My 'go to' websites and resources

In preparation for starting the new school year I've been busy going through my 'favourites' tab on my Internet Explorer browser. I thought this would be the ideal time (having deleted a lot of old sites and blogs that aren't regularly updated) to list them for future use over the course of the next school year. I figured this would be useful, not only to me, but to other teachers (and in particular Mathematics teachers) that are looking for a few reliable sources. So here they are...

Mathematics Websites/Blogs:

The TES Mathematics Resources page
http://www.tes.co.uk/maths-secondary-teaching-resources/

This is definitely my first port of call when I'm looking for new resources to teach a particular topic. Being on the TES Maths Panel has its advantages too in helping sift out the very best resources on the site. Check out the @tesMaths Twitter account for regular updates on 'resource of the day' and 'resource of the week'.

Don Steward's 'Median' blog
http://donsteward.blogspot.co.uk/

This blog is crammed full of brilliant tasks and images that can be easily printed off to use in class. It is by far the site/blog I wish I was the creator of, thank you Mr Steward!

Nrich
http://nrich.maths.org/6840

I love the Nrich posters (link above) and have many of these laminated and put on display in class for students to be inspired by and to do when they may have finished their task/s. The challenges, rich tasks and lesson ideas on the site are great.

Great Maths Teaching Ideas
http://www.greatmathsteachingideas.com/

This site, by William Emeny (@Maths_Master) is excellent when looking for...'great maths teaching ideas'. I particularly like his orange peel lesson to help show where the formula for the surface area of a sphere comes from. William regularly tweets out his ideas from the site so be sure to follow him (if you don't already - I'm sure there's 1 or 2 out there).

Ellie's 'Active Maths' blog
http://activemaths.edublogs.org/

This was one of the first blogs I came across when I first joined Twitter. I followed @PivotalEllie and soon signed up to her 'active maths' e-mails. Although the site appears to not have any recent blog posts the e-mail tips are still being sent out and I would recommend signing up to these by going to the 'Join Free Tips List' page using the above link.

Mr Taylor's 'To Infinity and Beyond' blog
http://taylorda01.blogspot.co.uk/

I follow Mr Taylor on Twitter (@taylorda01) and regularly read his blog posts. I find his reflections on his teaching and the regular posting of his own resources really useful. I particularly like the @mathschallenge tweets images that he has recently put together.

'I Speak Math' blog
http://ispeakmath.org/

The 'I Speak Math' blog is one that I have only recently stumbled upon and is by @jreulbach. It's a blog from the US for Middle School math teachers and each Sunday has a 'MS Sunday Funday' blog topic (much like the #blogsync) where math teachers all blog on a similar topic, which are then hosted on this blog. Great to get some ideas from across the pond!

Just Maths
http://justmaths.co.uk/blog/

Follow these 3 maths teachers on Twitter @Just_Maths for regular updates on the resources they create. They have some fantastic stuff on their website/blog free to download for others to use.

Would You Rather? blog
http://wyrmath.wordpress.com/

This is another recent find - a blog that has a lot of 'would you rather...?' questions that could be used as starter questions, extension problems, mini-plenaries etc. Well worth keeping in mind for the coming year.

Sheffield Maths
http://www.sheffieldmaths.co.uk/index.html

This site has loads of resources ready to download and use in class. I've used the 'Chris Moyles Quiz Night' loads in the past and are a favourite of my previous students.

Mathsbox
http://www.mathsbox.org.uk/index.html

The 'Settlers', in particular, are simply amazing. If you haven't seen on used them yet you're missing out.

Websites great for everyday resources & displays:

Teacher Resources on Line:
http://www.cleavebooks.co.uk/trol/index.htm

This site has number lines, graph paper, isometric paper, scales, grids, tables etc etc. I can't remember how many times I have thought to myself 'I need some 6 by 6 grids...' or 'where did I get my giant number line for the board...'. Everything is in one place here.

Teacher Created Resources
http://www.teachercreated.com/free/monthly-calendars.php

I like the monthly calendars on this site that you can download free as a pdf. They include information for each day that could spark conversations in tutor time.

A Maths Dictionary For Kids
http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/dictionary.html
and
Maths Charts (for teachers)
http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/mathsCharts.html

A great website for kids to use as part of homeworks, to aid in their understanding of the key mathematical terms and the charts are fantastic for displays. Print A3, some information can get lost (hard to see) if printed on A4.

Web Sudoku
http://www.websudoku.com/?level=1

A site to get all levels of sudoku puzzle for your students to do in class.

Ken Ken
http://www.kenken.com/teachers/classroom

An alternative to Sudoku, slightly more 'mathsy' than sudokus and just as popular with the kids.

IWB Tools

Online Stopwatch
http://www.online-stopwatch.com/full-screen-stopwatch/

I love this tool. I use it lots in class to time certain activities. I have also used it as a behavioural technique to count up the amount of time a class wastes talking when you're waiting at the front of the class.

Random Number Generator
http://www.e-beam.com/fileadmin/user_upload/misc_images/Flash_Tools/randomnumber.swf

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Choose your own range too.

Flash Maths
http://flashmaths.co.uk/viewFlash.php?id=1

My favourite resource on the site is the 'Memory Maths' 'game'. Students get a 4 by 4 grid and sums flash up randomly in the boxes throughout the time limit allowed. You have to work out the answers and fill in the grid before the time is up.

Sum Sense
http://resources.oswego.org/games/SumSense/summulti.html

This IWB resource flashes up times tables with a twist...the numbers are given, and the spaces for them but you have to drag and drop the digits in the correct order to make the sum correct.

Form Time

Form Time Ideas
http://formtimeideas.com/

This site was set up by Jonathan Hall @StudyMaths this year and it's brilliant. It includes links to the BBC News articles of the day, has maths sums, science periodic table symbols, literacy tasks, jokes, facts and plenty more. I used it loads as soon as I saw Jonathan's tweet and will continue to do so next year.

Wonderopolis
http://wonderopolis.org/

Great for those questions that make you think. A site from the US that is updated daily. You can scroll back through 'wonders' and search via categories too to find something suitable dependent on your tutor group theme that week? Follow them on Twitter to find out the daily 'wonders' @Wonderopolis

100 Word Challenge
http://100wc.net

My form group regularly took part in this last year and I love the idea, the site and the way students get enthused about writing to each of the weekly prompts. Follow them on Twitter @100word and @TheHeadsOffice


And that's it for now. I'm sure there's loads I have forgotten and this is by no means an exhaustive list of the resources/sites I have used over the past few years. I'll update if I realise any I've forgotten...