Mathematics — Grade 4

Minerals and math

Students will develop ways to create self-devised rules for classifying minerals and relate this information to scientific ways of classifying minerals according to their characteristics. They will then compile this information into a chart and convert parts of the chart into a line or bar graph.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Computer Technology Skills, Mathematics, and Science)

By Courtney Richards.

Nutritional Value Unit Integrated with Microsoft Works

This unit is an example of how to integrate technology into the curriculum to alleviate teaching it in isolation. Students will use Microsoft Works to compare and analyze nutritional values from nonperishable food items.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Computer Technology Skills and Mathematics)

By Gretchen Parrish.

Lesson plans on the web

Alphabet soup

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students construct box-and-whisker plots. They use them to identify the mean, mode, median, and range of the data set. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Birthdays and the Binary System: Exploring Binary Numbers in a Real-World Application

This lesson revolves around patterns and place value in the binary system. Students are drawn into mathematics by the “magical” ability to guess an unknown number and by the use of birthdays. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–6 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

The Celebrated Jumping Frog

Students participate in games and activities that develop concepts of measurement and statistics. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Class attributes

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students create their own classroom survey or use the reproducible classroom Survey handout to study the class and describe the set (class) in fractional parts. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

The clucking chicken

In this lesson, students choose meals from a sample menu, construct a box plot and use the data to find the mean, mode, median, and range of the data set. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Comparing averages

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students collect data based on the number of letters in their first and last names and create a box and whisker plot to compare mean, median and mode of the data set. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Comparing counties

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students use the spreadsheet from the previous lesson to find the range, median, and mode of the populations. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Comparing properties of the mean and the median through the use of technology

Students compare and contrast properties of measures of central tendency, specifically the influence of changes in data values on the mean and median. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–7 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

The creamery

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students estimate, then determine, the number of ice cream sundae combinations that can be made with two topping possibilities and a number of ice cream flavors. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Creating pictographs

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students collect data based on the number of vowels in their first and last names. They then create pictographs and answer questions about the data set. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Dealing with data in the elementary school

In this lesson, from Illuminations, students hone their problem-solving skills through the collection and analysis of real data. They use the mean, mode, and median to analyze their data and make graphs to represent their findings. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–8 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Favorite Pizza Toppings

Students make a bar graph to display information about their favorite pizza toppings, analyze the results from the graph, and then share their findings with fellow classmates. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

First names first

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students create bar graphs and find the range and mode of a set of data based on their first names. They explore the relationship of vowels to consonants in their names. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Food court: Looking back and moving forward

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students conduct and present the results of surveys in several ways. Students work in pairs to plan a party based on four menus and then calculate the party's cost. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Fun with fractions set model: Looking back and moving forward

This lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, gives students another opportunity to explore fractions using the set model. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Healthy eating

Third in an eight-part series. Students collect data about the food knowledge of class members. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Healthful Living Education and Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

High temperature

In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students work with data to complete an organized chart for the purpose of transferring information to a graph or for the purpose of generalizing a rule. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

How do you organize the counties in your state?: Looking back and moving forward

This lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, combines the data and activities performed during this plan into a culminating lesson. Students engage in class discussions and comparisons of the population data. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Mathematics)

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics