Download Fully-Planned, Engaging Project-Based Activities For Every 3rd-5th Grade Math Standard.

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Why Students Struggle With Complex & Multi-Step Math Problems

 

Many students can complete math practice during a lesson but struggle when they need to apply those same skills in a new situation.

 

This becomes especially clear on state tests, where students must analyze problems, choose strategies, and solve multi-step tasks independently.

 

The problem isn’t always the math.

 

It’s that students often learn math through isolated practice instead of using it to solve meaningful problems.

 

When math doesn’t feel connected to real life, students have trouble:

• Applying skills to unfamiliar problems
• Working through complex, multi-step questions
• Remembering strategies when the context changes

 

Launch PBL helps students connect math learning to real-world problem solving.

 

Instead of only practicing skills, students apply math to authentic projects and meaningful challenges.

Download Sample Unit

33 High-Engagement, Scaffolded Math Projects

3rd Grade: School Carnival

Round numbers to the nearest 10 and 100

3rd Grade: Design a School

Attributes of quadrilaterals

3rd Grade: Amusement Park

Draw and read picture graphs and bar graphs

3rd Grade: Museum Field Trip

Tell and write time to the nearest minute and calculate elapsed time

3rd Grade: Beach Trip

Area and perimeter of rectangles and composite shapes

3rd Grade: Open a Bookstore

Tell and write time to the nearest minute and find elapsed time.

3rd Grade: Bed and Breakfast

Addition and subtraction to the nearest thousand

3rd Grade: Cookie Decorating Party

Properties of multiplication

3rd Grade: Ice Cream Party

Fractions on a number line

3rd Grade: Plan a Pizza Party

Equivalent fractions

3rd Grade: Design a Donut Menu

Partitioning fractions

4th Grade: Open a Bakery

Multiply fractions by a whole number

4th Grade: Road Trip

Long division with 1-digit divisors

4th Grade: Family Vacation

Addition and subtraction to the millions

4th Grade: Design a Candy Store

Multiply numbers up to 2-digits by 2-digits

4th Grade: Flower Shop

Long division with 1-digit divisors

4th Grade: Build a Clubhouse

Partitioning fractions

4th Grade: Golf Course

Classifying angles and shapes

4th Grade: Field Day

Factors and multiples

4th Grade: Design a Playground

Measuring and drawing angles

4th Grade: Lemonade Stand

Converting measurements

4th Grade: Pie-Eating Contest

Adding and subtracting fractions

5th Grade: School Garden

Volume of rectangular prisms and irregular shapes

5th Grade: Coffee Shop

Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals

5th Grade: Smoothie Shop

Adding fractions with unlike denominators

5th Grade: Feed the Shelter Pets

Multiply and divide multi-digit numbers

5th Grade: Summer BBQ

Order of operations

5th Grade: Back-to-School Shopping

Place value of decimals

5th Grade: Plan a City

Graphing on a coordinate grid

5th Grade: Pie Shop

Metric measurement conversions

5th Grade: Build a Birdhouse

Scaling (multiplying by fractions)

5th Grade: Theme Park

Multiplying fractions and area

5th Grade: Paint a Mural

Dividing with unit fractions

Included Skills

Third Grade Math

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Fourth Grade Math

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Fifth Grade Math

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Are you ready to use high-interest math projects in your classroom?

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33 Math Projects

  • Standard-aligned project-based learning lessons created by PBL expert
  • All reproducible student pages
  • Robust scope & sequence
  • Future updates to projects 
  • No future charges
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MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

April Smith

April is a dedicated educator and professional development coach with a passion for innovative teaching methodologies. Her journey in teaching began in 2008, where she diligently served in Title I schools, facing the challenge of poor student attendance. Undeterred, April channeled her boundless energy into crafting engaging learning activities that were not only relevant but also rooted in real-life contexts, inspiring her students to embrace learning and eagerly attend school. Through this process, she discovered the power of Project Based Learning (PBL) and became a fervent advocate for its implementation. Recognized for her exceptional commitment and teaching prowess, April was awarded County Intermediate Teacher of the Year in 2015. She went on to write the highly-rated book Project Based Learning Made Simple.

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