Las Cumbres Observatory
The Cosmic Distance Ladder: Parallax
Scientists don't have a ruler long enough to measure to the stars, so they rely on math. Scholars learn to calculate the distance from Earth to a star using the parallax method. They use angle measures from different perspectives to...
EngageNY
The Volume of Prisms and Cylinders and Cavalieri’s Principle
Young mathematicians examine area of different figures with the same cross-sectional lengths and work up to volumes of 3D figures with the same cross-sectional areas. The instruction and the exercises stress that the two figures do not...
EngageNY
How Do Dilations Map Angles?
The key to understanding is making connections. Scholars explore angle dilations using properties of parallel lines. At completion, pupils prove that angles of a dilation preserve their original measure.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Pennies, Pennies and More Pennies
Learners determine the number of pennies needed to fill a room. In this pennies lesson plan, students work in groups to determine the number of pennies needed to fill a room. They compute the probability of the head of a pin landing on...
EngageNY
Three-Dimensional Space
How do 2-D properties relate in 3-D? Lead the class in a discussion on how to draw and see relationships of lines and planes in three dimensions. The ability to see these relationships is critical to the further study of volume and other...
Shodor Education Foundation
An Introduction To Quadrilaterals
Young geometers investigate and apply properties of quadrilaterals. After a review and discussion of key terms, students use a computer applet to explore four-sided figures and classify them according to their attributes. The...
EngageNY
The Scaling Principle for Area
As they investigate scaling figures and calculate the resulting areas, groups determine the area of similar figures. They continue to investigate the results when the vertical and horizontal scales are not equal.
Shodor Education Foundation
Sets and the Venn Diagram (Beginner)
Venn diagrams are helpful in understanding the idea of a set and using attributes to sort items. This basic plan is an introduction with an added bonus of an applet that can be used to demonstrate the activity. If a classroom of...
EngageNY
Proof of the Pythagorean Theorem
What does similarity have to do with the Pythagorean Theorem? The activity steps through the proof of the Pythagorean Theorem by using similar triangles. Next, the teacher leads a discussion of the proof and follows it by an animated...
EngageNY
Law of Sines
Prove the Law of Sines two ways. The ninth segment in a series of 16 introduces the Law of Sines to help the class find lengths of sides in oblique triangles. Pupils develop a proof of the Law of Sines by drawing an altitude and a second...
Shodor Education Foundation
Estimating With Fire
Watch the damage from a forest fire in this interactive simulation activity that challenges learners to estimate the burn area using different approaches. Learners are given a worksheet to track the different burn patterns and practice...
Teach Engineering
Applying Statistics to Nano-Circuit Dimensions in Fabrication
Do flexible circuits change dimensions during fabrication? Groups use GeoGebra software to measure the length of pictures of flexible nano-circuits. To determine if the circuits change dimensions, future engineers use Microsoft Excel to...
Teach Engineering
Build the Biggest Box
Boxing takes on a whole new meaning! The second installment of the three-part series has groups create lidless boxes from construction paper that can hold the most rice. After testing out their constructions, they build a new box....
Curated OER
Rainbows, Bridges & Weather, Oh My!
Explore how real-world applications can be parabolic in nature and how to find quadratic functions that best fit data. A number of different examples of modeling parabolas are explored including a student scavenger hunt, the exploration...
Teach Engineering
Straw Bridges
Pairs work as engineering teams to design and build model bridges from drinking straws and tape. In this third segment in a series of 10, teams compete in an attempt to build the strongest bridge. To help with the design, the groups...