Illustrative Mathematics
Field Day Scarcity
Introduce young mathematicians to concepts of financial literacy with this open-ended word problem. With seven dollars to spend during field day and given a list of available items and their prices, children must determine how they want...
Teach Engineering
Optimizing Pencils in a Tray
What do you call a story about a broken pencil? Pointless. Scholars may not be telling stories when using the resource, but they are solving optimization problems involving the maximum number of pencils that can fit on a tray. They...
Teach Engineering
The Energy Problem
Think you can solve the energy problem? You'll first need to know about current energy use. Analyzing a set of circle graphs lets scholars see where energy consumption is the greatest, both by sector and by household use. They develop a...
EngageNY
Recursive Challenge Problem—The Double and Add 5 Game
Math is all fun and games! Use a game strategy to introduce the concept of sequences and their recursive formulas. The activity emphasizes notation and vocabulary.
SRI International
The Water Crisis
Water, water, everywhere, right? Wrong. Learners assess their own knowledge of water availability on Earth. Then, through a reading, a teacher-led presentation, and an activity, pupils learn about the importance of available clean...
Curated OER
Space Shuttle's Heat Shield Problem
Learners participate in a role-play activity to determine how to replace heat shields on the space shuttle using polar coordinates.
US Institute of Peace
Mediating Conflict
Two's a negotiation, but three's a mediation! Demonstrate the differences between the two processes through a role-playing lesson plan. The activity familiarizes pupils with the role of a mediator and examines the types of situations...
Statistics Education Web
The Egg Roulette Game
Hard boiled or raw? Which egg will you get? A hands-on activity has scholars explore the impact of conditional probability. Based on a skit from the Tonight Show, pupils model the selection of the two types of eggs using beads. They...
Space Awareness
The Fibre Optic Cable Class
Many people know that fiber optics are used in delivering the Internet, but are surprised to learn they are also used in astronomy. Scholars explore light, reflection, and fiber optics through hands-on activities. They discuss methods of...
Curated OER
The Little Prince: Problematic Situation
Your plane has crashed in the Sahara desert. What do you do? Explore the possibilities with a role-playing activity based on Antoine de Saint Éxupery's The Little Prince. In groups, kids decide whether they would walk to find help to try...
Illustrative Mathematics
Shrinking
Is Aunt Nancy shrinking? Find out by calculating with the average height women lose each year. The activity practices multiplying and dividing with decimals and rounding the final answer.
Curated OER
Pike Problems in Lake Davis
Pike fish pose a threat to native trout and catfish in lakes. Would you drain and poison a lake to get rid of the Pike fish? If the lake was drained and poisoned, then refilled and repopulated with trout and catfish, how would you...
Curated OER
Book Title: Ten Flashing Fireflies
This instructional activity engages learners in a variety of activities to build 1 to 1 correspondence, estimation, and problem solving skills. They discuss problem solving strategies, hear the story Ten Flashing Fireflies, compose their...
Curated OER
Handcarts - A Unique Form of Transportation
An interesting historical fact about how handcarts benefitted to the Mormon pioneers is the context behind this math lesson. Using given facts and figures regarding the handcart, pupil pairs create math word problems, share them with the...
Curated OER
Linear Equations
This is a great lesson from start to finish. With partners and on their own, learners write and solve linear equations and inequalities. They use manipulatives, group work, and an included worksheet to make magic with their problem...
Curated OER
Can You Tell What the Hidden Message Is?
In this math patterns worksheet, students use their problem solving skills to solve 6 problems that require them to complete messages by finding patterns.
Curated OER
Virtual Field Trip
Are we there yet? Young trip planners learn about their state and plan a trip. They will select sites to see in three cities in their state, and record associated costs in a spreadsheet. While this was originally designed as a...
Curated OER
Hot Problem Solving
Students follow the steps of the engineering design process to meet the challenge of getting their entire class from one location on the playground to the sidewalk without touching the ground between. The class develops a well...
Curated OER
Activity Plan Mixed Ages: Fairytale Homes
Learners create homes for fairytale characters. In this early childhood lesson plan, students develop literacy, language, and problem-solving concepts as they create block structures related to specific fairy tales.
Curated OER
Solving Story Problems
Eighth graders use a model to write and solve a story problem. They design a PowerPoint presentation outlining the steps to solve the problem. Students construct a diorama of a scene in the story problem.
Curated OER
Problem Solvers for Life
Fifth graders identify and explore the components of solving a problem. Students conduct a survey to collect, analyze and interpret data based on a given problem. Also, 5th graders use a variety of strategies to solve math problems,...
Curated OER
Design a Problem-Solving Invention
Students identify a problem that can be solved with a simple invention. They design an invention.
Curated OER
Hey, Pythagoras! Help Me Understand Your Theorem!
Learners explore the Pythagorean Theorem. In this math lesson, pupils solve problems using the Pythagorean Theorem. They select the appropriate numbers to substitute in the formula to solve problems.
Purdue University
Simple Machines – Dog Gone It!
How can people use simple machines to solve real-world STEM problems? Learn about simple machines using a hands-on, project-based learning activity. First, pupils investigate and evaluate simple machines. Then, they receive a task that...