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Art of Problem Solving: Interactive Math Resources to Help Students at Every Level

10/19/2019

Art of Problem Solving

Variety of math content supports struggling and advanced learners
Pros: Presents information in multiple ways; courses are organized specifically by grade level.
Cons: The forums are a bit hard to navigate; continued use of the program could get a bit pricey over time.
Bottom Line: Separate sections for younger and older students help to teach kids at all levels, from foundational skills up to Math Olympiad training.

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Exploring PI

3/30/2019

On 3/14 math fans all around the world celebrate Pi Day. Join the celebration by learning all about 3.14. Calculate Pi yourself and learn a cool tip for remembering it to nine decimal places.

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Build Math Skills with Aleks

2/24/2019

ALEKS

Strong adaptive learning makes traditional math curriculum more useful

Pros: Provides tons of data to teachers and students, and competency-based progression is far better than grades.
Cons: Math content is mostly traditional, decontextualized, and dry.
Bottom Line: For kids who crave a traditional mastery-style math learning experience and have good self-regulation skills, this is a great option.

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Prime nUMBER pRACTICE

8/19/2018

August 23th is a prime number date - with 7 and 13 both being prime numbers. Can you identify factors and multiples to determine prime numbers? Practice your skill in this super cool Mangahigh game.

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Contraption Maker: Problem Solving Fun

8/3/2018

Contraption Maker

Solve problems, puzzles, brain teasers while creating wacky machines

Pros: Full-featured puzzle game offers ample opportunities for building conceptual knowledge.

Cons: Teachers will need to build the bridge from fun to actual learning.

Bottom Line: Hands-on problem-solving leads to great fun and independent learning with the right curricular wraparound to connect what kids are doing with what they need to know.

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Summer Enrichment In Math: NRICH

5/28/2018

NRICH
Untangle robust math problems for all ages; plenty of teaching support

Pros: The site's approach to problem-solving challenges kids to think mathematically, giving them the tools to do so.
Cons: Visual presentation needs to better adapt to its audience, with less text and easier "click" targets for younger kids in particular.
Bottom Line: It's an excellent classroom companion that can be implemented quickly with little adjustment and a high probability of success.

Toads and Vines Teaches Probability

5/19/2018

Learn more about chance and probability with this interactive mathematics resource. The user moves their toad along the vines by exploring the outcomes resulting from tossing a coin, rolling a die, and using a spinner to perform single and double event probabilities.

Matific: Math Made Real

3/17/2018

Matific

Engaging supplemental resource encourages conceptual understanding

Pros: A variety of visual activities help kids gain a conceptual understanding of important K-6 math skills.
Cons: An adaptive feature could help teachers in meeting kids right at their level.
Bottom Line: A fun and engaging conceptual supplement for math lessons with easy-to-find standards-aligned activities.

Plan a Birthday Party

3/17/2018

Why not brush up on some critical thinking and problem solving skills by planning a party? Check out this Party Planning resource that uses tree diagrams to find possible outcomes and make predictions for who will probably come to a party.

SYMMETRY Jigsaw Puzzles

2/19/2018

It's National Puzzle Day on the 29th. Learn about spatial relationships and boost your understanding of numbers by customizing and assembling these cool jigsaw puzzles that display symmetry.