Math Web Resources and Standardized Test Preparation

Math Resources (Page 3 of 4): K-12 Supplementary Collections

 Miscellaneous Math Collections, Practical Applications, Problem Solving, Lesson Plans, and more

Apply Lessons: Applications of Mathematics is from the Government of British Columbia Ministry of Education.  For students in grades 6-12, this site contains lessons on real world applications of math in various professions: fire fighter, electrical engineer, life guard, vulcanologist, event planner, mechanical drafter engineer, roller coaster designer, house painter, market analyst, golf pro, audiologist, sportscaster, animal health technologist, aerospace engineer, piano tuner, and more.  Complete directions for lessons are included.

Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) contains a variety of resources for avid (gifted) students of mathematics in middle and high school.  According to Mathew Crawford, an AoPS instructor and former National MATHCOUNTS test champion, "The Forum currently has over 8,500 members from all over the world that have posted over 190,000 messages on a variety of math topics.  There are many free resources (in addition to the Forum) such as articles, a LaTeX tutorial, free weblogs, and online Math Jam sessions.  The site also sells a set of problem solving textbooks and has an online school." The Art of Problem Solving Foundation also administers the USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS) website.  The USAMTS is a free mathematics competition open to any US middle or high school student.  [Note: LaTeX is a typesetting system used to produce well-formatted mathematical and scientific writing.]

BrainPOP produces educational animated movies and is award winning.  K-12 movies address science, technology, health, math, and special topics, including online safety.  The online math movies include topics in algebra, geometry, data analysis/probability, problem solving, measurement, and numbers/operators.  There are homework help, puzzles, activities, prizes, and more for registered users.

Centre for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching (CIMT) was established in 1986 at the University of Exeter in the UK and is now housed at the University of Plymouth.  Content is focused on research and curriculum development for mathematics teaching and learning.  K-12 educators will be particularly interested in the CIMT curriculum resources, such as "pupil texts, lesson plans, classroom resources, assessment materials and on-line interactive resources."  Don't miss the project, The Mathematics Enhancement Programme, which offers school curriculum and teaching material (posted online) for mathematics for all grade levels with lesson plans, copymasters, and tests.  Read articles from the International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning.

COUNTDOWN is a multimedia initiative for math instruction developed by Loyola University-Chicago.  The site contains a collection of instructional math videos for K-12 content and printable activity sheets which are all categorized by NCTM standards and fully indexed. The video clips are taken from the weekly interactive television show, COUNTDOWN, which airs in Chicago and invites students to watch and call in to help solve math problems. This site offers assistance for students, method and lesson plan ideas for graduate students, reinforcement of basic concepts for teachers to supplement the in-class work, and help to parents hoping to help their child understand math.  QuickTime player (free) is needed.  The content of the site is free.

ClassZone.com is the online resource to accompany McDougal-Littell textbooks.  Math resources for middle and high school texts in your state include electronic tutors, review games, test practice and more.  Interactive animations enhance lessons.

College Preparatory Mathematics offers curriculum for grades 6-12 and has a student, teacher, and parent resource center online.  The student Skill Builders are particularly useful for extra problem sets with answers and additional explanations for topics in the following texts: Foundations for Algebra 1 & 2, Math 1 (algebra 1), Math 2 (geometry), Math 3 (algebra 2), Algebra Connections, Geometry Connections.

EdHelper.com contains hundreds of lessons, worksheets, and WebQuests for K-12 mathematics.  Lessons include addition, algebra, applied math, arithmetic, calculators, calculus, discrete math, division, fractions, functions, games, geometry, graphing, measurement, money, numbers, operations, pre-calculus, probability, statistics, stories, and trigonometry. Materials, including test prep questions, are available by grade level.  EdHelper worksheets use different numbers and solutions each time.

Eduhound.com is a complete resource for K-12 in over 50 categories.  See the Education Plaza for resources specific to your state along with searchable database of suppliers, services and solutions targeted to individual states and districts.  Thousands of vendors are catalogued with products ranging from instructional software to handheld devices and printed materials.

Education World's Math Worksheet Library contains printable math lessons selected from the resources of Teacher Created Materials. The lessons are arranged by grade bands (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12). Answer keys are provided for lessons that require them.

FactMonster.com is an award winning site that features an atlas, almanac, dictionary, encyclopedia, and individualized homework help.  Students can get facts on a range of subjects including math, the world and news, U.S., science, sports, people, and more.  There are games and quizzes also.  Among press releases is the March 2001 recognition in the NCTM News Bulletin, WebBytes, which highlighted the site as a reference source.

  Illuminations from the NCTM has been redesigned into four sections with activities, lessons, standards, and Web links.  It has ready to use, online, interactive, multimedia math investigations presented in grade bands: preK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and across all grades, which are based on Principles and Standards for School Mathematics.  Selected web resources (over 2400), Internet-based lesson plans, interactive math-lets, and video reflections on teaching enhance the learning process.  Teachers can choose single day or multiple day lessons on geometric and algebraic concepts, data analysis and probability, number relationships and operations, problem solving, and more.  

The Internet Mathematics Library from The Math Forum at Drexel University contains math topics, math education topics, resources with subdivisions for elementary, middle school, high school, college, and research. Resources, for example, include educational materials, internet-based projects, organizations, publications, and software.

LearnAlberta.ca provides multimedia online resources for K-12 in several content areas, accessible for all learners.  Don't miss the use of audio, video, animations, and interactivity in the mathematics course materials.  Math 5 Live! and Spy Guys for grade 6 fully supports content included for those grades.  The Continuum is suitable for grades 8-12, depending on skill levels of learners.  Secondary learners will also benefit from the Applied Math Multimedia Resources and the interactive Mathematics Discovery Applets.  There are 26 resources that will engage a variety of learning styles. You can login as a guest.

    Math.com: The World of Math Online is dedicated to solving math problems at nearly every level of school mathematics, including basic math, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, calculus and more.  There are online math tools: calculators, graphing utilities, test preparation and study tips, free homework help, a glossary and a math library.  Teacher and parent resources are extensive. 

Math Archives, maintained by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, is a comprehensive source on various topics in mathematics, software for teaching K-12, and teaching materials (including lesson plans) ranging from K-12 to college calculus.  Materials also include contests and competitions at each level, and problem sets of the week or month.  There is an extensive list of professional societies related to mathematics.

Math Central at the University of Regina (CA) has a collection of resources by education level (topics in elementary school, middle school, secondary school) and curriculum strand, plus a glossary of mathematical terms.  There are additional sections called Mathematics with a Human Face, Problem of the Month, and problem solving help in Quandaries and Queries.

Math in the Workplace will definitely help you to answer the question often posed by students, "How am I ever going to use this stuff?"  This project contains real-world math problems with solutions contributed by a variety of businesses in Southwest Idaho.   Problems are aligned with the National Standards for School Mathematics and categorized by strand: Numbers and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis and Probability.  Grade levels, topics, and reference numbers are provided for each problem, which is also aligned with Idaho State Mathematics Achievement Standards.  The intent of these lessons is to excite students about mathematics, to expose students to professions that employ mathematics, and to demonstrate the relevance of mathematics in solving real-world challenges.  The site is supported by Micron Technology.  Lessons were field tested by teachers.

Maths Is Fun from the UK addresses K-12 math in a fun learning environment. It has a mix of math concepts explained in easy language, plus puzzles, games and quizzes. Suitable for students, teachers and parents. Subjects covered include multiplication tables, long division, fractions, percentages, platonic solids, angles, triangles and basic algebra. It has printable worksheets to practice on, and answers can be printed separately for scoring

Mathematics Lessons by C. Lanius at Rice University contains engaging, online interactive lessons for K-12 covering such topics as counting, fractions (also in Spanish), ratios, fractals, graphing, algebra, geometry, cartography, calculus, and more.  The site offers lesson plans for teachers; it teaches the lessons to the students, combining reading and mathematics. 

Math Mnemonics from OnlineMathLearning.com contains math mnemonics that help students remember math conventions, algorithms, definitions, techniques, and formulas. These are categorized by pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry.  [Note Education World has additional math mnemonics.]

Math Power is a must see web site that provides information about basic math, algebra, study skills, math anxiety, and learning styles.  Although the site addresses the needs of community college adult learners, it has appeal for middle school and secondary math students and teachers.  The web site has received numerous awards and has been featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education, the New York Times, and USA Today.

Mathplotter allows teachers of mathematics to draw pictures of equations and functions and to put those images in a Word or Excel document. These documents can then be printed for distribution to students as tests, handouts, worksheets and so on. Mathplotter can also be used in the classroom to explore the behavior of mathematical equations.  There are some excellent tools for pre-calculus and calculus.

MATRIX.  Enter the Matrix via CountOn at MathsYear 2000 from the United Kingdom.  Students need to appreciate the influence of mathematics on culture.  Click on the doors and take your students on a tour of a virtual gallery of exhibitions illustrating mathematics and science related objects.  A historical description accompanies each picture.  There are interactive applets.  Examples of artifacts include an abacus, illustrations of arithmetic and geometry, clocks, compasses, cup weights, mathematical instruments, Victorian scales, and much more.  Students can manipulate and modify geometric solids at gallery 5.

Metric Conversions by Science Made Simple, Inc. contains online measurement conversions for metric and US customary units, such as area, volume, speed, temperature, time, weight, currency, length/height, power, and stress.

Nick's Mathematical Puzzles are for students grades 9 and upward.  Nick Hobson addresses geometry, probability, number theory, algebra, calculus, and logic. Hints are provided, along with answers, fully worked solutions, and links to related mathematical topics. Many of the puzzles are elementary in their statement, yet challenging. There are at least 90 puzzles in this collection.  New puzzles are added on a regular basis.

A key feature of the site is the detailed exposition, from first principles, of the puzzle solutions. Some of the puzzles are used to showcase particular mathematical concepts. See, for example, puzzle 33, where a natural solution invokes mathematical induction, and puzzle 56, which introduces a partition identity. Further references are provided with many of the solutions.  The site is designed with accessibility in mind.

NLD on the Web!  Use of computer games is an effective teaching strategy.  This site provides links to games that can help improve cognitive, visual-spatial, visual memory, language arts, math, and various/combination skills.  Games for math include the skill that the game is intended to improve.  Don't miss the BBC Maths File Game Show--the Cadillac of online games.

NRICH from the University of Cambridge is devoted to enriching mathematics for learners ages 5-19 with games, problems, investigations, and articles.  Resources are free.  This project is part of the the Millennium Mathematics Project, a long-term national math education initiative in the UK.  See also the Plus site, which is their internet magazine published five times a year.  Plus aims to introduce readers ages 15 and up to the beauty and the practical applications of mathematics in science, art and society.

OnlineMathLearning.com is a real find!  It contains math help and learning resources for arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics, probability, set theory, trigonometry, matrices, SAT and ACT test preparation, worksheets, games, trivia, and links to related resources.  

Platonic Realms for secondary and post-secondary students features a "must-see" interactive mathematics encyclopedia, which can be browsed at elementary and advanced levels.  Topics include basic mathematics, algebra, analysis, biography, calculus, discrete math, history, economics, geometry, graph theory, number theory, statistics, trigonometry, and math quotes.  There is an extensive link library to instructional resources, K-12 and university math departments, institutes, journals, societies, business/commercial math sites, and selected personal pages.  View the mathematics art of M.C. Escher.  For a small fee, downloads and expert math tutoring online are available. 

Problems with a Point is designed to complement your existing curriculum with a problem-centered approach to learning mathematics.  According to the Education Development Center in Massachusetts, their goal is to "help students in grades 6-12 learn new mathematical ideas by building on old ones. Each problem or sequence focuses on one mathematical idea and also connects that idea with others. Varying in difficulty and approaches, these problems are useful for teachers, students, parents, math clubs, and home-schoolers. Problems are classified by topic, time required, suggested technology, required mathematical background, and habits of mind that students develop or use as they work. Synopses of the problems are keyword searchable. Answers and solutions are provided, and many problems include hints."

Saxon Publisher's Online Activities include over 125 practice activities to help students master content presented in their K-12 math texts.  As activities are clearly titled, these will benefit learners regardless of text used.

Science NetLinks includes lessons organized by Project 2061 benchmarks, which outlines what all students should know in science and mathematics by the end of grades 2, 5, 8 and 12.  Focus is science, mathematics, and technology, and habits of mind.  Numerous links to supporting websites are included.  This is a not to miss site.

Scholastic Internet Field Trips for Math.  Field trips are a great way for students to explore the use of mathematics in other subjects or to engage more deeply in a concept.  Field trips at this site explore the history of mathematics, number sense; patterns, functions, and algebraic thinking; estimation, measurement, and computations; spatial sense and geometric concepts; and various math activities (cryptology, harvest time math, and puzzles).  A teacher guide links activities to learning outcomes/standards, technology tips, and strategies for using Internet field trips in the classroom or media center.

The Solutions Site was made possible by the West Virginia TurnKey Solution, a U.S. Department of Education Technology Innovation Grant.  It contains K-12 thematic units with lesson plans in the major curricular areas that are tied to national standards.  Lessons ask for ways to solve problems, encourage students to revise their thinking, explore alternatives, and to collaborate with others.

Teaching Treasures offers online interactive practice in K-10 mathematics topics with helpful explanations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, algebra, measurement, problem solving, shapes, space, reading a clock, and more.

That Quiz is a real find.  K-12 students can select practice tests (customized for their needs) with varying degrees of difficulty using integers, fractions, concepts (time, money, measurement, place value, graphs), geometry, algebra, calculus, probability,  and more.  Some are interactive and offer manipulatives (e.g., ruler, protractor).  Select to view in Spanish, if needed.

The Gateway to Educational Materials contains a database of materials on several subject areas.  Locate resources for algebra, applied math, arithmetic, careers, discrete math, functions, geometry, history, informal education, measurement, number sense, number theory, patterns, probability, process skills, statistics, trigonometry, calculus, instructional issues, and technology.  Search by subject, type, key word, level, and mediator.  Curriculum and lesson plan support are also available.

U.S. Department of Education is a comprehensive site for preK-12 and higher education resources, policy information, grants and funding, research and statistics, and more. 

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See other pages of the section on Math Web Resources and Standardized Test Preparation:  Math Manipulatives and Standardized Test Preparation.