Blogs Teachers, did you know there are lots of people out there trying to make tools for you? From entrepreneurs to non-profits, it seems like folks are finally realizing you could use some help. It seems, of late, there has been an explosion in the number of resources being created for teachers to use in their classrooms. Check out a few of my latest favorites.
NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) revealed a slew of free tools at their conference last week! Tell us which are your students’ favorites. They’re calling them Common Core Tools, but they’ll work for you no matter which standards you’re using. Among the mix are:
Apps for students to explore functions, congruence, similar triangles, arcs, angles, center and spread, modeling
Platforms (more to explore than in the apps) in algebra, geometry, and statistics. In one minute I was able to download 6 “platforms” that can support a range of math exploration. Just as one example, I used the simulation tool and could watch a graph and chart of data update real time as a simulated 8-sided die was rolled.
Anthropocene – Watch history and science unfold before your eyes in a three-minute video journey that maps every land and water transportation route on earth over the last 250 years of human history.
Whether you agree or not – it’s a thought provoking short film to use in the classroom that suggests, “Humans now control three-quarters of land aside from the ice sheets. We move more rock than natural forces.” Do your students agree? A great conversation starter. They also offer a few more resources on their website.
Virtual Photo Tours through Google Maps – You can now tour 15,000 destinations around the world from your classroom. Visit the Amazon? The Trevi fountain? Be there in minutes. Check out more here and share your favs! (Hint: Seems to work best in Google Chrome)
