For many students, mathematics, traditionally thought to be difficult and dull, is often considered inaccessible, generating a negative attitude towards it. In order to encourage a positive attitude towards mathematics, we propose class practices that, through research activities, will lead the students to experiment a similar path to the one that has given, as a final product, a structured theory, so as to enhance their self-efficacy, give a correct vision of the discipline and stimulate positive emotions. This can be realized, for example, as a “laboratory activity” in which the students compare ideas, intuitions, arguments, and work together to obtain results, using their critical capabilities in a collaborative learning activity. A team of university professors and high school teachers has developed a laboratory activity that focuses on some properties of quadrilaterals. The activity has at any rate been experimented in different first biennium classes of some high schools and has obtained very good results.

For many students, mathematics, traditionally thought to be difficult and dull, is often considered inaccessible, generating a negative attitude towards it. In order to encourage a positive attitude towards mathematics, we propose class practices that, through research activities, will lead the students to experiment a similar path to the one that has given, as a final product, a structured theory, so as to enhance their self-efficacy, give a correct vision of the discipline and stimulate positive emotions. This can be realized, for example, as a “laboratory activity” in which the students compare ideas, intuitions, arguments, and work together to obtain results, using their critical capabilities in a collaborative learning activity. A team of university professors and high school teachers has developed a laboratory activity that focuses on some properties of quadrilaterals. The activity has at any rate been experimented in different first biennium classes of some high schools and has obtained very good results.