Illustrative Mathematics
Battery Charging
Your class will be very interested in the results of this activity. How long does it take a MP3 and video game player to charge? Sam only has an hour and the MP3 player only has 40% of its battery life left. Plus, his video player...
Curated OER
Carbon 14 Dating in Practice II
Your archaeologists combine proportional reasoning with exponential functions in a real-life task centered on Carbon 14 dating.
Illustrative Mathematics
Invertible or Not?
What determines whether a function has an inverse? Learners investigate that criteria when they examine values in a partially completed input-output table for two different functions. The task is to complete the table so that one of the...
Curated OER
Carbon 14 Dating, Variation 2
Your archaeologists begin this task with a table of values to estimate the time passed based on the half-life of Carbon 14 remaining in a plant. They then move on to find when a specific amount of Carbon 14 is present in the same plant,...
Curated OER
Linear or Exponential?
Your learners analyze various real-life contexts to decide if each is a linear or exponential model. This could be used as an assessment of learners' skills of discerning between a linear and an exponential model.
Illustrative Mathematics
Hexagonal Pattern of Beehives
Young geometers and biologists investigate the math of nature in an activity that is just the bee's knees. Participants will study the tessellations of hexagons in a beehive, along with the natural rationale behind the specific shape....
Alabama Learning Exchange
The Big Bang Theory: An Evidence-Based Argument
What evidence supports the big bang theory? Individuals analyze scholarly resources about the the theory and develop arguments backed by evidence. They brainstorm, share ideas, watch a video, and read articles to complete a graphic...
Curated OER
Familia Romana
Students compare and contrast ancient family life to present day family life. In this Roman family life lesson, students discuss the roles present in their families and then learn about family life in ancient Rome. Students...
Curated OER
A Different World?
Students share their opinions in a brainstorming session on the factors that contribute to their quality of life. They read the article "Life Is Better; It Isn't Better. Which Is It?," from the NY Times and discuss the article as a...
Curated OER
Are Viruses Alive: Sample Socratic Questions
Students comprehend the definition and uniqueness of life and its complexities. They examine what characteristics constitute a living organism. Students recognize the extent of the role viruses play in the movement and molding of life as...
Curated OER
You Say You Want an Evolution?
Young scholars estimate the number of living organisms they might find in their local environment. After researching the types of organisms that existed during various geologic time periods, students describe how life forms have changed...
Curated OER
A New Deal for the Arts - WPA Photographs
Students examine school life during the 1930s. They discuss the Great Depression and the New Deal, examine and discuss photographs from the Library of Congress website, and complete a worksheet about school life during the Great Depression.
Curated OER
Bang! You're Alive
Students explore the Big Bang Theory and the Theory of Plate Tectonics. In this history of life activity, students explain two ways the Theory of Plate Tectonics and the Big Bang are of direct benefits to humans.
Curated OER
Touring Through the Beginning of Earth
Young scholars simulate the role of reporters and research two major theories on how the Earth was formed. They create and write a series of newspaper articles on the theories of beginning life on Earth for the newspaper's front page.
Curated OER
Fishing for Solutions
Students investigate the many ecological and economic issues related to over fishing the world's marine resources. Working in committees, students research the related topics of equipment and fishing techniques.
Curated OER
King Arthur: Man or Legend
Young scholars research the Legend of King Arthur. In this King Arthur lesson, students explore him as he is presented in stories, poems, and art. Young scholars compare and contrast the real life of King Arthur versus the...
Curated OER
Story Starters: Life in Thailand
In this life in Thailand worksheet, 6th graders use sixteen different pictures of life in Thailand as inspiration to write original stories.
Curated OER
My Life in Numbers
Have fun while your class creates a timeline of their lives. They record events before and after they were born on a line with 10 integer pairs consisting of one integer on each side of zero. Many extension activities can be done in...
Missouri Department of Elementary
Origins: A Simple Word Game For Use In Human Relations Trainings
Words can hurt. Words may not break bones but they can break a heart. An activity focused on the meaning of and the history of some often heard words and phrases is designed to raise awareness of the importance of choosing words...
Curated OER
Agriculture in Your Life
Students examine the agricultural sources of everyday products and identify food products outside traditional farming circles. They discuss the background information, and complete activity sheets, locating various commodity locations on...
Curated OER
Spice Up Your Life
Second graders identify major spices found in the world. They link spices with countries they are grown in and the uses for these valuable items.
Curated OER
Country's Music
Jazz, Blue Grass, Hip Hop, Swing. Gospel, R&B, Ragtime, Disco. So many music genres born in the USA. After reading an article about the fate of New Orlean's Jazz after Hurricane Katrina, class members investigate the life cycles of...
Curated OER
The Power of Words in Charlotte's Web
"How can a few good words save a pig's life?" Posed with this question, your ELD students explore E.B. White's Charlotte's Web in a meaningful, valuable way. By analyzing specific word choice from the book, especially the excerpts...
Curated OER
Exploring the Irish in America Through Found Poetry
What was life like for Irish immigrants settling in America during the late 1800's? Learners examine primary source documents, such as lyrics, poems, and letters, to understand the immigrant experience. They then use those primary source...