In an ocean of math content, some sites just stand out as being helpful in oh-so-many ways. I know in my 10 years of teaching math, I’ve run across some websites that I just can’t imagine doing without! It’s hard to narrow it down, but I’ll try. I’ll make it easier by narrowing it down. Today, I’ll tell my favorite free math resources that I can use for any or all classes!
Transum.org
In third place, I want to shout out to Transum.com. It’s got puzzles, practice, and general resources, spanning from elementary up through high school content.
If it’s a math topic, there’s likely some content here — a mix of games, puzzles, and notes to help students engage with the information in some new and exciting ways.
I found Transum when looking for Circle Theorems, and it has remained a staple activity in my Geometry classes ever since.
Check it out! https://www.transum.org/software/Online_Exercise/Circle_Theorems/
If you’re easily overwhelmed, then brace yourself. Transum is a veritable SMORGASBORD of activities, full of treasures! As most awesome sites, there’s a lot that’s free with the option of going premium. Upgrading will open countless more resources and downloadables.
DeltaMath.com
Teaching without assessment is just performance art. DeltaMath.com provides practice problems for math concepts from 6th grade up through Calculus. In fact, there are even some computer science modules!
DeltaMath too has a free version with the option to upgrade. In the free version, teachers can create assignments and tests. Determine which skills, how many questions, and if there’s any penalty for getting one wrong. You can truly customize the assignments! Students have access to examples or a walk-through of troublesome questions.
Upgrading unlocks features such as practice videos and the ability to stagger the due dates for different classes. I like the DeltaMath questions because they’re very straightforward. At times they lack the rigor needed to push your proficient students, but it’s a great source for those review and remediation problems, or to encourage fluency of the basic skills.
Desmos: a universe of awesomeness
So, I’ll admit it. Using Desmos is a bit of a cheat-move in terms of narrowing down my favorites to a list of 3. I list it as one website, but Desmos is an entire set of resources and tools. In fact, it’s more like 3 entire sets. And I really can’t talk about my favorite math resources without bringing them up!
Desmos calculators have long been the standard for online calculators. Scientific, graphing, even a matrix calculator are available for free. In fact, they’ve been so influential on the teaching classroom that Desmos calculators are now embedded in many standardized tests! These online calculators are and (according to their website) will always be free.
Teacher.desmos.com has become an amazing resource for making math interactive. If you haven’t visited the Marbleslides activities, do yourself a favor and go there now! Adjust the equations to change the graph and collect all the stars. I’ve said it before — I have a strange sense of fun, but even the students have agreed. These are fun! And along the way, students find themselves willing to problem-solve and eager to make the connections to win the challenge. Again, these activities will continue develop and grow and will remain free of charge.
As if Desmos wasn’t already awesome enough, now they’re working on expanding and creating a more comprehensive curriculum. So far, the curriculum is available for grades 6-8, and they’re being developed for Algebra 1. I haven’t had the opportunity to try it out, but if I were a gambling girl, I’d bet they’re just as engaging, curiosity-inspiring, and satisfying as the brilliant work they’ve put out so far. As of yet, teachers can demo the resources, but ultimately, Desmos is offering this to schools and districts.
And if you haven’t seen the overwhelming outpouring of art over the past few years, check it out here!
Have you tried these out? What are your favorites? Which ones did I miss?