6-8
This lesson explores the
concept
of slope through a student-centered problem of data collection and evaluation.
Students guess which of several flights of stairs is steepest, and then use
measures of slope to test their hypothesis.
6-8
Photographs, blueprints, models, and computer renderings may
serve as virtual representations of real cities. But how accurately do they
represent their real counterparts? In this lesson, students examine a computer
representation of a city and compare the sizes of its features with the sizes
of analogous features in a real city.
6-8, 9-12
This lesson is based upon a story from Virgil's
Aeneid. Students work in groups to
investigate maximizing area with a fixed length of rope. They investigate which
figure results in the greatest area by real-life experimentation as well
algebraically. Students gain an understanding of quadratic functions, the
isoperimetric principle, and parabolas.
6-8, 9-12
In this lesson, students learn to use a compass and a straight edge to
construct rectangles of leg ratios 1:1; 1:√2; 1:√3; 1:2; and 1:√5. The
lesson culminates with the class constructing a full size façade of a
house using the proportions of the Ancient Maya.
6-8
Students further explore square roots using the diagonals of rectangles. Using measurement, students will discover a method for finding the diagonal of any rectangle when the length and width are known, which leads to the Pythagorean Theorem.
6-8, 9-12
In this lesson students measure their speed walking in a hallway and predicting how long it takes them to get to the local movie theater 3 miles away. This is an open-ended problem in which students must develop a strategy on how to collect the data, how to convert the data to MPH, and finally make a prediction. In addition to reasoning skills, students will practice unit conversion, prediction, proportions, and graphing.
Pre-K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Focus
on patterns and relations
that can be developed from the exploration of balance, mass, length of
the mass arm, and the position of the fulcrum.
6-8
Determine
the ratio of circumference to diameter, and explore the meaning of π. 6-8
Us
e
the area formula for a rectangle to discover the area formulas for triangles,
parallelograms, and trapezoids. 6-8
Use
pattern recognition to determine the length of a diagonal of a square, and attempt to discover the Pythagorean Theorem.
