University of Minnesota
Beautiful Brain: Step Inside the Brain
Before digital microscopes, scientists hired artists to draw the things visible in the microscope. Through training in neuroscience and art, Cajal revolutionized the way we view the beautiful brain. The third lesson in a series of four...
Curated OER
Volcano Contour Models Activity and Tracing the Highs and Lows in San Francisco
Students investigate how to draw topographic contours and read topographic maps.They examine the topography of San Francisco and contrast the elevation of different points within San Francisco.
Curated OER
The Math in the Design and Building of Bridges
Research various types of bridge designs. Your class will be asked to consider what it would be like without bridges while learning about how they work. They will construct a model bridge based on given parameters. They then calculate...
Voyage Solar System
Round and Round We Go — Exploring Orbits in the Solar System
Math and science come together in this cross-curricular astronomy lesson plan on planetary motion. Starting off with a hands-on activity that engages the class in exploring the geometry of circles and ellipses, this lesson plan then...
Curated OER
Building My Dream House
Students create their dream house using a spreadsheet for measurements. In this measurements and drawings lesson, students apply concepts of units and conversions as they build and create different shapes. They use Google Sketch-up to...
Curated OER
Scale Me Down
Young scholars create scale drawings, and ultimately scale models, of real-world objects in this Math instructional activity about ratios, proportion, scaling factors, and cross products. The instructional activity includes ideas for...
Curated OER
A View Of Home From The Front Door and From Space
Students discover how distance can change how our view of an object. Students build a representative model of where their home is located from different distances. They create three drawn models of their home from various elevations as...
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...
Curated OER
Creating a 3d Model and Corresponding Topographic Map
Students create a landform model and topographic map. In this topography activity, students use a real landform to create a model and topographic map to scale.
Curated OER
Portrait and Figure Drawing
Students investigate the self-portraits and figure drawings of famous artists such as Käthe Kollowitz, Pablo Picasso, Rembrandt and others following their own attempts to create their expressive original drawings.
Curated OER
Scaling Down the Pyramids
Students construct three-dimensional models of the three pyramids at Giza. They research the building of the pyramids and record the height, base and angle measurements of each pyramid. They create a file of facts regarding the pyramids.
Curated OER
Three D Constellations
Students address a major misconception in astronomy, the understanding of scale. The lesson is designed to introduce students to both celestial coordinates and to the first rung on the distance determination ladder, parallax.
Cornell University
Plant Cell Crime Scene
Use science to solve the mystery of the Poplar murder. Pupils use forensic botany to determine if a suspect could be the killer. By analyzing images from a Transmission Electron Microscope, learners determine if the material found on the...
Edgate
Great Grids
Learners use grid boxes as a measurement tool and discover how grids are used for mapmaking and scaling down an area. They begin by attempting to draw a model shape drawn by the teacher by using the gridding process. At the conclusion of...
Curated OER
Scale from the Solar System to a Monster Bee
Sixth graders are introduced to the concept of scale. As a class, they create a model of the solar system taking into account the scale between the planets and the Sun. To end the lesson, they examine "Dina the Monster Bee" and discover...
Curated OER
Portrait and Figure Drawing
Students practice their drawing skills. In this drawing skills lesson, students complete a self-observation drawing activity and then 3 methods of figure drawing.
Curated OER
Mr. Pitonyak's Pyramid Puzzle
Students determine how much it would cost to build a pyramid using modern materials and ancient methods. They design scale drawings, models and submit final cost bids in an attempt to get the job of building a pyramid.
EngageNY
Comparing the Ratio Method with the Parallel Method
Can you prove it? Lead your class through the development of the Side Splitter Theorem through proofs. Individuals connect the ratio and parallel method of dilation through an exploration of two proofs. After completing the proofs,...
Civil War Trust
Map the Civil War
Mapmaking was a very important element in successfully planning attacks on enemies during the Civil War. Guide pupils through the process of pacing to find the average length of their steps, measure the distance between one object to the...
EngageNY
Searching a Region in the Plane
Programming a robot is a mathematical task! The activity asks learners to examine the process of programming a robot to vacuum a room. They use a coordinate plane to model the room, write equations to represent movement, determine the...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Understanding Wave Motion - Slinky vs. Snaky: Which Spring is Dominant?
Ride the wave to an understanding of refraction! The first in a series of two inquiry-based lessons challenges learners to create transverse waves with two different types of springs. As their wave hits an object, they observe the change...
Curated OER
Math - Design a Ship
Young scholars design a ship. They calculate square footage and draw their ship to scale. They build models of their ships.
Curated OER
How'd They Do That?
Students research the movie production occupation and careers in the industry. In this movie careers and effects lesson, students watch a video about special effects used in movies and scale. Students draw a building to a specific scale...
Curated OER
Let's Go Golfing
High schoolers bring their visions for golf courses to life. In this scale model lesson, students research golf courses online, plan golf courses on grid paper, and then create scale models of the courses they planned.