Category: Resources

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Description: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has a plethora of resources for Math teachers but their site Illuminations, is the most appropriate to developing conceptual understanding. Illuminations has a bunch of different lesson plans, games and other interactive software that can be used to help students understand what they are learning in a deeper way. The lesson plans can only be accessed if you have a paid membership but all of the interactives are available for free.

Click here to view the website.

Description: The University of Cambridge built this resource to promote deeper problem solving skills and conceptual understanding in the math classroom. Their rationale behind creating the resource was based on the Kilpatrick Rope Model which illustrates the characteristics of a good Mathematician. The site has many different open ended problems and interactive tasks that promote conceptual understanding based on grade level. As a teacher candidate wanting to teach more conceptual understanding in the math class when I am in the field, the more example problems and tasks I can find to use, the better. I have also posted their introduction video from their website below.

Click here to see the list with links to many 3 act math problems.

Description: Part of conceptually understanding a topic in math is being able to apply algorithms and procedures to open ended problems. Dan Meyer is a leader in the field of giving students well though-out, open ended problems to promote conceptual understanding. He uses the concept of “3 Acts” to a problem meaning progressively more specific questions as you go through each act and then other teachers can add questions to the “sequel.” The link above will take you to a google doc that Dan Meyer has created that lists links to many of these “3 Act” problems.