101 Questions
Double Sunglasses
If you wear two sets of sunglasses, do you get twice the darkness? Pupils explore an enlightening topic using a video and math model. They discover how to extend the topic through a sequel video and challenge question.
101 Questions
Scrambler
Unscramble a carnival mystery! Scholars observe a video of an overhead view of a carnival ride, The Scrambler. They then must determine mathematically where a specific car will stop after a certain amount of time.
101 Questions
Leap the Jeep
Will harm come to the child in the video? Find out by modeling the scenario mathematically! Learners represent the situation with a quadratic model before deciding on a maximum height and time the person is in the air. Too low or not...
101 Questions
Snow Day
Who doesn't like a snow day? Learners watch a snow accumulation over a span of 10 hours. They use that information to make a prediction of the total snow that fell during the 23-hour snowfall. Will it be enough to cancel school?
101 Questions
Blob Jump
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the case of the blob, that reaction is a trip several feet in the air! Learners begin by watching the world-record blob jump. They then analyze the flight of the person using...
101 Questions
Jam Session
Don't let the learning in your classroom get jammed up! Intrigue your scholars with an open-ended scenario to explore. A video presentation shows a challenging stretch of road that is susceptible to traffic jams. The task is to determine...
101 Questions
Small Trebuchet
Travel back to medieval time where learning is just a stone's throw away! A video introduction shows a trebuchet (catapult-like machine) as it launches a rock into a lake. Learners use their quadratic modeling skills to predict the...
Howard County Schools
To Babysit or Not to Babysit?
Would you work for a penny today? Use this activity to highlight the pattern of increase in an exponential function. Scholars compare two options of being paid: one linear and one exponential. Depending on the number of days worked, they...
Howard County Schools
Building a Playground
Scholars crave practical application. Let them use the different models of a quadratic function to plan the size and shape of a school playground. They convert between the different forms and maximize area.
Howard County Schools
Planning for Prom
Make the most of your prom—with math! Pupils write and use a quadratic model to determine the optimal price of prom tickets. After determining the costs associated with the event, learners use a graph to analyze the break even point(s).
Howard County Schools
Discounting Tickets
A boss who can't do math? Oh, no! Young entrepreneurs use linear and exponential models to determine which discount will yield the most profit on ticket sales.
101 Questions
2010 Guatemalan Sinkhole
Dig deep into a lesson studying volume. Learners view images of a Guatemalan sinkhole that seems too big to be true! Their task is to determine the amount of material needed to fill the hole using information from news articles and videos.
101 Questions
Angry Bird Quadratics
Launch your classes into a modeling lesson. Young scholars watch angry bird trajectories and make predictions based on their knowledge of quadratic functions. The lesson includes a series of questioning strategies to lead learners to the...
101 Questions
Penny Circle
Watch as your classes buy into a rich lesson full of information. A video opener challenges individuals to determine the number of pennies that fit in a circle with a 22-inch diameter. Using lesson materials, scholars collect data and...
101 Questions
Styrofoam Cups
How many cups does it take to reach the top? Learners attempt to answer this through a series of questions. They collect dimension information and apply it to creating a function. The lesson encourages various solution methods and...
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: 3D Shapes
Explore vocabulary related to three-dimensional shapes. An instructional website describes the characteristics of different geometric solids. Learners can use an interactive component to view nets, faces, vertices, and edges of common...
101 Questions
Toothpicks
Analyze patterns and build functions. Young scholars work on their modeling skills with an inquiry-based lesson. After watching a video presentation of the problem, they write functions and make predictions.
101 Questions
The Biggest Loser
Sometimes losing is actually winning! Learners use a proportional analysis to compare percent weight loss of contestants on The Biggest Loser. The resource provides data and clips from the show to facilitate the lesson.
101 Questions
Deodorant
Smells like learning! Young scholars collect data on the length of time a stick of deodorant lasts. After modeling the data with a graph and function, they make predictions about deodorant use over time.
101 Questions
Ferris Wheel
Around and around you'll go! Learners analyze the periodic nature of a Ferris wheel. Using a trigonometric function, they make predictions about the location of a specific car at the end of the ride and its total trips around the circle.
101 Questions
Suitcase Circle
Analyze patterns in a circular arrangement. After using a geometric construction to complete a circle, learners use proportional reasoning to make predictions. By determining the length of an arc built from suitcases, they estimate the...
101 Questions
The Incredible Shrinking Dollar
Make money disappear! Young scholars watch as a copier shrinks a dollar bill to 75 percent of its size. Learners are left to determine the size of the dollar bill after nine passes through the copier.
101 Questions
Rotonda West, FL
The shortest distance from point A to point B is a straight line—or is it? Young scholars determine the shortest route either along a circular path or through the center of the circle. Learners gain a unique perspective on arc length and...
101 Questions
Coins in a Circle
Round and round you'll go! Learners watch as different-sized circles fill with coins. They collect data and then make a prediction about the number of coins that will fit in a large circular rug.