There are more ways to use mint candies than to just eat them. In groups, learners design and build race cars using mint candies, drinking straws, Popsicle sticks, index cards, and other materials. They decide on an independent variable...

Study velocity while examining graphical representations. As scholars work with the animation, they discover the effect the height of an incline has on the velocity of the biker. They make conclusions about the slope of the...

Is it easy to make snow? Scholars use critical thinking skills as they investigate the concept of polymers by making snow. The class tests several different variables and takes measurements over the course of several days. They then...

Mint candies are good for more than just one's breath. Using basic materials such as mint candies, straws, index cards, and Popsicle sticks, scholars create race cars that meet a given budget as well as design constraints. They perform...

Electromagnets come in both large and small scales—from big machinery in scrap yards to hard disk drives. Here's a resource that provides directions for building a variable electromagnet on a stand. Scholars then experiment with the...

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...

Ready, aim, fire! Launch to a new level of understanding as scholars build and test their own catapults. Learners explore lever design and how adjusting the fulcrum changes the outcome. 

Sensor technology is amazingly accurate and useful. Combining the sensor technology and mathematical knowledge, scholars design experiments to answer a question they have developed. Questions may focus on light sensing, temperature...

Have you always wanted to take your science class on an amazing field trip they will never forget? Now you can! Observe the wildlife in an African savanna through trail cameras with a five-part data analysis activity. Learners analyze...

Assign an interactive poster activity to assess your class's knowledge and skill concerning data analysis. The teacher reference provides solid questions to ask individuals or groups as they complete their posters.

Demonstrate linear and quadratic functions through contextual modeling. Young mathematicians explore both types of functions by analyzing their key features. They then relate these key features to the contextual relationship the function...

You've heard of farm to table ... but what about farm in classroom? Junior agriculturalists embark upon a two-week journey into the science of growing things. Based upon the classic terrarium in a two-liter experiment, the lesson goes...

Wiggle your way through lab day! Young zoologists observe and infer the effects of different stimuli on earthworms during an engaging lab from the K20 series. Lab partners set up four different controlled environments, then record how...

I get a charge out of this. In order to learn how a generator works, groups build and test one in this ninth lesson of the series. The generators are tested at low speed and high speed to determine the watt output and whether they have...

What variables change heart rate? Young scientists observe the beating heart in Daphnia to understand these variables. They make changes in temperature, chemicals, and other factors as they graph the heart rates. Analysis questions help...

What better way to introduce the idea of a sequence than with robots! An educational lesson plan explains the classic Fibonacci sequence before pupils build and program a robot to move. Additionally, the lesson plan challenges...

Following detailed directions, teams collect the voltage and current outputs of a photovoltaic cell by adjusting the resistance. Using the collected data, they determine the highest power output. Implications for weather and a large...

My, what big ears you have! Novice JavaScript programmers adjust Mickey's ears to be proportional with his face and any changes to it. The key is to use variable expressions so that the values used are dependent upon the variable that...

What if you don't have theoretical probabilities with which to create probability distributions? The 11th installment of a 21-part module has scholars collecting data through a survey. The results of the survey provide empirical data to...

How do scientists prove tiny living things respire? Young scientists build a respirometer and measure respiration rates in living creatures. By comparing the measurements of both plants and animals, they understand the similarities.

Class members create a table of the number of chords that can be drawn given the number of points on a circle. Pupils analyze the data created, find a function to fit to it, and use the function to make further predictions.

Scholars learn what it means for a relation to be a function and see various representations of functions. After learning the definition, they participate in a card sorting activity classifying relations as functions or not.

Blast off! An engaging hands-on activity has pupils create rockets powered by Alka-Seltzer. They learn about the physics behind these rockets throughout the process.

Build a patio from toothpicks and marshmallows to analyze functions! Learners look for patterns in the data as they create different size patios. As they discover patterns, they make connections between the different representations of...