To Rent or Not to Rent....

An real world intro activity to solving systems of equations using a graph.

Explorations with Unit Rates, Slope, Equations of a Line and an Intro to Systems of Equations

Handouts to walk students through exploring unit rates, slope, equation of a line, x and y intercepts and an intro to systems of equations.

Powers of Ten - Number Sense

Students (and adults) have a difficult time trying to grasp very large (and very small) numbers. This activity uses an interesting context (astronomical objects0 to stimulate their interest in modeling enormous distances in a way that can help them understand relative distances. Students naturally arrive at the need for a different kind of number scale than linear and arrive at a "power of ten" (logarithmic) scale. The lesson includes an extension for advanced students ready to begin to investigate logarithms.

Directed Distance - An Introduction to "Graph"

This annotated lesson can be used to introduce directed distance and the concept of graph. It can be used as the very first experience students have with graphs, as a review, and/or as an introduction to “circular” coordinates (you can choose to never refer to them as polar coordinates). It is highly interactive and connects the concepts of “new” graphing systems to rectangular coordinates. Initially, there is a brief history given and review of the Cartesian rectangular coordinate system.

Rule Time: Salute to Speed

You will need these video clips: Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XLkMx58Mb8 Part 2 (after the problem situation is resolved) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ28I3TLcRI Outtakes if you want - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObBiRjepgxA

Number Sense: Getting a Feel for "BIG" numbers

Good number sense is fundamental for success in estimation, approximation, and problem solving. We need to develop a sense of large numbers because newspaper and television news reports contain many references to large quantities. This activity has students working with large numbers to understand their relative magnitudes.

Thinking About Exponents

The idea of negative exponents and zero as an exponent is a problem that persists with students into a college calculus class. What is, for example, 2-4 and why? This activity is designed to help students to make sense of exponents from a real-world context.  By the way, I plan to follow this up with an extension including rational exponents like 21/2.

A Coin Conundrum!

Figure out how many nickels and how many quarters Jamie has if you also know the total value of the coins. Then, take the problem to a whole new level by mixing in several dimes. Now THIS is a real coin conundrum!

Fantastic Fruit!

Algebra at its finest! The weights of several different fruits are being compared in this problem. Use the given information to state the weight of various fruits in terms of the other fruit...

Sochi Olympics - Junior High Math Contest

This is the 2013 Chandler-Gilbert Community College Junior High Math Contest Team Project. You may use all or just parts of it as it contains lots of different math topics including: The idea of AVERAGE The idea of AVERAGE SPEED and GRAPHS of LINEAR FUNCTIONS The idea of CREATING and INTERPRETING BOX and WHISKER PLOTS  The idea of SLOPE The idea of ANGLE The idea of PERCENT Look at the project and decide what parts your students are ready to tackle...and HAVE FUN!

Solving Systems of Linear Equations

This is a lesson to introduce the idea of solving systems of equations using graphical methods and substitution.  The goal is to help students to make sense of the meaning of the solution to a system and to make sense of what it means to substitute.

Biking to Bernie's

Coin Counting - Dan Meyer Three Act-Task

Systems of equations can be a difficult concept for students to understand. This activity is a useful tool for introducing the concept in a concrete way that will help them make sense of the ideas and procedures for solving a system of linear equations. 

Find the Fraction!

Students will certainly need to persevere while applying their prior knowledge about variables, expressions, and equations to solve the fraction problem posed in this activity!

How Many Chickens?

Farmer Frank raises chickens and pigs. Students are asked to use specific given information to determine how many of Farmer Frank's animals are chickens. This problem will require students to persevere as they apply prior knowledge of fractions, ratios, and percents to algebra concepts such as solving a system of equations.

Tesla Roadster Loan

Developing and Solving Equations Unit