How can you measure the height of a tree or telephone pole with only a short measuring tape?  It's not a problem when you start by measuring your shadow and your height to create a ratio to use with taller objects. Additional...

Your young basketball players will build a table and develop a general formula for a decaying exponential scenario involving the rebound distance of a bouncing ball. Using a CBR and graphing calculator can make this even more hands-on...

Pairs simulate the energy usage of different countries by drawing beads from a bag, which contain different beginning ratios of non-renewable and renewable energy resources. The activity concludes with a series of questions to tie...

Roll the dice with this activity and teach young mathematicians about probability. Record outcomes for rolling two number cubes in order to determine what is most likely to happen. Graph the data and investigate patterns in the results,...

Discover the relationship between tangent lines and the tangent function. Class members develop the idea of the tangent function using the unit circle. They create tables of values and explore the domain, range, and end behavior of...

What type of quadrilateral is that? Discover the difference between the types of quadrilaterals. Small groups investigate types of quadrilaterals using geometry software to find their properties. To keep track of the different...

Consider the relationship between side length and area as an input-output function. Scholars create input-output tables for the area of squares to determine an equation in the first installment of a three-part unit. Ditto for the area of...

Students analyze the measurements of rectangles. In this analysis lesson, students will investigate patterns by looking at ratios. Students will also hypothesize the probability of a ball going into a certain pocket when playing pool....

Eighth graders measure height and shadow length of other students on a sunny day and develop a ratio. They apply the ratio to other students and objects using shadows to determine height.

Students investigate numerical data on a possible asthma epidemic. Using statistical information, students graph and figure ratios of the epidemic. They evaluate the mortality rate from severe smog in the 1950's in London.

Students complete a unit of lessons on the relationships between decimals, whole numbers, and fractions. They use paper strips to solve fraction problems, view and solve examples, and use calculators to convert fractions into decimal...

Students develop an understanding of measurable attributes of circles; develop a formula to determine the circumference of circles. They approximate the value of pi.

Slow and steady wins the race? In the assessment task, scholars calculate the rates at which different snails travel in order to find the fastest snail. Hopefully, your class will move much more quickly in finishing the task!

Eighth graders measure the circumference and the diameter of circular objects and record the measured values of the circumference and the diameter in a table. They then record their measurements in centimeters and use their data to...

In this marble probability activity, 8th graders solve and complete 7 different statements related to a bag full of marbles. First, they identify and read through the data table at the top of the sheet. Then, students determine the...

This worksheet leads the class through the calculations needed to construct circles to represent the planets of our Solar System. The actual values are provided, as are suggested calculations to create the scale diameters. The ten...

Connect ratios, probability, and combination outcomes with a challenging activity idea. It guides your learners through probability of an event as fractions or ratios, on a number line, and with correct vocabulary. The class will be...

After calculating election votes, your learners must determine how many votes the winner, John, got above 50%. This multi-step problem encourages them to think in a deeper way about what the question is asking them to find. Use with...

John won the election, but by how much more? Your learners will calculate how many votes each candidate received in order to determine the difference. Use with other lessons provided in the series to practice different variations of this...

Students study how to write chemical fomulas by reviewing the combinations atoms form into compounds. They write a procedure to test various substances and name the compounds and write formulas. As they construct models for formulas and...

In this percents worksheet, students solve 30 different problems related to determining percents of numbers. First, they define a percent as a ratio whose second term is 100. 

Examine food choices and the nutritional properties of food groups with this visually appealing whole-class lesson plan. This will take a bit of preparation, but once you do it, you can use the materials for years. Using a food groups...

Students use hypsometers to measure tall objects.