Make it Middle School

Problem Solving is the cornerstone of a successful math program. The following 25 problems can be used individually or with groups. A problem solving rubric is included to help assess a student's ability to communicate their understanding and mathematical processes. I have used these problems successfully in my 20 years as a middle school teacher, and I have grouped them according to strand. Enjoy!

This is a culminating task giving students the opportunity to budget for a year while traveling abroad. Students must budget for a 4 month stay in 3 different countries: Australia, Japan, and Thailand. Different job opportunities are provided for each country, and students need to source out and budget for expenses such as accommodation, food, entertainment, etc. The jobs students must select are meant to be unique, generating strong interest. The video is fun and engaging, and there is a wo

The following video shows 6 different infographics from 2015-2020. Each infographic looks at some of the numbers behind the most popular apps and services on the internet. Students get to connect with their own experience, predict trends, and see if there is a relationship with some of the data be constructing a scatter plot using two variables. A rubric for teachers is attached.