Explore the properties of parabolas in this lesson. Construct a parabola given a focus and a directrix on the Ti-Nspire. Write equations of parabolas in vertex form and determine the a value of a parabola given a focus and directrix.

How do you graph a quadratic function efficiently? Explore graphing quadratic functions by writing in intercept form with a lesson that makes a strong connection to the symmetry of the graph and its key features before individuals write...

Scholars approach a problem trying to plan a meal for a class party. They learn about the restrictions and must decide what information they need to plan the meal. The first instructional activity in a 13-part unit on Our Hungry Planet...

Resistance to the Holocaust took on many forms. Learners explore the passive and active resistance of Jewish people who continued their practices and observances, as well as organized resistance against the evils of the Nazis. An...

High schoolers investigate linear equations as they use technology (Cabri, Jr.) to explore the equations of lines in slope-intercept form. The technology allows learners to manipulate the line and observe the changes in the parameters of...

In this real-world example, algebra learners start to get a sense of how to represent the relationship between two variables in different ways. They start by looking at a partial table of values that define a linear relationship. They...

Students read a CNNfyi.com article about boot camp workouts and define how it is different than other workouts. They research different workout types.

Open-ended dialogue and guiding questions lead children through a discussion about the relationship between physical objects and personal identity. They analyze the work of two contemporary Japanese artists who have use their mediums to...

Students define what a cloud is and what fog is. After a lecture/demo, students participate in an experiment on how clouds and fog are formed. In pairs, they perform the experiment a second time, record their results and present to the...

As a whole class, the students define glacier and perform an experiment involving glaciers. The students brainstorm ideas of what a glacier is, and narrow the ideas down to a definition. The students then participate in an activity that...

Efficiently graph a quadratic function using transformations! Pupils graph quadratic equations by completing the square to determine the transformations. They locate the vertex and determine more points from a stretch or shrink and...

What is an alien's favorite game? All-star baseball! Scholars start defining living and non-living. Then, they conduct experiments to research if life exists, keeping in mind that life could be in many forms, not just human. 

Excellent instructional activity! Anne Linehane's geometry story, The Greedy Triangle, offers an opportunity to practice forming various types of polygons with your learners. Using elastic bands (or Chinese jump...

After a class discussion that focuses on kinship and extended family, young learners explore how Native Americans have lived in clans and other forms of extended family divisions. Pupils also see how Native Americans relate to the...

Students critically examine the portrayal of minorities in video games and other forms of entertainment and assess the role of racial stereotyping. They keep a log of media minority portrayals and respond to their findings.

This second instructional activity in a larger unit is perfect for the beginning of the year because it explicitly teaches 3rd graders how to use close reading skills by identifying unfamiliar words, figuring out the gist, and...

Scholars crave practical application. Let them use the different models of a quadratic function to plan the size and shape of a school playground. They convert between the different forms and maximize area.

Young scholars investigate mechanical weathering as a form of erosion. In this erosion lesson, students, define weathering and erosion before determining how the Earth's surface is in a constant state of change. They watch a video,...

Don't let the energy of your classroom falter! Explore the scientific definition of energy through play. A hands-on lesson focuses on the change of energy from one form to another.

Students draw a chart (included in the lesson) to use with their investigation. They review terminology of triangles and receive toothpicks to use in the lesson. Beginning with three toothpicks, students form a triangle. They complete...

Students are given some components of an experiment, where they are able to identify and fill in missing parts, such as hypothesis, conclusion, results, etc. They form a hypothesis given general scientific facts. Students apply the...

Learners explore the concept of electricity in this activity based unit.  In this physical science instructional activity, students focus on electricity and electrical engineering. The teaching unit includes 5 activities to develop...

Young scholars investigate the volume of cones. In this geometry lesson, students define the formula to find the volume of cones. They define the concept of having to dissect a three dimensional figure and find the volume.

Use an activity to illustrate the different forms of a quadratic function. Here, the task asks learners to use composition of given functions to build an explicit function. The process emphasizes the impact of the order of...