Teachers First - Thinking Teachers Teaching Thinkers

This site offers practice in secondary mathematics topics using fun activities such as games, and Math With the Movies, and a cool activity called "MathCaching." "MathCaching" uses the internet to find hidden boxes to reveal clues to the games. Your success at "MathCaching" is dependent upon your skills at solving mathematical problems. Answers to caching activities can only be retrieved through email - teachers must email the site administrator from an educational email address, parents need to register on the site then email the administrators. Explanations for all activities are available onsite. Junior Math Resources has a section with free samples for teacher use. The printables and multimedia materials covers sixth grade math through Pre Algebra with the intent of to energize students' mathematical experiences. And, there is much more to explore!

tag(s): logic (161), problem solving (233), puzzles (149)

ThatQuiz is an online assessment tool for teachers of all subjects and grade levels. Create an account to gain access to record keeping tools. You can make your own tests using questions within the site. Students do not need to register since additional features are only for teachers. After choosing a category, different options are available within each of the quizzes to increase difficulty and add features. Quizzes can be timed or completed at the students' own pace. There is also an option to create a url for an individual quiz that can be linked to Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) accounts.

tag(s): africa (148), angles (52), asia (116), cells (82), charts and graphs (171), conversions (37), europe (84), exponents (35), factors (29), fractions (160), french (75), geometric shapes (135), german (49), human body (93), inequalities (25), measurement (122), money (113), north america (15), place value (34), probability (99), quiz (67), quizzes (90), spanish (109), time (91)

This excellent site consists of ideas for projects to use in Math fairs; however, there are many other uses for the ideas presented on this site. Titles and subjects such as Juice Box Geometry, Play-Doh Math, and more, are intriguing and sure to capture students' interest. Topics include geometry, estimation, measurement, and probability. Each project contains detailed directions including background knowledge required, materials, and variations to try. General grade level suggestions are also provided (for grades 1-10.) One activity includes a video to help understand the directions. Perhaps most interesting is the section at the end of each project that is composed of links to careers in mathematics that tie-in to the activities.

tag(s): estimation (33), experiments (55), probability (99)

Vi Hart's math videos have become very popular. They have even been featured on various cable shows. She also includes her X (formerly Twitter) information, so you can follow her. In the link, "Math Doodling," are several videos on doodling in the math classroom sure to entertain Math teachers and students alike. Titles include Stop-Motion Silly Band Fight, Sick Number Games, Snakes + Graphs, Stars, Binary Trees, and others. Be sure to also check out the link to Mathematical Food which contains demonstrations of slicing apples into Platonic Solids, slicing a cubic apple to find a regular hexagon, and how to arrange candy corn into Sierpinski's Triangle. Another wonderful resource is the link on balloons. Directions for making tetrahedrons, icosahedrons, and other shapes are all included. If you like Vi Harts Vimeo site, check out her blog here.

tag(s): geometric shapes (135), humor (15)

This site offers many puzzles and math logic activities in an easy to use format. Puzzles are sorted by difficulty level and topic such as logic, geometry, or math. New puzzles are indicated on the home page and is updated often. There is also a quiz of the day and that solution can be accessed without registration. Puzzles can be accessed without registering to the site; however, to receive solutions, you must register then solutions will be sent via email. You may want to consider setting up a separate email account (gmail) specifically for the site so that each student doesn't have to register individually.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): logic (161), puzzles (149)

This very simple looking site offers some valuable resources for Arithmetic, Trigonometry, and Functions. Each of these links provide basic information and facts for each of the topics through written explanations and images. Some of the explanations tend to get complicated and may be overwhelming; however, they may be useful as a starting point for classroom conversations when introducing or reviewing topics. Gifted students may appreciate this site as a way to receive more in-depth information on common math topics.

tag(s): functions (52), gifted (66)

If you are looking for many different variations of math puzzles, look here. This site contains many puzzles of all kinds, together with links to other puzzles and mathematical recreation pages. The puzzles are marvelous, though many are a bit hard to understand -- often the author starts talking about a group of puzzles without explaining what the puzzle is. You may also have to work your way through some other random thoughts by the author; however, the puzzles on the page are worth sifting through the page to find them. Puzzles are listed in order of being added to the site, it may be easier to find items by looking on the right-hand side of the page and following the links listed under "Math Games". Activities are listed here by title without any explanation or picture, it would have been easier if they were in alphabetical order; however, this is still easier to find than scrolling through the long page of activities.

tag(s): logic (161), problem solving (233), puzzles (149), trivia (19)

This site offers well over 1000 logic puzzles to solve online. Puzzles are searchable by genre, level of difficulty, author, and date. Difficulty levels range from 1 to 5 stars with 5 stars being the most difficult. Over 50 different types of puzzles are included from Sudoku, Battleship, Disconnect Four, and Diamonds. When searching by genre there is a link explaining the puzzle type included under that heading. Membership in the site is free and not necessary to solve puzzles; however, members can see puzzles they have already solved, statistics, and perhaps most interesting - can create their own puzzles to upload to the site. Membership does not require an email address.

tag(s): logic (161), problem solving (233), puzzles (149)

This site offers many opportunities for math exploration for both teachers and students. Although they have a store and ads on the site, much of the site is free and worth a visit. One especially helpful portion of the site is the link to different types of calculators from basic to graphing to mortgage and loan calculators. Students and parents will find the homework section of the site helpful as it is categorized by different topics, then each topic is further divided into sections. For example, under fractions you will find definitions, reducing, adding and subtracting, multiplying and dividing. In each of those portions there is a section with a first glance (overview), in-depth, examples, and workout. There is also a unit quiz for each section. Another helpful area of the site is the practice section which offers practice in many different math skills such as square root, percent, and integers. The games section offers practice with critical thinking skills through logic puzzles and games such as chess.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): calculators (36), fractions (160), integers (21), percent (59), test prep (69)

This site is perfect to practice math skills using real-time information and statistics from the American and National Leagues. A vast amount of data is available including prices of recent transactions, team and player statistics, streaks, and more. Considerable data is included for All-Star games, postseason stats, and frivolities such as birthdays and birthplaces. Information is also included for minor league teams. Be sure to check out the tutorial videos that help users with the site. Videos include information on box scores and their features, player and team gamelogs, and a 17 minute video reviewing features and layout of the baseball-reference site.

tag(s): charts and graphs (171), data (151), probability (99), statistics (121)

What did one math book say to the other? Don't bother me I've got my own problems! Are you looking for more bad jokes like this for your math class or perhaps a staff presentation? This site is for you! Choose from over 40 math jokes listed on this site, or send in your own. Who says math teachers can't be funny?

tag(s): riddles (16)

The goal of this site is to provide the finest quality paper-based teaching materials to teachers and parents around the world. Myriads of options are available to create worksheets in Math, English, Geography, Puzzles, and Miscellaneous. Just choose a subject, then a topic, and choose from options offered to create your own worksheet that can be printed in pdf form. This allows the worksheet to be shown clearly on interactive whiteboards eliminating the need to print each creation. Although it was created for teachers, a more useful purpose may be for students to create their own worksheets to share with other students or for self-practice.

tag(s): printables (36), puzzles (149), worksheets (69)

This simple site offers hundreds of brain teaser problems along with answers. Categories include friends, math, logic, optical illusions, puzzles, and more. Some topics are NOT suitable for the classroom (such as dating.) Each brain teaser is fairly short and includes a link to click on the answer.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): logic (161), optical illusions (10), problem solving (233), puzzles (149)

This site provides practice with vocabulary associated with angles. Common Core State Standards are addressed for fourth and seventh grades and geometry. The site is also appropriate for younger grades to use when learning and processing information about angles. The learner section has detailed explanations about different types of angles that can be used as a review when working with angles. The instructor area has correlations to standards, classroom information, links to similar resources, and a downloadable exploration questions sheet. The activity allows options of one or two transverals and scoring can be used or turned off.

tag(s): angles (52), geometric shapes (135)

This site provides practice in converting from base 10 to other values up to base 16. Three clocks are displayed and options are provided for choosing the value used on the clocks. Upon entering the choice, the hands on the clock turn to show the appropriate representation in the chosen base. The learner section provides information on base number systems and how they have been used in the past. The instructor section provides links to standards, place value in the curriculum, possible issues that may arise in the classroom and links to additional resources including an activity sheet.

tag(s): base ten (5), number sense (69)

This site provides great practice with linear functions in the format of y=m*x+b. Integers between 0 and 10 are available for use. The activity can be used with or without scoring. The learner section provides a detailed explanation and examples on how to use the function machine. The instructor sections includes information on how to use the site in the classroom, links to standards and related resources. Be sure to check out the downloadable exploration questions that can be used in the classroom.

tag(s): functions (52), logic (161), patterns (61), problem solving (233)

Explore simple linear functions with this activity. The function is always a simple line of y=(m*x)+b, any integers from -10 to 10 can be inputted. You can practice algebra skills, pattern finding, arithmetic skills, and exploring the function of variables. The instructor tab also includes standards addressed, possible issues that may come up in class discussion, and links to similar resources.

tag(s): equations (119), functions (52), patterns (61), variables (14)

BrainBashers offers many different types of puzzles, riddles, brain teasers, and optical illusions. The site is updated daily so new material is always readily available. Each time you open the site, find a new fun fact along with an odd word and its definition. The site is organized into puzzles, games, illusions, fun stuff, and logic games. Sudoku puzzles of different difficulty levels are also available. The link for teachers includes puzzles for schools and useful pages including optical illusions, memory tests, and logic puzzles.
This site includes advertising.

tag(s): logic (161), problem solving (233), puzzles (149), riddles (16)

If you are looking for ideas to incorporate mathematical problem solving with fun, hands-on activities this site is for you! Well over 20 activities are offered covering Algebra, Trigonometry, Science/Physics, General Math, and Technology concepts. Choose a category, then select the activity and view all the materials offered. Titles include Color Sines, Right Triangle SAM, and Binary Signals. Each activity includes facilitator notes including 11 items from overview, setup, discussion questions, and troubleshooting. Most also include participant handouts in MS Word format and software needed for calculator programs.

tag(s): angles (52), critical thinking (127), electricity (61), light (56), logic (161), magnetism (36), stars (71)