Who Is AMP21 For
AMP21 is a groundbreaking math curriculum developed collaboratively by faculty from education, engineering, and business. It’s designed to foster critical thinking and a problem-solution mindset in students through a dynamic, project-based learning approach. By integrating real-world challenges into the curriculum, AMP21 encourages middle school and high school students to see the relevance of mathematics beyond the classroom.
Ideal for teachers, administrators, and homeschoolers, AMP21 helps shift students’ attitudes toward math from frustration to curiosity and confidence. Its innovative design not only strengthens mathematical aptitude but also promotes collaboration, creativity, and practical problem-solving—key skills for success in the 21st century.
Teachers
If you're searching for real-world math tasks that truly engage students—like break-even analyses, business planning, and relevant social issues—AMP21 is for you. Unlike traditional textbooks full of unrealistic problems, AMP21 offers meaningful scenarios that build analytical thinking and real-life problem-solving. With step-by-step teacher guides, discussion prompts, and collaborative projects, AMP21 supports both student independence and teacher effectiveness.
AMP21 includes problem-based scenarios aligned with standards in areas like business, government, and sports. Lessons typically span two class periods and fit easily into existing units. Each scenario comes with a comprehensive teacher guide, including protocols, discussion questions, and formative assessments. The curriculum also supports college readiness by targeting key SAT/PSAT math areas, making it a strong foundation for students pursuing fields like business, engineering, or public policy.
Administrators
AMP21 offers easy-to-implement materials with detailed teacher guides, discussion prompts, and step-by-step protocols that make classroom instruction smoother and more engaging. It’s designed to replace contrived math problems with real-world tasks—like small business planning and break-even analysis—that help students develop practical analytical skills. If you're tired of hearing students say they hate math, AMP21 can help reignite their interest and spark meaningful classroom discourse.
What the AMP21 Program Offers
AMP21 supports teachers through guided exploration of each scenario, encouraging collaborative planning and curriculum alignment. Educators can identify where scenarios fit into their units and what traditional content to let go. With a focus on best practices—like Number Talks, effective questioning, and discourse techniques—AMP21 also offers professional learning support, either virtually or in person, to ensure smooth and confident implementation.
Homeschoolers
If you're frustrated with unrealistic math problems and looking for meaningful, real-world tasks—like small business planning, break-even analysis, or social issue modeling—AMP21 is for you. It’s designed to help students build analytical skills they’ll actually use in life. With structured teacher guides, engaging prompts, and step-by-step support, AMP21 encourages students to think independently and stay motivated, even if they've struggled with math in the past.
AMP21 features project-based scenarios rooted in business, marketing, sports, and more, all aligned with academic standards. Lessons span about two class periods and include detailed teacher protocols, discussion questions, and formative assessments. Whether taught individually or in teams, the curriculum blends content with pedagogy to prepare students for both standardized tests and college-level quantitative reasoning. Professional learning is also available to support implementation, making AMP21 a powerful tool for classrooms and homeschool environments alike.
Educator and Student Spotlights
AMP 21, at the middle school level, doesn’t require the students to know algebra to partake in the problems. Miraculously, the students learn the language of algebra, and why it is necessary, as they walk through the different scenarios and determine methods of solving. They learn to interpret graphs, collect data, analyze data, and use it in a decision making model that may involve business, sports, technology, or many other real-world scenarios.
Marianne S. – Macomb County, MI
It is less about the specifics of algebra and more about the problem solving and algebraic thinking that students need. I had students of all mathematical backgrounds, from currently taking Algebra 2 to a student who had already taken AP Calculus AB. I appreciated that the students balanced each other and provided different perspectives and learning style - from more artistic students to those who are mathematically minded.
I have been teaching traditional high school classes for two decades. I enjoy teaching about algebra and geometry, but no classes are more fun to teach than the O.R. modeling courses. Students all have experiences to draw on as we develop mathematical models for the real-world decisions we make. There are great discussions about assumptions we make while modeling, how decisions would be implemented in the real world, and how our decisions would change if some aspect of the problem changed.
Thad Wilhelm – Birmingham, MI
I enjoyed understanding the importance of real world problems. The students connect to realistic problems and actually want to search out the answer. This helps engage them in math. It has really made me rethink and rewrite many of my test and homework questions.