Everyday Mathematics
Mathematics Within: Slope and Triangles
Learners discover a method for determining the slope of a line by creating and comparing similar triangles. They fold coordinate grids to make three similar triangles then measure the sides to compare the relationships between the...
NASA
Understanding the Effects of Differences in Speed—Problem Set D
Fall back and slow down. The fourth lesson in a six-part series on air traffic control leads the class to find the difference in distance traveled based upon the difference in speed. Pupils work through a problem related to walking...
California Education Partners
Cady's Cats
How much can a cat eat? The five-question fraction assessment asks pupils to determine the fractional portion of a food box eaten by cats. Learners show their proficiency in adding and subtracting fractions using several scenarios...
California Education Partners
Science Fair Project
Plant the data firmly on the graph. Given information about the growth rate of plants, pupils determine the heights at specific times and graph the data. Using the information, scholars determine whether a statement is true and support...
Illustrative Mathematics
Transforming the graph of a function
This activity guides learners through an exploration of common transformations of the graph of a function. Given the graph of a function f(x), students generate the graphs of f(x + c), f(x) + c, and cf(x) for specific values of c. The...
PBL Pathways
Medical Insurance
Design a plan for finding the best health insurance for your money. Learners compare two health plans by writing and graphing piecewise functions representing the plan rules. Using Excel software, they create a technical report...
California Education Partners
Colorful Data
Scale up your lessons with a performance task. Young data analysts work through an assessment task on scaled bar graphs. They answer questions about a given scaled bar graph on favorite colors, analyze a bar graph to see if it matches...
EngageNY
Special Relationships Within Right Triangles—Dividing into Two Similar Sub-Triangles
Why are right triangles so special? Pupils begin their study of right triangles by examining similar right triangles. Verifying through proofs, scholars recognize the three similar right triangles formed by drawing the altitude. Once...
Curated OER
Goldfish Addition and Subtraction
Engage in a hands-on addition and subtraction activity that is a wonderful tie-in with ocean studies. As the teacher, you will make up equations using construction paper and goldfish crackers.
EngageNY
Similarity and the Angle Bisector Theorem
Identifying and verifying reproducible patterns in mathematics is an essential skill. Mathematicians identify the relationship of sides when an angle is bisected in a triangle. Once the pupils determine the relationship, they prove it to...
EngageNY
Finding Systems of Inequalities That Describe Triangular and Rectangular Regions
How do you build a polygon from an inequality? An engaging lesson challenges pupils to do just that. Building from the previous lesson in this series, learners write systems of inequalities to model rectangles, triangles, and even...
EngageNY
A Surprising Boost from Geometry
Working with imaginary numbers — this is where it gets complex! After exploring the graph of complex numbers, learners simplify them using addition, subtraction, and multiplication.
EngageNY
Representing, Naming, and Evaluating Functions (Part 2)
Notation in mathematics can be intimidating. Use this instructional activity to expose pupils to the various ways of representing a function and the accompanying notation. The material also addresses the importance of including a domain...
EngageNY
An Area Formula for Triangles
Use a triangle area formula that works when the height is unknown. The eighth installment in a 16-part series on trigonometry revisits the trigonometric triangle area formula that previously was shown to work with the acute triangles....
BBC
Simple Addition and Subtraction
Here is a wonderful lesson designed for young mathematicians. In it, they employ simple addition and subtraction strategies in order to solve word problems. There are some excellent activity sheets embedded in the plan to make the...
Curated OER
Systems of Equations: What Method Do You Prefer?
Students explore the concept of solving systems of equations. In this solving systems of equations lesson, students watch YouTube videos about how to solve systems by graphing and by elimination. Students use an interactive website to...
EngageNY
Graphing Factored Polynomials
Young mathematicians graph polynomials using the factored form. As they apply all positive leading coefficients, pupils demonstrate the relationship between the factors and the zeros of the graph.
EngageNY
Using the Quadratic Formula
What is the connection between the quadratic formula and the types of solutions of a quadratic equation? Guide young mathematicians through this discovery as they use the discriminant to determine the number and types of solutions, and...
EngageNY
Coordinates of Points in Space
Combine vectors and matrices to describe transformations in space. Class members create visual representations of the addition of ordered pairs to discover the resulting parallelogram. They also examine the graphical representation of...
EngageNY
Congruence Criteria for Triangles—ASA and SSS
How do you know if a pair of triangles are congruent? Use the lesson to help class members become comfortable identifying the congruence criteria. They begin with an exploration of ASA and SSS criteria through transformations and...
EngageNY
The Graph of a Function
Mathematics set notation can be represented through a computer program loop. Making the connection to a computer program loop helps pupils see the process that set notation describes. The activity allows for different types domain and...
Concord Consortium
Losing Track
Don't lose the chance to use the task. Given three diagrams of curved pieces of wires, young mathematicians must explain whether it's possible to conclusively match the wires as representing cubic, exponential, or quadratic functions....
Curated OER
Does The Type of Mulch Used Affect Plant Growth?
Students measure, record and graph the plants they grow in a controlled setting. They feed and water the plants as needed and use the scientific method to evaluate the growth.
Curated OER
Measurement: 2D and 3D
Students solve volume problems. In this geometry lesson, the class watches a video about clean water (link provided) and individuals compare the volume of different prisms, including an actual drinking glass. Extension activities include...