National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
National Debt and Wars
Take a functional approach to the national debt. Learners collect information about the national debt by decade and plot the data. They determine whether an exponential curve is a good fit for the data by comparing the percent changes...
Teach Engineering
Gumdrop Atoms
There's nothing sticky about the resource, unless you count the gumdrops! Scholars create a model of a lithium atom, complete with protons, neutrons, and electrons. It's just that these models are made with gumdrops and toothpicks.
Curated OER
Modeling the Electromagnetic Spectrum
Learners construct a model of an electromagnetic spectrum using play-doh and string. They use exponents and plot the radio/microwave, infrared, and visible bandwidths of the spectrum.
Curated OER
Podcasting Parabolas
Students explore parabolas. In this algebra and technology lesson, students construct the equation of a specific parabola, then take digital photos of real-life representations of these parabolas. Students create a podcast with a...
Statistics Education Web
Double Stuffed?
True or false — Double Stuf Oreos always contain twice as much cream as regular Oreos. Scholars first measure the masses of the filling in regular Oreos and Double Stuf Oreos to generate a class set of data. They use hypothesis testing...
Curated OER
Data Analysis and Froot Loops
Use this probability and graphing lesson to have your learners work with a partner to make a necklace out of Froot Loops. They record the cereal colors randomly chosen and strung, graph their data, then use a ratio formula to determine...
Kenan Fellows
Saving Those Who Save Us: Exploring the Use of Sensors with Data Visualization
Sensor technology is amazingly accurate and useful. Combining the sensor technology and mathematical knowledge, scholars design experiments to answer a question they have developed. Questions may focus on light sensing, temperature...
Curated OER
Critical Thinking & Writing: Brainstorming
Have your young writers organize their thoughts before writing. They generate ideas through various brainstorming activities prior to writing a mock feature news story for USA Today. A series of USA Today articles debating the level of...
Curated OER
Integers in the Weather
Middle schoolers engage in a clever lesson that combines meteorology with mathematical thinking. They use integers in relation to high and low temperatures that they record. They use a spreadsheet of weather data, a computer, and gain...
Curated OER
It's a Penguin's Life!
Students will be studying the penguin community to observe the physical characteristics of the penguin and the relation it has to its community through a distance learning project with the Detroit Zoo.
Curated OER
Poetry Coffeehouse
This resource contains a vague plan for a poetry unit conducted at an elementary school during the month of February. Although this plan does not included detailed instructional strategies, this does outline a basic unit, some creative...
Curated OER
Animals and Engineering
Students study animal classification and their interactions. In this animals and engineering instructional activity students study animal communities and how engineers use this knowledge to create new technologies.
Curated OER
Asteroids
Students study asteroids and how their size relates to a possible danger of one colliding with Earth. In this asteroids lesson students see how big an asteroid has to be to cause destruction to Earth.
Curated OER
Spider "How To" Make a Spider
Young chefs follow the set-by-step instructions of a recipe and use their prior knowledge of the body parts of a spider to make edible spider cookies. After completing a pre-writing graphic organizer they then write a "how to" paragraph...
Curated OER
Investigating Light
Students study concepts associated with light. In this light lesson, students observe an demonstration by the teacher. They examine reflection and refraction of light and name things that reflect light and those that refract it. They...
Curated OER
I'm All Mixed Up
Middle school scientists compare and contrast heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures. They differentiate solutions, colloids, and suspensions by examining samples of each. Note that the bulk of the lesson plan directs you how to...
Curated OER
"Hard Times Come Again No More" : Letters From Arkansas Families in the Great Depression
Through this series of terrific lesson plans, pupils learn about the extent of poverty in the state of Arkansas during the Great Depression. They read documents from the period which describe how hard times were, view an online photo...
Curated OER
M & M Madness
Second graders graph M & M's by color. In this graphing lesson plan, 2nd graders first predict how many of each color they think are in a handful of M & M's. Then they graph the amounts of each color on a computer program....
Curated OER
Using Tens Frames To Build Addition And Subtraction Facts To Ten
Students review the basic addition facts through ten. They use tens frames to show number patterns and number families. They also form subtraction facts to ten using dot patterns on a quinary frame. Given a number sentence they find...
Curated OER
Minutes and Hours
In this mathematics worksheet, 1st graders identify about how long it takes to do each task illustrated. Then they do three things that take minutes to complete and three things that take hours to complete.
Curated OER
Jellybean Graphs
Second graders predict and graph data based on the color of jelly beans they think are in a handful. In this prediction lesson plan, 2nd graders will predict how many of each color jellybean are in a handful. Then they graph these...
Curated OER
Mapping Your School Grounds
Students create a map of their school grounds. In this mapping lesson, students work in teams to make a map of their school grounds. Students note major features, observe, and record wildlife in the school grounds.
Curated OER
Metrics
Students discover the need for a universal measurement system. They practice using basic metric units in measuring distance and weight.
Curated OER
Balloon Fiesta
Students participate in a math activity that reinforces basic fact strategies including counting on from a greater number. They interact with pictures of hot-air balloons and discuss word and sentence equations that deal with how many...