What makes an equilateral triangle equilateral? It turns out it's much more than just the side lengths! Learners analyze four different triangles to determine the best equilateral triangle. They create a formula that they later use to...

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...

Get in touch with the emotional side of writing by reading Words By Heart. The writing assignment helps learners make personal connections with the text and hone their writing skills by exploring a time that they had to forgive...

Boat ramps move with waves and changes in water level. Scholars decide on the proper length for a ramp so the angle connecting both sides is appropriate. They visualize the situation and use a simulation to view the results with their...

At what point does data switch from being an outlier to part of the average? Scholars view conflicting news articles about protesters. They must decide which, if any, side is using the correct sample to draw their conclusions. It's a...

Often, the real-life experiences of soldiers gets lost back home when the war seems so far away. Scholars investigate the personal side of World War I in the trenches of Europe to complete a collaborative social studies activity. When...

Empower teenagers to take political matters into their own hands! After completing an engaging warm-up activity, class members discuss both sides of the youth voting issue, learn about the connection between military history and the...

Don't stay out too late! Scholars analyze the need for youth curfews in a democratic society. They examine primary documents, case studies, and short video clips to form their opinions and take a position on the issue. Holding a class...

The product of the hard work is learning. Scholars use a simulation tool to collect information to analyze. They must decide when two ships traveling back and forth across a river at different rates will meet on the same side. The intent...

Can history distort the true story behind famous people? Scholars analyze the many faces of the Native American Pocahontas. Incorporating technology and historical thinking skills, they uncover the many different sides to the Pocahontas...

What part did Kentucky play in the Civil War? A constructed response essay assignment tests to ensure scholars understand the concepts and the arguments for the causes of the Civil War. Learners must read a primary source quote and then...

What was the Kalabsha Temple to ancient Egyptians? Discover the importance of the dock and the use of bodies of water to the Egyptian people. The resource includes side panels with important information about the history of the location.

What happens when an online post gets the wrong kind of attention? Learners evaluate the good, the bad, and the occasionally ugly side of social media posting with a instructional activity from a vast digital citizenship series. After...

Sometimes it's okay to text in school. Young computer scientists work in the Scratch program to write a text message conversation among friends. They use different sprites within the program to represent each side of the conversation to...

Here's the right task to investigate right triangles in the unit circle. A short performance task has learners determine the product of two side lengths in a unit circle. They must apply similarity concepts and trigonometric ratios to...

The Battle of Yorktown was an important battle of the American Revolutionary War for all sides. Learners read everything from the point of view of the British, the Americans, and finally, the French. After reading, they answer...

The French and Indian War concluded with an important proclamation—that is, The Proclamation of 1763. Scholars read about the policies in the document and how the different sides of the French and Indian War reacted. Following, they...

Is the grass always greener on the other side? Andrew from Freckle Juice seems to think so! He admires his classmate's freckles and wishes he had some of his own, so he purchases a special juice to get them! While reading through the...

What caused that to happen? Using three aspects, a video demonstrates how to describe an enlargement or dilation. The presenter counts the lengths of the sides to determine the scale factor and a ruler to find the center of dilation.

The narrator of a short video explains the steps in constructing a triangle given the measure of two angles and the length of the side between the angles. The resource provides opportunities for pupils to practice the skill with two...

Cut it in half with a compass and straightedge! Using construction tools, a video shows how to create an angle bisector. The presenter points out what it means to bisect an angle in terms of the measure and distances from the sides of...

A revolutionary work of literature requires a revolutionary assessment project. A series of activities on Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings includes discussion questions, a plot synopsis, and a selection of both short...

The adventures of the New World came at a cost for Native Americans. Scholars investigate the economic side of settling the European colonies. Using video clips, statistical evidence, and primary sources, they create hypotheses and...

Pythagoras is all about being right. A presentation provides sample items for how the Pythagorean Theorem standards may show up in Smarter Balanced assessments. Seven items use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the sides of a right...