Here is a fabulous lesson on problem solving in the mathematical world. In it, third and fourth graders get lots of great coaching on how to approach word problems, and how to best find a solution. They watch an episode of Reading...

Learners solve vacation equations using tape in a lesson plan that utilizes tape diagrams to aid in understanding the algebraic steps involved in solving two-step linear equations. Groups work together to solve seven scenarios involving...

Have young mathematicians subtracting fractions in no time with this manipulative-based math lesson. Using their sets of fraction circles, young scholars explore a number of word problems involving the subtraction of fractions before...

Find a way to work with rates. The 23rd part in a 29-part series presents work problems for the class to solve given work rates. Pupils compare rates to determine which is faster. Some problems require learners to convert the rates to...

Pupils use visual models, numeric methods, and equations to solve percent problems. To complete the second installment of 20, they find the part given the percent and the whole, find the percent given the part and the whole, and find the...

Don't discount how much your pupils understand percents! The 27th instructional activity in a series of 29 presents a problem to find the cost of a discounted outfit. Small groups determine either the original price or the discount...

The use of box scores from baseball games is the foundation of this math lesson. Organize your class into groups of four, and give identical box scores from a baseball game that was just played. Have them create word problems from the...

Create an understanding of solving problems that require more than one equation. The lesson introduces the concept of systems of linear equations by using a familiar situation of constant rate problems. Pupils compare the graphs of...

Add some randomization into simulations. The 11th installment in a series of 25 presents two new methods to use in simulations--colored disks, and random numbers. Pupils use random numbers to run simulations where the probabilities make...

Skittles and math? Pupils will work as a class to determine how many orange Skittles are in a large bag by using proportions. They will problem solve, estimate, and share their thinking. Then, they will each receive a small bag of...

Emerging statisticians develop the ability to make inferences from sample data while also working on proportional relationships in general. Here, young learners examine samples for bias, and then use random samples to make...

How many people do you need in a room before two likely share the same birthday? Scholars consider this puzzle by analyzing a set of data. They ponder how to divide the data and determine the proper size of a group for this event to...

Be 100 percent confident who has the most and by how much. Pupils use percentages to help make the comparisons by finding what percent one quantity is of the other. They also determine the percent differences between the two...

They say a picture is worth a thousand words—and your pupils may agree after this instructional activity! They read a geometric description and create a diagram from that description. Their diagrams help them find unknown measures based...

Which rate is greater and by how much? Pupils continue to compare rates to solve problems in the 20th portion of a 29-part series. Rates are presented in a variety of representations either using the same representation or different...

Decide which concentration of mixtures is the strongest. Pupils use tables to compare ratios involved in mixtures. They use two methods to make the comparisons — by finding equivalent values within the tables or by comparing the...

As part of a unit study of The Hobbit, class members engage in an activity that asks group to practice the skills needed to reach consensus in a discussion.

Explore the effect of outliers through an analysis of mean, median, and standard deviation. Your classes examine and compare these measures for two groups. They must make sense of a group that has a higher mean but lower median compared...

Challenge young mathematicians to buy classroom supplies by staying within the means of a $1,000 budget. The mathematical activity provides learners with the opportunity to decide what items from the supply list would benefit a class of...

What would you do if your sister ran off with a man whom you didn't trust? Explore a scenario based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Once kids work though the problem, they read the appropriate chapters from the book and write...

Equip your chemistry class with the tools to properly understand endothermic and exothermic reactions. Young chemists collect, analyze, and graph data to determine how the Law of Conservation of Matter is applied to chemical...

Through reading and writing, learners explore common elements found in fairy tales. After discussing traditional fairy tales, class members listen to The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by John Scieszka, a hilarious retelling of the...

Encourage learners to think deeply about the information they read or hear. Through a series of life skills worksheets, your pupils will consider the need for objectivity, identifying missing information, and problem solving.

It's time to go to Mars. Using the provided cards and mat, groups design a mission to Mars. The cards contain information about the different components of the launch and warn about a few mishaps that might occur along the way.