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Community Based Mathematics Project of Philadelphia

View Lesson Plans

    View Full Lesson Plan Data Deals

    Grade
    Math Focus
    Context
    Grade
    8th Grade
    Math Focus
    Linear functions, Graphing a system of equations
    Context
    Everyday Life
    Display Image
    An iPhone
    Overview / Lesson Summary

    In this lesson, students compare data plans from different cell phone plans to determine which is a better deal for different amounts of data usage. The plans that are chosen can be represented as linear functions, the cost of the monthly charge and per gigabyte for extra data. Graphing the functions illustrates the rate of change and the "break even points" to help determine when each plan is a better deal.

    Common Core Domain
    Expressions & Equations
    Related Resources
    Supplementary related resources available
    No supplementary powerpoint
    Supplementary Word or PDF document available

    View Full Lesson Plan Fortune Tellers: Exploring Area

    Grade
    Math Focus
    Context
    Grade
    6th Grade
    Math Focus
    Finding areas and relationships between areas of triangles, rectangles and trapezoids
    Context
    Art & Architecture
    Everyday Life
    Sports & Games
    Display Image
    Square with lines and dotted lines.
    Display Image Caption
    Fortune Teller
    Overview / Lesson Summary

    Frequently in mathematics, students memorize and use formulas without understanding where they come from or why they work. In this lesson, students use paper fortune tellers to see how the areas of common polygons (triangles, trapezoids) can be found by decomposing and rearranging the shapes to make rectangles. They also explore the relationships between areas of the shapes that are made in the process of making their own fortune teller. Another version of this lesson, Fortune Tellers: Shapes and Area, in which students identify shapes and find areas by counting squares, is available for grades 3-4.

    Common Core Domain
    Geometry
    Related Resources
    No supplementary related resources
    No supplementary powerpoint
    Supplementary Word or PDF document available

    View Full Lesson Plan How Much Battery?

    Grade
    Math Focus
    Context
    Grade
    6th Grade
    Math Focus
    Rates, fraction/percent equivalence, benchmark reasoning, unit fraction reasoning
    Context
    Everyday Life
    Display Image
    Dead iPhone battery
    Overview / Lesson Summary

    In this one-day lesson, students use their knowledge of fractions to estimate how long it takes phone batteries to charge.  This is a rate problem, and also an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of fractions and percents, using a context they are familiar with and a visual bar model.  Students use their implicit knowledge of phone battery to estimate how much battery is left using percentages or fractions, and then develop their own strategies to estimate how long the battery will take to charge.

    Common Core Domain
    Ratios & Proportional Relationships
    Related Resources
    No supplementary related resources
    No supplementary powerpoint
    Supplementary Word or PDF document available

    View Full Lesson Plan Rethink Your Drink 1: What's in that Bottle?

    Grade
    Math Focus
    Context
    Grade
    6th Grade
    7th Grade
    Math Focus
    Ratio and Proportion; Data Analysis
    Context
    Nutrition
    Display Image
    Bottle of Nesquik chocolate milk next to a glass of sugar cubes.
    Overview / Lesson Summary

    By investigating and representing the sugar content of popular beverages, students use their understanding of ratio, proportion and data analysis skills to read a nutritional label and use data to support an argument. Note this lesson can be followed by Rethink Your Drink 2: A Fair Comparison.

    Common Core Domain
    Ratios & Proportional Relationships
    Statistics & Probability
    Related Resources
    No supplementary related resources
    No supplementary powerpoint
    Supplementary Word or PDF document available

    View Full Lesson Plan Rethink Your Drink 2: A Fair Comparison

    Grade
    Math Focus
    Context
    Grade
    6th Grade
    7th Grade
    Math Focus
    Unit rates
    Context
    Everyday Life
    Nutrition
    Display Image
    Bottles of different colored drinks lined up in a row.
    Overview / Lesson Summary

    Following students' investigation of sugar content of popular beverages in What's in That Bottle? students use unit rates to compare sugar content across different container sizes.  Students then use the data they have gathered from both lessons to debate policies such as the sugar tax, advertising to children, and warning labels.  

    Common Core Domain
    Ratios & Proportional Relationships
    Related Resources
    No supplementary related resources
    No supplementary powerpoint
    Supplementary Word or PDF document available

    View Full Lesson Plan Trolley Trips

    Grade
    Math Focus
    Context
    Grade
    5th Grade
    6th Grade
    Math Focus
    Using double number lines to locate, add and multiply decimal numbers and find unit rates
    Context
    Public Transportation
    Neighborhood
    Everyday Life
    Display Image
    A SEPTA Trolley
    Overview / Lesson Summary

    In this lesson, students explore an actual trolley route in West Philadelphia and determine the distance and the time it takes to travel between stops. The lesson can be adapted for other bus or trolley routes that stop at every block or at equidistant locations. For adaptations for grades 3-5, see Walk or Ride. 

    Common Core Domain
    Numbers & Operations in Base Ten
    Number System
    Ratios & Proportional Relationships
    Related Resources
    Supplementary related resources available
    No supplementary powerpoint
    Supplementary Word or PDF document available