Illustrative Mathematics
Log Ride
The rides at a theme park always have limits on weight or number of riders. This makes a natural example of the use of inequalities to solve real-world problems. Learners explore intuitive solutions using substitution to solve the...
Illustrative Mathematics
Springboard Dive
Dive into this problem that illustrates a real-world application of the quadratic formula. Learners are given an equation that represents the height of a diver above the water t seconds after leaving the springboard. The task is to...
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