Curated OER
Math On the Job
Investigate different types of math required for specific jobs. In this math in occupations lesson, use the Internet to research what type of math one might need to know in order to be successful in different jobs. Complete a...
Mascil Project
Design a Parking Garage
Parking structures don't build themselves. Investigate the process of designing and planning the construction of a parking garage. After considering the factors that must go into the design, scholars create their own models from a...
Education Institute
Four Mathematics Lessons for Grade 9
These four lesson plans build algebra skills for working with numbers in exponential form and for examining triangles. Be aware that in the text, scientific notation is referred to as index notation and the laws of exponents as the laws...
EngageNY
End-of-Module 3 Assessment Task
Let's see what the class learned! The last installment of the 23-part Pre-calculus module consists of nine assessment questions designed to measure a specific portion of a standard in the unit. Learners demonstrate their understanding of...
101 Questions
Shower v. Bath
Which requires more water--a bath or a shower? Given some specific criteria, learners attempt to answer the question. A video shows how long it takes to fill a gallon container using a faucet and a shower head. Using that information and...
Virginia Department of Education
Linear Modeling
An inquiry-based algebra lesson explores real-world applications of linear functions. Scholars investigate four different situations that can be modeled by linear functions, identifying the rate of change, as well as the...
Radford University
Modeling the Number of Starbucks Stores
Drink your coffee, then marvel over the rise of Starbucks. Scholars use provided data on the number of Starbucks stores from 1987 through 2014 to create scatter plots. They then determine the equation for the curve that best fits the...
Radford University
Tuition Cost Activity
Can I afford to go to college? Small groups design a method to research college tuition for several years and make a prediction of costs in 2025. Classmates plot the the data on a scatter plot and graph the line of best fit to make their...
Noyce Foundation
Snail Pace
Slow and steady wins the race? In the assessment task, scholars calculate the rates at which different snails travel in order to find the fastest snail. Hopefully, your class will move much more quickly in finishing the task!
Illustrative Mathematics
Watch out for Parentheses
It is important for the algebra learner to understand the use of parentheses. Mathematicians of all levels can make errors with nested parentheses. This will give them some practice. It makes for a good class starter or quick assessment.
Mathematics Assessment Project
Pythagorean Triples
What special relationships exist in right triangles? In the high school performance task, learners investigate Pythagorean triples. They then determine rules for the perimeter and area of right triangles given the shortest side.
EngageNY
Polynomial, Rational, and Radical Relationships
This assessment pair goes way beyond simple graphing, factoring and solving polynomial equations, really forcing learners to investigate the math ideas behind the calculations. Short and to-the-point questions build on one another,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Coins in a Circular Pattern
What starts as a basic question of division and remainders quickly turns abstract in this question of related ratios and radii. The class works to surround a central coin with coins of the same and different values, then develops a...
101 Questions
Small Trebuchet
Travel back to medieval time where learning is just a stone's throw away! A video introduction shows a trebuchet (catapult-like machine) as it launches a rock into a lake. Learners use their quadratic modeling skills to predict the...
Noyce Foundation
Measuring Up
Teach the basics of measurement and conversion with a five-lesson resource that builds an understanding of proportion and measurement conversion from elementary through high school. Initially, young scholars use ratios to determine soup...
Balanced Assessment
Egyptian Statue
Investigate the proportional relationships of length, area, and volume. Learners use the dimensions of rectangular prisms to create ratios and proportions. They compare the different ratios to solve more advanced problems.
Bowland
Counting Trees
Let's find a way to determine how many there are. Given a diagram of trees on a plantation, pupils devise a way to estimate the number of old and new trees. Using their methods, learners create estimates for the number of the two types...
Balanced Assessment
Time Line
Use a graph to tell a story! Given a graph, young scientists create a story to match. They must provide their own axes labels and description of the scenario. The graph has increasing, decreasing, and constant sections.
101 Questions
Coffee Traveler
Investigate the volume of irregular figures in an inquiry-based exercise. Presented with an irregularly shaped box filled with water, learners must predict the level of water when it is tipped on its side. The class can divide...
101 Questions
Chalk Lines
Read between the lines to find a solution. Budding mathematicians analyze a situation to solve a problem. They view a video presentation of the problem, brainstorm important information to gather, and write linear equations to find...
Radford University
What is My Standing Height Wise?
Given a scenario in which a class member wants to prove his height is not an outlier, pairs devise a plan and gather evidence to help support his claim. The small groups implement their plans and create graphical displays of their data...
Radford University
Football Tackle Problem
Tackle a task on the gridiron. Scholars use geometric concepts to determine the distance on a coordinate plane that certain football players need to move for a play. They then design their own plays and create presentations where they...
Radford University
Escape from the Zombie Apocalypse - Exploring Quadrilaterals through Google Maps and Google Earth
Prepare for the zombie apocalypse ... by studying quadrilaterals? Given a map of an imaginary town, scholars identify quadrilaterals created by streets. They then use Google Earth and Google Maps to find parallelograms, rectangles,...
Radford University
Translating and Evaluating Cell Phone Plans
Translate phone plans to algebraic expressions. Pupils review translating verbal phrases to algebraic expressions by filling out graphic organizers and completing matching activities. Using a fictitious cell phone company, they create...