# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this project students discover the importance of local communities taking action and implementing a multifaceted approach to solve the climate crisis.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
History is a process of interpretation and perspective-taking. In this project, students research the history of their home community or region and use primary source materials to learn about the experiences and perspectives of multiple community members (e.g., indigenous people, immigrants, colonists, enslaved people, people of different class backgrounds) in relation to particular events. Students use what they learn to document and share the multiple (and sometimes conflicting) histories that coexist in their local community.

Log in to learn more about this project

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
History is a process of interpretation and perspective-taking. In this project, students research the history of their home community or region and use primary source materials to learn about the experiences and perspectives of multiple community members (e.g., indigenous people, immigrants, colonists, enslaved people, people of different class backgrounds) in relation to particular events.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Inviting students into the process of designing policies and practices for their classroom and school can be a powerful way to help students own their learning and build a culture that centers student voice and leadership. In this project, students explore ideas about fairness, growth mindset, and l…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this project, students will investigate different voting methods such as ranked choice, approval, plurality, and proportional representation. They will learn about the different uses of these methods including where they may have been used before, in what circumstances, and what were the results.…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this project, students discuss cyberbullying and learn about the issue through watching videos, engaging in online research, and reading informational text.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Special Section:Project-Based Learning

Teaching through projects can connect students and schools with their communities, make history relevant, and foster democratic citizenship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Project-Based Learning in Social Studies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching through projects can connect students and schools with their communities, make history relevant, and foster democratic citizenship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Competitive Project Based Learning in Science Classroom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

Finally, you can manage your Google Docs, uploads, and email attachments (plus Dropbox and Slack files) in one convenient place. Dokkio (from the makers of PBworks) can automatically organize your content for you. Claim a free account, and in less than 2 minutes,

Project Overview Part 1: Define

Teacher(s) Name(s): Kristyn Kamps

Other subject areas to be included, if any:

Project Idea

Summary of the issue, challenge, investigation, scenario, or problem:

Students will view a mock crime scene I've created in the classroom (the Felix Mystery from GEMS' Mystery Festival). They will be asked use scientific processes to collect and analyze the evidence and, based on that evidence, create a theory of what happened to Felix. They will interact with local police officials to understand how crime scene evidence is evaluated and why some crimes are solved while others remain a mystery.

Driving Questions
How do observations lead us to conclusions?

Content and Skills Standards to be addressed:

S.IP.07.11 Generate scientiﬁc questions based on observations, investigations, and research. (Individual understanding from previous years will be assessed.)

S.IP.07.12 Design and conduct scientiﬁc investigations. (Individual understanding from previous years will be assessed.)

S.IA.07.12 Evaluate data, claims, and personal knowledge through collaborative science discourse.

S.IA.17.13 Communicate and defend ﬁndings of observations and investigations*.

S.IA.07.15 Use multiple sources of information to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, or data*.

*Both included because they are very similar in nature.

...

...

Presentation Audience:

Culminating Products and Performances

Group : Students will work with classmates to:

1. collect/record observations about the evidence at the mock crime scene,

2. conduct forensic tests on the evidence,

3. interview a local police official,

4. create a presentation outline,

5. use background case information, suspect statements, crime scene evidence, forensic test results and class discussions to produce an "Investigative Report" and summary presentation that follows correct police protocols for review by adults posing as representatives from the State Prosecutor's Office in hopes of securing a warrant for arrest of the incriminated suspect(s)

Class:

Individual : Each student will be expected to:

1. keep an individual reflection journal where they record their best thinking regarding what happened to Felix, throughout and at the end of the experience,

2. create a detailed "Crime Scene Map,"

3. complete detailed observations of assigned pieces of evidence and create a wiki page for each piece,

4. present evidence information,

5. fill out the individual "Evidence Chart" which will detail which pieces of evidence implicate which characters in the mystery,

6. complete assigned homework which prepares them for the next day's lesson,

7. participate in class discussions, both in class and online,

8. use class time effectively.

Experts:

" Grabber" to launch inquiry & generate interest:

Students will enter the classroom to find a crime scene that has been roped off using police tape. They will be asked to observe what they see. The mock crime scene will include the outline of a body as well as other evidence. They will be read a short statement that gives context for what they see.

Assessments:

Formative Assessments:(Checkpoints during Project)

Reflection Journal (includes theories of what happened)

Moodle "quizzes" on homework (pass or ask questions and retry)

Suspect Chart (includes detail of which pieces of evidence implicate which suspects)

Evidence Cards (each student completes and posts 2)

Individual theory on what happened to Felix (should explain who is guilty and what evidence supports position in some detail; this is not a major assignment, however)

Self-Evaluation (use collaboration rubric)

Group oral presentation of "Investigative Report Summary" with rubric

Peer Evaluation (use collaboration rubric)

...

Resources Needed
On-site people, facilities:

Computers (student laptops), cameras, USB cables, projector

Equipment:

Crime scene set up, forensic test equipment

Materials:

GEMS Mystery Festival guide book, movie segments from United Streaming, The Science Spot: Forensics Lesson Plans, Forensic Science: Fundamentals and Investigations by Anthony Bertino

Community resources:

Official(s) from local police department; adults to represent officials from the state's prosecutor's office

Project Teaching and Learning Guide

Project: Felix Mystery

Course/Semester: 7th Grade Science/ 1st Semester

Knowledge and Skills Needed by Students

to successfully complete culminating products and performances, and do well on summative assessments

Scaffolding/Materials/Lessons to be Provided

by the project teacher, other teachers, experts, mentors, community members--Describe the active teaching needed to support learning

What constitutes evidence?
->
movie (United Streaming), " Physical Evidence" power point, interview with police detective

Project Calendar (Project should be 1 or more weeks)

*Note: We begin school in August, so this experience does not begin on the first day of school.

One

No school

Initial crime scene investigation

Preparing to observe evidence in more detail

Taking detailed observations of evidence

Background information and Suspect Statements

Two

Classifying Evidence

Practicing forensic testing

Forensic tests on evidence

Forensic tests on evidence; review test results and categorize

Form theory presentation groups

Three

Project work in small groups

Project work in small groups

Project work in small groups

Project Presentations to groups of experts

Project Presentations &

Debriefing session

*Allow at least one day for interview with police detective and/or other law enforcement experts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old. Finally, you can manage your Google Docs, uploads, and email attachments (plus Dropbox and Slack files) in one convenient place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ever Wonder What Causes a Pot of Water to Boil?

If you have, this project is for you!

We have people all over the world boiling water. In the past we've had climbers on Mt. Everest, school children in La Paz, Bolivia and college professors in Cheyenne, Wyoming all participating in the project. The purpose of this project is to discover which factor in the experiment (room temperature, elevation, volume of water, or heating device) has the greatest influence on boiling point. Anyone can participate in this year's project. All you have to do is boil a bit of water, record a bit of information, and send it along to us to include in the database of results. Then, students can analyze all of the data to reach an answer to the question: What causes a pot of water to boil

Interested in participating? Please read the project overview for some general information as well as the schedule. Here are the participating schools that have signed up so far.

This project is developed and managed by the Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) which is located at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. You can learn more about this project and many other CIESE sponsored Internet-based educational activities by visiting http://www.ciese.org

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you have, this project is for you! We have people all over the world boiling water. In the past we've had climbers on Mt. Everest, school children in La Paz, Bolivia and college professors in Cheyenne, Wyoming all participating in the project.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Is the Dominant Trait the Most Prevalent Trait?

Or put another way, does the dominant allele for a given trait show up as the prevalent phenotype in the population at large?
Ms. Ornovitz's class Springfield, New Jersey, USA
Participants in this project will:

Survey phenotypic traits of classmates and schoolmates.

Compile data with students from around the world.

Analyze data to determine if the prevalent phenotype is the dominant allele.

Join the project for a unique opportunity to study genetics as experienced scientists do! The Human Genetics Project is now open until June 20th, 2017, and you may participate at any time. There is NO fee to participate however we do ask you to register first.

Current Genetics Issues

Stay up to date on current issues in genetics! Go to current issues.

Newcomers Welcome!

If you are new to this project, please read the project overview and schedule, and then register to join. Also, feel free to look at the list of schools currently registered for the project.

If you have any problems, don't hesitate to contact the project leader.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Or put another way, does the dominant allele for a given trait show up as the prevalent phenotype in the population at large? Ms. Ornovitz's class Springfield, New Jersey, USA Participants in this project will: Survey phenotypic traits of classmates and schoolmates. Compile data with students from around the world.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Current Update

"Project Spectra!" is a NASA Approved Product and has been developed with NASA funding. We have used the materials located on this page to offer teacher professional development workshops, however we do not have any workshops scheduled at this time; please contact us at epomail@lasp.colorado.edu for more information.

Introduction

"Project Spectra!" is a science and engineering program for 6th - 12th grade students, focusing on how light is used to explore the Solar System. "Project Spectra!" emphasizes hands-on activities, like building a spectrograph, as well as the use of real data to solve scientific questions.

Here, you will find lessons for middle school students that can also be easily adapted for high school students or modified for elementary school students. Each lesson has a front page listing national standards in science and mathematics, prior knowledge students need for the lesson, materials, and time to complete the lesson. We have also provided tables listing national standards the lessons conform to, and a scope and sequence. We have included fun and informational links to explore the nature of light and spectroscopy further.
What is a Data Story?
A data story is an inquiry driven, standards-based lesson using real data from actual spacecraft! Each data story is a cogent, well-bounded story of solar system exploration that is accessible to students.

Activities

(* Denotes data story lesson; ** Denotes engineering lesson, Note: A "spectrograph," is a tool used in spacecraft and modern telescopes that uses a detector to record properties of light. Technically, the students build "spectroscopes" where the human eye directly observes light. We consider the student to be the detector when they build their "space-worthy" spectrographs, but leave further explanation at the discretion of the instructor.)

Other Materials

Light - A presentation for high school students (434 KB PDF)

Interactive Lessons

Teacher Workshop Materials

Presentations from past years' teacher's workshops.

Fun and Educational Links

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"Project Spectra!" is a NASA Approved Product and has been developed with NASA funding. We have used the materials located on this page to offer teacher professional development workshops, however we do not have any workshops scheduled at this time; please contact us at epomail@lasp.colorado.edu for more information. "Project Spectra!"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When teachers hear the term PBL (Project/Problem Based Learning), too many envision a science or math classroom. STEM focused courses are not the only courses where PBL is both important AND successful. Taking real world, authentic problems and putting them in the hands of students to investigate and solve belongs in EVERY discipline! Today, we'll take a look at how PBL can take shape in the English Language Arts classroom.
Project Based Learning: It All Starts with a Question
What makes PBL and ELA such a seamless fit is in one core principal: they're both inquiry driven. In our ELA classes, we're always asking students to ask questions and to dig to find the answers. The same notion goes for PBL. Once you find a place in your curriculum that you want student questions to drive the learning, you've found a place for a PBL assignment or unit.

Here are a few ideas to get started...
Fiction PBL
This type of project is fun, but there's not too many other teachers out there on the internet writing about it, so you'll have to bear with my example here as I don't have others to show you. When we think of a Fiction PBL, we are thinking about teaching a specific novel and making the problem in the novel something for students to extract and solve in real-life. So, for example, if you teach The Hunger Games, one of the core problems in the novel is the way the government creates and produces propaganda through media channels to maintain it's power and keep their citizens afraid and only informed with "approved" messages. To create something PBL, you would need to find the real-world connection. Immediately, I think about some of the Trump-era restrictions on media, the banning of certain media outlets during the campaign, and the circling accusations of "fake news". Here is an opportunity for a teacher to ask a driving question: to what extent is freedom of the press necessary? Students could investigate the history of the media, how media outlets and censorship function in other countries, etc. This would be a Fiction PBL opportunity.
Nonfiction PBL
A Nonfiction PBL would work very similarly to the Fiction PBL, but perhaps with a bit more flexibility. Teachers would select the nonfiction work and then design the PBL around that text. Teachers have done this with Carole Dweck's Mindset - can you imagine? Students researching and investigating about their own mindset? I've also seen it in classrooms using Malcom Gladwell books, Sean Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and more. You might even consider a memoir to start of a PBL experience. Other teachers have even used the structure of Lit Circles (small groups of students read different books) as a place to start a PBL experience for students.
Service Learning/Research PBL

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Project Based Learning in the Secondary ELA Classroom - Mud and Ink Teaching

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When teachers hear the term PBL (Project/Problem Based Learning), too many envision a science or math classroom. STEM focused courses are not the only courses where PBL is both important AND successful. Taking real world, authentic problems and putting them in the hands of studen

# data[].attributes.headline
WHY & HOW Project Based learning- Awesome video

# data[].attributes.subject
WHY & HOW Project Based learning- Awesome video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Five Keys to Rigorous Project-Based Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Implementing project-based learning can lead students to investigate historical movements.

"I have to go to history class? So boring!"

"Why do we have to learn about revolutions we weren't even alive for?"

These are just some of the comments that I used to hear from my students, and I remember making the same comments myself in high school. When I became a teacher, I wanted to make my class more fun and engaging, and that's where project-based learning (PBL) came in-PBL is a learning experience in which students investigate real-world problems that interest them and create solutions that demonstrate their learning for a broader audience than their teacher or their class.

PBL requires intensive planning, but it's worthwhile in my opinion because it fosters great student engagement and requires students to use crucial skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication.

When I wanted to create a PBL unit for my high school Latin American Studies class, I found few example units for my course-there are some good ones at PBLWorks -so I created one myself. This unit takes place over three to four weeks, with hourlong classes twice a week.

I created this project to bring the Latin American revolutions from the dusty pages of textbooks into the 21st century. What makes it a little different from other projects I've seen is that I had students role-play as Latin American revolutionaries to gain a historical perspective.

PBL in Social Studies in 5 Steps

1. Create a question for students to answer in their project: The driving question in my unit was how to solve a current problem affecting a Latin American country of the students' choosing. I gave them this prompt: "You are a 17-year-old revolutionary in your country. You have been given the ability to change one thing in the future in your country for the better. What would you change? How and why would you change it?"

Examining the political, social, and economic causes of past revolutions helped them identify similar problems in 2020. I used the role-play to create buy-in for the students-the perspective encouraged them to take more ownership of finding a feasible solution to make their country better. Students communicated their solutions in a blog or video diary and could work in pairs or groups.

2. Give students time to research: When students were researching their problems and solutions, I provided scaffolds to support learning. These scaffolds could be mini-lectures or videos. To give students an idea of what to look for in their research, I set up whole-class discussions; in distance learning I used the chat function in our video conferencing application, or posted discussion questions in our learning management system. Students created a rubric to assess their projects and set learning goals to hold themselves accountable.

3. Have students organize and visualize their research: Students could use digital graphic organizers to begin plotting what problem they would focus on and brainstorm solutions. They peer-reviewed rough drafts with project rubrics, which could also be completed asynchronously.

This is the point when teachers should organize an authentic audience for students to share their work with, which can be community leaders, families, or others, depending on the project. I didn't bring in an outside audience this year; students presented to their families and the class.

4. Have students create their stories: I allowed students to choose the applications they would use to create their final products detailing their solution to the problem they hoped to address. They created either a blog or video diary as their authentic products, creating a day-by-day chronicle identifying their problem along with the solution they would put in place, and what effect they hoped the solution would have on their country.

5. Students share their projects: In PBL units, students present their final project to an authentic audience. In distance learning, I had students present live over Zoom; if they weren't comfortable with that, they could record their presentation as a Flipgrid video. It's also important to provide a chance for audience feedback about the projects.

We concluded with self-reflection by the students and me, which helped me gauge my students' thoughts about the project, workflow, and the effectiveness of the lesson. It's critical for me as a teacher to reflect on what went well and what can be improved upon. I suggest also critiquing the project with your content team for tweaks, so you can fine-tune the goals that you want to accomplish by the end of the project.

PBL creates an engaging student-centered learning experience that allows students to go beyond just facts and deeply explore real-world issues with a focus on creating solutions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Getting Started With PBL in Social Studies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Implementing project-based learning can lead students to investigate historical movements.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Project-based learning (PBL) is a dynamic, flexible pedagogy that may look different for every group of students in every classroom. The essential elements promote deeper learning, greater engagement and higher quality work.

These elements include:

challenging problem or question

sustained inquiry

authenticity

application of learning

integration

student voice and choice

A public product for an authentic audience

feedback loops of critique, reflection and refining of the product - including formative and summative assessment.

When PBL is effectively programmed and scaffolded, this can have a significant impact on your students and teaching practices.

Download project-based learning infographic (JPG 621.56KB).

Text version project-based learning infographic.

These resources will help:

Entry event

An 'entry event', or 'hook', is a powerful means of engaging students.

The 'entry event' is designed to capture student interest to inspire and motivate them. Some examples of entry events include:

a visit from a food truck at the start of PBL about running a food stall at a school event

dumping the contents of a vending machine on a table to introduce PBL about nutrition

visiting a park and hearing from experts talk about the local environment and challenges to wildlife.

Entry events can take any form but if they initiate questioning and open discussion, inspire engagement with the concept or issue, they will build anticipation in the students for the exciting journey that is about to begin.

Some projects require specific skills. In PBL, a 'need to know' is the essential knowledge or skills students need to have to understand the complex real-world issue at the core of the unit.

Co-constructing the 'need to knows' with students is a vital element of PBL and encourages student choice and student voice. Remembering to reference the challenging problem or question will help students to identify what it is they will 'need to know'.

For example, in a PBL unit where the challenging question might be 'How can we redesign our outside space so that people use it more productively?' Questions students' might as for further information they need to know might include:

What sort of things might people do in the space?

What plants could grow well there?

How might we make different furniture?

What colours might improve the look of the space?

This process provides students with scaffolding for their learning and helps give them direction during PBL time. It also provides a framework for the sorts of explicit teaching that might be needed to build skills or knowledge. For example exposing students to multimodal texts, or teaching them how to read seed packets or plant labels effectively.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Project-based learning (PBL) is a dynamic, flexible pedagogy that may look different for every group of students in every classroom. The essential elements promote deeper learning, greater engagement and higher quality work.

# data[].attributes.headline
Cross Curricular Restaurant Project Based Learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Cross Curricular Restaurant Project Based Learning

# data[].attributes.headline
The Consortium of Public Education- PBL Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
The Consortium of Public Education- PBL Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Project-Based Learning Resources (PBL) - The Consortium for Public Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Project-Based Learning (PBL) training helps educators personalize instruction, increase student engagement, and deepen student learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Project-based learning and math : Innovative Education in VT

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Tarrant Institute’s Scott Thompson looks at project-based learning and math, and how a PBL approach can make math fun again.

# data[].attributes.headline
Getting started with literature and project based learning

# data[].attributes.subject
Getting started with literature and project based learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Edutopia is a free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education. We are published by the George Lucas Educational Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
20 Examples Of Project-Based Learning For A Modern World
by TeachThought Staff

In 13 Brilliant Outcomes Of Project-Based Learning, we gave a quick example of project-based learning to illustrate the relationship between learning objectives and the products and artifacts produced by project-based learning.

"As the name implies, project-based learning is simply learning through projects. What is being learned and how that learning is being measured isn't strictly dictated by the project and any products or artifacts within that project. Rather, the reverse should be true: the desired learning objectives should help dictate the products and artifacts within the project.

For example, instead of wanting students to plan a garden as the core of the project, then deciding which learning objectives and academic standards fit that idea, planning backward-looking first at the learning objectives and academic standards, then brainstorm project ideas and components of that project (audience, purpose, duration, etc.) This can be useful in making sure that in the course of completing the project, they are actually learning what you want them to learn. That is, you can help align the work of the project with the desired learning outcomes and objectives."

With that in mind, we thought it'd be useful to actually provide some real-world examples of project-based learning (as we've done in the past with project-based learning examples in math). They are more or less grade-agnostic though most lend themselves. as stated, more towards late middle and high school.

Obviously, these are just examples of project-based learning but not necessarily examples of how and why these ideas are considered 'pbl' why others may not be. For that, we'd have to explain and illustrate different scenarios for each project, then anticipate and annotate the learning process itself-especially in light of specific learning objectives. The difference between projects and project-based learning is a crucial shift and without that shift, these are just ideas for projects.

However, that would be a short book in and of itself and is beyond the scope of our purpose here: to communicate what project-based learning might actually look like-especially in a 'modern' world. What actually makes each project idea actually an example of project-based learning depends on how the project is mapped out and planned, what learning is assessed and how, the degree of agency and voice the student is allowed, the period of time over which the 'project' is 'completed,' and so on. There is, obviously, a lot to consider.

See also What Is Project-Based Learning?

With that mind, here are 20 examples of project-based learning in a modern world with resources and technology available in most communities.
20 Examples Of Project-Based Learning For A Modern World
1. Planning a garden that meets specific design objectives, then plant and tend the garden. At the end of the growing season, iterate the design to improve it for the next season based on how the garden was or was not successful in meeting the objectives.

2. Launching a recycling program that solves an identified problem with existing recycling programs. This can be done at a household-level, school-level, neighborhood-level, or city-level.

3. Analyzing the five most popular social media platforms for teens, then predict and design a new platform based on existing trends and past trajectory of change.

4. Creating 'visibility' for something beautiful, useful, or otherwise deserving of attention that currently is under-appreciated (e.g., music, parks, people, acts of kindness, effort, movies, nature, etc.)

5. Mashing three existing video games together (i.e., the core ideas in those games) to create a new game. Obviously this wouldn't be done digitally but through annotated planning and 'blueprint' design.

6. Solving the problem of negative and/or 'fake news.'

7. Designing a new form of government (or democracy, specifically) that addresses some perceived shortcoming of existing democratic forms (partisanship, non-functioning checks-and-balances, etc.)

8. Helping local businesses increase environmental sustainability (e.g., reduce waste).

9. Creating an interactive family tree with voice-overs from living family members.

10. Documenting the 'important' stories from your family (immediate or extended), focusing on older generations first. Help your family tell their story by telling all of their individual stories, then come up with a way to 'publish' that story (likely only sharing it with the family itself).

11. Inventorying the world's most compelling ideas in an elegant and browsable interface.

12. Imagining a dating app in 2050 considering anticipated shifts in technology (e.g., biotechnology) and social norms (e.g., gender, sexuality, class, etc.)

13. Identifying, analyzing, and visualizing recurring themes in human history; then contextualize those themes in modern society.

14. Choosing an issue you claim to be 'important' to you, then somehow addressing or supporting that issue with real-world work. Afterwards, documenting the learning process and what you learned and how that might change your approach next time.

15. With current trends in climate change in mind, one example of project-based learning might be to design a modern city for the year 2100 (clean-sheet design), or re-imagine existing cities and how they might cope with climate change.

16. Capturing, documenting, and sharing the wisdom of people living in nursing homes. Alternative: Interpreting very narrow and specific expertise for real-world application. For example, take knowledge of robotics or astrophysics or agriculture or music or theater, then somehow 'apply' that expertise in an authentic and real-world setting.

17. Dissecting the 'anatomy' of viral web content, memes, or social media arguments.

18. Launching a profitable business with actual documentation of real-world business metrics: profit, loss, cost control, etc. (depending on the nature of the product, service, or platform).

19. Artfully illustrating the global history of human/civil rights for the last 2000 years in one image, visual, or artifact.

20. Creating a photo documentary, then turning that into a film documentary, then turning that into a series of short social media videos.

Bonus: Restore something broken or beautiful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
20 Examples Of Project-Based Learning For A Modern World by TeachThought Staff In 13 Brilliant Outcomes Of Project-Based Learning , we gave a quick example of project-based learning to illustrate the relationship between learning objectives and the products and artifacts produced by project-based learning. "As the name implies, project-based learning is simply learning through projects.

# data[].attributes.body
Edmodo is free for educators if anyone would like to use it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Project Based Learning in Math – Jennifer Parker – EdmodoCon 2017

# data[].attributes.headline
Career Journeys Videos - Multiple Career Interviews & Information

# data[].attributes.subject
Career Journeys Videos - Multiple Career Interviews & Information

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
There's no better way to explore a career than through the eyes of an insider. That's why the Consortium launched Career Journeys, a series of video interviews with people in occupations spanning 16 career clusters that the U.S. Department of Labor established to track employment trends. Our guests answer questions that students investigating careers would ask during any job-shadow, including:

How they became interested in their fields

What skills make them especially suited for their work

What advice they'd give interested students

What they love about their jobs, and even what they don't like so much.

Categories for our interviews are broad, taking in multiple industries and many careers. Some jobs straddle more than one, so it's worthwhile to just browse the library. We're expanding it regularly, so check back often. Adults using these resources to help students explore careers may find it helpful to use the Career Journeys Supplemental Materials we've prepared for teachers and counselors.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Career Journeys - The Consortium for Public Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There's no better way to explore a career than through the eyes of an insider. That's why the Consortium launched Career Journeys, a series of video interviews with people in occupations spanning 16 career clusters that the U.S. Department of Labor established to track employment trends.

# data[].attributes.headline
Resources for parents, counselors, teachers & students

# data[].attributes.subject
Resources for parents, counselors, teachers & students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
EducationPlanner.org, a public service of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), offers practical and easy-to-understand advice and information on how to deal with common financial situations facing today's college students and recent graduates.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Pennsylvania CareerZone helps students, educators, jobseekers, and others access up-to-date information on wages, job openings, and other information specific to their state along with great information on careers, colleges, and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
See what a difference project-based learning makes for middle school math students as part of a federal i3 project using ConnectEd's hands-on math curriculum.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Engaging Math Projects for All Grade Levels

If you've developed your own project-based learning lesson plans, you know that math project plans can be an octopus-like undertaking incorporating state or Common Core standards and possibly coordinating with other teachers-all within the class schedule. And then there are the necessary assessment rubrics.

I undertook my first project-based learning math plan with my 5th graders several years ago. My students were fully engaged and it was rewarding for all of us. But it was a bear to develop; I spent about 20 hours just on the plan. I swore then to find a more efficient way to build out my math projects.

Fellow teachers recommended many resources to me, and I found many online. These math projects, from schools across the US, provide overviews, activities, assessment rubrics, work-product descriptions, and ideas for reflection. Although they vary in format, you can adjust them to your students' learning situation and to curriculum demands.

Projects from Math Matters in Indiana and PBLU, in particular, are very detailed and provide excellent project-based learning lesson plan templates.

The projects are organized by topic and grade level, when available. Keep in mind that project-based learning lesson plans are usually cross-curricular. Math projects often incorporate STEM-science, technology, engineering, and math-particularly in middle and high school classes.

General Math Projects - 70 Ideas and Examples

Intel Math Project Units
Eighteen projects for students in grades K-12. These are cross-curricular units.

Census at School
This project focuses on data collection and analysis for grades 4-12. Students gather data on their age, gender, hand preference, number of languages spoken, and more. They upload it to the national database and can download national data.

What Will They Think? | PBLU.org
Eighth grade students make estimations for how a large group will answer survey questions on new food products based on a small survey sample, using graphs. Then they test the accuracy of their estimations.

Geometry Projects: Ideas and Examples

Curriki Geometry | Curriki.org
For high school students in grades 9-12, this site consists of six projects that can be conducted piecemeal or all together in any order. Includes extensive teacher guides and student guides. It's a stellar team effort from Curriki members.

This New House | High Tech High
For high school students, grades 10-12. In this project, students work in pairs to create an eco-friendly scale model of a home, and a pamphlet to explain their design. This is a really well-detailed project from High Tech High.

The Maritime Project | High Tech High
For high school students in tenth grade. Partnering with a local maritime museum, students use geometry, US History, and writing to delve into maritime culture. They learn sextants and AutoCAD, with the option to design and build a sailing vessel.

Design a State-of-the-Art High School | Edutopia.org
For high school students in grades 9-12. This project focuses on architectural design, function and cost. It is described in this article by the author, Eeva Reeder.

Math in Origami | Texas Dept of Education
Although not stated, this math/art project can probably be adapted to students in grades 3-12.

Mazer Tag | PBLU.org
For students in grades 10-11. Students design and play a laser game in which they must maneuver the laser through a series of obstacles to reach a target.

Money Sense and Financial Management: Examples and Ideas

BizWorld | PBLU.org
For students in grades 3-5. Students learn entrepreneurship by raising capital for, designing, manufacturing, and selling friendship bracelets. They maintain financial records throughout the process so they can value the net worth of their company.

High School Financial Planning Program | NEFE
For high school students in grades 9-12. Register to download this holistic financial education program, or order materials to be delivered in a few weeks. Modules include planning, borrowing, earning capability, investing, and financial services.

Entrepeneurial Education: The Successful Investor Project | Edutopia.org
For high school students in grades 11-12. Students work in teams to develop product ideas and a business plan. They present their products and plans at a business conference made up of community investors, educators, and business owners.

Algebra Projects: Ideas and Examples

Teaching Linear Equations through Running a Small Business | Curriki
In this 8-week unit, students plan and execute a business, using linear equations to predict demand or cost/revenue information.

Patterns, Variables and Functions: Integrated, Project-Based, Science and Mathematics Inquiries for
In this 8-week unity, students plan and execute a small business, using linear equations to to predict demand or cost/revenue information.

Curriki Algebra 1 | Curriki.org
For middle and high school students in grades 6-10. There are five traditional instruction units aligned to Common Core standards, each of which culminate in a project. In Unit 1, students calculate break even cost of goods sold at a farmer's market.

Greenbacks or Greenspace | Envision Schools Projects Exchange
For high school students in grades 9-12. Students weigh cost-effective solutions for using donated land in San Francisco for recreation or development or both. In addition to monetary costs and benefits, students must weigh community needs.

Math Project Ideas from Readers
Exploring Space Through Math | NASA
Problem-based learning for students in grades 7-12. There are problems in algebra 1 and 2, geometry, and precalculus.

A question for all of you teachers out there

Heidi Reina (author) from USA on February 05, 2018:

There's a project called Let's Get Cooking for planning a party. It requires students do lots of conversions to resize recipes for a group. https://sites.google.com/site/flippedlearning101/2...

sally on February 04, 2018:

not really.... I am looking for on line 5th to 6th grade level on line fraction projects. I found a great lesson on next lesson (choose any amusement park to visit and calculate the cost and then they made a power point on the site and then sent it to me), but my students have completed that project. I am now looking for another site that they could use to work at their own pace to complete a project

Heidi Reina (author) from USA on October 13, 2016:

I'm so glad they were a help to you, Lianne. Curriki.org members frequently post new project ideas and guidance, so I go back to it every year when I begin my planning.

Lianne on October 11, 2016:

These links are excellent. I think they would be very useful starting points for brainstorming different hands on learning activities with a math focus. I would love to know more about project-based learning and this is a great step in that direction. If anyone has any other math related sites for project-based learning please send a link . Thanks :)

Heidi Reina (author) from USA on July 16, 2016:

These resources are definitely useful for mini projects that can be incorporated into a larger pbl curriculum.

Sarah on July 15, 2016:

I second Penny's suggestion. I have used the Math Projects from k-5mathteachingresources.com for the last 2 years with grades 3-5. Students love them and have produced some wonderful projects.

Heidi Reina (author) from USA on April 21, 2016:

The resources you cite include some good basic math activities, but I do not see any that rise to the level of project based learning.

Penny on April 21, 2016:

These Math Projects from k-5mathteachingresources have worked well in my grade 4/5 classroom this year. Lots to choose from and each one comes with a rubric!

Heidi Reina (author) from USA on September 03, 2015:

Shanaya, might I suggest CensusAtSchool? It is a scalable project for a variety of grade levels in which students gather information about students in their school, submit it to a website, then analyze and compare it to students from other schools, nationwide or worldwide. You can design limits such as how many students are surveyed, and the extent to which the data will be analyzed. More details here:
http://www.censusatschool.org.uk/
shanaya on July 06, 2015:

Can't I get some good less time consuming and simple projects for standard 5th

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Math Project Ideas: Examples of Project-Based Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you've developed your own project-based learning lesson plans, you know that math project plans can be an octopus-like undertaking incorporating state or Common Core standards and possibly coordinating with other teachers-all within the class schedule. And then there are the necessary assessment rubrics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Project-Based Learning in Math: 6 Examples
contributed by Janet Pinto, Chief Academic Officer at Curriki

I wish geometry was taught in this way when I was in school.

For so many students, it's difficult to make a real-life connection between math and their everyday lives. By adopting a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, students learn that geometry is not only theoretical, but practical and necessary. Students will move beyond a basic understanding of concepts to an enjoyment of discovery.

This free Geometry course not only leverages the popular PBL 'active' approach but is also aligned to Common Core State Standards. Thom Markham, Ph.D., President of PBL International, is the designer of the course. He notes that Project-Based Learning points us toward the future of education. "It's a proven method for integrating the 21st-century skills of communication and teamwork into the delivery of core subjects."

Available online at the Curriki site, Curriki Geometry is designed to meet the needs of students raised in a global, interactive, digitally-connected world through the use of real-world examples, engaging projects, interactive technologies, videos and targeted feedback. Developed with funding from AT&T, the Curriki Geometry course is modular, so can be used as the foundation for students' Geometry 1 curriculum, as a supplementary resource, in an after-school program, or in a homeschool environment.

The course units have been designed with carefully selected Curriki instructional materials, interactive content, videos and other materials that students can explore and use as they solve the series of challenges in each unit. The course structure is based on the six Common Core High School Geometry topics, organized in six projects.
Project-Based Learning in Math: 6 Examples 1. Selling Geometry
This project introduces students to a brief history of geometry, geometric terms, geometric shapes, and transformation and manipulation of shapes through reflections, tessellations, and dilations. Students will form marketing teams to 'sell' geometry by explaining key terms, demonstrating key shapes, and describing the significance of geometry to an audience
2. Designing a Winner
This project allows students to apply the geometric principles of triangles, volume, and coordinates to the mapping and design of a multi-purpose arena in a limited area. The arena must serve as a venue that can be easily converted for use by two sports, plus serve as a concert venue if needed. Students will form design teams to create a map showing how the arena can be converted for the two sports. The map will be accompanied by a hand-built model or a digital design using Google SketchUp or other tool. In the final presentations, the map and design ideas will be presented to the local City Council.
3. What's Your Angle, Pythagoras?
One real-world task students must learn is the ability to explain what you know to others. The challenge in this project is for older students to find common examples of right-angle geometry and use their geometric knowledge to create a lesson that explains Pythagorean principles to younger students in a way that is engaging, understandable, meaningful, and relevant.
4. TED Talk: House of the Future
The challenge in this project is for students to examine trends in housing, extrapolate that information to predict the future, and use their geometric modeling skills to design a house that supports their predictions. Students will create a floor plan and basic model of a house of the future that reflects four trends and then deliver their design and give evidence of their thinking in the form of a 10 minute presentation about why their house will be necessary and useful in the future. The format for the talk can vary, but it is suggested that the presentation follow the guidelines for a TED-like talk in which presenters give short presentations that focus on the future and innovation
5. The Art of Triangles
This project teaches students the basics of triangles, such as types, congruence, proofs, and similarity, by asking each student to create a poster, drawing, or personal adornment such as a fingernail design, piece of jewelry, or tattoo that uses at least two different triangular shapes. The product must meet the criteria for 'beautiful'-that is, it must display symmetry or other design elements that make it attractive.
6. How Random is My Life?
This project is designed to have students work through and master basic problems in probability, and then apply that knowledge to authentic issues in which statistics and probability play large roles. The topics should apply to teen interests and concerns. Students will be given the opportunity to research and choose their topic. However, topics may also be assigned by the teacher in one of four areas:

1. Driving and cell phone use
2. Diet and health
3. Professional athletics
4. Costs associated with a college education

After researching the issue, students are expected to explain how probability affects their lives in each of these areas, and to make recommendations to other teens on actions that can improve their chances of making good decisions on each issue

The Common Core Math Practice Standards are woven through each unit, with projects and explorations designed to develop students' mathematical habits of mind, problem-solving and reasoning skills, and abilities to use mathematical models and technology tools strategically.
Project-Based Learning in Math: 6 Examples; image attribution flickr user vancouverfilmschool

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Project-Based Learning Looks Like In Math

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Project-Based Learning in Math: 6 Examples contributed by Janet Pinto, Chief Academic Officer at Curriki I wish geometry was taught in this way when I was in school. For so many students, it's difficult to make a real-life connection between math and their everyday lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Taking the plunge into project-based learning can seem difficult in an age when standardized testing seems to reign supreme as an indicator of achievement in secondary classrooms. But the pathway to project-based learning doesn't have to be scary for secondary math teachers. Utilizing your own expertise and curriculum materials, you can create projects that are real, relevant, and rigorous, and that answer the age-old question, "When am I ever going to need this?"

Selecting a Project Topic

Project-based learning challenges students to answer or solve real problems in an authentic and meaningful way. The authenticity is key to ensuring that students are invested in the project. One of the best ways to determine what students will find relevant is to survey them. By repurposing the traditional beginning-of-the-year student inventory, you can build in specific questions about students' interests and passions, goals and aspirations. Then, along with keeping an eye on current events, you'll be able to identify relevant topics that can serve as the foundation for a project-based learning experience.

For example, access to the internet has been a long-standing issue in certain communities, and remote learning has highlighted and exacerbated these issues for many of our students. Another timely topic is the spread of communicable disease.

Choosing Appropriate Math Content

Determine the suitable math content to connect with the topics you've chosen. While not every content standard is an appropriate standard for a project, it's important to consider the domain of rigor for the standard (applicable, conceptual, procedural), as well as the role of the standard within a curriculum. Prioritizing standards that meet a combination of applicable rigor, Common Core modeling standards, and/or Widely Applicable Prerequisites (WAP) standards will ensure that you're utilizing standards that are rich in opportunity for deep learning throughout the project process.

With the internet-access issue, students in geometry class can use circles and coordinate geometry overlaid on maps of their city or town to analyze cell service in rural and urban areas to address the digital divide and connectivity issues within their community.

For the spread of disease, functions provide a great background on which to build a project-based learning unit. Functions model relationships between variables and are useful for designing projects around communicable diseases like the cold, the flu, or Covid-19 and how to slow or stop the spread through analyzing data and modeling with exponential functions. You can design projects around data analysis and modeling of spread using actual data from the real world or simulate the spread of germs in the classroom or school building using glow powder, and collect data from the simulation.

Project-based learning gives you the opportunity to represent problems algebraically (through creating equations, writing functions, graphing, and analyzing graph features). Help students discover the complexities of credit and loans when preparing plans for financing their future by bringing algebraic exponentials and rationals to life through the study and application of financial formulas.

Planning the Project

When designing your project, your textbook or curriculum can serve as a great anchor, providing students with familiar resources and structures for acquiring mathematical content knowledge and skill practice.

It's helpful to break the project down into manageable chunks, or milestones, each with its own driving question. Use these driving questions to determine the best content from your curriculum to include within that milestone. You can then select the appropriate lessons and practice assignments from your curriculum that will support the students' learning, but be prepared that it may alter the order in which you teach some of the lessons.

Including Test Prep

In addition to the inherent elements of critical thinking that arise within each project-based learning experience, there are clear connections between projects and preparation for standardized assessments, such as the SAT.

Incorporate skills from the "Problem Solving and Data Analysis" section of the SAT Study Guide, directly within a project through project launches, where data is presented and discussed to elicit critical thinking, reasoning, and sense making as students develop their need-to-know questions. Focusing on data relevant to the project through daily or weekly data talks provides additional opportunities for students to practice these reasoning skills.

Additionally, you can focus on associated topics from the "Heart of Algebra" and "Passport to Advanced Math" sections of that study guide. Project-based learning provides the lens to view the algebra contextually, giving you the opportunity to support students in representing the problems algebraically (through creating equations, writing functions, graphing and analyzing graph features). For projects with a focus on geometry or trigonometry, you can make direct connections to the " Additional Topics in Math " section through geometric modeling and analysis and problem-solving with trig or complex numbers, as appropriate.

We have the ability to use our expertise and our resources to provide authentic and engaging project-based learning experiences within our secondary math classrooms. There are many possible projects-analyzing the geometry of packaged goods and recycling statistics to determine the environmental impact and proposing more sustainable alternatives, or using systems of equations to analyze time and budget constraints to better determine student lunch options. Because of these rich project-based learning experiences, ultimately it will be not the teacher but the student who has the answer to the age-old question "When am I ever going to need this?"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Creating Opportunities for Project-Based Learning in Math

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Taking the plunge into project-based learning can seem difficult in an age when standardized testing seems to reign supreme as an indicator of achievement in secondary classrooms. But the pathway to project-based learning doesn't have to be scary for secondary math teachers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Looking for some fun middle school activities to incorporate in your math lessons? Trying to come up with fun ideas that fit your curriculum? Here are 20 great activities and project ideas! There are three main themes to the activities listed below: real life, food (perfect for those hungry pre-teens!), and creativity. The instructions for all activities can be easily modified for students in Grade 6, Grade 7, and Grade 8. If your child is home-schooled, or you are just looking for additional home learning tasks, then these activities are perfect for you! All of the materials can easily be found in your home.

So, grab a cup of tea, sit back, relax and read on...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
55 Math Activities For Middle School: Algebra, Fractions, Exponents, and More! - Teaching Expertise

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Looking for some fun middle school activities to incorporate in your math lessons? Trying to come up with fun ideas that fit your curriculum? Here are 20 great activities and project ideas! There are three main themes to the activities listed below: real life, food (perfect for those hungry pre-teens!), and creativity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Well, since I'm preparing to start my first year of teaching, I decided that I really needed to finish posting the last few projects I did during my student teaching.

During my last week of student teaching, my cooperating teacher asked me to come up with a creative way to review some of the 8th grade math standards.

A lot of my students had been struggling with the concept of proportions. With lots of practice, they had been improving, but many students still weren't comfortable with solving proportions.

I wanted to show students that proportions were definitely applicable to their lives. So, I created this pre-algebra road trip project. It actually turned into a 3-part project because the students were enjoying it so much.

Each student chose 5 cities to travel to on their road trip. Using a ruler, they drew out their route on a US map. Then, using the map scale, students determined the length of their road trip in miles.

Day 2 of the road trip project was spent using gas mileage and fuel costs for various vehicles to determine which vehicle students would take on their road trip.

On Day 3, we calculated food costs, hotel costs, and rental car costs. By the end of the 3-day project, students were much, much, much more comfortable working with ratios and proportions.

It was an amazing experience to see the light bulbs go off with so many of my students.

Looking back at Day 2 and 3, there are a ton of little things I would change. I actually changed the rental car problem on Day 3 because my students were having a ton of trouble with it. I just did a flat rate per day.

This pre-algebra road trip project is easily adjusted based on your time limitations and the level of your students. This was never intended on being a 3-day project. It just sort of evolved into one.

My 8th graders really enjoyed it. My cooperating teacher enjoyed it. My University Supervisor even observed me on Day 3 of the project.

The lesson was a little more chaotic than I had planned, but my supervisor complimented me on the project. He even asked for electronic copies of the files to send to some math teachers in China.

Edited to Add: I have also done this with my Algebra 1 students.

Since I had already done this project with 8th graders, I thought my Algebra 1 students would be able to whiz right through it. I was wrong. I had to teach many of my students how to read a ruler.

Rounding to the nearest quarter inch was a disaster. And, the questions students asked me made me feel more like a geography teacher than a math teacher.

These are actual conversations I had with my Algebra 1 students during this activity.

Me: Class, today we are going on a road trip. If we're going on a road trip, that means we will be traveling on...
Class: Roads!
Me: Yes, so that means we can't travel to...
Class: Hawaii
Student 1: Why can't you drive to Hawaii?
Me: Hawaii is an island. That means it is surrounded by water.
Student 2: Why does Hawaii look so weird?
Custodian who just happens to be emptying the trash at this point: Hawaii is a series of small islands.
Student 3: Do you mean you can't drive between the little islands?
Custodian: No. When I was in Hawaii, we traveled between the islands by taking ferries.

Student 1: Is Washington, D.C. here? [The student is pointing at Washington state.]
Me: No.
Student 2: No, Washington, D.C. is in Virginia.

Student 1: I think this map is wrong.
Me: Why?
Student 1: Oklahoma City should be above Tulsa.

Student 1: Do you mean Nashville, Tennessee is in the United States?
Me: Yes. Nashville is in the U.S.
Student 1: I've heard of it before, but I didn't realize it was in the U.S.

I required my students to write both the city and the state they were visiting on their assignment. One student wrote that she was traveling to New Jersey, PA.

Free Download of Pre-Algebra Road Trip Project

Road Trip Project Day 1 (WORD) (804 downloads)

Road Trip Project Day 2 (WORD) (589 downloads)

Road Trip Project Day 3 (WORD) (485 downloads)

Road Trip Project Map and Rubric (PDF) (523 downloads)

Video with Instructions on Completing the Road Trip Project

I ran across a YouTube video that someone created to walk students through completing the Road Trip Project. I thought I would link it here in case it was of use to anybody.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Pre-Algebra Road Trip Project | Math = Love

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Well, since I'm preparing to start my first year of teaching, I decided that I really needed to finish posting the last few projects I did during my student teaching. During my last week of student teaching, my cooperating teacher asked me to come up with a creative way to review some of the 8th grade math standards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The Classroom | Empowering Students in Their College Journey

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Generally middle school students study pre-algebra and focus on solving multi-step equations, including those with decimals and fractions, learning to graph equations, solving ratios and proportions and calculating mean, median and mode. Because the concepts and skills required to be successful in pre-algebra are more complex, it is important to provide students with hands-on activities to help them see and experience the concepts firsthand, rather than just relying on the textbook and worksheets.

Measure Me

Provide students with a meter stick and give them the task to measure another student. Students should measure the following items for their partners in both meters and millimeters: height, length of an arm, length of foot, circumference of head, length of thumb, arm span, farthest distance the student can jump, highest point the student can touch without jumping and width of the thinnest fingernail. Have students record all measurements and determine at the end of the activity which measurement, meters or millimeters, is most useful for each item.

Candy Probability

Provide students with a bag of colored candies such as M&Ms or Skittles. Students should open their bags and count the number of candies inside. After counting the total number of candies, have students count the candy by color, writing down how many of each color is in the bag. Students can then use those numbers to figure out the probability of choosing a certain color from the bag. For example, if there are 20 M&Ms in the bag and five of them are red, the student would write the probability of choosing a red M&M as 5/20 and simplify it to be 1/4. Complete this activity for all colors.

Distributive Property Role-Play

To teach students the distributive property, a(b+c) = ab+ac, assign students in the class to stand up front and hold pieces of paper with one part of the equation on them. For example, one student will hold the letter a, another the letter b, and third the plus sign and so on. Visually display the distributive property using students. Then have students turn over their pieces of paper to reveal numbers. Have a student come up and re-arrange the students to demonstrate the distributive property.

Order of Operations Cards

Provide students with an equation written on index cards, with an index card to represent each number or symbol in the equation. Students can use the phrase "Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally" to remember the order of operations to use when solving an equation because each word represents a different step (parentheses, exponents, multiplying, dividing, addition and subtraction). To begin solving the equation, students should solve everything in parentheses and remove those cards, replacing them with an index card to represent the new number. Students continue through the order of operations to solve the equation until only an index card with the solution is left.

After giving a math quiz, provide students with the class grades. Be sure to remove student names from the results to keep from embarrassing students. Have students determine the mean, median and mode for the class. The class can then create a graph on poster board or chart paper to represent the results of the class. Classes can compete with one another to see who has the highest mean on each quiz. Track the results by class for all quizzes and tests given in a quarter, awarding a point to each class with the highest mean, median and mode. At the end of the quarter, reward the class with the most points.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Generally middle school students study pre-algebra and focus on solving multi-step equations, including those with decimals and fractions, learning to graph equations, solving ratios and proportions and calculating mean, median and mode.