Upper Elementary and Middle School
The World Wide Web has become a
valuable resource for teachers and parents to help educate students in
mathematics. This section of Family Activities in Mathematics is
geared toward using the Web to encourage students to explore math
concepts and practice math skills in an independent manner.
Following
is a collection of math lessons found on the Web. The lessons were
selected because they are aligned with the MDE (Michigan Department of
Education) Mathematics Content Standards and Benchmarks. The fifteen
content standards are categorized into the following six strands:
- Patterns,
Relationships and Functions
- Geometry
and Measurement
- Data
Analysis and Statistics
- Number
Sense and Numeration
- Numerical
and Algebraic Operations and Analytical Thinking
The lessons are arranged
according to the MDE Content Strands. Each lesson is also summarized to
give parents an overview of the lesson and a grade level suggestion.
Some of the lessons are designed for the student to do interactively,
on-line, with minimal adult guidance. Other lessons are intended for the
parent to read, organize and present to the student.
Note: The mathematics lessons
and Web addresses listed below are specific lessons intended as one math
activity. Some of the lessons are small parts of a large web site.
Parents and students may want to explore other lessons or resources
within the web site.
1.
Patterns, Relationships and Functions
Brainwaves (5-12). Students find the deviating symbol to solve a puzzle. These
puzzles help students recognize similarities and generalize patterns. http://www.wognum.se/brainwave/
Return to list of
content strands.
2. Geometry
and Measurement
Math in the Home
(K-8 ).This section provides the opportunity to use games and activities
at home to explore math with your child. The activities are intended to
be fun and inviting, using household items. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/mathhome.html
Tangrams
(K-8 ). On-line tangram puzzle. This is an excellent exercise in spatial
coordination and being able to discern the whole from its randomly
scattered parts. This develops spatial pattern recognition. http://enchantedmind.com/puzzles/tangram/tangram.html
Return to list of
content strands.
3. Data
Analysis and Statistics
Population Clock (8-12). Students will review the Census Bureau's Homepage on the
Internet and gather data regarding trends in population. They will study
this data and make predictions on future populations and compare their
results with the information available on the Internet. Topic: Data
Collection, Problem Solving, Research Skills, and Interpolation of Data.
http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html
GapMinder (8-12) Students
can use Gapminder to use statistics to
understand issues related to creating
sustainable global. This website could be
used for integration topic between
mathematics and social studies.
http://www.gapminder.org/
Return to list of
content strands.
4. Number
Sense and Numeration
Math in the Home
(K-8 ).This section provides the opportunity to use games and activities
at home to explore math with your child. The activities are intended to
be fun and inviting, using household items. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/mathhome.html#Picture
Mathland: The Grocery Store (K-8). The grocery store is one of the best examples of a place where
math is real. Since trips to the grocery usually affect everyone in the
family, the following activities include various levels of difficulty
within the activity. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/grocerymath.html
Math on the Go (K-8). In this busy world, we spend a lot of time in transit. These are
some projects to try while you are going from place to place. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/mathgo.html
Math Counts Problem of the Week (7-8). The problem of the week is updated Monday morning of each week.
There are many topics for the problem of the week covering a variety of
areas, but the focus of the problem is always some current newsworthy
event.
http://www.mathcounts.org
Return to list of
content strands.
5.
Numerical and Algebraic Operations and Analytical Thinking
Currency Converter (K-12). http://www.oanda.com/cgi-bin/ncc
Currency Exchange and The Gang of 15 (4-10). Great Web Mystery Game Involving Currency. Students participate
in a mystery game by collecting clues and information to help them
calculate currency exchange rates. http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/gang1.htm
Return to list of
content strands.
Finding Lessons
on the Web
This section is a list of resources to
help parents and students find their own lessons on the Web. Because the
size of the Web can make finding specific information hard, following is
a list of Math Education Resources on the Web and a list of the more
popular search engines. Good luck and have fun!
Math Education Resources
Albert Einstein Online.
This site includes links to biographies
of Albert Einstein, his papers, Einstein quotes, pictures of him,
related pages, and announcements concerning him. From this page you can
access just about any type of Einstein-related information you are
looking for. http://www.westegg.com/einstein
Ask Dr. Math
Dr. Math will answer student questions
on math. You may also search and read previously asked questions. The
questions are sorted by grade level. http://forum.swarthmore.edu/dr.math/dr-math.html
Busy Teachers Website K-12
This site contains links to tons of
on-line resources for teachers. Get linked to activities and lesson plan
ideas, teacher tips, great educational sites, and more! This site is
easy to navigate (it is organized into subjects) and contains a wealth
of information. You can also link to many Internet discussion groups,
ranging from teaching methods to technology issues to research. http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/BusyT/
Economics Resources for K-12 Teachers
-- crammed with both lesson plans and
links, from the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Economic
Education. http://ecedweb.unomaha.edu/teach.htm
Geometry Forum Newsgroups
The Forum administers eight moderated
news groups, an online electronic community for all those interested in
geometry. Here you may access current news, follow a link to threaded
past discussions to browse, or search the archive by keyword. http://forum.swarthmore.edu/~sarah/HTMLthreads/index.html
Geometry Through Art
Lesson plans, activity sheets, classroom
activities and more. http://forum.swarthmore.edu/~sarah/shapiro/
MathMagic
MathMagic is a K-12 telecommunications
project developed in El Paso, Texas. It provides strong motivation for
students to use computer technology while increasing problem-solving
strategies and communications skills. MathMagic posts challenges in each
of four categories (k-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12). http://forum.swarthmore.edu/mathmagic/
Math Archives
An award winning Mathematics site that
provides organized access to Mathematics resources on the Internet.
Links to software and other math web sites. http://archives.math.utk.edu/
Math Art
Shows the formula and the resulting
"art" work.
http://www-math.sci.kun.nl:80/math/knopen/art_gallery.html
NASA Homepage
This is the place for almost anything
related to space information, history, pictures etc. You can visit the
gallery to see photos, movies, audio files, and animation or find out
the latest news at NASA. The FAQ page answers everything from how to
become an astronaut to what black holes are. http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/NASA45th/index1.html
This is MEGA Mathematics!
From the Los Alomos National Laboratory.
References, activities and guides for mathematics teachers. HTTP://www.c3.lanl.gov/mega-math/
U.S. Department of Education Office of
Educational Research and Improvement. Activities
for children aged 5 through 13. http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/index.html
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