Curated OER
Matchstick Math: Using Manipulatives to Model Linear, Quadratic, and Exponential Functions
Playing with matches (unlit, of course) becomes an engaging learning experience in this fun instructional unit. Teach pupils how to apply properties of exponential functions to solve problems. They differentiate between quadratic and...
Illustrative Mathematics
Ice Cream Cone
Every pupil with a sweet tooth will be clamoring for this lab and analysis, particularly when they're allowed to eat the results! Volume and surface area formulas for cones are developed from models, and then extended to the printing of...
Curated OER
Put Your Truss in Building Bridges
Students apply abstract concepts, such as stress, fulcrums, the law of gravity, and the strength of different geometric shapes. Groups of student contractors operate simulated architectural firms to create strong, economical bridges.
Curated OER
Tangram
Students explore tangrams. In this tangrams lesson, students read Three Pigs, One Wolf, and Seven Magic Shapes and then complete a WebQuest on tangrams. Students explore shapes and rotation during the WebQuest and create a new character...
Illustrative Mathematics
How Thick Is a Soda Can I?
The humble soda can gets the geometric treatment in an activity that links math and science calculations. After a few basic assumptions are made and discussed, surface area calculations combine with density information to develop an...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Start with a Circle...
The Golden Ratio. The Divine Proportion. Yup. It's math and art blended into one colorful activity. Young artists combine colored tissue paper circles and parts of circles to create geometric patterns. As a bonus, kids get to figure out...
Curated OER
Gotcha Covered, Pardner!
Young geometers use the interactive website Cyberchase to practice calculating both area and perimeter. Real world problems encourage learners to discover that we use math each and every day.
Curated OER
It's Not All Greek to Me
Learners find out the meaning for prefixes used in math vocabulary. By dissecting words used in everyday math, they figure out what the prefix indicates and what the word means. A variety of well-organized worksheets and activities...
Curated OER
Four Color Map
Learners explore geometry by completing a color puzzle. In this shape identification lesson, students utilize deductive reasoning to complete a Google SketchUp puzzle with trapezoid, triangles and rectangular shapes. Learners complete...
Arizona State University
Mining Shapes
Youngsters recognize and identify shapes. They draw, and use modeling clay to make shapes. They also identify shapes in their environment and in the Navajo culture, then compare the shapes and sort them into groups. This is the website...
Curated OER
Shaping Up!
Kindergartners are introduced to basic shapes. Learners spend 45 minutes a day in geometry centers carrying out the activities outlined in this ambitious plan. There are games, hands-on activities, interactive websites, art projects,...
Curated OER
Bonus Activity: Build a House
Students complete a building activity using their knowledge of geometrical shapes, tools, and how to follow a plan from previous lessons in this unit. In this following directions lesson, students study the basic building process as it...
Illustrative Mathematics
Representing Half of a Circle
Geometric shapes make great visual models for introducing young mathematicians to the concept of fractions. Looking at a series of four circles, learners are asked to determine whether or not one half of each circle is shaded. To support...
Curated OER
Investigating Shapes in Our World
First graders explore shapes. In this geometry instructional activity, 1st graders make shapes with geo-boards, use play-dough to make three-dimensional figures, and make a shape book using pre-cut shapes.
Curated OER
Shape Up
Students explore differents types of triangles and quadriaterals. In this polygon lesson, students model identify and compare two and three dimensional geometric figures. Students create tangrams and discover the difference between...
Curated OER
I Can Build It.....Yes I Can!
Kindergartners listen to a story read by their teacher, then use magnetic shape pieces to construct simple designes. They "build" their own house using pre-cut paper shapes. This age-appropriate lesson would be an excellent choice for...
Curated OER
Geometry and Shapes
High schoolers discuss and identify polygons and lines. In this geometry instructional activity, learners review liner, square and cubic units so they can incorporate it into the instructional activity on measurement and creating packing...
Curated OER
One Good Turn Deserves Another
Students make observations about shapes and 1-, 2-, and 3-dimensional objects. They conduct observations and make predictions regarding transformations of simple geometric shapes. They identify shapes that occur in household items.
Shodor Education Foundation
Visual Patterns in Tessellations
Geometers explore the concept of tessellations. They use a tessellation applet to manipulate shapes and design their own tessellation using the applet.
Curated OER
Building Big and Strong
Middle and high schoolers explore the concepts of architectural rigidity. They analyze a variety of polygons, and explain why some shapes add more strength to structures than others. The PBS video, "Building Big," is utilized in this plan.
Curated OER
Crazy for Cubes: Art and Science
Learners discuss Sol LeWitt and conceptual art, then analyze the differences in expressing a concept through model-based inquiry and aesthetic art criticism. They develop a geometric, scientific, or mathematical concept, then create an...
Curated OER
The Very Busy Spider
Youngsters explore visual arts by participating in a geometry identification activity. They read the book The Very Busy Spider and identify the techniques spiders use to create webs. Have you ever noticed that their webs are geometric...
Shmoop
Coordinate Proofs
How do you know you know? Prove it! The guide goes through several examples and includes a link to a video to teach learners how to work through coordinate proofs. The goal is to prove that different shapes are indeed that shape.
Curated OER
Mirror, Mirror
Geometry students use hinged mirrors to discover that the regular polygons are composed of triangles tessellating around a center point. They sketch triangles on paper models of the regular polygons having 3 to 10 sides and compute the...