5.D.2: Applets

The available resources for teaching math concepts to students at all levels are amazing as compared to 10, 20, even 30 years ago.  Two of my favorite online sites with free applets for teachers and students to explore are Illuminations (http://illuminations.nctm.org) and National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (NLVM) (http://matt.usu.edu/nlvm/nav).

Both of these sites allow you to choose grade level as well as topic area to help narrow down the hundreds of tools available. 

For those students who are still struggling with the concept of keeping equations balanced as they seek to solve them, I suggest the Algebra Balance Scales applet on the NLVM site.  This applet has the students set up a balance beam based on an equation, and then solve for x.  As the students solve the equation, (by adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing), they must keep the beam balanced.  Each step taken is represented in a number sentence as well as with manipulatives. 

For your visual learners, check out the Proof without Words: Pythagorean Theorem applet on the Illuminations site.  This applet proves Pythagoras’s theorem visually – without any words!

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