Middle School Math: Resources for Students, Teachers and Parents
The Middle School Math Web Guide offers the best online resources for pre-algebra, algebra and geometry, including explanations of basic concepts and tutorials on advanced skills. Whether you’re a student looking for middle school math help, a teacher interested in extending a lesson for a class of seventh graders, or a parent struggling with the challenge of helping your child with a topic you haven’t studied in years, you’ll find everything you need in the Middle School Math Web Guide.
Expand All Guide SectionsStudent Resources for Middle School Math
In middle school, you’re learning fractions and decimals, and the basics of algebra and geometry. It helps to have places to go online for math homework help and math activities. The sites below are full of student resources for middle school math.
Top Sites for Middle School Math Student Resources
For online math tools (dictionaries, calculators, references) …
A Maths Dictionary for Kids
has definitions of math terms. Each math term has sample problems or examples so you can see exactly what the words mean and how they’re supposed to be used.
AskNumbers.com
can do any conversion you can think of. Need to find out how many ounces are in 10 pounds? How many kilometers you’d be running if you run 15 miles? Change U.S. Dollars into Euros? It’s all there.
Coolmath
has a math dictionary and calculators to help you calculate quadratic equations, compound interest, sales tax and much more. You'll also find information pre-algebra, algebra and geometry.
Wolfram|Alpha
is a "computational knowledge engine" rather than a search engine. Enter your question or calculation and the site will compute the answer. Visit the Mathematics page to see examples.
For math homework help …
The Math Forum @ Drexel University
presents Ask Dr. Math, an archive of math questions and answers. Browse or search the archive to find an answer to your question, or post your question to get an answer. For an immediate answer to your question, the site links you to Tutor.com.
Mrs. Glosser’s Math Goodies
has online tutorials for math concepts, homework help, worksheets to practice a concept that you’re stuck on (or to get faster at something you’re really good at) and games. Visit the message boards to discuss and problem-solve algebra, geometry and more.
BJ Pinchbeck's Homework Helper
is a directory of links to other sites that can help with math homework. Look for links on general math, algebra, geometry and more.
For online math games and activities …
FunBrain.com
is the place for online educational games. Visit the “Math Arcade” to choose a game based on your grade level. Check out the “All Games” section for numbers games like MathCar Racing, Soccer Shootout and Fresh Baked Fractions.
Math.com
hosts classic math games, board games and puzzles. Play math games like Sudoku and Lemonade Stands, as well as old board games like Hare and Hounds, and brainteaser puzzles.
SpaceTime Arcade
has speed games, puzzles, code breakers and games that incorporate math problems.
Teaching Resources for Middle School Math
Use the sites below to find lesson plans and teaching resources for middle school math students at different learning levels. You'll also find online games and activities that can help students with math and computer literacy at the same time.
Insights for Middle School Math Teaching Resources
- Many Web sites that are unattractive or hard to navigate are full of good educational resources. Although findingDulcinea usually weeds out sites for poor design, we’ve made some exceptions here to bring you as much information as possible.
- We also usually avoid recommending sites that are directories of links to other sites. In our education guides, we make exceptions to this rule in order to provide as much helpful content as possible. Make sure to approach every directory with caution and evaluate the links before using a tool in the classroom.
- Check the “Student Resources for Middle School Math” section of this Web guide for more Web sites to use in the classroom.
Top Sites for Middle School Math Teaching Resources
For math lesson plans …
PBS Teachers
helps you make math lessons relevant to real life. Choose a grade block to find lesson plans and activities organized under the "Classroom Resources" tab.
The New York Times
blog, The Learning Network, has lesson plans that connect math with current events. Lessons deal with such topics as saving money, the housing market and even playing poker.
Illuminations,
a Web site of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, has lessons that teach all the math standards. Each lesson plan includes the NCTM’s content standards, Web resources and all the necessary worksheets and activity forms, as well as assessments, extensions and teacher reflection activities. Some lessons even have an online component for use in class.
Discovery Education
has lesson plans for math and economics for grades 6–8. Use the “Puzzlemaker” to create word searches, math squares, number blocks and more.
For math games and math activities …
Algebra.help
has interactive worksheets along with explanations of algebra concepts, calculators for algebra equations and a resources index.
ExploreLearning
has “Gizmos,” or online simulations of math concepts and situations, that show students how concepts such as ratios or graphing are supposed to work. Each Gizmo has a guide that explains how to use it, and the site has demo videos that show how to use the Gizmos in a lesson.
Shodor,
a national organization that supports math and science education, has activities for students to play in pairs or individually. Some of the tools can be adjusted for the student’s level, a plus for students that are working above or below grade level.
For high-achieving math students …
Math.com
has resources for students that want a challenge and can study independently. Scroll down to the “Hot Subjects” section for exercises on specific topics. Each topic has a “First Glance” introduction, “In Depth” explanation, “Examples” and then a “Workout” for each topic.
S.O.S Math
has more than 2,500 pages of explanations for late middle and high school math skills. Once students have learned a concept, there are online quizzes to test their understanding and a message board for them to post questions.
Finance Freak
offers opportunities to apply math to real-life situations. Students learn about investing, money management and credit cards.
For math students that need extra help …
The Math League
is a basic Web site with explanations and lessons for students in grades 4–8. Find no-frills introductions to topics like decimals, fractions, geometry, algebra and more.
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
has visual representations of everything from number lines to geoboards and is helpful for students that need to see it to believe (and learn) it. Browse the index by grade level or subject area.
Visual Fractions
has lessons and demonstrations that help students see fractions using lines and circles, which is especially good for visual learners.
FunBrain.com
is a popular site with loads of games that review math concepts. Use the Curriculum Guide to match students with games.
For additional math resources …
The Math Forum @ Drexel University
posts weekly problems (and solutions) from kids around the world. The searchable site also has puzzles, lists of other online resources and sections for elementary, middle and high school students. Use the weekly problems in class, check out the online forums or point your students to the Ask Dr. Math feature.
The Educator’s Reference Desk
has links to general teaching resources for math.
Internet4Classrooms
provides lists of skills that kids should be learning in elementary school and into grades 6–8 with skill builders to help them master each concept.
Parent Resources for Middle School Math
In middle school, your child may need your help with concepts you haven’t studied since you sat at a school desk yourself. Using these parent resources for middle school math, you can relearn middle school math concepts while helping your child master them for the first time.
Insights for Parents on Middle School Math Resources
- Ask your child’s teacher what the class is studying and what’s coming up in the next few units so you can prepare ahead of time and make sure your child is ready when the unit starts.
- Take a look at the other sections in this Web guide for more sites that may help you at home. And visit the findingDulcinea Homeschooling Web Guide for ideas about bringing math into the home classroom.
Top Sites for Parents on Middle School Math Resources
Math.com
has a section for parents that offers explanations of pre-algebra, algebra and geometry concepts, and information about how to teach them. It also has a Math Homework section with calculators, formulas and more.
Figure This,
from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, has a “Family Corner” with challenges to do with your kids, tips for helping with homework and information about getting your child interested in math.
Homeschool Math
explains how to review concepts with your child and how to teach math at home.
Coolmath.com
is a bright, inviting site to use with your kids or for your own reference. The Parent-Ed section offers math tips, math lessons, math games and more to get your child motivated to learn math.
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
