Yellow Starburst - Dan Meyer Three Act Task

This lesson is designed to introduce students to probability using Dan Meyer's three-act-task, Yellow Starburst. After viewing a brief introductory video clip, students are asked to determine how many Starburst packs have exactly one yellow Starburst and how many packs will have exactly two yellow Starbursts.

Wile E. Coyote - Modeling with Trigonometric Functions (Writing project)

This project requires students to mathematically model the design of a roller coaster using a sinusoidal function to estimate the total cost of construction.   *If an instructor would like a student solution just contact one of the authors. 

Wile E. Coyote - Modeling with Quadratic Functions (Writing project)

This is a creative writing project (dealing with Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner) dealing with modeling falling bodies with quadratics and solving quadratic equations. An optional aspect is to have students estimate the instantaneous rate of change.

Why do we need MAD?

Students will wonder why we need to have a value that describes the spread of the data beyond the range. If we give them three sets of data that have the same mean, median, and range and yet are clearly differently shaped then perhaps they will see that the MAD has some use.

Who’s the Best Home Run Hitter of All time?

This lesson requires students to use side-by-side box plots to make a claim as to who is the "best home run hitter of all time" for major league baseball.

What is my portion of the bill?

What does division mean and how do you do it?

This activity focuses on the idea of divsion and challenges students to make sense of what division means and helps students to make sense of the traditional algorithm of "long division."

Valentine Marbles

For this task, Minitab software was used to generate 100 random samples of size 16 from a population where the probability of obtaining a success in one draw is 33.6% (Bernoulli). Given that multiple samples of the same size have been generated, students should note that there can be quite a bit of variability among the estimates from random samples and that on average, the center of the distribution of such estimates is at the actual population value and most of the estimates themselves tend to cluster around the actual population value. Although formal inference is not covered in Grade 7 standards, students may develop a sense that the results of the 100 simulations tell them what sample proportions would be expected for a sample of size 16 from a population with about successes.

Understanding probability using a deck of cards

This activity is to familiarize your students with a standard deck of cards. Have your students get into groups of 2 or 3 and walk them through the beginning part. You can chose to have your students simplify each probability as a fraction or round to the thousandths place. Hopefully the students will see that all of the probabilities they find will always be between 0 and 1 inclusive.

Two Pails

This problem will challenge you to think about how to acquire 5 gallons of water if the only tools that you have are a 3 gallon pail and a 7 gallon pail. A great logic problem!

Tree Diagrams and Compound Probabilities

Goal: The goal of this activity is for students to understand how to find probabilities of compound events by drawing tree diagrams and listing out sample spaces. Depending on the grade level, with or without replacement events can also be used and illustrated. Materials Needed: Each person in the group will need a copy of the worksheet.

Transforming a Sine Function

This applet allows the user to transform the coefficients of a sine function and see how it changes the resulting graph.

To Rent or Not to Rent....

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

Titanic & Two-Way Tables (Illustrative Mathematics)

This is the first task in the series of three, which ask related questions, but use different levels of scaffolding. Also, the third task uses a more detailed version of the data table. The emphasis is on developing their understanding of conditional probability.

Titanic - Two Way Tables

Two way tables help us in so many ways...association and probability are just two! This PP is classroom ready to use with your 8th grade or high school students. 

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.

Theoretical vs Empirical Probability-Dice Activity

The Forest Problem

Students want to know why they would ever use a sampling method other than a simple random sample. This lesson visually illustrates the effect of using a simple random sample (SRS) vs. a stratified random sample. Students will create a SRS from a population of apple trees and use the mean of the SRS to estimate the mean yield of the trees. Students will then create a stratified random sample from the same population to again estimate the yield of the trees. The use of the stratified random sample is to control for a known source of variation in the yield of the crop, a nearby forest.

Tesla Roadster Trip

Tesla Roadster Loan

Talking Two-Way Tables

When analysis of categorical data is concerned with more than one variable, a two-way table (also known as a contingency table) can be used. These tables provide a foundation for statistical inference, where statistical tests question the relationship between the variables based on the data observed. This activity begins to explore statistical inference and testing. 

System of Inequalities

Students create a system of inequalities given certain real-life conditions and then find solutions of their system that would fit their scenario.

Survivor - Mathematics!

Students will apply their understanding of linear and quadratic functions to solve a Survivor challenge!

Sunsplash

This is a series of activities from the 2007 CGCC Excellence in Math Junior High Contest Team Project.  You can pick and choose which parts of the project you want to use or do them all! Volume and converting of units Circumference and average speed Understanding average speed Readiing and interpreting line graphs Volume of a cylinder and rates

Sugar Packets - Dan Meyer Three Act Task

The question is simple: How many sugar packets are in a soda bottle? The lesson hooks students immediately with the initial video clip of a man sitting in a restaurant downing packets of sugar one-after-another! The mathematics involved is proportional reasoning.

Subtracting Integers

This is a series of lessons fouced on Making sense of integer subtraction using number lines, patterns, and the chip model It contains two activities and homework Part 1 - Number lines and Patterns Part 2 - Chip Model Homework To see a related video, go to: http://vimeo.com/71450580

Straighten up and Fly Right!

The purpose of this lesson is to allow the students gather data in a fun way and answer a statistical question through analysis of the data.  Students will fly paper airplanes and analyze the data to determine which style of plane flies longer.

Steeper, Faster, Division, and Slope

What does "steeper" mean? What does "faster" mean? And how do these ideas connect to the idea of linear functions? This 3-part series explores these questions and helps students to understand why we divide when computing slope and what proportional correspondence has to do with it all!

SRS vs. Convenience Sample in the Gettysburg Address

Students have an interesting view of what a random sample looks like. They often feel that just closing their eyes and picking “haphazardly” will be enough to achieve randomness. This lesson should remove this misconception. Students will be allowed to pick words with their personal definition of random and then forced to pick a true simple random sample and compare the results.

Spreading Rumors!

Welcome to Rumor Middle School! News at Rumor Middle School travels quickly! Use the information presented in the problem to determine how many kids will know a rumor an hour and ten minutes after the first person shared it.  Then, find what time it will be when over 4,000 students know the rumor! Stick with it! Use multiple strategies, and be ready to share and defend your work!

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.

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!

Shooting Hoops! - Dan Meyer Three Act Task

In this lesson, students learn to graph quadratic equations, translate between the vertex, standard, and factored forms, and recognize the impact of changing the parameters of a quadratic equation.

Shipping Routes - Dan Meyer Three Act Task

The questions are simple: As two ships leave port at the same time but at different speeds, we wonder if they will ever meet again? And if so, how long will that take? The lesson hooks students immediately with the initial video clip of two simulated ships leaving port and separating from one another as they travel at slower rates. 

Sharing Pencils

Sarah and Michelle are working on a class project using colored pencils. Given some information about the number of pencils that Sarah and Michelle had when they started, and how some sharing of pencils has taken place, students must employ proportional reasoning skills to determine how many colored pencils the girls now possess.

Scatter Plot Activity

Goal: The goal of this activity is for students to see different types of correlation and recognize the patterns associated with each type of correlation. They will then have to create their own scatter plot based on directions given.

Sampling Techniques - Jelly Blubbers

This activity introduces the Simple Random Sample (SRS) to students, and shows why this process helps to get an unbiased sample statistic. Relying on our perceptions can often be deceiving. In this exercisestudents are asked to determine the average length of a jellyblubber (a hypothetically recently discovered marine species) using a variety of techniques. The student will learn that a Simple Random Sample (SRS) is the most accurate method of determining this parameter, and that intuition can be deceptive. 

Sampling Reese’s Pieces

This activity uses simulation to help students understand sampling variability and reason about whether a particular sample result is unusual, given a particular hypothesis. By using first candies, a web applet, then a calculator, and varying sample size, students learn that larger samples give more stable and better estimates of a population parameter and develop an appreciation for factors affecting sampling variability.

Rule Time: Salute to Sports!

The purpose of this module is to help students learn important applied mathematical concepts regarding exponential and logistic functions. Students will also learn how to graph and interpret exponential (and logistic, if desired) functions. The unique element of this lesson is the use of video to generate interest in the students and motivate the content through interactive technology, humor, and cooperative learning. Students are encouraged to work together and help each other “make sense” of the activities. You will need these video clips: Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUavijWEwaQ Part 2 (after the problem situation is resolved) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfGj7Ik7Zao

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

Rule Time: Salute to Brakes

This project involves a movie that was written by, directed by, and starring Scott Adamson and Trey Cox. The focus of the project is making sense of the idea of quadratic functions from a rate of change perspective. First, watch Part 1 with your class. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2huVGJXnH8 Then watch Part 2 after the problem has been resolved. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KStlLsmURcw

Roll a Distribution

The purpose of this lesson is to allow the students to discover that data collected in seemingly similar settings will yield distributions that are shaped differently. Students will roll a single die 30 times counting the number of face up spots on the die and recording the result each time as a histogram or a histogram. Students will be asked to describe the shape of the distribution. Combining work with several students will yield more consistent results.

Ratios & Proportions Unit

Rational Number Project - Initial Fraction Ideas

This is a series of lessons from the Rational Number Project (http://www.cehd.umn.edu/ci/rationalnumberproject/default.html) including teacher notes, activities ready to be copied. The Rational Number Project (RNP) is a cooperative research and development project funded by the National Science Foundation. Project personnel have been investigating children’s learning of fractions, ratios, decimals and proportionality since 1979. This book of fraction lessons is the product of several years of working with children in classrooms as we tried to understand how to organize instruction so students develop a deep, conceptual understanding of fractions. You may pick and choose the lessons that you would like to try and do not need to complete them all in order.

Quadratic Function Models - Fuel Efficiency Context

A PowerPoint presentation associated with the context of fuel efficiency as related to speed in miles per gallon. The intent of the task is for students to articulate the meaning of the parameters (coefficients) of a quadratic function model.

Quadratic - Fence Problem

This is an activity designed to introduce a lot of concepts tied to quadratic functions. A piece of advice, make sure each group uses TWO pieces of pipe cleaners.

Pythagorean Theorem Investigation: It's As Easy As… a, b, c

Oftentimes, the Pythagorean Theorem is taught from the standpoint of, "Here is the formula, let's practice finding the lengths of the sides of triangles!" without helping students understand or develop the relationships between the sides on their own. This activity helps students experience those relationships using multiple approaches, prove why the theorem is true, and practice using it. 

Proving the Pythagorean Theorem with Geogebra

The Pythagorean theorem is one of the most important concepts in all of mathematics. This activity uses Geogebra to help students see why the relationship between the sides of a right triangle are as they are. 

Proportional Relationships of Triangles - An Activity

This is a two-part activity and will most likely take two 50 - 55 minute class periods – one day per part. Part I (Day one) is a hands-on activity that allows students to work together on computers to discover the proportional relationship between a pair of similar right triangles. Ideally, you will have a class set of computers or a computer lab you could use for this lesson. If you don't have access to these resources you can run a demonstration on one computer and project it for the class and have students come up to manipulate the triangles.

Problem Solving Template

Problem solving template used in my classroom. In PDF and Word formats. Created by members of Cohort 1 in Collaboration with Dr. Vicich.