Embedded Files
LAST UPDATED: 12/7/20
Most of these resources are designed to be used whole-class or small group, with a teacher-facilitated discussion. They are not designed to be used by individual students on a device, although that might be appropriate under certain conditions.
All resources shared here were created with GeoGebra (Classic 5) by John Ulbright. For questions, comments, instructional ideas, or suggestions, please send John an email or tweet (@julbright).
Note for non-Hoosiers: The strand names are taken from the Indiana Academic Standards, which are similar but not identical to Common Core State Standards.
Recently added materials
Recently added materials
Racing Bears
Racing Bears
(Kindergarten) A set of three related applets (addition, subtraction, and both) taken from the game "Racing Bears" in Math Fact Fluency by Jennifer Bay-Williams and Gina Kling. This version was designed for students who are learning remotely and intended to be used along with GeoGebra Classroom (the "Create Class" button at the top right of the page) to allow teachers to monitor students' work. The small checkbox at the right of the applet displays how many right and wrong moves the students has made.
(4th-5th) Use this applet to engage in some pre-algorithmic thinking. Enter any fraction, then use the sliders to see it arranged in various ways. Make connections to multiplication, division, addition, and (perhaps) even subtraction. Notice and describe patterns!
(3rd - 5th grade) This applet, while designed primarily to accompany contextual multiplication and division tasks, will work to illustrate any situation in which students are multiplying or dividing whole numbers. The main thinking behind it is that students can struggle with conceptualizing the three components of the majority of these problems: total number of objects, number of groups, and objects in each group. By providing a visual to accompany their thinking, we can help them to see the math they are doing, whether correct or incorrect based on the context. A specific way of using this would be to pair it with the Mathematical Language Routine Co-Craft Questions. Provide the beginning of the stem (like "Four friends have a recipe that makes 15 cookies"), and use this to help students consider different questions they could pose based on it.
(3rd - 5th grade) It's easy for students to develop bad habits when rounding. By rounding to "weird" numbers (i.e. those that are NOT powers of ten), we can focus on proximity to multiples, not just digits. Choose your own numbers - which can be "weird" (like 27 or 3.13) or "normal" (like 10, 100, 0.1, etc.) - or let the applet pick them randomly. Then slowly reveal the information on the number line, with lots of predictions and discussion along the way. When you DO switch to focusing on powers of 10, focus your students' attentions on the patterns that emerge.
(1st - 3rd grade) The purpose of this tool is to help students see the connection between (a modeled representation of ) expanded form and the digits that make up a number. Use the slider to select which places to use (ones and tens are required, but hundreds - for 2nd grade - and thousands - for 3rd grade - are optional). This program will then make a number by randomly choosing one base-ten block for each place (up to 9) that you choose. Once you click start, the number gets covered up by a purple rectangle that you reveal once you've had a chance to discuss what might be under it. Consider the following questions:
What's a number that might be under here?
What's a number that couldn't possibly be under here?
What's the smallest number that might be under here?
What's the biggest number that might be under here?
What's something that ALL possible numbers have in common?
(6th grade) This tool lets students practice drawing box plots from dot plots. Consider what a box plot DOES before getting into that 5 number summary stuff. "What are you noticing about how these overlap?"
(4th - 5th grade) This is designed to accompany students as they begin to develop algorithmic approaches to subtracting mixed number fractions. This uses a comparison approach. (Do you see the difference, 2 5/6, in the GIF?) Go slowly and really dig into the conversation when you "regroup" (like when 5 2/6 → 4 8/6) so that students develop fluency with a strong conceptual base.
(3rd - 5th grade) Enter a fraction or let the applet generate a random one for you. Estimate, name it, find some equivalent fractions, write it as an improper or mixed number, or (maybe) even as a decimal!
(3rd - 5th grade) Type any denominator into the box, drag the slider to change the number of wholes (up to 10). Drag the dots to shade various amounts. This tool has a wide variety of uses. Possibilities include:
Comparing fractions
Equivalent fractions
Mixed ↔ improper forms
Fraction sums and differences
Really, this can handle just about anything you'd want to do with fractions!
(4th - 5th Grade) This tool is designed for students to explore the relationships within (and between) a mixed number fraction. The two main goals I'm envisioning are (1) make the number as big (or as small) as possible and (2) make some equivalent fractions. The best part is when students realize that the numerator can be bigger than the denominator.
(6th Grade) This tool is designed for students as they are getting introduced to the double number line. Use it to notice patterns and explore the proportional relationships that a double number line organizes and displays. Move the red "dot" around to generate new data points. Before you click "Capture," ask questions like "Based upon what we know so far, if there are 5 apples, how many oranges do you think there will be?" and "What did you notice that helped you predict that?"
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