This cluster includes the following access points.
Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.
| Name |
Description |
| Mechanical Hands: | In this STEM design challenge, students will build a working hand model to examine the function of the skeletal and muscular systems. |
| Marbelous Pool Noodle Ramps: | In this lesson, students will build a ramp out of a pool noodle and use it to launch a marble across the room. Students will investigate by adjusting the height and slope of the ramp and record their findings on a data sheet. Students will practice collecting and analyzing data and will investigate the importance of performing repeated experimental trials. Students will practice converting metric units of distance as well as the addition and division of decimals to find the mean of a small data set. |
| Natural Builders - STEM Engineering Design Challenge: | In this lesson, students will investigate and explain balanced and unbalanced forces as they design a building for Miami Beach that is inspired by Florida's natural environment. In this challenge/lesson, students must design a building model that is at least thirty centimeters tall, features two elements that move in the wind, and can also withstand the wind. |
| Shot-Put Conversion Activity (Day 2 of 2): | This is Lesson 2 of a two-part unit. Resource 73257: Shot-Put Conversion Activity Day 1 of 1 is the first lesson. Students will have fun learning to convert units within the metric system. Students are engaged and will complete hands-on activities to learn how the metric system is based on powers of ten. In this lesson, students will compete against one another by seeing who can throw the shot-put the farthest and convert the distance measured into different metric units. |
| Where on Earth is (teacher name)?!: | Students practice converting metric and customary measurements, while helping their teacher travel on summer vacation in Europe. |
| Metric Length Madness: | This lesson will help students to convert metric units of length, such as kilometers, meters, centimeters, and millimeters. |
| Shot-Put Conversion Activity (Day 1 of 2): | Students will have fun learning how to convert units within the metric system. Students are engaged and will complete hands-on activity to learn how the metric system is based on powers of ten. There are two lessons in this unit. In the 2nd lesson (Resource 73766), students will compete against one another by seeing who can throw the shot-put the farthest and convert this distance into different metric units.
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| Mars Exploration Administration: | Students will be given the opportunity to design a conductivity tester for astronauts to use on Mars. Students will then get to use a 3D printed tester to check common items for potential conductivity and then to redesign their tester.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Workouts That Work: | Students will create a rating system for workout DVD's according to weight loss, muscle toning, and increased physical condition.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Free Flight in Return for your Ranking!: | In this Model Eliciting Activity, MEA, students will rank four promotional deals that a travel agency is running. Before they make their decision, the students must find the discounted price by multiplying a whole number by a fraction and convert the duration of the trip to the same unit.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx
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| Museum Dilemma: | In this MEA, students evaluate the contributions of various explorers to help a museum select the subject who provided the most impact on Western development for a new exhibit. Students will need to convert units to have the necessary information to help come up with a solution to the problem. |
| Pounds to Ounces: MEA: | The client, Twi N. Key Bakery, wants your students to help them determine which product to sell in your school. Along the way your students will have to convert pounds to ounces as well as survey their peers. Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Interplanetary Zoo: | Students will explore how animal adaptations and habitats are related when extraterrestrials from an Earth-like planet send the Earth a gift of animals from their planet and the animals must be placed in a zoo. Students will use the characteristics of the animals to figure out the habitat the animals are best adapted to. |
| X-treme Roller Coasters: | This MEA asks students to assist Ms. Joy Ride who is creating a virtual TV series about extreme roller coasters. They work together to determine which roller coaster is most extreme and should be featured in the first episode. Students are presented with research of five extreme roller coasters and they must use their math skills to convert units of measurements while learning about force and motion.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Stand Up and Cheer: | This MEA asks the students to compare items to be given to fans attending a college homecoming football game.
Students will use multi-digit multiplication and measurement conversion while comparing data on the items. They will also take into account fan reviews of the items which should create interesting student discussions.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| All-Star Track Runners: | Students will help a track coach determine which shoe is the best to purchase for his team. Students will be required to convert measurements initially and then rank the shoes from best to worst based on the data provided.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem, while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought process. MEAs follow a problem-based, student centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEA’s visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| New Frozen Yogurt Store: | This MEA asks students to decide which factors are important in developing a successful frozen yogurt (froyo) store in order to compete with and become the best store in the area. Students will provide feedback to an entrepreneur who is looking to open a frozen yogurt store. They will rank order their choices of the most successful to least successful store. Students will provide a detailed written explanation for how they decided to rank factors and their solution rating existing stores from best to worst.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Storage for Storage: | In this MEA, 5th Grade students will work in teams to determine a procedure for ranking Storage Sheds for a construction company that is moving to a new facility to purchase. Students will need to calculate the square feet and cubic feet of space for the Storage Shed, make decisions based on a table of data, and write a letter to the client providing evidence for their decisions.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. MEAs resemble engineering problems and encourage students to create solutions in the form of mathematical and scientific models. Students work in teams to apply their knowledge of science and mathematics to solve an open-ended problem while considering constraints and tradeoffs. Students integrate their ELA skills into MEAs as they are asked to clearly document their thought processes. MEAs follow a problem-based, student-centered approach to learning, where students are encouraged to grapple with the problem while the teacher acts as a facilitator. To learn more about MEAs visit: https://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/mea.aspx |
| Conversion Excursion: | This lesson will help students understand the importance of the metric system and see the connection between place value and metric system charts. The students will use a metric system chart to convert between metric units to solve real-world problems.
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| Shoe Closet MEA: | In this open-ended problem, students will work in teams to determine a procedure for ranking shoe closet styles for a person’s dream closet. Students will need to calculate the perimeter and cost for the closet, make decisions based on a table of data, and write a letter to the client providing evidence for their decisions.
Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom. |
| Wallpaper Woes Money Math: Lessons for Life: | Students hear a story about a middle-school student who wants to redecorate his bedroom. They measure the classroom wall dimensions, draw a scale model, and incorporate measurements for windows and doors to determine the area that could be covered by wallpaper. Students then hear more about the student's redecorating adventure and learn about expenses, budget constraints, and tradeoffs. |
Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.
Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.
