FREE Resources: Ten Math Web Sites

More than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group in 1997 to make
hundreds of federally supported teaching and learning resources easier
to find. The result of that work is the FREE web site. FREE stands for
Federal Resources for Educational Excellence. The web sites listed below
are excerpted with permission from the FREE web site. 

Balanced Assessment
http://balancedassessment.concord.org/tasksalpha.html 
Offers over 300 mathematics assessment tasks for grades K-12. Topics and
activities include averages, addition, area, batting orders, bicycle
rides, chance of rain, chance of survival, cheetah's lunch, classroom
groups, cost of living, dart boards, detective stories, Fermi estimates,
genetic codes, gestation and longevity, graphing, gravity,
intersections, logarithms, oil consumption, rectangles, rising prices,
squares and circles, stock market, triangles, volume, and more. (The
Concord Consortium, supported by National Science Foundation)

Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education
http://www.ciese.org/currichome.html 
Provides inquiry-based activities and collaborative projects in science
and math. Topics include real-time weather and climate data, air
pollution, remote sensing data, the Gulf Stream, water use and testing
around the world, boiling water, plants and animals in your schoolyard,
measuring the circumference of earth, population growth, and tracking a
real airplane in flight to see how vectors and trigonometry are used for
navigation. (CIESE, supported by Department of Education)

Central Operations of Resources for Educators (CORE)
http://education.nasa.gov/edprograms/core/home/index.html 
Describes more than 200 aeronautics and space programs chronicling
NASA's state-of-the-art research and technology efforts. These
videocassette, slide, and CD-ROM programs can serve as a springboard for
discussing life science, physical science, space science, energy, Earth
science, mathematics, technology, and career education. (National
Aeronautics and Space Administration)

CESAME Support Site for Investigations
http://www.lab.brown.edu/investigations/ 
Is a comprehensive K-5 mathematics curriculum project which supports
teachers who are implementing investigations in number, data and space
in their classrooms. There is a discussion area where you can share your
ideas, games which name one or two major mathematical topics for each,
and resources for mathematical learning. (Northeast and Islands Regional
Educational Laboratory, supported by Department of Education)

CESAME's IMPACT Project http://projects.terc.edu/impact/ 
Aims to accelerate the implementation of standards-based instructional
materials throughout New England. It includes curriculum analysis tools,
exemplary curriculum lists, implementation support for mathematics and
science, and information on IMPACT Centers which among other things
coordinate professional development among districts implementing the
same curriculum. (Center for the Enhancement of Science and Mathematics
Education, supported by National Science Foundation)

Classroom Compass http://www.sedl.org/pubs/classroom-compass/ 
Is a collection of activities, and resources for teachers to improve
instruction in science and mathematics. Each issue links sample
classroom activities with ideas about learning and instruction. It
presents examples of instructional activities that illustrate the
issue's theme, supported by excerpts from standards-based publications.
(Department of Education)

Create a Graph http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/graphing/ 
Helps students create their own graphs and charts. This online tool can
be used to make 4 kinds of charts and graphs: bar graphs, line graphs,
area graphs, and pie charts. (Department of Education)

Directorate for Education and Human Resources  
Seeks to promote the health and continued vitality of science,
mathematics, engineering, and technology education. Resources include
publications, programs, and outreach activities for all educational
levels. (National Science Foundation)

Ecybermission http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=EHR 
Is a web-based math, science, and technology competition for teams in
grades 6, 7, 8, and 9. Each team proposes a solution to a real problem
in their community and competes for regional and national awards (such
as U.S. savings bonds). Last year's winning 8th-grade team devised a
2-digit key code system to speed the handling of 911 calls. Registration
is open through December 15. (Department of Army)

Exemplary Math/Science Projects http://www.ecybermission.com/ 
Is a list of outstanding educational programs. (Learning Point,
supported by Department of Education)