Illustrative Mathematics
Average Cost
Here is an activity that presents a good example of a function modeling a relationship between two quantities. John is making DVDs of his friend's favorite shows and needs to know how much to charge his friend to cover the cost of making...
Illustrative Mathematics
Throwing Baseballs
This is a wonderful exercise for learners to apply their critical thinking skills along with their knowledge of quadratic functions and parabolas. Young mathematicians investigate a real-world scenario about the height a baseball reaches...
Illustrative Mathematics
Longer and Heavier? Shorter and Heavier?
For many young children it seems obvious that longer objects are heavier than shorter objects. This assumption is put to the test as the class investigates the relationship between length and weight in a whole-group activity. Using a...
Illustrative Mathematics
Growing Bean Plants
Plant growth experiments offer rich, cross-curricular learning opportunities that can really excite and engage young learners. In this series, children work in pairs planting, measuring, and comparing the height of bean plants in order...
Curated OER
Symmetries of a Quadrilateral II
Learners investigate the symmetries of a convex quadrilateral in a collaborative activity. Rigid motion and complements are explored as learners analyze different cases of reflections across a line.
Curated OER
Tennis Balls in a Can
Make your classroom interesting by teaching or assessing through tasks. Deepen the understanding of Geometry and motivate young mathematicians. The task uses investigation with tennis balls and their container to prompt learners to use...
Buffalo State
A Five Day Approach to Using Technology and Manipulatives to Explore Area and Perimeter
Young mathematicians build an understanding of area and perimeter with their own two hands in a series of interactive geometry lessons. Through the use of different math manipulatives, children investigate the properties of rectangles,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Archimedes and the King's Crown
Learners will shout "Eureka!" in this quick but deep activity replicating the famous bathtub experiment of Archimedes. Given the scenario of a king with a suspected fake crown, young investigators develop formulas using density to...
Illustrative Mathematics
Logistic Growth Model, Abstract Version
Here learners get to flex some serious algebraic muscles through an investigation of logistic growth. The properties of the constant terms in the logistic growth formula are unraveled in a short but content-dense activity. Moving...
Illustrative Mathematics
Tilt of Earth's Axis and the Four Seasons
Geometry meets earth science as high schoolers investigate the cause and features of the four seasons. The effects of Earth's axis tilt features prominently, along with both the rotation of the earth about the axis and its orbit about...
Illustrative Mathematics
Accuracy of Carbon 14 Dating II
The scientific issue of carbon-14 dating and exponential decay gets a statistics-based treatment in this problem. The class starts with a basic investigation of carbon content, but then branches out to questions of accuracy and ranges of...
EduGAINs
Introduction to the Great Depression—Canadian and World Studies
Ah, the classic business cycle model: recession, depression, recovery, prosperity. And then there was the Great Depression. Groups investigate the economic conditions that led to and social movements of the 1920s that great out of the...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Cross Totals
Finally, it all adds up. Learners complete a number puzzle in which they investigate the sums of the digits one through nine in a cross pattern. They then try to determine what totals are possible and which ones are not before devising a...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Cubic Graph
Connect cubic graphs to equations. After connecting solutions of a cubic equation to zeros of its related cubic function, pupils investigate a translation of the cubic function.
Mathematics Assessment Project
T-Shirt Sale
Everyone loves a sale! As pupils investigate a sale on t-shirts, they determine the percent discount and original prices.
Mathematics Assessment Project
Leaky Faucet
In the assessment task, learners investigate the rate at which a faucet leaks. They use unit conversions to determine the amount of water that leaks in a year. Maybe they should just fix the leak!
Mathematics Assessment Project
A Million Dollars
Could you carry a million dollars in $1 bills? As a middle school assessment task, learners investigate different questions regarding a million dollars. They then determine how long it would take to make a million dollars, how many...
Teach Engineering
Electromagnetic Radiation
How can nanoparticles be used in the battle against skin cancer. Class members take on the question as they gather information about electromagnetic radiation, specifically ultraviolet radiation. Pupils learn about the mathematical...
Rochester Institue of Technology
Household Container Recycling
Don't throw out this resource ... recycle it! Learners investigate recycling of containers using single stream processes, and then the class discusses the advantages and disadvantages of recycling.
Balanced Assessment
Egyptian Statue
Investigate the proportional relationships of length, area, and volume. Learners use the dimensions of rectangular prisms to create ratios and proportions. They compare the different ratios to solve more advanced problems.
Balanced Assessment
Cost of Living
Math scholars investigate the cost of living in Hong Kong compared to Chicago but must first convert the different types of currency. They then choose a type of graph to compare different spending categories and finish the activity by...
Virginia Department of Education
Independent and Dependent Variables
Investigate the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Individuals begin by identifying independent and dependent variables from different problem situations. Then, using specific guidelines, they create posters...
Teach Engineering
Linear Regression of BMD Scanners
Objects may be more linear than they appear. Scholars investigate the relationship between the number of bone mineral density scanners in the US and time. Once they take the natural logarithm of the number of scanners, a linear...
Space Awareness
A View From Above
Analyzing and interpreting satellite data takes knowledge and patience. Through a detailed lab investigation, young scholars learn the process of analyzing this data. They use technology to create color images and maps from real...