This collaborative activity investigates the meaning of a trapezoid and a parallelogram. It begins by presenting two different definitions of a trapezoid. Learners are to reason abstractly the difference between the two definitions and...

Take young scholars on a trip through history with this unit on the mathematics and architecture of the Mayan civilization. Starting with a introduction to their base twenty number system and the symbols they used, this eight-lesson unit...

An exercise in finding the area of polygons by decomposing into triangles and composing into rectangles is the focus of this resource. Make several copies of the worksheet for each participant. Ask learners to use colored pencils to...

Add more points on the graph ... and it still remains a line! The 13th installment in a series of 33 leads the class to the understanding that the graph of linear equation is a line. Pupils find several solutions to a two-variable linear...

Students identify attributes in real-life objects and models of solids and connect these attributes to characteristics of shapes such as circles, triangles, squares, and other rectangles. They discuss the ability of the object to roll,...

Second graders explore a bag of mixed pattern blocks. As a class they discuss different attributes of these shapes. In this math lesson, 2nd graders search to find shapes that are similar by placing shapes on top of one another to...

Extend young mathematicians' understanding of area with a geometry lesson on trapezoids. Building on their prior knowledge of rectangles and triangles, students learn how to calculate the area of trapezoids and other...

Present the class with a question on whether the water level of a pond will rise they take a large rock out of a boat and drop it into the pond. Groups come down on all sides of the question and try to justify their answers. The activity...

In addition to the catchy title, this lesson plan provides upper graders an opportunity to more closely scrutinize the attributes of plane figures. In particular, they focus on the similarity of different shapes. Both whole-class and...

Remodeling projects require more than just a good design — they involve complex fractions, too. To determine whether a tiling project will fit within a given budget pupils calculate the square footage to determine the number of...

Examine earthquake intensities and ways to measure an earthquake through the comparison of the Mercalli and Richter scales. After completing the pre-lab worksheet, fourth graders compare high and low intensity quakes by testing...

How do you balance a set of data? Using a ruler and some coins, learners determine whether the balance point is always in the middle. Through class and small group discussions, they find that the mean is the the best estimate of the...

Fifth graders use formal geometric language to describe polygons (and other shapes) that will tessellate the plane and those that will not. Students make generalizations about the characteristics of a polygon (or other shape) that will...

Third graders use pattern blocks of one shape at a time to try to create a similar shape. They compare the perimeter of the new figure with the perimeter of the original shape and look for a pattern. Students use the pattern to predict...

Students discuss reasons to record the location of stars. They view a picture of the night sky, and discuss constellations. Students complete a worksheet of the various shapes they see in the constellations.

Students explore pi. In this circle measurement lesson, students define and identify radius, diameter, circumference, and perimeter. Students work in groups to measure several plastic lids and record their findings. Students compare the...

Young geometers investigate and apply properties of quadrilaterals.  After a review and discussion of key terms, learners use a computer applet to explore four-sided figures and classify them according to their attributes. The...

Use measures of variance to compare and analyze data sets. Pupils match histograms of data sets to their respective statistical measures. They then use calculated statistics to further analyze groups of data and use the results to make...

Learners investigate the symmetries of a convex quadrilateral in a collaborative activity. Rigid motion and complements are explored as learners analyze different cases of reflections across a line.

Feel the pull of science! The final installment of this 18-part series is an application of everything learned in the previous high school lessons. Scholars are given a magnetic field map and must propose an arrangement of magnets that...

Learners examine the properties of quadrilaterals from the point of view of rigid motion. Different types of quadrilaterals are characterized by their symmetries, so learners explore the symmetries of a described quadrilateral to...

Junior geometers discover that polygons can be decomposed into triangles and that the number of triangles can be determined by a rule. Note that the Geometer’s Sketchpad® software is required to carry out all components of this...

Introduce your math class to the perimeter of a circle. Teach them that pi describes the relationship between the circumference and the diameter. As a hands-on investigation, pairs or small groups use string to compare these two values...

Pupils study and research irregular fractals and construct a few based on their research. Students practice pattern recognition skills and plane geometry skills calculating dimensions on the Fractured Pictures activity.