6-8
This lesson focuses students on the concept of 1,000,000. It allows students to see first hand the sheer size of 1 million while at the same time providing them with an introduction to sampling and its use in mathematics. Students will use grains of rice and a balance to figure out the approximate volume and weight of 1,000,000 grains of rice.
6-8
In this lesson, expressions representing area of a rectangle are used to enhance understanding of the distributive property. The concept of area of a rectangle can provide a visual tool for students to factor monomials from expressions.
6-8, 9-12
In this lesson, students will use Cuisenaire Rods to build trains of different lengths and investigate patterns. Students will use tables to create graphs, define recursive functions, and approximate exponential formulas to describe the patterns.
6-8, 9-12
In this lesson make connections between exponential functions and recursive rules. Students will use tables to create graphs, define recursive rules and find exponential formulas.
6-8
In this investigation, students learn about the notion of equivalence in concrete and numerical settings. As students begin to use symbolic representations, they use variables as place holders or unknowns. This investigation illustrates the continued transition from the concrete balance view of equivalence to a more abstract view.
6-8
This lesson gives students the opportunity to explore surface area in the same way that a contractor might when providing an estimate to a potential customer. Once the customer accepts the estimate, a more detailed measurement is taken and a quote prepared. In this lesson, students use estimation to determine the surface area of the walls and floor of their classroom. They check the reasonableness of their estimates, and then measure the classroom for accuracy.
6-8
In this lesson, students will design a playground using manipulatives and multiple representations. Maximum area with a given perimeter will be explored using tickets. The playground will include equipment with given dimensions, which decreases the maximum area that can be created. This is an interesting demonstration of how a real-world context can change a purely mathematical result. Finally, scale models will be created on graph paper and a presentation will be made to a playground planning committee for approval.
6-8
Students will use a clinometer (a measuring device built from a protractor) and isosceles right triangles to find the height of a building. The class will compare measurements, talk about the variation in their results, and select the best measure of central tendency to report the most accurate height.
6-8
In this lesson, students draw various polygons and investigate their interior angles. The investigation is done using both an interactive tool and paper and pencil to foster an understanding of how different patterns can lead to the same solution. After comparing results with a partner, students develop a formula showing the relationship between the number of sides of a polygon and the sum of the interior angles.
6-8, 9-12
This investigation uses a motion detector to help students understand graphs and equations. Students experience constant and variable rates of change and are challenged to consider graphs where no movements are possible to create them. Multiple representations are used throughout the lesson to allow students to build their fluency with in how graphs, tables, equations, and physical modeling are connected. The lesson also allows students to investigate multiple function types, including linear, exponential, quadratic, and piecewise.
