Real World Math Problems & Engaging Math Lessons

Below are problem based math lesson, three act math tasks and activities I use with my classes. 

If you have never taught a lesson like these I suggest you start with Dan Meyer’s post, then head to read about the Make Math Moments 3-Part Framework and finally you can read through my Peek into My Classroom page

Feel free to use and edit these lessons to suit your grade band and individual students. 

New to Using 3 Act Math Tasks?

Download the 2-page printable 3 Act Math Tip Sheet to ensure that you have the best start to your journey using 3 Act math Tasks to spark curiosity and fuel sense making in your math classroom!

Stack 'Em Up | Multiplying Whole Numbers | Properties of Multiplication

Stack ‘Em Up

Real world 1- and 2-digit multiplication lesson investigating associative, commutative and distributive properties with arrays & area models

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Rising Water [Day 1] - Melting Glacier | Integer Operations Through Patterning

Rising Water

Investigate integer operations through real world math problems involving melting glaciers, rising and falling sea levels and changing temperatures.

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Just Keep Digging | Multiplying and dividing integers | 3 Act Math

Just Keep Digging

Dive into this 5-Day Problem Based Math Unit focused on solving situations involving the multiplication and division and positive and negative integers.

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Grass Is Greener [Day 1] | Investigating The Area of a Rectangle | 3 Act Math

Grass Is Greener

Use the row and column structure of the array to determine the area of a rectangle through the context of laying sod in order to generalize a formula.

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Going Up? | Adding and Subtracting Integers 3 Act Math Tasks & Practice

Going Up?

Problem Based Math Unit focused on representing, describing, and solving contextual problems involving the addition and subtraction of integers.

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Big Tipper [Day 1] | Financial Literacy: Percent as Operator 3 Act Math Task

Big Tipper

Calculate Rates or “Unit Rates” using strategies and models with ratio and rate reasoning to determine which store has the better buy.

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Better Buy [Day 1] | Calculating Rates or “Unit Rates” | Financial Literacy

Better Buy

Calculate Rates or “Unit Rates” using strategies and models with ratio and rate reasoning to determine which store has the better buy.

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Counting Cars

Explore addition through the strategy of counting on and using the part whole model as a tool for thinking and tool to represent thinking.

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Subtracting within 20

Fruit Picking

Dive into this 5-Day Problem Based Math Unit focused on strategies to efficiently subtract numbers within 20 using a 3 act math task style approach.

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Bowling Pins

Explore addition through the strategy of breaking apart numbers to make ten or making combinations of ten by decomposing and recomposing numbers.

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Magic Rectangle | Optimization: Area of a Rectangle | 3 Act Math

Magic Rectangle

Investigate the relationship between the volume of prisms and pyramids with the same base to emerge the volume formula for prisms and pyramids.

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Candle Burning | 3 Act Math Task Style Scatter Plots & Linear Correlation Unit

Candle Burning

Investigate the relationship between the volume of prisms and pyramids with the same base to emerge the volume formula for prisms and pyramids.

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Donut Delight 3 act math task

Donut Delight

Students will explore multiplication and division with efficient strategies that can be used with large numbers using the array model.

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Hot Chocolate 3 act math task

Hot Chocolate

Engage in a low-floor, high-ceiling series of tasks where students can utilize counting, addition, multiplication, division and ratios and rates.

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Gummy Worms Subtraction 3 Act Math Task

Gummy Worms

Explore addition and subtraction structures conceptually through a unit of context-rich math task lessons and purposeful practice opportunities.

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Pizza Party - Real World Math Dividing Fractions Quotatively

Pizza Party

Explore quotative division of fractions through the context of servings of pizza at a party. Real world math task dividing fractions.

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Voting Booth | Proportional Relationships | Problem Based Math Unit

Voting Booth

Investigate a real world math problem including percentages with extensions to creating and solving direct variation linear equations.

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MMM Shot Put Algebra Unit

Shot Put

3 Act Math Lessons involving solving equations using equivalence and algebraic substitution and elimination to solve systems of equations.

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MMM-Task-–-Scavenger-Hunt-Featured-Image

Scavenger Hunt

In this Scavenger Hunt 3 act math style unit of lessons, students will explore data management, mean as the great equalizer and bar graphs

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MMM Task - Wooly Worm Race - Featured Image

Wooly Worm Race

3 Act Math style unit of lessons involving represent, order, and compare fractional amounts based on the distances travelled by caterpillars

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MMM Unit - Snack Time - Featured Image copy

Snack Time!

Dividing whole numbers through partitive division resulting in a fractional amount & dividing ratios to reveal a rate 3 Act Math Tasks

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MMM Unit - Piggy Bank - Featured Image

Piggy Bank

Number talk and practice problem BLM handout exploring the relationship between fractions and decimals using the money model.

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The Make Math Moments 3-Part Framework Guidebook

How do you create a culture of engagement and participation in your math class to ensure students are leaning in to learn?

Then, once students are leaning in, how are we going to tackle new mathematical ideas in a way that builds the necessary conceptual understanding and develops procedural fluency over time?

Finally, how can we craft our lessons in such a way that every student can access the mathematical content and don’t throw their arms up in frustration?

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No Bikes Allowed

Students will use their understanding of pattering to bring about topics such as linear relations, rate of change, slope, and solving equations.

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Least Common Multiple

Hour Glass Multiples

In this 3-Act Task students will be presented with a puzzling video of 3 “hour glass” sand timers. Students will solve a brain-teaser like problem while ultimately learning about common multiples and the least common multiple (LCM).

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Modelling Data

Pumpkin Time-Bomb Activity

This fall themed activity asks students to predict how many rubber bands will implode a pumpkin. Use data collected from over 120 exploded pumpkins and create scatterplots to make predictions.

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linear relations

Turbo Texting

Students break out their devices and text away to discover the relationship between the length of a message and how long it takes to text it.

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Optimization

Perimeter Jumble

This takes the classic maximizing the area of a rectangle problem and adds elements of curiosity and purposeful practice to help reveal the relationship.

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Solving Linear Equations

Pentomino Puzzles

A Hands-on activity is blended with interactive technology. Students begin with puzzles but ultimately create algebraic expressions and solve equations.

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Linear Systems

Two Trains…

The classic two trains are approaching each other problem without the trains. Students will solve a system of equations to determine the answer to this 3-Act Math Problem.

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Unit Rates

Fast Clapper

Let’s get a round of applause for this active lesson that asks students to use unit rates or proportions to see if they can beat the fastest clapper in the world.

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algebra

Dora to the Rescue

Finally teach collecting like terms and the distributive property with context! Find the perimeter and area of a counter top using only Doras!

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Polynomial Functions

Many Many Volumes

Crowd source the relationship between the volume of a box and the height of the box. Build boxes and use Desmos to investigate.

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Scatterplots

Vroom

A inquiry activity with a little competition. Who can get their car to the finish line closest without going over? Use lines of best fit

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New to Using 3 Act Math Tasks?

Download the 2-page printable 3 Act Math Tip Sheet to ensure that you have the best start to your journey using 3 Act math Tasks to spark curiosity and fuel sense making in your math classroom!

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