Interpreting algebraic expressions is a fundamental skill in beginning algebra. This lesson plan approaches the task in numerous ways. First, learners assess their understanding with a short worksheet on converting between words and...

Middle and high schoolers complete and solve 12 various types of problems. First, they express the output as a function of the input in each table. Then, pupils evaluate for the given variable when the value is as stated. In addition,...

(vegetable)^(1/2) = root vegetable? The fourth installment of a 35-part module has scholars extend properties of exponents to rational exponents to solve problems. Individuals use these properties to rewrite radical expressions in...

It seems the post office has run out of stamps! Learners build all the values of postage available if the post office only sells five- and seven-cent stamps. The task provides an opportunity to create an expression in two variables and...

Designed as a follow-up to the lesson plan titled Watch Out for Parenthesis 1, this activity asks young learners to write an equation for the calculation described with words rather than numbers and symbols. The treasure that 5th...

How likely is it that the school cafeteria will serve chicken tomorrow? Discover the concept of probability with the roll of the dice. Pupils evaluate the liklihood of several statments about everyday life. Then, a mathematical...

Don't think negatively about exponents. Young mathematicians dissect a fictional conversation between pupils trying to evaluate an expression with a negative exponent. This allows them to understand the meaning of negative exponents.

Conquer any irrational fears you might have of irrational numbers. As class members investigate how to represent numbers geometrically, they learn about rational and irrational numbers, including approximating and ordering rational...

Evaluate patterns of numbers through an engaging task. Scholars work collaboratively to determine a general rule reflecting the sum of consecutive positive integers. Multiple patterns emerge as learners explore different arrangements.

In critiquing someone else's theory, learners share insight into their own understanding of mathematical concepts. Fifth graders will explore the notion that products are always larger than their factors. While this statement is...

Sometimes what seems like the easiest problem is really the most difficult. Your class is first going to reach for their calculators, but will realize the number is too large to evaluate. Now what? This is where the fun and the...

Practice evaluating polynomial expressions at the same time you find Pythagorean Triples. Look for patterns and find examples when the "formula" does and doesn't work. Finally, verify the formula by proving the identity true.

Obesity is a worldwide concern. Using survey results, learners compare local BMI statistics to celebrity BMI statistics. Scholars create box plots of the data, make observations about the shape and spread of the data, and examine the...

Viruses can spread like wildfire, and mathematics can model the speed of infection. Given a function, scholars analyze it to describe the spread of a disease within a stadium. Learners find the initial number infected and the maximum...

How many visual models can be used to show multiplication? Three basic kinds of models can be used to represent and explain the equation 4 x (9 + 2).  The commentary section provides description and graphics to explain the set...

Examine the importance of sequence and series through contextual situations. Here, learners partake in a five-day unit that begins with the basics of arithmetic and geometric sequences and series. As it progresses, pupils apply the...

Weight is a function of the distance from sea level. Learners explore the many implications of this fact in an inquiry-based task. Given the function, pupils answer questions before manipulating the function to rewrite the distance...

The Function That Shall Not Be Named? The eighth installment of a 35-part module uses a WhatPower function to introduce scholars to the concept of a logarithmic function without actually naming the function. Once pupils are...

Examine the behavior of energy as water freezes and melts. An engaging activity provides a hands-on experience to learners. Collaborative groups collect data and analyze the graphs of the temperature of water as it freezes and then...