| Activity |
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Description |
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Grades |
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Topics |
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Software |
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13 * 7 = 28 |
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Watch Abbott and Costello do some mathematical hocus-pocus with multiplying 13 x 7 and getting an answer of 28. Explain how Costello cheated with place value to get an answer of 28. |
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6 |
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Numerical operations |
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Video (You Tube) |
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 |
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Area: Triangles |
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In the diagram below, the blue line is parallel to the base of the triangle. When you slide B back and forth along the blue line, how do the base (AC), height (BD), and area change? |
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6 |
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Geometry |
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GSP |
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 |
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Balance Beam Activity |
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Use basic equation principles with this virtual balance to find the weights of various figures. You are presented with a number of shapes and one of their weights is known. Your goal is to find the weights of the other objects by finding the relationships between the objects of various weights. This is achieved with a simulation of a balance beam to tell you how the weights relate. |
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6 |
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Patterns (Pre Algebra) |
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Applet |
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 |
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Billiard paths |
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Here you will find an unusual billiard table. The dimensions are determined by the numbers on the sliders. Your Challenge: See if you can come up with a way to predict (1) what the number of touches will be for any given size billiard table and (2) which corner the ball will end up in. |
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6 |
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Number Sense, Numerical operations |
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Applet,
MW* |
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 |
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Black Box |
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Guess my (2-step) rule. The black box method uses an imaginary device (the black box) that modifies the input number according to a specific formula. The formula is hidden in the black box so to a viewer the number mysteriously changes. |
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6, 7, 8 |
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Algebra |
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FlashLink: Black Box Method |
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 |
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Boutique - Making Change |
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At the Boutique shop the student plays the role of a store clerk who sells clothes. The main task is to handle the exchange of money and give correct change. In this example, the student is given $5.00 for an item that costs $4.22. The right change is 78¢. Assuming you have 9 of each coin (quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies) in your register, what are the different ways you could make the necessary change? |
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6, 7 |
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Numerical operations, Problem Solving |
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SS |
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 |
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Broken Calculator |
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In this game you have to get as close as possible to a given number, by using the still working buttons of a broken calculator. Challenge: make your computation come out to 25 if the 5 key is disabled. |
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6, 7 |
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Number Sense, Numerical operations |
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Applet,
MW* |
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 |
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Burgerama |
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Lesson Plan: What’s my Order? This lesson uses an applet to get after how (1) fractions are related to a unit whole (2) to use a model to compare fractional parts of a whole and (3) to order fractions. |
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6 |
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Numerical operations |
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Applet |
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 |
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Bus Problem |
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You are about to go on a field trip with the entire school. There are 438 teachers, students, and administrators in your building. Everyone will be traveling by school bus. If each bus (excluding the bus driver) can seat a maximum of 30 people, how many buses will you need to transport everyone? |
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6 |
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Number Sense, Numerical operations |
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None |
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 |
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Candy investigation/ Candy Circle graphs |
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How many M & M's are there in this mystery bag? The challenge is to come up with an educated guess based on data analysis. |
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6 |
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Data Analysis |
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SS |
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 |
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Climate in NJ |
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What's the temperature usually like in September? |
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6 |
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Data Analysis |
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Website |
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 |
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Coin Flipper |
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Use this applet to answer some questions about probability of tossing coins a lot of times! (MW only!) |
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6 |
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Probability |
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MW |
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 |
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Cost of mailing a letter |
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How much does it cost to mail a letter given the weight. Use Excel to graph and answer the question. |
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6 |
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Data Analysis |
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SS |
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 |
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Darts – decimal |
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Similar to Fraction Darts. Except here you need to enter your dart throws in decimal form. |
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6 |
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Numerical operations |
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Flash |
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 |
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Darts – fraction |
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" The object of the Fraction Darts challenge is to ""pop"" balloons located on a number line between 0 and 1. The Darts are ""thrown"" by entering a number in fractional form. Here is a glimpse of a game in progress. Two darts (5/8 and 3/4) have been thrown so far. Notice that 3/4 is too big and 5/8 is too small." |
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6 |
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Numerical operations, Problem Solving |
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Flash |
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 |
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Dog Years |
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Hey Big Guy, Count your blessings! If you were a dog, you’d be over 100 years old. How old is the birthday person? Use the applet to figure out the answer. |
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6, 7 |
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Patterns (Pre Algebra) |
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applet |
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 |
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Factor Game – Microworld Version |
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Two players compete for high score by picking numbers from a board (screen) which are then added to their score. There is a catch though. Whenever Player A picks a number, the total of every factor of that number still showing on the screen is added to the opponent's score. When the opponent, Player B, chooses a number, that number is added to his/her score, but Player A gets the total of all remaining factors of the number B chose. Game continues until all numbers have been picked. High score wins. |
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6 |
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Number Sense, Numerical operations |
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MW* |
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 |
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Factor Tree |
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This manipulative allows you to construct factor trees (to the prime factors) for two numbers, and then from the prime factorization, you are asked to identify the Least Common Multiple (LCM) and the Greatest Common Factor (GCF) of the two given numbers. |
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6 |
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Numerical operations |
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Applet |
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 |
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Fair Game? One die |
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Play with a partner. Take turns rolling a die. Roll 30 times. Player 1 scores a point if the roll is even. Player 2 scores a point if the roll is odd. |
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6 |
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Probability |
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MW |
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 |
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Fair Game? One Die Race |
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In this activity you use a Microworlds applet to roll one die many times. The object is to see if you can predict which event (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6) will come up most often and win the race. |
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6 |
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Probability |
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MW |
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 |
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Fair Game? Special Sums |
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Players take turns rolling 2 number cubes. Player A gets a point if the sum is 1, 2, 3, or 4. Player B gets a point if the sum is 5, 6, 7, or 8. Player C scores a point if he gets 9, 10, 11, or 12. Is this a fair game? Play 15 rounds and find out. |
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6 |
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Probability |
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MW |
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 |
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Fair Game Dilemma: Odd or Even? |
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Two players roll 2 cubes. Player 1 wins if sum of cubes is even, player 2 wins if the sum is odd. Is this a fair game? |
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6, 7 |
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Probability |
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MW |
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 |
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Far Fetched Areas Glitch Problem |
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In order to find out the area we need to make a drawing of our tiles and then use a program called the Geometer’s Sketchpad to tell us how many square centimeters there are in our tiles. |
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6, 7 |
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Geometry |
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GSP Applet |
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 |
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Fraction Track Game |
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By working on this activity, students have opportunities to think about how fractions are related to a unit whole, compare fractional parts of a whole, and find equivalent fractions. |
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6 |
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Numerical operations |
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Applet |
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 |
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Game of Number Guess – Decimal version |
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The assumption of this number guess game is that the mystery number will be a whole number. But what if 4 is too big and 3 is too small? What would be your next guess? |
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6 |
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Number Sense, Numerical operations |
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MW |
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 |
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Get to Know Sketchpad – Triangles |
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Using Sketchpad students make a chart of examples of triangles that can be described both by their angles and sides. Are there any that are impossible? |
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6 |
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Geometry |
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GSP |
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 |
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Getting to Know Sketchpad - Triangles & Spinwheels |
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See description of Spinwheels I and II. |
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6 |
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Geometry |
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GSP |
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 |
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Glob Hunt: Coordinate Graphs |
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Students practice their coordinating graphing skills while they track down the location of a green glob. Happy hunting. |
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6 |
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Patterns (Pre Algebra) |
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MW |
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 |
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Hundred Board |
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NCTM version. Very clever way to do times tables! |
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6 |
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Number Sense, Numerical operations |
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 |
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Integer Addition using Color Chips |
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This MattiMath virtual manipulative activity uses plus and minus chips to demonstrate adding positive and negative numbers. |
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6 |
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Patterns (Pre Algebra) |
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Applet |
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 |
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Number Town: Family Fractions |
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"It's time for all 25 fractions in Number Town to return to their “home” color pad. Your task is to move each of them to their respective pads. You are successful if clicking on the fraction (1) switches its form from fraction to picture ID (or visa versa) and not cause the fraction to ""run away"" from the pad." |
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6 |
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Numerical operations |
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MW |
|
 |
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Pattern Blocks for Sale |
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How much should we charge for the design if the square costs $1.00? |
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6, 7 |
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Geometry |
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GSP |
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 |
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Rectangle: Area & Perimeter |
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Question: What is the largest the area of a rectangle be if its perimeter is 20? |
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6 |
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Geometry |
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Applet |
|
 |
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Road Sign |
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What’s wrong with the sign? |
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6 |
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Number Sense, Numerical operations |
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None |
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 |
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Shopping Spree (Best buy) |
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You’re giving a party and have to go shopping for snacks. You’ve heard about online shopping services and want to give them a try. Because you have a limited amount of money, you want to get the best buys that you can, so you’re going to comparison shop and buy the items where you get the most for your money. |
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6 |
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Numerical operations, Problem Solving |
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SS |
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|
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Spinwheels 1 |
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Step-by-step instructions for you and your students to create an animated pinwheel with Geometer's Sketchpad. |
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6 |
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Geometry |
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GSP |
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 |
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Spinwheels II |
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Version 3 of spinwheel with hole. |
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6, 7 |
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Geometry |
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GSP |
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 |
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Spiros |
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Whumpus, Whimsy or Gloop? Which Creature is it? |
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6, 7 |
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Data Analysis |
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MW |
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 |
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Tri or Not to Tri |
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2 GSP downloads |
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6 |
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Geometry |
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GSP,
GSP |
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 |
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Types of Triangles |
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This activity deals with scalene, isosceles, equilateral, and right triangles. Students use a GSP sketch or an interactive web page to drag and manipulate four triangles, one of each type, and use the activity handout(s) to guide their exploration. |
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6 |
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Geometry |
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Applet |
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 |
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West Challenge |
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Play the West game. (You will find it on your computer.) Also play the West Round Trip game which also takes you backwards from Great Gulch to the start. In the process you will learn about negative numbers! |
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6, 7 |
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Numerical operations, Problem Solving |
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