Browse lesson plans

Valentine geometry

Combine geometry construction skills with language arts and artistic ability.

Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)

By Tanis Schick.

Winter congruent and symmetrical shapes

Students learn about congruency and symmetry. They complete a symmetrical tree that is complete with congruent ornaments.

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Mathematics)

By Julie Little.

Woodworkers and finishers: Working with area

In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 3.6

In this lesson, students participate in a furniture-finishing scenario in which they draw and calculate the area of a set of tabletops with different shapes.

Format: lesson plan (grade 6–8 Mathematics)

By Valerie Davis, Sonya Rexrode, and Monika Vasili.

You sank my battleship

Students will learn how to plot ordered pairs using the coordinate plane and determine in which quadrant these ordered pairs lie. Students will show mastery of plotting ordered pairs by playing Battleship. Modifications have been added for Intermediate Low English Language Learners.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 and 9–12 English Language Development and Mathematics)

By Theadore Taylor and Justine Busto.

Resources on the web

Adjective monster

In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students explore the connections between visual art and language arts, and how both are used to creatively tell stories and express emotions. Students read the book Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley. They are... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Mathematics)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Analyzing designs

In this lesson, students explore the geometric transformations of rotation, reflection, and translation. They create a design and then, using flips, turns, and slides, make a four-part paper “mini-quilt” square with that design as the basis.... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

A brownie bake

Students determine the amount of each ingredient needed to make brownies, and then they figure out how to divide the brownies evenly among their classmates. In addition to reinforcing measurement skills, this activity could also be used to introduce prime... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Collecting the rays

In this lesson, students explore how variations in solar collectors affect the energy absorbed. They make rectangular prisms that have the same volume but different linear dimensions. Students investigate relationships among the linear dimensions, the area,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 7–8 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Comparison estimator

This activity allows the user to compare two quantities (which may be the number of objects in each of two sets, the lengths of two curves, or the area of two shapes) by estimating. (Learn more)

Format: activity/lesson plan (grade K–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: Shodor

Construct a solid

Students construct physical models of geometric solids. In pairs, students use a geometric tool provided by Illuminations and household items to construct three dimensional shapes. Students will: Analyze characteristics and properties... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Constructing a three-dimensional model

In this lesson, students build a three dimensional model from their two dimensional blueprint. In addition, they solve problems related to constructing and decorating their clubhouse. Illuminations provides an overhead, a problem-solving packet, and detailed... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 and 5 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Counting embedded figures

In this lesson from Illuminations, students look for patterns within a given figure. After looking at the figure, students count embedded squares, rectangles, or triangles, attempt to form generalizations, and sharpen their algebraic thinking skills. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–8 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Covering the plane with rep-tiles

In this lesson from Illuminations, students discover and explore a special kind of tiling of the plane. Rep-tiles are geometric figures such that n copies can fit together to form a larger, similar figure. Students experiment with various shapes and values... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5–7 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Creating a two-dimensional blueprint

In this lesson, students draw a two-dimensional blueprint of their clubhouse using graph paper. They consider why architects use scale drawings and reflect on the challenging aspects of creating the floor plan. Illuminations provides detailed instructions... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 2–4 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Describing designs

In this lesson, students create designs and describe them to classmates using fractional and geometric terms. The lesson provides a context for using the vocabulary terms “horizontal,” “vertical,” “square,” “rectangle,”... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Designing a virtual path

In this lesson, one of a four-part unit from Illuminations titled “Ladybug Adventures—Learning Geometry and Measurement Concepts,“ students use their knowledge of numbers, measurement, and geometry to design a “virtual path”... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–1 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Developing geometry understandings and spatial skills through puzzlelike problems with tangrams

Important aspects of geometry in the lower grades are describing figures and visualizing what they look like when they are transformed through rotations or flips or are put together or taken apart in different ways are . This two-part tangram example demonstrates... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 2 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Estimator

This activity allows users to practice estimation skills by attempting to determine the number of individual objects shown, estimating the length of a curve based upon a given scale or estimating the area of a shape also based upon a given scale. (Learn more)

Format: activity/lesson plan (grade K–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: Shodor

Expanding our pattern block fraction repertoire

In this lesson, the students expand the number of fractions they can represent with pattern blocks by increasing the whole. Illuminations provides an activity sheet, links to related web resources, and instructions for completing the lesson. In small groups,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations

Exploring flips and slides

In this lesson, students explore the geometric transformations of reflection and translation. Students create a design and then, using flips and slides, make a four-part paper “mini-quilt” using that design as the basis. While the formal terms... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Mathematics)

Provided by: Illuminations