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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Don't part with a resource on partitive division. Continuing along the lines of the previous instructional activity, pupils create stories for division problems, this time for partitive division problems. Trying out different situations...

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...

Show your pupils that perimeter is linear and area is quadratic in nature with a short assessment task that requests learners to connect the graph and equation to a description about perimeter or area. Scholars then provide a...

Rumor has it exponential functions help solve problems! In a kingdom filled with rumors, young scholars must determine the speed a rumor spreads. The ultimate goal is to decide how many people must know the rumor for it to spread to the...

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...

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.

Young travelers plan a trip to Hilbre Island based on constraints on tides and time. They use a timeline to help determine the optimal day/time to make the trip.

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...

Here is a real-world application for systems of equations. When is it better to pay an enrollment fee and lower daily rate, and when is it better to pay the regular price? The local swim center is having a special offer, reductions in...

Many middle schoolers like to play sports and the equipment that goes with it costs money. The resource sets up an inequality that gives a total amount needed to purchase the equipment and the initial amount of money already obtained. In...

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...