Willow Tree
The Pythagorean Theorem
There isn't a more popular geometry formula than the Pythagorean Theorem! Learners understand the special side relationships in a right triangle. They use the Pythagorean Theorem to find missing sides and to solve problems. They begin...
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Average Rate of Change
The concept of slope gets an approachable, yet theoretical, treatment in a comprehensive algebra lesson. The use of functional notation and problem-solving techniques keep the material rigorous, but detailed teaching notes and lots of...
Willow Tree
Percent of Change
Your car decreases in value from $20,000 to $17,000. What percent of the value have you lost? Pupils answer word problems by determining the percent of change.
Curated OER
Comprehension of Word Problems
Third graders explore math functions by completing a worksheet in class. For this word problem solving lesson, 3rd graders read a book titled Counting on Frank by Rod Clement and utilize the information in the story to answer study...
National Security Agency
A Balancing Act: Solving Multi-Step Equations
Wow! Put on that thinking cap and solve multi-step equations. To solve equations, learners review the use of the distributive property and combining like terms. This three-day instructional activity comes with about 20 pages of...
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind Curriculum Activity: Made Up Math
Is there a way to connect creative thinking, logical reasoning, mathematical understanding, and humor? You bet there is! Kids begin by creating creative math quizzes, which require creative thinking to solve. For example, 1+1=24, one...
Marilyn Burns Education Associates
Eighteen Flavors
Your learners will be tantalized by this inquiry-based, collaborative activity as they discover how to write an equation that represents the height of an ice cream cone. Given the scenario based on the poem, "Eighteen Flavors," and...
Curated OER
4 Step Approach to Problem Solving
Students explore problem solving. In this middle school mathematics lesson, students investigate the four-step approach to problem solving. Students solve word problems by employing the four-step process and express themselves through...
Curated OER
Problem Solving
Fourth graders complete a worksheet identifying unnecessary information regarding 8 different math problems. In this problem solving lesson plan, 4th graders discuss the meaning of colors on a spotlight in order to develop the skill of...
Curated OER
Using Polya's 4 Steps to Problem Solving
Ninth graders solve problems using Polya's 4 steps to problem solving.
Curated OER
Estimate, Solve, and Check
Young scholars estimate, solve, and check a series of addition and subtraction number and word problems. They write their estimates on a recording sheet, compute and write the answer in the next column, and check their answer with a...
Curated OER
Word Problem Exchange
Learners discuss elements of word problems: key words, data, computation clues, and unnecessary information and use the four steps of problem solving to find a solution and check for reasonableness.
Curated OER
The Grapes of Math
Students "think" through mathematical problem solving and provide solutions using a variety of strategies after listening to Greg Tang's book, The Grapes of Math.
Curated OER
Number and Operations- Raul's Apples: Word Problem
Students discover how they can use manipulatives to solve word problems. For this problem solving lesson, students read Raul's Apples Problem and then complete a worksheet, using beans or counters to solve the problem. Students discuss...
Curated OER
Comprehension of Word Problems
Learners solve word problems using a graphic organizer. In this problem solving lesson, students are introduced to the included graphic organizer and are taught how to use it for solving word problems. Learners write the required...
Curated OER
Problem Solving
Fifth graders read and write equations. In this equation writing lesson, 5th graders use real life scenarios to write equations. Students use manipulatives, draw pictures and make tables to understand how to write equations. Students...
Curated OER
Comprehension of Word Problems
Students demonstrate how to solve multiplication word problems. In this problem solving lesson, students read examples of multiplication word problems and are taught how to use repeated addition to solve the problems. This strategy is...
Curated OER
Problem Solving
Students explore the concept of problem solving. In this problem solving lesson, students use a decision square to solve a word problem. Students practice using a decision square to problem solve.
Curated OER
Music-Mix-Math
Use Music-Mix-Math to help learners solve a series of problems. They will solve one-word problems while music is playing, when the music stops, each learner finds a partner to compare the answer with. This can be done with as many as 4...
EngageNY
Applications of Systems of Equations and Inequalities
Is the application of systems of equations giving your class headaches? Use this resource to build on your pupils' logic to lead them to building equations and using algebraic methods. The instructional activity begins with an...
Curated OER
Fairy Tale Math
Have class members rewrite a favorite fairy tale in order to incorporate numerical information. For inspiration, the teacher provides an example written by another second grader. These modified stories are then used to write word...
Curated OER
Roman Bernardo: Solving Linear Equations
Mathematicians use an inquiry method to solve linear equations. In this linear equations lesson, young scholars practice solving equations using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They solve multi-step equations and...
EngageNY
Putting the Law of Cosines and the Law of Sines to Use
Use the Law of Cosines and the Law of Sines to solve problems using the sums of vectors. Pupils work on several different types of real-world problems that can be modeled using triangles with three known measurements. In the process,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Two Interpretations of Division
Division can be seen in two ways; as splitting a whole into a certain number of pieces, or splitting it into pieces of a certain size. Help your class reach this understanding with these two simple word problems. Encourage the use of...