Math

We’ve created a host of lessons that integrate math into other subject areas. Check out these fun ways to explore the M in STEM!

Lessons marked with an orange gear icon address engineering within the Next Generation Science Standards.

Building for Birdie

Grades K-2

Apply knowledge of shapes to build a bird home that is structurally sound.  

Lesson: 60 minutes
Unit: 150 minutes
Activity: 30 minutes

Cryptobabel: Coded Communication

Grades 4-6

Students are presented with a top-secret scenario in which they must intercept a message from a spy.

Lesson: 75-90 minutes

Hashing and Cracking: Password Essentials

Grades 4-6

Students take on the role of an entrepreneur creating their own company website. How can they make the login system as secure as possible?

Lesson: 50-60 minutes

Math Behind Circuits

Grades 4-6

Explore different types of circuits and make calculations to gain practical skills in building, visualizing, and understanding circuits. (Lab Connection: Simplicity of Electricity)

Lesson: Two 60-minute sessions

Catch It, If You Can

Grades 4-7

Build and develop a scale drawing of a rain catchment system that will help conserve water. Explore challenges associated with drought in California and how water conservation can be part of a solution.

Lesson: Five or six 60-minute sessions

Mayday on Mars

Grades 4-8

Use line plots to compare the trajectories of balloon-powered Mars vehicles.

Lesson: Five 50-minute sessions

Traverse the Terrain

Grades 6-8

Explore using coordinate planes to navigate a rover through uncharted territory on Mars. Engage in communication and quality control best practices by mapping obstacles and checking other teams’ instructions for accuracy.

Lesson: 60 minutes

More Plastic, More Problems: Using Ratios to Get Real

Grade 6

Design a device that removes garbage from the ocean while minimizing the number of animals collected.

Lesson: Five to seven 50-minute sessions

Purposeful Packaging

Grades 6-8

Students will play the role of packaging engineers, exploring how to protect shipped items in innovative ways.

Lesson: 90 minutes
Unit: 150 minutes

Aim High!

Grade 4-12

Explore angles and trajectories to determine the optimal angle and height to launch a paper rocket through a target.

Lesson: 75 min