As an assessment of their skill in crafting a compare and contrast essay, class members read and compare the portrayals of nature in excerpts from naturalist John Muir's My First Summer in the Sierra and from poet Emily Dickinson's...

Using primary and secondary sources—including classics such as the Communist Manifesto—class members consider the effects of these ideas on the course of history. Another essay prompt explores geography and history, while multiple-choice...

A series on environmental engineering introduces the class to issues that environmental engineers work to solve. This first lesson focuses on air and land issues, and looks at ways to reduce pollution.

Help your fourth graders make cents out of fractions and decimals with this short word problem. After learning that dimes are one-tenth and pennies one-hundredth of a dollar, learners write a fraction and decimal for a given number...

A six-day unit for algebra II on exponential and logarithmic functions builds upon Chapter 12 of Merrill Algebra II with Trigonometry; Applications and Connections. The text provides assistance in the depth of instruction...

After three eye-opening lessons about our environment, scholars revisit a 10-question survey, reflect on their new-found knowledge, and take action by writing to a representative or creating a public service announcement about...

Algebra learners must know how to use rational numbers to approximate irrationals. This resource asks participants to decide which number is larger without using a calculator. It makes a great exercise to use as a five-minute transition...

Learners are given a logarithmic function and its inverse exponential function. The task, which is to graph both compositions of the two functions, uses the inverse nature of exponents and logarithms to generalize about the properties of...

Pollution is a real concern in most areas of Earth. A four-question AP® assessment has learners analyze data related to water pollution and air pollution as well as consider the pros and cons of recycling. Each question has several...

Sometimes solving one problem leads to another. Scholars respond to questions about fracking to harvest natural gas and other environmental related topics. The resource provides items released from the 2012 AP® Environmental Science exam...

Why was Pythagoras so obsessed with squares? The assessment task posits the question of whether the geometric interpretation of the Pythagorean Theorem holds for figures other than squares. Scholars first consider the case of semicircles...

What is the total cost? Provided with seven problems, pupils determine the total cost for utilities. Scholars determine the amount of the utility used and determine the cost based upon the given unit rate. The resource is part of a prep...

Your microbiologists explore a changing algae population and build an exponential function modeling algae concentration from the description given of the relationship between concentrations in cells/ml and days of rapid growth.

Is GIS the real manifestation of Harry Potter's Marauders Map? Introduce your class to the history of geographic information systems (GIS), the technology that allows for easy use of spatial information, with a resource that teaches...

As an assessment task, learners must determine the radius of a new tank that has double the capacity of a given tank. Task tests knowledge of determining volumes of cylinders and spheres.

Finding the volume of a right rectangular prism is the focus of the resource.  Worksheet includes a drawing of a cube to help learners visualize the concept. Young geometers will learn that as the side length increases, so does the...

Positive or negative, zero or no solution, are all possibilities for the solution of a linear equation. Here the resource gives examples of linear equations in one variable and their type of solutions. The resource comes with commentary...

A function is like a machine that has an input and an output. Challenge scholars to look at the eight given points and determine the two functions that would fit four of the points each — one is linear and the other non-linear. The...

Going on up—and up and up! An open-ended task asks learners to model the movement of an amusement ride with parametric equations. They then analyze their equations to determine how the shadow of the ride's car moves as it rises at a...

Learners are given a volume of a rectangular tank and are asked to find the water height. Because the total volume of the tank is given in liters, your geometers will need to use a unit ratio to convert to centimeters cubed. The exercise...

Are your parents or guardians strict? That's an interesting question many of your pupils are probably interested in discussing. How do you design a study directed at your high schooler to gain insight into that question? How do you...

The djinni in this resource offers gold coins. Learners use the properties of exponents to make their decision as one offer increases exponentially. This makes a great group project. As the commentary suggests, start by having groups...

Use the real-world cost of parking a car to demonstrate the properties of a function. The resource describes to learners how much it is to park in a certain lot. It is up to your number crunchers to complete a table of minutes...

A seemingly simple question that reveals a lot about a student's understanding of fractions. In finding an answer, learners compare fractions with different denominators that are both greater and less than one. No number line is...