Exploratorium
Persistence of Vision
Ahoy, matey! Peer through a special telescope to explore the persistence of vision. The telescope has only a thin strip with which to view the world, but as it scans the area, your eye and brain work together to create a complete...
Exploratorium
Whack-a-Stack
Go wild as you hit a stack of wooden blocks to demonstrate Newton's first and second laws of motion. The blocks at the top of the stack stay put as you knock one at a time out of the bottom. Note, however, that you will need to...
Handwriting Without Tears
Handwriting Without Tears
Does learning to write leave your kindergartners in tears? Use these easy and memorable strategies to guide their pencils in the right direction. With cute illustrations and simple instructions, your learners will be writing paragraphs...
Conflict Resolution Network
Empathy
Children are naturally friendly and communicative, but often have a hard time expressing their emotions in a clear and understandable way. Help them hone their communication skills with a set of activities based on creating empathy,...
Charleston School District
Review Unit 3: Functions
Time to show what you know about functions! The review concludes a series of nine lessons on the basics of functions. The problems included are modeled from the previous lessons. Pupils determine if a table represents a function,...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
Time to see what they've learned. Seventh graders solve a set of seven short problems in the ratios and proportional relationships domain. Applications include photo negatives, washing machines, coffee powder, sleep, stamps, etc.
Teach Engineering
Straw Bridges
Pairs work as engineering teams to design and build model bridges from drinking straws and tape. In this third segment in a series of 10, teams compete in an attempt to build the strongest bridge. To help with the design, the groups...
Balanced Assessment
Paving the Patio
Next time you need to repave your patio, have your scholars do all the math. They first calculate and answer questions using the area of patio blocks. Next, they determine the cheapest block to use to pave the patio.
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Solving Equations with Variables on Both Sides
So many different ways to solve equations, so little time! Scholars learn how to solve equations with variables on both sides by using several different methods. They apply bar models, decomposition, and traditional algebraic methods to...
EngageNY
Matrix Multiplication and Addition
To commute or not to commute, that is the question. The 26th segment in a 32-segment lesson focuses on the effect of performing one transformation after another one. The pupils develop the procedure in order to multiply two 2 X 2...
Messenger Education
Cooling with Sunshades
Messenger's sun shade measures 8 ft x 6 ft and will have temperatures reaching 700 degree Fahrenheit on the outside while maintaining a cool 70 degrees underneath. In the third activity of four, groups discuss the basic properties of...
Pearson
Questions with Any, Some, How Much, How Many; Quantity Expressions
How many times do you need to review quantity expressions? Focus on the words any, how much, some, and how many with an engaging grammar presentation.
DiscoverE
Air-Powered Mini Rocket
Does the position of the clips make a difference? The activity provides directions to build and test a paper rocket. Pupils attach paper clips to the rocket in different configurations and measure the distance the rocket flies each time....
5280 Math
Pythagorean Triples
From Pythagorean triples to the unit circle. Learners use the Pythagorean Theorem to find Pythagorean triples and then relate their work to the unit circle in a fun algebra project. Their discovery that x^2+y^2 is always equal to one on...
NASA
Catch a Gravitational Wave, Dude!
It is cowabunga time! Pupils read an article about the NASA LISA mission on gravitational waves and conduct additional research on them. The class participates in a science bowl type competition about gravitational waves. Panels of four...
Curated OER
Recycled Paper
Sixth graders keep track of the amount of paper they consume on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. The goal of the lesson is to have them all find ways to reduce the amount they use. Everyone creates recycled paper from old newspapers...
Curated OER
Anne Frank Brochure/Newsletter
Any lesson that includes time at the computer lab is a favorite for the kids! In this plan, the class heads to the lab to research Anne Frank and her life. Using both Internet and print resources (like the book), pupils compile...
Curated OER
Probability and Prediction Cards
Which card will you draw next? This template has students cut along the dotted lines to create "Probability Cards." The cards include 2 triangles, 4 squares, and 6 circles. Students determine the different probabilities of drawing each...
Curated OER
Art of Illustration: N.C. Wyeth and Literacy
High school artists observe and research the illustrations and techniques of N.C. Wyeth. They read (and reread) stories and illustrate the texts using methods inspired by Wyeth's practice. Includes detailed instructional plan and useful...
Curated OER
Home sales records
Practice consumer mathematics through by investigating home mortgages. Budding economists find the interest rates for 30-year and 15-year loans and calculate the estimated monthly payments. They use their data to compare periods of time...
Curated OER
Vapor Pressure
This extensive collection of slides begins with diagrams of molecules undergoing evaporation, progresses through methods of measuring pressure, demonstrates how to perform pressure calculations, and then explores the temperature-pressure...
Curated OER
Reading a Calendar
Calendars are great for so many reasons. They keep track of time, can help teach children to read charts, show numbers in sequential order, and are perfect for word problems. First graders assess three different calendars to answer 11...
DK Publishing
Addition with 3-Digit Numbers #1
Once your mathematicians can add two-digit numbers, it's time to bring on the three-digit addends. Here are 20 practice problems, each involving two whole-number addends. Learners do not need to regroup for any of these, and they have...
Curated OER
Calculating Change
Before beginning this money math activity, discuss with scholars why calculating change is an important life skill. They examine the prices for fruit on a snack menu and observe three customer scenarios. For each one, scholars determine...