6-8
In this lesson, students learn about the mechanics of the Electoral College and use data on population and electoral votes for each state. Students calculate the percentage of the Electoral College vote allocated to each state, and use mathematics to reflect on the differences. Several questions are provided to strengthen understanding of measures of central tendency and fluency with decimals and percents.
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.
9-12
Students often ask, “When are we ever going to use this?” Compound interest is a topic that provides an inherent answer to this question. In this activity, students use their knowledge of exponents to compute an investment’s worth using a formula and a compound interest simulator. Students also use the simulator to analyze credit card payments and debt.
9-12
Students will plan a road trip, starting in Cleveland, to visit friends in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Boston. However, with the price of gas over $3.00 a gallon, they will figure out the shortest travel route to save on expenses. This lesson investigates three different methods to determine the shortest route: the Nearest Neighbor method, the Cheapest Link method, and the Brute Force method.
9-12
In this grades 9–12 activity, students write and solve a system of
linear equations in a real-world setting. Students should be familiar
with finding linear equations from 2 points or from the slope and
y-intercept.
Graphing calculators are not necessary for this activity, but could be
used to extend the ideas found on the second activity sheet. Parts of
this lesson plan were adapted from the October 1991 edition of
Mathematics Teacher.
9-12
In this lesson, students consider the costs of owning a car and ways to lessen those costs. In particular, highway and city mileage are considered, and optimal mileage is calculated using fuel consumption versus speed data.
3-5
In this lesson, students build a three‑dimensional model from their two‑dimensional blueprint. In addition, they solve problems related to constructing and decorating their clubhouse.
6-8
Students will estimate the areas of highly irregular shapes and will use a process of decomposition to calculate the areas of irregular polygons.
3-5, 6-8
This lesson uses a real-world situation to help develop students' spatial visualization skills and geometric understanding. Emma, a new employee at a box factory, is supposed to make cube‑shaped jewelry boxes. Students help Emma determine how many different nets are possible and then analyze the resulting cubes.
3-5
Students create a box and whisker plot and compare the mean, median, and mode of a set of data.
