Sixth Grade Online Demonstration/Exploration Tools

 
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Explanation of Column Headings
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  Page Contents:

Number and Operations
Algebra
Geometry
Measurement
Data Analysis and Probability

Number and Operations

Broad Expectation* Topic
Link to Applet and Description
How good for teacher demos (1-3)?
How easy for students (1-3)?
How good for exploration (1-3)?
Available activities
Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems Integer Addition Color Chips-Addition - Use color chips to illustrate addition of integers.
3
3
3
built in
 

Integer Subtraction

Color Chips-Subtraction - Use color chips to illustrate subtraction of integers.
3
3
3
built in
  Fractions Fraction Pieces – Work with parts and wholes to learn about fractions.
3
3
3
 
 
Fractions/Decimals/ Percents
Fraction Model Applet - Set model, length model, and circle (area) model. Nice multiple representation tool from NCTM.
3
3
2
 
  Percent Percentages - Solve __% of __ is __ problems.
("What percent of a number is a number")
3
3
3
 
  Decimals Base Blocks Decimals - Model addition and subtraction of decimals.
3
3
2
built in
             
Understand meanings of operations and how they relate to one another Factoring Numbers Factor Tree - Prime factorization. Computer generated numbers or make your own.
3
3
2
built in
  Multiplication Rectangle Multiplication – Visualize the multiplication of two numbers as an area.
3
3
2
 
Compute fluently and make reasonable estimate            
             

Algebra

Broad Expectation* Topic
Link to Applet and Description
How good for teacher demos (1-3)?
How easy for students (1-3)?
How good for exploration (1-3)?
Available activities
Understand patterns, relations, and functions            
             
Represent and analyze mathematical situations and structures using algebraic symbols            
             
Use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships            
             
Analyze change in various contexts            
             
             

Geometry

Broad Expectation* Topic
Link to Applet and Description
How good for teacher demos (1-3)?
How easy for students (1-3)?
How good for exploration (1-3)?
Available activities
Analyze characteristics and properties of two- and three-dimensional geometric shapes and develop mathematical arguments about geometric relationships Shapes Geoboard – Use geoboards (virtual rubber bands) to illustrate shapes, symmetry, angles, area, perimeter, and more.
3
3
3
built in
             
Specify locations and describe spatial relationships using coordinate geometry and other representational systems            
             
Apply transformations and use symmetry to analyze mathematical situations Translation Transformations - Translation – Dynamic applet for exploring translations.
3
3
3
built in
  Reflection Transformations - Reflection – Dynamic applet for exploring reflections.
3
3
3
built in
 

Rotation

Transformations - Rotation – Dynamic applet for exploring rotations.
3
3
3
built in
  Patterns & Shapes Pattern Blocks - Same as the physical blocks, just virtual. Nice tool.
3
3
3
 
Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems            
             

Measurement

Broad Expectation* Topic
Link to Applet and Description
How good for teacher demos (1-3)?
How easy for students (1-3)?
How good for exploration (1-3)?
Available activities
Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement Perimeter and Area Cyberchase Airlines Builder Game - Drag (and sometime rotate) segments to make a spaceship. A spaceship must be an enclosed shape. Fixed perimeter. Find the shapes.
1
3
3
Airline Game
  Mass Pan Balance: Shapes - This double pan balance provides an environment in which to consider the concept of equivalence.
3
3
3
Find the Lightest
Pan Balance 2
Pan Balance 3
Apply appropriate techniques, tools, and formulas to determine measurements            
             

Data Analysis and Probability

Broad Expectation* Topic
Link to Applet and Description
How good for teacher demos (1-3)?
How easy for students (1-3)?
How good for exploration (1-3)?
Available activities
Formulate questions that can be addressed with data and collect, organize, and display relevant data to answer them Graphing Data Create a Graph Tool - for students (others) to make statistical graphs (NCES).
3
2
3
 
             
Select and use appropriate statistical methods to analyze data Mean, Median, Mode Plop It! - allows the user to experiment with mean, median, and mode by using a bar graph (Shodor).
3
3
3
Available under the Learner tab
    Mean and Median - user experiments with mean, median, and applet shows the box-and-whisker plot (NCTM).
3
3
3
Available under the Exploration
   

Comparing Properties of the Mean and the Median - Simplified version of "Mean and Median" above (only 7 data points and no box-and-whisker plot).

3
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3
On web page
Develop and evaluate inferences and predictions that are based on data            
             
Understand and apply basic concepts of probability Experimental probability Spinners - Can make various spinners with equal or unequal regions. Spin once or multiple times. Results table provided.
3
3
3
Spinner Game
             
 
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Click here for the Index for >> Online Math Games, Demonstration/Exploration Tools, and Puzzles

Explanation of Column Headings

(This page is organized using the five content areas in school mathematics, as articulated in the NCTM Principles and Standards, 2000.)


by: James R. Olsen, Western Illinois University
updated: December 14, 2011