Curated OER
From Caterpillars to Butterflies: Life Cycles
Second graders listen to a read aloud of the Eric Carle's, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and talk about the life cycle of caterpillars. They draw illustrations of the life cycle and compare it with the life cycle of another familiar...
Curated OER
Vectors: How Much Force Can You Apply
This activity entails the viewing of two videos to get an overview of force and its application. The activity covers how vectors use force in real-world situations.
University of Missouri
Money Math
Young mathematicians put their skills to the test in the real world during this four-lesson consumer math unit. Whether they are learning how compound interest can make them millionaires, calculating the cost of remodeling their bedroom,...
Curated OER
Budget Mania
Young scholars examine examples of budgets and explore the difficulties of living on a budget. The hands-on activity offers an opportunity to experience a real life application.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Stopping Mosquito-Borne Disease
Fifty million people catch dengue fever each year. Understanding the transmission and symptoms of this disease helps people prevent and treat it. Learn about multiple intervention strategies and view graphs of their effects to stop the...
Curated OER
Percents: (An Application to Real Life Problems)
Seventh graders explore the concept of calculating percents. In this calculating percents instructional activity, 7th graders simulate ordering food off of a menu. Students work in groups to calculate the bill, tax, and the tip for the...
Curated OER
Tantalizing Tangrams
Students explore "area." In this tangram geometry and measurement instructional activity, students arrange tangram pieces to find the area of characters presented in a story they listen to on a website. Website information and related...
Curated OER
Maxima and Minima Problems
Students calculate the maxima and minima of quadratic equations. In this calculus lesson, students apply the derivatives by finding the maxima and minima using real life application. They solve optimization using the derivative.
Curated OER
Mavericks and Measurement
Students study the measurement formulas for area and perimeter in real-life situations. In this area and perimeter instructional activity, students design a bed and arrange furniture in a hotel room using area and perimeter formulas for...
Achieve
Greenhouse Management
Who knew running a greenhouse required so much math? Amaze future mathematicians and farmers with the amount of unit conversions, ratio and proportional reasoning, and geometric applications involved by having them complete the...
Curated OER
Identifying Career Interests in the Volunteer and Government Sectors
Here is a great way to give your class a real-life job experience, while also serving the community. They explore a variety of volunteer opportunities to build career interests, gain work experience, and help their community grow. This...
NASA
Blossoms Blooming: Analyzing Plant Growth Patterns
Could the seasons be changing? Using National Park data, learners recognize patterns in the growth of seasonal plants. They look specifically at the first bloom date of cherry blossoms in Washington DC and compare them to temperature...
Curated OER
Area of irregular Polygons: Historical Motivator - Lewis and Clark Adventure
Seventh graders find the area of irregular polygons. For this lesson on calculating area, 7th graders use the adventures of Lewis and Clark as motivation to learn how to calculate the area of irregular polygons.
Curated OER
Nets, Surface Area and Volume
Students calculate the surface area and volume of a sphere. In this geometry lesson, students define nets, surface areas and volume of prisms, pyramids, cylinders and cones. They use the computer to create nets and analyze shapes.
Curated OER
Reading the Movies: Another Approach To Teaching Critical Thinking Skills And Writing
Students explore the elements of film to analyze character, action, and the themes in the movie, "Quiz Show." The lesson plan encourages students to make personal connections and real life applications as they view the movie, critically.
Curated OER
Understanding Power using Kirchhoff’s Rules
Twelfth graders cite real life applications of Kirchhoff's rules. In this physics instructional activity, 12th graders calculate current, power and voltage using Kirchhoff and Ohm's laws. They explain the different components and uses of...
Illustrative Mathematics
How Many Leaves on a Tree? (Version 2)
A second attack at figuring out the number of leaves on a tree, this activity makes both an excellent follow-up to version 1 and a stand-alone activity. Learners practice setting parameters and deciding acceptable estimate precision, and...
Curated OER
Microscopic Water Life
Students use a light microscope to observe the organisms living in a sample of ocean or fresh water. Students create a drawing of the organisms that they observe. Students then discuss the different body plans of the organisms and the...
Curated OER
Experimental Probability
While just a simple lesson plan, this activity on experimental probability could provide a way to connect this concept to real life. Learners begin by participating in a probability activity using a coin, and then move on to create their...
Curated OER
Dr. Seuss and Read Across America
What important facts about Dr. Seuss influenced the Read Across America movement...? This is the driving question of a research project that requires scholars to find information about Dr. Seuss' life and work. Class members write a...
Curated OER
Scale Factors for Areas and Volumes
Students examine mathematical questions. They examine how to tackle mathematical questions and discover the effect of a change in length on area and volume. They examine the consequences of the physical properties sea animals on heat...
Curated OER
Arrange the Classroom (Part 1 of 3)
Fifth graders arrange the classroom using all the moveable objects and through the exploration of area and perimeter. They determine the area of the classroom, create and label model pieces of furniture using graph paper, and create a...
Curated OER
Design-A-Room Project (Part 3 of 3)
Students culminate a unit on measurement with a focus on area and perimeter. They design a floor plan of their dream room on graph paper showing the proper area and perimeter. They plan the budget for their room and make a 3-D scale...
Curated OER
Crispy Cookie Class Fundraiser
Seventh graders see the relationship of math and the real world application by manufacturing a product for making a profit. They create a food product from a recipe, record their sales and analyze and report their gross profit.