Balanced Assessment
Local and Global Behavior
Create rules for numerical sequences. Pupils develop local rules and recursive rules for number sequences. The sequences are linear, quadratic, and cubic in nature. Scholars find that some local rules do not work, no matter where in the...
Balanced Assessment
Chameleon Color
Don't let the resource hide from you. In the assessment task, young mathematicians solve problems involving chameleons that change color. Three different problems require individuals to apply parity in various situations.
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Solving a Simple Maze
Solve a maze ... from a robot's point of view. In the instructional activity, your scholars build a small, simple maze from cardboard and then find a route from the start point to the finish point. They write an algorithmic process that...
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Fun with Sorting
Who knew sorting could be so much fun? Scholars participate in a sorting activity where they develop questions to place a list of numbers in order. They consider how these questions can be used as an algorithm.
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Computing in the Cloud
What and where is "the cloud"? The lesson teaches scholars about the history of cloud computing and about its current uses. It also teaches how to install a multiple guest OS in a host OS and how to use cloud computing services.
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Arduino Blink Challenge
Who knew turning a light on and off could be so complicated? In the lesson, pupils use Arduino boards to learn about computer codes and programs. They program an Arduino to make a light turn on and off at certain time intervals.
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Program Your Own Game
Young computer scientists get to see what it's like to be a software engineer as they use free online software to design a computer game. They play and evaluate games groups created to round out the activity.
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Boolean Algebra is Elementary
See how Boolean algebra relates to video games with a lesson that teaches young scholars how to use Boolean algebra to create rules for a virtual world. They test the rule base for consistency in groups.
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Graphics: Bits and Points
What can a mural teach pupils about computer science? The lesson has scholars create a mural on a wall to learn about bitmap and vector graphics. Along the way, they learn about the graphics coordinate system.
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Networks
Ever wonder how the Internet works? The instructional activity teaches scholars the basics of graph theory and how it applies to the Internet. They perform simulations to see how information is sent on the Internet.
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Recursion: Smaller Sibling Pyramids
Get siblings to do your work. Scholars learn how to perform summations of arithmetic sequences in an innovative lesson. They use iterations, smaller siblings (tail-end recursion), and the divide-and-conquer approach.
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Sorting Socks is Algorithm Complexity
Use hosiery to teach computer science. Scholars use socks to develop a set of algorithms. They find ways to find a particular sock from a set and ways to sort socks. Finally, they use their algorithms to consider time complexity.
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Data Representation: Millions of Colors
How many colors do you know? The lesson plan teaches scholars how digital devices use binary and hexadecimal representations to store colors. They learn how millions of colors are available on these devices.
Curriculum Corner
Find the Factors
Challenge mathematicians to show what they know with a worksheet all about factoring. Scholars factor seven given numbers to identify which of the variety of choices does not belong.
Curriculum Corner
The Answer Is Math Task Cards
Scholars work backwards to solve word problems with a practice page that gives an answer and asks, What is the problem?
Balanced Assessment
Boring a Bead
How much material is in a bead? Class members utilize volume formulas to determine the amount of material in a bead. The goal of the assessment is to show that the amount of material left in a bead is the same for all beads with a given...
Balanced Assessment
Fit-Ness
Serve four towns with one bus route. Pupils develop a bus route that meets certain criteria to serve four towns. They determine which of the routes would best serve all of them. Individuals then hypothesize where a fifth town should be...
Balanced Assessment
Getting Closer
Flip the script! Reverse the situation and ask the class to find the function given asymptotes. The task requires class members to use their knowledge of functions and asymptotes to create functions that have a given asymptote or...
Balanced Assessment
Dart Boards
Bulls eye! Design dart boards with specific chances of winning. Individuals determine the probability of hitting a circular and a triangular dart board inscribed in squares. They create dart boards that have a 50 percent chance of...
Balanced Assessment
Tie Breaker
Develop a tie-breaking policy to determine a league champion. The assessment presents a scenario of finding a champion of a league with three teams tied. Pupils devise and defend a system that allows for only one team to be determined...
Balanced Assessment
Genetic Codes
Determine the number of possible genetic codes. Class members are challenged to determine the number of possibilities of a genetic code that is 20 bases long. They continue to explore the average lengths of broken RNA molecules.
Balanced Assessment
Red Dots, Blue Dots
Count the connections between dots. Young mathematicians come up with a method to determine the number of connections between pairs of dots. The assessment leads the class to determine the connections they can make when groups are...
Balanced Assessment
Catenary
Develop a model for a hanging chain. Pupils find a mathematical model for a hanging chain and then they compare their models to the precise function that models the curve. Scholars come up with a strategy to determine how close their...
Balanced Assessment
On Averages and Curves
Determine the average on a curve. The class finds graphical representations of averages and expresses them both symbolically and on the graph. The assessment requires class members to justify using average to describe graphs.