In this unit plan, primary learners explore the five models of subtraction (counting, sets, number line, balanced equations, and inverse of addition) using concrete (links), pictorial, and verbal representations to develop an understanding of symbolic notations. Students also investigate fact families, including those where one addend is 0 and where the addends are alike and also learn that the order (commutative) property) does not hold for subtraction. A brief bibliography of related books for children is provided. Instead of using hands on manipulatives and balances, links to Java applets: Pan Balance-Shapes and Pan Balance-Numbers ( both cataloged separately) are included. Instructional plan, questions for the students, assessment options, extensions,and teacher reflections are given for each lesson as well as links to down load all student resources.

In this 6-lesson unit students use pasta shapes to explore the take away model of subtraction in several different contexts (counting, sets, number line, balanced equations, and inverse of addition). They decompose numbers, explore the zero property, act out subtraction situations with objects and pictures, record differences with vertical and in horizontal notation, create fact families, find differences with a calculator, and compose and solve problems involving subtraction. The lessons include student activity sheets (pdf), questions for student discussion and teacher reflection, assessment options, and links to online applets.

Students measure the relative intensity of a magnetic field as a function of distance. They place a permanent magnet selected distances from a compass, measure the deflection, and use the gathered data to compute the relative magnetic field strength. Based on their findings, students create mathematical models and use the models to calculate the field strength at the edge of the magnet. They use the periodic table to predict magnetism. Finally, students create posters to communicate the details their findings. This activity guides students to think more deeply about magnetism and the modeling of fields while practicing data collection and analysis. An equations handout and two grading rubrics are provided.

As a weighted plastic egg is dropped into a tub of flour, students see the effect that different heights and masses of the same object have on the overall energy of that object while observing a classic example of potential (stored) energy transferred to kinetic energy (motion). The plastic egg's mass is altered by adding pennies inside it. Because the egg's shape remains constant, and only the mass and height are varied, students can directly visualize how these factors influence the amounts of energy that the eggs carry for each experiment, verified by measurement of the resulting impact craters. Students learn the equations for kinetic and potential energy and then make predictions about the depths of the resulting craters for drops of different masses and heights. They collect and graph their data, comparing it to their predictions, and verifying the relationships described by the equations. This classroom demonstration is also suitable as a small group activity.

In this three-lesson unit, students participate in activities in which they focus on connections between mathematics and children’s literature. Three pieces of literature are used to teach geometry and measurement topics in the mathematics curriculum, i.e. using and describing geometric figures, estimating the volume of an irregular solid, and exploring the need for a standard unit of length. Activity worksheets and ideas for extension are included.

First of two-term sequence on modeling, analysis and control of dynamic systems. Mechanical translation, uniaxial rotation, electrical circuits and their coupling via levers, gears and electro-mechanical devices. Analytical and computational solution of linear differential equations and state-determined systems. Laplace transforms, transfer functions. Frequency response, Bode plots. Vibrations, modal analysis. Open- and closed-loop control, instability. Time-domain controller design, introduction to frequency-domain control design techniques. Case studies of engineering applications.

I use this activity to build understanding with equivalent fractions.Students model equivalent fractions with fraction bar models and number lines.  In both types of models students need to focus on partitioning or ceating equal parts.  They also need to make sure their models are properly labeled.Naming the multiplier or divisor allows students to practice with simplifying or unsimplifying fractions.

This lesson could be used in a High School Geometry course when students are working with similar triangles and the fundamental theorem of similarity. Students will be challenged to solve a non-routine problem by applying a geometric concept in a modeling situation. The lesson plan is extensive including samples of student work and possible misconceptions. The activity can be adapted to meet the needs of your students.

Students decompose 2-digit numbers, model area representations using the distributive property and partial product arrays, and align paper-and-pencil calculations with the arrays. The lessons provide conceptual understanding of what occurs in a 2-digit multiplication problem. Partial product models serve as transitions to understanding the standard multiplication algorithm.

In this six lesson unit, students recognize and explore the relationships among pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. They estimate and count sets of mixed coins, create equivalent sets, write story problems that involve money, and use coins to make patterns. Within the unit there is a link to US Mint. http://www.usmint.gov/kids/teachers/

This math meets ecology lesson provides hands-on experiences with mixing oil and water, provides surface area information about the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and gives learners opportunities to estimate small oil spills of their own making. This lesson guide includes questions for learners, assessment options, extensions, and reflection questions.

This five lesson Illuminations unit gives students an opportunity to create and analyze numeric and geometric patterns with particular emphasis on growing patterns. The lesson titles are respectively, What's Next?, Patterns On Charts, Growing Patterns, Exploring Other Number Patterns and Looking Back And Moving Forward. Each lesson includes learning objectives, material list, instructional plan, linked resources and assessment options.

The application of electronics to energy conversion and control; phase-controlled rectifier/inverter circuits, dc/dc converters, high-frequency inverters, and motion control systems. Characteristics of power semiconductor devices: diodes, bipolar and field effect transistors, IGBTS, and thyristors. Modeling, analysis, and control techniques. Magnetic circuits. Numerous application examples.

Students will practice writing decimals, fractions, and the word form associated with them.
Mathematical Practice 4 - Model with Mathematics - is focused on in this lesson as they represent fractions and decimals in numerous forms and with models. 
The students will watch a short video and then the teacher will lead them through discussion and activities.

In this lesson, students will play the roles of banker and consumers as they learn how to use different combinations of coins to make money amounts up to 25 cents. Students will earn money and save it in their piggy banks until they have the exact amount to purchase an item of their choice. Suggestions for questions and assessment options are included.

Building on their understanding of graphs, students are introduced to random processes on networks. They walk through an illustrative example to see how a random process can be used to represent the spread of an infectious disease, such as the flu, on a social network of students. This demonstrates how scientists and engineers use mathematics to model and simulate random processes on complex networks. Topics covered include random processes and modeling disease spread, specifically the SIR (susceptible, infectious, resistant) model.

This class deals with the modeling and analysis of queueing systems, with applications in communications, manufacturing, computers, call centers, service industries and transportation. Topics include birth-death processes and simple Markovian queues, networks of queues and product form networks, single and multi-server queues, multi-class queueing networks, fluid models, adversarial queueing networks, heavy-traffic theory and diffusion approximations. The course will cover state of the art results which lead to research opportunities.

This interactive Java application helps students understand the partial quotients algorithm of division in the context of dividing food equally. Students select a character and a type of food as well as the quantities of characters (divisor, 1-50) and food (dividend, 1-500) – or have the applet make selections randomly. The applet creates a story problem and leads users through the algorithm one step at a time, using questions related to the meaning of each step, and displays graphics illustrating the steps. Remainders can be expressed as whole numbers or fractions. An online calculator is available to help with calculations.

Most algorithms in computer vision and image analysis can be understood in terms of two important components: a representation and a modeling/estimation algorithm. The representation defines what information is important about the objects and is used to describe them. The modeling techniques extract the information from images to instantiate the representation for the particular objects present in the scene. In this seminar, we will discuss popular representations (such as contours, level sets, deformation fields) and useful methods that allow us to extract and manipulate image information, including manifold fitting, markov random fields, expectation maximization, clustering and others. For each concept -- a new representation or an estimation algorithm -- a lecture on the mathematical foundations of the concept will be followed by a discussion of two or three relevant research papers in computer vision, medical and biological imaging, that use the concept in different ways. We will aim to understand the fundamental techniques and to recognize situations in which these techniques promise to improve the quality of the analysis.

In this lesson plan students must create their own method for keeping track of rubber ducks found around the classroom. Students are then given an opportunity to share their data collection strategies and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each one. The lesson plan is written to make an easy tie in to language arts by incorporting discussion of the words "in" or "on" when discussing the ducks location. PDF documents for cut out rubber ducks, data collection assessment, and answer key are provided.