In this activity students measure their hand span. A line graph is used to record the data from the glass.

In this activity using a balance scale students practice weighing items to see how heavy they are. Cubes are used in the balance as units of measure so students may easily count them.

Students work in pairs to measure length by lining up cubes along the longest side of an item. They count and record length by counting the number of cubes.

In this activity students compare objects to see which is longer and heavier than the other.

In this task students figure out how to draw the longest line on a map of the United States without hitting a border. They use color and line plots to keep track of their results.

The purpose of this task is for students to compare two options for a prize where the value of one is given $2 at a time, giving them an opportunity to "work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication." This context also provides students with an introduction to the concept of delayed gratification, or resisting an immediate reward and waiting for a later reward, while working with money.

The purpose of this task is for students to find different pairs of numbers that sum to 9.

This instructional task gives students a hands-on experience with composing and decomposing geometric figures.

In this activity, learners slide shapes to create unusual tiled patterns. Learners transform a rectangle into a more interesting shape and then make a tessellation by repeating that shape over and over again. Learners will also calculate the area of a rectangle. This activity works best as a "centers" activity.

This task is to introduce students to the concept of reading an analog clock.

This collection of five lessons explores 3rd grade mathematical concepts in the context of the outdoor classroom. These lessons span various math and science curricular units and include:Arrays in Nature (modeling multiplication)Measurement in Nature (length/mass and traits of organisms)Fraction Snow Cakes (fractions)Engineering and Design - Flight (measurement/data and forces)BioBlitzes (measurement/data, diversity and traits)

The purpose of the task is for students to solve a multi-step multiplication problem in a context that involves area. In addition, the numbers were chosen to determine if students have a common misconception related to multiplication.

In this task students work with partners to measure themselves by laying multiple copies of a shorter object that represents the length unit end to end. It gives students the opportunity to discuss the need to be careful when measuring.

This lesson unit is intended to help teachers assess how well students are able to: interpret a situation and represent the constraints and variables mathematically; select appropriate mathematical methods to use; explore the effects of systematically varying the constraints; interpret and evaluate the data generated and identify the optimum case, checking it for confirmation; and communicate their reasoning clearly.

This challenging problem and brainteaser gives students an opportunity to compose and decompose polygons to make rectangles.

Which piece of paper has a greater area? This 3 Act Task by Graham Fletcher begins with a short portion of a video. A sheet of paper is cut apart leaving the center piece and an outer border piece. First students make observations and estimates to begin determining which piece of paper has a greater area. Students can then use images of the original paper and the middle cut piece of paper along with a measuring tool with square units to determine the area of the pieces. Students are estimating, measuring, multiplying, adding, and subtracting to determine the area of each piece of paper.

The purpose of this task is for students to select 2 numbers from a set of 3 that sum to 9. The task can be completed for sums equaling any number. Teachers may choose to ask students to write the simple equations they select.

This lesson unit is intended to help teachers assess how well students: are able to use frequency graphs to identify a range of measures and make sense of this data in a real-world context; and understand that a large number of data points allow a frequency graph to be approximated by a continuous distribution.

This lesson unit is intended to help teachers assess how well students are able to interpret data using frequency graphs and box plots. In particular this unit aims to identify and help students who have difficulty figuring out the data points and spread of data from frequency graphs and box plots. It is advisable to use the lesson: Representing Data 1: Frequency Graphs, before this one.