EngageNY
Ferris Wheels—Tracking the Height of a Passenger Car
Watch your pupils go round and round as they explore periodic behavior. Learners graph the height of a Ferris wheel over time. They repeat the process with Ferris wheels of different diameters.
EngageNY
The Height and Co-Height Functions of a Ferris Wheel
Show learners the power of mathematics as they model real-life designs. Pupils graph a periodic function by comparing the degree of rotation to the height of a ferris wheel.
EngageNY
Ferris Wheels—Using Trigonometric Functions to Model Cyclical Behavior
Have class members going in circles as they model the path of a Ferris Wheel using trigonometric functions. Building on the previous lesson in this series on transformations, learners use trigonometric functions to model wheels of...
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Build a Big Wheel
What does it take to prepare for a construction project? In an engineering lesson plan, youngsters examine how a Ferris wheel can turn and carry a load without falling apart. After reading up on big wheel designs, they create a model...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Representing Trigonometric Functions
Discover the classic example of periodicity: Ferris wheels. Young mathematicians learn about trigonometric functions through Ferris wheels. They match functions to their graphs and relate the functions to the context.
K20 LEARN
Round and Round We Go
Connect the dots on trigonometry with K'nex. Scholars use a K'nex model of a Ferris wheel to collect data points to plot on a height versus time graph. They'll then consider what type of function best models the data in the graph—and...
Mathematics Vision Project
Module 6: Trigonometric Functions
Create trigonometric functions from circles. The first lesson of the module begins by finding coordinates along a circular path created by a Ferris Wheel. As the lessons progress, pupils graph trigonometric functions and relate them to...
Curated OER
Simple Machines
Learners explore the concepts of force and effort by observing simple machines. In this physics lesson, students attempt to sharpen a pencil without any help, bite into an orange with their lips curled over their teeth, and other...
EngageNY
Special Triangles and the Unit Circle
Calculate exact trigonometric values using the angles of special right triangles. Beginning with a review of the unit circle and trigonometric functions, class members use their knowledge of special right triangles to find the value of...
Curated OER
Circumscribed Polygons
Students investigate polygons and construct ferris wheels. In this geometry lesson plan, students create a circle and differentiate properties of circles and polygons. They compare the relationship between angles and circumscribed polygons.
EngageNY
From Circle-ometry to Trigonometry
Can you use triangles to create a circle? Learners develop the unit circle using right triangle trigonometry. They then use the unit circle to evaluate common sine and cosine values.
Novelinks
Words by Heart: Guided Imagery
Sad, depressed, miserable, inconsolable, forlorn: so many synonyms have a lot of variety with their connotations. Through the guided imagery activity, writers explore the use of connotation and its influence on imagery and description by...
Novelinks
Zach’s Lie: Guided Imagery
Close your eyes and picture a time where you decided to tell the truth to someone. What were you wearing? How did you feel? Such prompts begin a guided imagery activity for Zach's Lie. Directions for creating an environment conducive to...
PreKinders
A World of Shapes
There are shapes everywhere you see! Use a presentation about shapes to encourage young learners to find squares, circles, triangles, and rectangles in a series of pictures. One slide shows kids what the shapes look like, and then a...
Curated OER
Incredible Inventions
Students read the book Incredible Inventions and do literacy based activities based on the book. For this literacy lesson plan, students read the given book and do activities that include writing poetry, drawing, and writing short stories.
Curated OER
A Day at the Fair
Students explore the American tradition of state and county fairs. In this American fairs lesson, students read an article about American fairs and complete a five senses table for experiences at fairs. Students role play a family...
Curated OER
Show The Movie!
Fifth graders deliver story presentations that establish a setting with descriptive words, contain a plot and show, rather than tell, what happens. In this language arts lesson plan, 5th graders utilize sentences from the book, "Tuck...
EngageNY
Extending the Domain of Sine and Cosine to All Real Numbers
Round and round we go! Pupils use reference angles to evaluate common sine and cosine values of angles greater than 360 degrees. Once they have mastered the reference angle, learners repeat the process with negative angles.
EngageNY
Tides, Sound Waves, and Stock Markets
Help pupils see the world through the eyes of a mathematician. As they examine tide patterns, sound waves, and stock market patterns using trigonometric functions, learners create scatter plots and write best-fit functions.
Curated OER
Ring Around the Rosie
Students examine the concept of angular momentum and its correlation to mass, velocity, and radius. They listen to a teacher-led lecture, conduct an experiment with rotational inertia, angular momentum, and rotation speed by making...
Curated OER
The World's Fair of 1893: A Tribute to Agriculture and Advertising
Students identify connections between agriculture, advertising, and mail order catalogues during 1890s as expressed at World's Fair of 1893. Students interpret photographic exhibit and discuss how reactions of rural fair visitors...
Curated OER
Ring Around the Rosie
Students work together to discover the concept of angular momentum. They participate in experiments in which they test rotation and relate it to an object's mass. They participate in a literacy activity in which they compare mythology...
Curated OER
Geometry Lines and Angles
In this lines and angles worksheet, 10th graders solve and complete types of problems that include different line segments and angles to identify. First, they determine whether each line is parallel, skew, or perpendicular in the diagram...
Curated OER
A County Fair Can Lead to an Exploration of Math, Science, and Literature
A county fair can provide an educational experience for students.