Free lesson plans

  I am always spending time looking for information of how to best integrate technology into the classroom.  I find lists of good apps to use but seldom do they actually provide the way to use it in the classroom.

I came across a nice article from Education World on integrating technology into the classroom.   There were suggestions for all the classrooms but I liked the one on mathematics which focused on providing several different sites for mathematics problems.  One thing they suggested was to use one as the problem of the week or month, extra credit or to increase interest in doing their seat work. 

This site had a pop-up to a lesson plan site that offers free lesson plans.  I am always on the lookout for ideas since I tend to default to the lecture/notes style which is what I trained in.  I searched the site for math lessons and found the following:

1. Follow the directions quiz which is a way of helping the students learn to read  directions before taking a quiz.  I love throwing this type of quiz because there is only one question that has to be answered.  I took one back in middle school that had us standing up, turning around, etc and we all groaned when we discovered all we had to do was write "I love math" and our names.  Ever since then I"ve read directions.

2. Conducting a probability experiment and record the data directly into a spread sheet so students can produce a report on the data.  The report could include answers to questions on the activity and allow students to create a conclusion.

3.  Students research triangles after completing a short brainstorming session and direct instruction.  They have a list of questions to help them find theorems etc so they know what is true about triangles.  This is a neat way to introduce the geometric theorems for triangles.

4.  Creating floor plans using Excel.  Although this is rated for grades 4/5, I can use it in my geometry class.  I have a spread sheet on my iPad and I want to play with this at home to see if it will work on the app.  I could have students calculate the area of a house they design.  One of my favorite geometry projects is to have students create their own room from concept to calculating the cost of finishing the room.

5. The last lesson I checked out was "What's a polygon?" activity which is a great introduction to the topic in geometry.  It comes with everything needed to teach it.

Many of the lessons can be used in more than mathematics and has cross curricular applications.  So it is possible to teach the lesson in two different topics such as art and math so students see the relation to both topics.