Shodor Education Foundation
Spy Game
Turn students into detectives as they decipher encrypted messages. Introduce your class to modular arithmetic and have a little fun encrypting and decoding secret messages. The activity does not hit many content standards, but would be...
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The Truth About Triangles and Squares
Fourth graders investigate the patterns associated with both triangular and square numbers. They use counters as manipulatives to depict the numbers as needed but focus on problem solving using mental math techniques.
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The Mandelbrot Set
Young scholars explore the Mandelbrot Set. They are introduced to the concept of a complex number and function in order to motivate the discussion of Julia and Mandelbrot sets. Students investigate fractals and how they are built.
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That Rascal Pascal
Fourth graders use the concept of number patterns to complete a portion of Pascal's Triangle as well as identify and describe the patterns represented.
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Pyrotechnics
Students discuss pyrotechnics and what they have noticed about their height and speed. They think about the path which fireworks follow which is a parabola. They follow multiplication patterns to determine the Zero Product Property and...
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You Gotta Have Heart
Ninth graders investigate the concept of relations and interpret graphs and tables. They analyze given data and look for a pattern to determine if the numbers represent a function. Students practice solving scientific word problems that...
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Learning Birthdays With Chinese Calendar
Students participate in a visual arts lesson that focuses on patterns used in a macaroni necklace that represents the students' birthdays in the Chinese calendar. They compare the Chinese calendar to the one used in America and look at...
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Impossible Graphs
Students distinguish between possible and impossible graphs of functions, and to learn why some graphs are impossible. They have practiced plotting functions on the Cartesian coordinate plane
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Follow That Graph
Students investigate the graphs of six trigonometric functions. They discover how changes in the equation of the basic function affect the graph of the function.
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Geometry and Symmetry
Students examine tessellations and their geometric properties. The lesson plan and discussions may be used to develop students' understanding of polygons and symmetry as well as their ability to analyze patterns.
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Create a Wrapping Cloth Design
Pupils create wrapping clothes using paper or cloth scraps being sure to find or make geometric shapes. They create a visually balanced composition including symmetry,and repeated patterns.
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Irregular Fractals
Students study and research irregular fractals and construct a few based on their research. Students practice pattern recognition skills and plane geometry skills calculating dimensions on the Fractured Pictures activity.
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Speed + Graphing = Winners!
Fifth graders take addition timed tests every day for a two week period. Using the data from the timed tests, they create a bar graph using Microsoft Excel computer software, a personal bar graph using graph paper and colored pencils,...
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Symmetry In Nature
Students investigate the symmetry that is found in nature. They view shapes and patterns in nature while looking at images. Students look for tessellations while obtaining photographs with a digital camera. The information is used for...
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Visual Arts
Students identify different kinds of lines in art and nature. They use continuous, curved line to create a drawing.
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Using Excel to Reference and Graph Live Data from a Web Site
Students collect live buoy data about water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico from the Internet and work individually to organize their data and create a line graph using Excel Spreadsheet. Students analyze their data and examine any...
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Too Bee Or Not To Bee
Students recognize that bees are important in the reproduction of plants and to the survival of animals. In this bee lesson, students become familiar with the parts of bees and how those adaptations help them pollinate plants. Students...
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The Consumer Price Index: A Measure of Inflation
Students examine inflation over the years and learn to calculate how it changes over time. In this money management lesson plan, students learn how price changes affect their purchasing power, how to come up with strategies for dealing...
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Triangle Exterior Angles Theorem
Students identify the measure of missing exterior angles. In this geometry lesson,students define and apply the exterior angle theorem to solve problems. They use Cabri software to create different angles and make investigations.
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Equations in the Park
Learners explore algebraic concepts using real life situations. For this equations lesson, students develop strategies to solve missing number problems. Learners participate in a board game based on algebraic equations.
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Mathematics: Best Salary
Sixth graders pretend to need jobs to earn money for a go-cart which costs $1,000. They predict which of two scenarios raise the money first. they construct charts and graphs to demonstrate their predictions.
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Code Breakers
Students collect data and make a frequency table, change ratios into percents, and analyze data to make predictions.
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Falling Into Geometry Through Paper Art
Students explore geometric shapes. In this kindergarten geometry lesson, students create a fall quilt consisting of three different paper geometric quilt squares that when assembled form a scarecrow, a pumpkin, and a crow.
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Graphing and the Coordinate Plane
Students examine the four quadrants of Cartesian coordinate plane. They play maze games and coordinate games to discover how to read and plot points on the plane. Students plot points on the coordinate plane and examine the ratio of...