MARLA WATT JEANETTE DIEU BRYAN SCHOMAKER MATT PADULA BRIAN DAWSON Top 10 Math & Science Resources

Introduction Objective: Identify ten exceptional resources for teachers, parents and students. Special consideration was given to sites with great usability, interactivity and those that target multiple audiences. Focus: 7 Math and 3 Science resources.

Resources by Target Audience Teachers Georgia Math Math is Fun CSI:Mathematics Flash & Math CRCT Lessons Grade A Math Help Teachers Network Cells Alive Science Buddies Exploratorium Administrators Georgia Math Students Math is Fun Flash & Math CRCT Lessons Grade A Math Help Cells Alive Science Buddies Exploratorium Parents Georgia Math CSI:Mathematics

Georgia Department of Education Mathematics Target Audience: Parents Teachers Administrators Overview: The website specifically addresses the Georgia Performance Standards for a curriculum in mathematics. It links to other resources for parents, teachers and administrators. URL Name:

Georgia Department of Education Mathematics Rationale: Essential starting point because it lists the Georgia Performance Standards that math curriculums need to meet. Easy to follow guide to create a framework needed for each unit. Online training materials and videos available.

Math is Fun! Target Audience: Teachers Elementary to Middle Grade Students Overview: The website strives to provide explanations to basic and intermediate math concepts such as algebra, geometry, numbers etc. It provides explanations in each of the concepts and has corresponding games that reinforce the concepts. URL Name:

Math is Fun! Rationale: Layout combines excellent content with fun and interactive ways to learn the content (through games and puzzles etc). Provides some practical applications of money such as investing and the concept of interest. Link to a “Teacher’s Page” that provides ideas and games for teachers to drive home the content they are teaching.

CSI:Mathematics Target Audience: Teachers Parents Overview: Summarizes individual units of standards- based math instruction. Presents a downloadable, one-page, visually engaging, informative summary of each unit. Also features supporting links for deeper investigation unit content. URL Name: /homepg.html

CSI:Mathematics Rationale: Effective math instruction requires cooperation and communication between teachers, students and parents. CSI: Mathematics enables parents to effectively and confidently support their children’s learning, which in turn helps teachers meet their goals. The summaries, called parent letters are visually engaging as well as content and context rich.

Flash & Math Target Audience: High School Students Teachers Overview: Presents interactive, flash-based modules for classroom demonstration and student exploration of subjects from discrete math to calculus. URL Name: index.html

Flash & Math Rationale: Flash is portable, fast, free and visually engaging. Also includes tutorials for teachers on developing their own flash modules. The site is simply and cleanly organized, current and features contact information for the creators.

CRCT Lessons Target Audience: Middle Grade Students Teachers Overview: Make CRCT preparation process fun and meaningful Designed by Georgia 8th grade teacher Designed for 7th and 8th grade students and teachers Oriented around the 4 CRCT domains URL Name:

CRCT Lessons Rationale: Aligned with Georgia standards - CRCT Timed benchmark tests and self- assessments Games for students = fun, not intimidating

Grade A Math Help Target Audience: Students Teachers Overview: Free math help -- fractions, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry Extensive database of free printable worksheets Cool math games/downloads Videos, manipulatives Graphing calculators Motivational tools URL Name:

Grade A Math Help Rationale: Polished, professional look and feel, easy to navigate Multiple learning tools, easy access for students--games, video, tutorials Separate sections for teaching tools/ideas (seat charts, using technology) Printable worksheets!

Teachers Network Target Audience: Teachers Overview: Focus on professional development as key to improved student achievement Goal: Transform public schools into creative learning communities Document and share outstanding classroom teachers' work Special section devoted to meeting needs of ESL/ELL students URL Name: wto/eslclass/

Teachers Network Rationale: By teachers, for teachers Includes lesson plans, on-line courses Special support for new teachers Captures newest thinking on ESL/ELL instruction, including math Links to articles/resources focused on ESL/ELL instruction

Cells Alive Target Audience: Middle Grades and High School Students Teachers Overview: Film and computer enhanced images of living cells and organisms Designed for teaching and research Includes interactive films, puzzles and quizzes URL Name:

Cells Alive Rationale: Clear colorful images engages students and aids teaching Resources not usually available in textbooks or under classroom microscopes Interactive learning tools Puzzles and quizzes to encourage fun learning

Science Buddies Target Audience: K-12 Students Teachers Overview: Primarily targeted towards science fairs with over 900 topics and ides Includes Topic Selection wizard to help narrow topics according to age and area of science Discussion forum that offers expert help for students URL Name:

Science Buddies Rationale: User friendly - easy to find relevant pages Recommended by and linked to by the National Science Tearchers Association Resources are free and site is a non-profit organization Resources for administrators, teachers, students and parents

Exploratorium Target Audience: K-12 Students Teachers Overview: Offers free digital library of images, educational activities in PDF and html formats, QuickTime movies, streaming media, and audio files. "Snacks" section provides miniature science exhibits that teachers can make using common, inexpensive, easily available materials. Numerous webcasts, podcasts and videos of teacher tips and demonstrations. URL Name: ndex.html

Exploratorium Rationale: Fun, engaging and easy to navigate Role modelling through high school student-made demonstrations Resources are free and site is an ad-free non-profit organization Extremely diverse, plentiful and searchable sets of resources

Conclusion We were encouraged and slightly overwhelmed by the volume of resources available. Older static “link farm” resources have been supplanted by robust, interactive Web 2.0 resources. We identified a need for more math-specific resources for ELL students.