Curated OER
Understanding Proportions and Scale Drawings
Proportions are ratios found using multiplication or division. Middle schoolers solve measurement problems, find a figure's missing dimension, and find the distance between two points. Resource features four lesson plans with detailed...
California Academy of Science
Modeling Eclipses with Size and Distance Scales
Size within the solar system is a difficult thing for pupils to imagine. Using everyday objects, they build models to show the scale between the sun, moon, and Earth. They situate their props in proportional distances between the objects...
Curated OER
Scale/Ratio
Investigate the use of ratios in scale drawings. Learners scale objects up or down using ratios then find the actual size of something using ratios. They apply their knowledge of ratios as they make their own telescopes in science...
Curated OER
It's All About Scale
Sixth graders investigate scale models of toys. In this scale models of toys lesson plan, 6th graders bring in toys from home to measure. Students discuss scale and what scale is used with their toys. Students determine...
Kentucky Educational Television
The Road to Proportional Reasoning
Just how big would it really be? Young mathematicians determine if different toys are proportional and if their scale is accurate. They solve problems relating scale along with volume and surface area using manipulatives. The...
Curated OER
Zipping Through Our Solar System and Beyond
Launch your class on an exploration of the solar system. Learners construct solar system models to scale and get a better understanding of our place in the vast void of space. This is a great way for them to cement their understanding of...
EngageNY
An Exercise in Changing Scales 2
Reflect on altering scale factors. The last lesson in the series of 22 has the class compare the two scale drawings they created. They realize that the scale drawing becomes a scale drawing of each other. Class members continue to work...
Curated OER
Landmark Restoration Project-Scale Model Measurements
Students work in cooperative groups to find the actual measurements of an historical building/landmark. Then they use ratio and proportion to figure the measurements that might be used to create a scale model of the structure.
Curated OER
Discover Magazine: Size and Scale
High schoolers research measurements of the moon and Earth as well as the distance between the two in order to create scale models of the Earth-moon system. With a marble to be used as the moon, they must determine how large to make...
EngageNY
Changing Scales
Pupils determine scale factors from one figure to another and the scale factor in the reverse direction. Scholars compute the percent changes between three figures.
Pace University
Grades 7-8 Solving Equations
Create a similar blueprint. The differentiated lesson has pupils work in teams to create a brochure, scale model, or blueprint of a selected house with some minor changes. Once finished, team members present their final projects to the...
Curated OER
Measure for Measure
Young mathematicians work to recognize the relationship between their scale models of the Joides research vessel and the real vessel. They calculate the relationships between various parts of the ship using fractions, ratios, and...
EngageNY
Making Scale Drawings Using the Ratio Method
Is that drawn to scale? Capture the artistry of geometry using the ratio method to create dilations. Mathematicians use a center and ratio to create a scaled drawing. They then use a ruler and protractor to verify measurements.
Mathematics Assessment Project
Comparing Strategies for Proportion Problems
Having problems with proportions? Then solve these proportion problems with an exercise that asks learners to first individually solve a set of problems involving ratios and proportional reasoning. Groups then discuss provided...
Curated OER
Scaling Our School
Fourth graders practice estimating the length and height of buildings at their school. They then compare their estimations with the actual heights or lengths. Each student then builds a scale model using ratio to translate the "real"...
National Research Center for Career and Technical Education
Information Technology: Photoshop Scale
Scaling is a practical skill as well as a topic to be addressed throughout the Common Core math standards. You are given three different presentations and a detailed teacher's guide to use while teaching proportion, as well as practice...
University of Nottingham
Drawing to Scale: A Garden
See how design and geometry go hand in hand. The activity asks learners to use geometry to design a backyard garden given dimensions of each feature. Scholars work with ratios and scale to develop an accurate scale drawing that includes...
Curated OER
Proportions
Middle schoolers perform mathematical operations to create proportional measurements, after listening to the David Schwartz book, If You Hopped Like a Frog.
Benjamin Banneker Association
Celebrate Benjamin Banneker
Inventor, astronomer, surveyor, mathematician, clock maker. Learners celebrate the life of Benjamin Banneker by building creative analog clocks, making scale models, and solving problems related to surveying. The activities model the...
Curated OER
Our Solar System - Comparing Planetary Travel Distances
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...
EngageNY
Modeling Using Similarity
How do you find the lengths of items that cannot be directly measured? The 13th installment in a series of 16 has pupils use the similarity content learned in an earlier resource to solve real-world problems. Class members determine...
Curated OER
Scale factors: Ratios and Proportions
Pupils create building and models using scale factors. In this geometry lesson plan, students apply the properties of ratio and proportion to solve problems. They identify the means and extremes property of cross multiplication.
Curated OER
Stadiums in America
Let's play ball! A great springtime activity to learn about ratios. This activity challenges learners to draw stadiums to scale on standard letter paper and also on construction paper. This three-day lesson includes a pre-assessment...
Curated OER
Mission: Possible
Students explore the concept of scale. In this scale lesson, students are given directions scaled in inches and students must convert them to feet. Students take a section of a map and create a bigger scaled model of the section.