Integrating the Internet into the Mathematics Classroom

Integrating Internet Tools into the Mathematics Classroom Steve Spengler [email_address] Coordinator of Educational Technology Colonial Intermediate Unit 20

A Little Humor First… A wise school teacher sends this note to all parents on the first day of school: "If you promise not to believe everything your child says happens at school, I'll promise not to believe everything he says happens at home." Little Johnny had finished his summer vacation and gone back to school. Two days later his teacher phoned his mother to tell her that he was misbehaving. "Wait a minute," she said. "I had Johnny with me for three months and I never called you once when he misbehaved." Teacher: Where is your homework? Pupil: I lost it fighting this kid who said you weren't the best teacher in the school

Top Ten Excuses for Not Doing Math Homework #10 - Galileo didn't know calculus; what do I need it for? #9 - "A math addict stole my homework. When they arrested him, they discovered Mr/Miss/Ms/Mrs [fill in the blank] had been his teacher." #8 - I'm taking physics and the homework in there seemed to involve math, so I thought I could just do that instead. #7 - I have the proof, but there isn't room to write it in the margin. #6 - I have a solar powered calculator and it was cloudy. #5 - I was watching the World Series and got tied up trying to prove that it converged. #4 - I could only get arbitrarily close to my textbook. I couldn't actually reach it. (I reached half way, and then half of that, and then ...) #3 - I couldn't figure out whether i am the square root of negative one or i is the square root of negative one. #2 - It was Einstein's birthday and pi day and we had this big celebration! (This only works for March 14) #1 - I accidentally divided by zero and my paper burst into flames.

Online Automatic Citations http://citationmachine.net Riddle, Larry (1996). Dusa McDuff. Retrieved August 7, 2006, from Women in Mathematics Web site: http://www.agnesscott.edu/Lriddle/women/mcduff.htm

Evaluating Online Resources Exercise

Go to http://www.novemberlearning.com/

Click on “Archive of Articles”

Select “Teaching Zach to Think.”

Read the article. Feel free to click any link to outside sources including Professor Butz’s original document.

Share your thoughts

Cyberguide for Content Evaluation

Topics

Internet-based learning applications

Strategies for Internet integration in the mathematics classroom

Putting it all together

“ Working the Web for Education” and “What’s on the Web” by Tom March “ The Internet Connection: Exploring the Power of the Web as a Teaching Tool” by Educational Research Corporation

Internet-based Learning Applications

Learning Applications

Enrichments/Remediation

Lessons/online Tutorials

Tools

Reference resources

Information resources

Projects

Activities

Enrichments

Use media from the Internet as springboards to further discussion or lesson integration

Similar to cartoon on the overhead or beginning a lesson with a story

Discussion/lesson starters

Math prompts [PSSA]

What fraction of the cake would you rather eat? Why? www.unitedstreaming.com

www.pims.math.ca /

UnitedStreaming.com www.unitedstreaming.com Math – Likely and Unlikely Events – Grades 3 - 5

UnitedStreaming.com www.unitedstreaming.com Math – Solving for Values With Defined Relationships – Grades 6 - 8

UnitedStreaming.com – Thematic Focus www.unitedstreaming.com Differentiated Math Focus – Grades 2 - 12

UnitedStreaming.com www.unitedstreaming.com Basics of Using UnitedStreaming

Go to www.unitedstreaming.com

Enter the username and password.

Passcodes – allow you to create an account on your own

Search via all different means!

Stream or Download

Feline Reactions to Bearded Men http://www.improb.com/archives/classical/cat/cat/html

Feline Reactions to Bearded Men (UPDATED) http://www.improb.com/archives/classical/cat/cat/html

Joan Berger’s Scenarios http://users.adelphia.net/~jberger5/Activitiesindex.html Are We Martians? (Space Science, Astronomy) The Big Apple (Geography, History, Art, Social Science, Cartography) The Cassini Mission (Space Science, Astronomy) Faster Than a Speeding Bullet (Neuroscience, Recording and Analyzing Data) How Far Is Far (Maps and Distances) Intergalactic Explorers (Astronomy, Space Studies) Lights! Camera! Action! (History, Technology, Science) Rescue At Sea (Geography, Meteorology, Astronomy, Mathematics) Stories in Stone (Mayan Culture, Language, Mathematics, Archaeology) Touchy! Touchy! (Neuroscience, Recording and Analyzing Data)

Find a springboard for you!

Use www.UnitedStreaming.com (if you don’t know your username/password – use iu20teacher/iu20teacher)

An image that can be used as a lesson starter

Scenario that can be used to kick-off your lesson

Either print it out or save it in your bookmarks

Enrichments/Remediation

Develop self-discipline and independence related to learning

Have the intrinsic motivation to succeed in their classes

Target academic problems on their own

Develop skills to fully engage in the content

Overcome academic anxiety

Webmath.com http://www.webmath.com

Ask Dr. Math – The Math Forum http://mathforum.org/dr.math/

NY Regents Exam Prep Center http://regentsprep.org/Regents/math/math-a.cfm#1

SOS Math http://www.sosmath.com/

Algebra Help http://www.algebrahelp.com

Culturally-Situated Math Design Tools http://www.rpi.edu/~eglash/csdt.html

Grey Labyrinth http://www.greylabyrinth.com

Smart Skies http://quest.nasa.gov/projects/smart_skies/

Enigma and the Code Breakers http://www.iwm.org.uk/upload/package/10/enigma/index.htm

Road Sign Math http://www.roadsignmath.com/

Numb3rs http://www.cbs.com/primetime/numb3rs/ti/

Rec Puzzles Archive http://rec-puzzles.org /

Lessons/Online Tutorials

Target specific learner outcomes

Guide a user through instructional steps

May have feedback or checkpoints

Technically hard to create

Newer technologies allow for more

Interactive Mathematics Miscellany and Puzzles http://www.cut-the-knot.org/index.shtml

Math in Daily Life http://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/

Escape from Knab – The Adventure http://www.escapefromknab.com/

Math Tutorials http://www.math.hmc.edu/calculus/tutorials/

Absurd Math http://www.learningwave.com/abmath/

Challenge of the 7 Cups http://www.learningwave.com/abmath/7cups/index.html

Wolfram MathWorld http://mathworld.wolfram.com/

Discovery’s Brain Boosters http://school.discovery.com/brainboosters/

The Story of Elizabeth Whitney Williams http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features/

The National Math Trail http://www.nationalmathtrail.org/

Teachers’ Lab http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/

AAA Math http://www.aaamath.com/index.html

Teachers.Net Lesson Bank http://teachers.net/lessons/browse.html

A to Z Teacher Stuff http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/Lesson_Plans/Mathematics/index.shtml

Ask Eric Lesson Plans http://www.eduref.org/cgi-bin/lessons.cgi/Mathematics

Math Forum Lesson Plans http://mathforum.org/teachers/high/lessons-individual.html

What types of tutorials or lessons are you looking for?

Go to www.nettrekker.com

Do a search for a keyword

Filter it down via

Lesson Plans

Learning Exercises

Learning Games

Print them out or save them in your bookmarks

Tools

Require student input used to quickly generate output

Search engine is most used tool

Online databases

Teacher tools

Curricular tools

Math.com Calculators and Tools http://www.math.com/students/tools.html

Calculators Online http://www.martindalecenter.com/Calculators2.html

Visual Fractions http://www.visualfractions.com/

Project Interactivate http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/

Gizmo Catalog http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspResourceCatalog

USA Today Online Calculators http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/calculators/calculator.htm

Math Online http://www.univie.ac.at/future.media/moe/onlinewerkzeuge.html

Online Woodworking Tools http://www.woodbin.com

What types of math tools are you looking for?

Using the sites you’ve been given or using netTrekker, find some tools that are applicable to your classroom…your students…or even for you!

Teacher Resources

Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/

Erich’s Packing Center http://www.stetson.edu/~efriedma/packing.html

Jobs and Guidance in Mathematics http://www.phds.org/

Pi in the Sky http://www.pims.math.ca/pi/current/

Purple Math http://www.purplemath.com

Research on Virtual Manipulatives http://otec.uoregon.edu/virtual_manipulatives.htm

Mathematically Appropriate Uses of Technology for Instruction http://my.nctm.org/eresources/view_article.asp?article_id=2264

Math Forum’s Teacher 2 Teacher http://mathforum.org/t2t/

Connected Mathematics Project http://www.math.msu.edu/cmp/

netTrekker http://www.nettrekker.com

Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/

The Online Journal of Mathematics http://my.nctm.org/eresources/journal_home.asp?journal_id=6

THE Journal Educator’s Web Roadmap http://www.thejournal.com/highlights/roadmap/

K12 Teaching & Learning Center http://www.k12tlc.net

Children of Dreams http://www.gsn.org/programs/dreams/lessonplan.html

KidLink.org http://www.kidlink.org

Activities

Online activities

WebQuests

Ideas/topic searches

Offline activities

Discussions

Debates

WebQuests

Internet inquiry-based activities

“Online lesson plans”

Provide challenging task, scenario, or problem to solve

Provide resources for students

Summarizing activity is meant to synthesize prior learning

The WebQuest Page http:// webquest.sdsu.edu /

TechTrekkers WebQuests http:// www.techtrekers.com/webquests

Probability and Statistics WebQuest http://stickware.home.comcast.net/probability/index.html

Math Models and Economics http://www.amaisd.org/nheights/zennadi_&_james_project.htm

Geometry and the Pythagorean Theorem http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nelehita/Geometry%20Project/

Strategies for Internet Integration

Identify the Goal

Link to Web sites that you find useful

Create a page with the links

Students can use your list for guidance

Post your list on the Web to bookmark sites

Create a classroom page with favorite sites

BackFlip http://www.backflip.com/

Bookmark Tracker http:// www.bookmarktracker.com /

Hotlists

Internet links to media

Students can discover artifacts on a topic

Students can download the items to be used in presentations

Filamentality http://www.filamentality.com/wired/fil/index.html

Mathematics Hotlist http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/listmathmr48.html

A Hotlist of Math Links http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listmathlinpa.html

Writing in the Math Classroom http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listmathemattr.html

Treasure Hunts

Find Web sites that hold information

Pose one key question per page to define scope of topic

Include a culminating higher order thinking skills activity

Cyberbee Treasure Hunt http://www.cyberbee.com/mathhunt.html

Paper Airplanes http://phoenix.gov/AVIATION/kids/airplanes.html

Subject Sampler

Prepare smaller variety of Web sites organized around a topic

Choose intriguing sites

Students are asked about their perspectives on topics, comparisons, etc.

Quadratic Equations Subject Sampler http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/samquadratida.html

NASA: Centennial of Flight http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/projects/aero/centennial/sampler.html

Putting it Together

How do I start?

With the end in mind

What is the intention?

What do I want the end result to be?

Focus on technology skills or production?

What end results will I facilitate?

Kelly, Deidre, “The Year Ahead”, Classroom Connect, September 2000, p. 16.

How do I start?

Set goals for you and your students

Teacher Goals:

I want to feel confident when my students speak about the Internet.

I want to learn how to use the Internet to find teacher materials.

I want to integrate the Internet into my curriculum.

How do I start?

Set goals for you and your students

Student Goals:

I want my students to treat the Internet as a tool, not a toy.

I want my students to learn how to use the Internet as a publishing tool.

I want my students to learn how to use the Internet as a research tool.

How do I start?

Look at current curriculum with an eye towards where it may be lacking

Do learners come out of the unit knowing enough information?

Are the students actively engaged?

Do they pursue higher-level thinking?

Create a Web-based activity for the learning aspect that you would revise anyway (WebQuest, Treasure Hunt…)

How do I start?

Once you feel comfortable with the tools, you change YOUR way of thinking

Become creative and internalize the use of the tools

NETS ( http://cnets.iste.org )

National Educational Technology Standards for teachers and students

Teaching and Learning

Carefully guided and structured

Learners are engaged

Students must understand exploration ( not playing around )

Students are investigating, asking questions, writing, etc.

Developing reading, writing, and thinking skills.

Other Online Tools

PuzzleMaker: online puzzles

http://www.puzzlemaker.com

TrackStar: online lesson format

http://trackstar.hprtec.org/

QuizStar: online quizzes

http://quizstar.4teachers.org/

eBoard: easy posting of information

http://www3.eboard.com/

Filamentatility: creating activities

http://www.filamentality.com/wired/fil/index.html

Integrating Internet Tools into the Mathematics Classroom Steve Spengler [email_address] Coordinator of Educational Technology Colonial Intermediate Unit 20