Mathematics Support for Advanced-Level and Gifted Students
Pre-Assessment
Give pre-assessments so that students who already know the material do not have to repeat it but may be provided with
instruction and activities that are meaningful. In the elementary grades, gifted learners still need to know their basic
facts. If they do not, don't hold them back from other more complex tasks, but continue to work concurrently on the
basics.
Enrichment
Illuminations - http://illuminations.nctm.org/ National Council of Mathematics resources for teaching math. 100+ online
activities and 600+ lessons.
Illuminations (Factorize) - http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=64
Illuminations (Factor Game) - http://illuminations.nctm.org/activitydetail.aspx?id=12
Illuminations (Geometric Solids) - http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=70
Think Through Math - http://lms.thinkthroughmath.com/users/sign_in
Thinking Blocks - http://www.thinkingblocks.com/
Pearson Success Net - https://www.pearsonsuccessnet.com/snpapp/login/login.jsp?showLoginPage=true
Grade 3 Enrichment Activities - http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/math/mc_enrichment.cfm?grade=3&sp=family
Grade 4 Enrichment Activities - http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/math/mc_enrichment.cfm?grade=4&sp=family
Grade 5 Enrichment Activities - http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/math/mc_enrichment.cfm?grade=5&sp=family
Grade 6 Enrichment Activities - http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/math/mc_enrichment.cfm?grade=6&sp=family
Algebra Enrichment Activities - http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/math/mc_enrichment.cfm?grade=8&sp=family
Algebra Enrichment Activities - http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/math/mc_enrichment.cfm?grade=7&sp=family
Make Puzzles - http://www.puzzles.com/index.htm
Calculation Nation - http://calculationnation.nctm.org/
City Weather Data - http://www.weatherbase.com/
Funbrain - http://www.funbrain.com/kidscenter.html
Order of Operations-PEMDAS - http://www.mathsisfun.com/operation-order-pemdas.html
Order of Operations Four - http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/OrderOfOperationsFou/
Order of Operations Practice - http://www.regentsprep.org/regents/math/algebra/aop2/orderPrac.htm
Austin ISD Advanced Academic Services and Austin ISD Mathematics
Revised 11/12/2013
The Order of Operations Millionaire Game (Math Play) - http://www.math-play.com/Order-of-OperationsMillionaire/order-of-operations-millionaire.html
Fruit Shoot (Prime and Composite) - http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/numbers/fruit_shoot_prime.htm
Math Playground: (Factor Trees) - http://www.mathplayground.com/factortrees.html
Number COP - http://hotmath.com/hotmath_help/games/numbercop/numbercop_hotmath.swf
PEMDAS Blaster - http://www.mangahigh.com/en_us/games/bidmasblaster
Learning.Com - http://www.learning.com/
That Quiz - http://www.thatquiz.org/ Free online quizzes to test math concepts.
Figure This! - http://www.figurethis.org/index.html Math challenges for middle school mathematics.
Brightstorm - http://www.brightstorm.com/math/ Math videos on Algebra I and II, Geometry, Trigonometry,
Precalculus, and calculus. Set of online textbooks paired with videos as well.
Calculus.org - http://www.calculus.org/ Guides students through typical calculus problems and their step-by-step
solutions. Students can better understand the process of solving calculus problems by practicing with the guidance of
these solutions.
I Love Calculus - http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/misc/calcu.html Collection of Calculus links.
Plus Magazine - http://plus.maths.org/content/ Articles on mathematics and its applications to science, art and society.
Discussion
Socratic Seminars for Math (Article)
http://www.mybookezzz.org/ebook.php?u=aHR0cDovL21lbGlzc2FmbG9yaXQuZmlsZXMud29yZHByZXNzLmNvbS8yMDEx
LzA0L3NvY3JhdGljLXNlbWluYXItYXJ0aWNsZS5wZGYKU29jcmF0aWMgU2VtaW5hcnMgZm9yIE1hdGhlbWF0aWNzIC0gV29
yZFByZXNzLmNvbQ
Socratic Seminars in Math (Video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9VYZ7K5qs8
Verbal Discourse in Math Classroom (Video - 5th grade) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxuMgorzZKs
Questioning – Elementary Math (Video) http://bionicteaching.com/?p=1514
Socratic Seminar in Math (How-To) http://www.mathrecap.com/ryan-higgins-socratic-seminar-in-math/
Wingman Socratic Seminar (How-To) http://themathlab.edublogs.org/2011/03/24/wingman-socratic-seminar/
Videos
Kids Math Videos - http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/videos.html Enjoy our educational math videos for kids.
Learn online with a range of fun videos covering everything from algebra to fractions, counting, subtraction and shapes.
Get some handy tips to help you solve sudoku puzzles, learn the order of operations, see the numbers of nature in
Austin ISD Advanced Academic Services and Austin ISD Mathematics
Revised 11/12/2013
action, enjoy a funny multiplication trick and much more. Watch a range of instructional videos and have fun improving
your math skills
The Rounding Rap - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVmYl3x85j4
The Story of One (Terry Jones BBC number documentary) - http://videosift.com/video/The-Story-Of-One-Terry-JonesBBC-number-documentary-5904
Mathemagic by Arthur Benjamin - http://www.ted.com/talks/arthur_benjamin_does_mathemagic.html
Virtual Field Trips
Symmetry and Pattern: The Art of Oriental Carpets - http://mathforum.org/geometry/rugs/ In this online exhibit, the
study of symmetry is used to analyze patterns in Oriental carpets. A joint venture of The Textile Museum and the Math
Forum.
The Exploratorium - http://www.exploratorium.edu/explore/websites Home page of San Francisco's museum of science,
art and human perception. Online exhibits, cool sites, archives, sport and science, and the digital library (the
Exploratorium A-to-Z).
Smithsonian Institution - http://www.si.edu/Kids An independent trust instrumentality of the United States holding
some 140 million artifacts and specimens in its trust for "the increase and diffusion of knowledge," and a center for
research dedicated to public education, national service, and scholarship in the arts, sciences, and history.
Educational Games
Math Playground - http://www.mathplayground.com/ Popular learning site for kids of all ages filled with math and
thinking games, step-by-step instructional videos, math practice, and problem solving activities. A favorite of parents
and teachers, Math Playground provides a safe place for kids to learn and explore math concepts online.
Cool Math for Kids - http://www.coolmath4kids.com/ Make connections between math and future careers while playing
games. There is even an iPad app available.
Sheppard Software - http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/math.htm Math practice for younger students, including a
popular balloon pop multiplication game. In addition, students can work on games where they alter the difficulty level of
the math they are playing (between easy, medium and hard) and focus on skills like counting money or telling time.
Kids Math Games - http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/ Enjoy a wide range of free math games, interactive learning
activities and fun educational resources that will engage students while they learn mathematics.
PBS Math Games - http://pbskids.org/games/math/ Fun games to develop and reinforce math concepts and thinking
skills.
HoodaMath - http://www.hoodamath.com/games/ Fun games to develop and reinforce math concepts and thinking
skills.
Lure of the Labyrinth - http://labyrinth.thinkport.org/www/ This logic based online game is a fun and easy way for your
pre-algebra students to work on their problem solving and systems thinking skills.
Austin ISD Advanced Academic Services and Austin ISD Mathematics
Revised 11/12/2013
Free Rice - http://freerice.com/category Multiplication, Pre-Algebra, and SAT prep as well as a number of other content
areas available.
Virtual Manipulatives
Provide useful concrete experiences. Even though gifted learners may be capable of abstraction and may move from
concrete to abstract more rapidly, they still benefit from the use of manipulatives and "hands-on" activities.
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (K-12) - http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/vlibrary.html
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (Pre-K-2) - http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/grade_g_1.html
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives (3-5) - http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/grade_g_2.html
Virtual Manipulatives (Glencoe) http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/mathematics/ebook_assets/vmf/VMF-Inter
Fraction Tiles - http://www.abcya.com/fraction_tiles.htm
Math Playground - http://www.mathplayground.com/math_manipulatives.html
NEA National Library of Virtual Manipulatives - http://www.nea.org/tools/lessons/52929.htm
Math of America - http://www.mathforamerica.org/teacher-resources/classroom/manipulatives
eManipulatives - http://www.eduplace.com/kids/mw/manip/mn_k.html
Educational Java Programs - http://arcytech.org/java/
NCTM E-Examples - http://www.nctm.org/standards/content.aspx?id=16909
Independent and Flexible Skills Groups Projects
Provide some activities that can be done independently or in groups based on student choice. Be aware that if gifted
students always work independently, they are gaining no more than they could do at home. They also need appropriate
instruction, interaction with other gifted students, and regular feedback from the teacher.
Use inquiry-based, discovery learning approaches that emphasize open-ended problems with multiple solutions or
multiple paths to solutions. Allow students to design their own ways to find the answers to complex questions. Gifted
students may discover more than you thought was possible.
Lemonade Stand - http://www.coolmath-games.com/lemonade/index.html Business simulation that can be “played” for
7, 14, or 30 days.
Coffee Shop - http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-coffee-shop/index.html Another business simulation.
Smart Stocks - http://www.smartstocks.com/ Stock market simulation that can be experienced independently or with a
group.
Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) - http://www.texaspsp.org/ At each grade level, the TPSP provides
guidelines for independent learning experiences and research projects that teachers can adapt and use with their G/T
students. The projects are interdisciplinary.
Austin ISD Advanced Academic Services and Austin ISD Mathematics
Revised 11/12/2013
Pure Mathematics Project Ideas - http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/search.shtml?v=ia&ia=Math
Projects based on mathematics for science fair or any time of year.
Applied Mathematics Science Fair Projects - http://www.education.com/science-fair/applied-mathematics/ Projects
based on mathematics for science fair or any time of year.
B-Cubed - http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-b-cubed/index.html Multiple solutions that can be worked on at varied
pacing independently or in small groups.
Bloxorz - http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-bloxorz/index.html Multiple solutions that can be worked on at varied
pacing independently or in small groups.
Acceleration and Independent Study
Be flexible in your expectations about pacing for different students. While some may be mastering basic skills, others
may work on more advanced problems.
TedTalks - http://www.ted.com/ TED Talks is a daily video podcast of the world's leading thinkers and doers giving the
talk of their lives in 18 minutes.
iTunes University - https://www.apple.com/apps/itunes-u/ The world’s largest online catalog of education content from
leading institutions. More than 500,000 free lectures, videos, books, and other resources on thousands of subjects.
MIT Open CourseWare - http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm MIT Open CourseWare (OCW) is a web-based publication of
virtually all MIT course content. OCW is open and available to the world and is a permanent MIT activity.
Academic Earth - http://academicearth.org/ Everyone deserves access to a world-class education, which is why we
continue to offer a comprehensive collection of free online courses from the world's top universities. And now, we take
learning outside the classroom with our original series of thought-provoking videos, designed to spark your intellectual
curiosity and start a conversation.
ALCUMUS - http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/Alcumus/Introduction.php Alcumus offers students a customized
learning experience, adjusting to student performance to deliver appropriate problems and lessons. Alcumus is
specifically designed to provide high-performing students with a challenging curriculum appropriate to their abilities.
Free.
Khan Academy - http://www.khanacademy.org/ With over 2,700 videos on mathematics, science, art history, and
history, it is easily the most exhaustive collection of instruction on the internet allowing learners to know that they can
fill in almost any of their "gaps" with the content on this site. Video and interactive practice. Free.
Dictionaries
A Math Dictionary for Kids 2013 - http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/
Math is Fun Illustrated Dictionary - http://www.mathsisfun.com/definitions/index.html
Interactive Dictionary - http://shodor.org/interactivate/dictionary/
SAT Preparation
Austin ISD Advanced Academic Services and Austin ISD Mathematics
Revised 11/12/2013
SAT Math Section Tips http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-questions/math-tips
SAT Study Plan http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-study-plan
SAT Question of the Day http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-question-of-the-day
SAT Full Practice Test http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-test
SAT Answers Imagined http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/answers-imagined
SAT Skills Insight http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-skills-insight
SAT/ACT Blog http://myknowsys.com/blog/
SAT Practice Questions http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practicequestions;jsessionid=HYG5SlvJJhH05NXQvgy1JQ92c6y4Kf8bfQQJbbH0GLNqvs2VqpD2!-224163695!-1479250953
Number 2 https://www.number2.com/ Find practice exams, questions words of the day, and basic SAT information.
There is even a space for a "coach" like a parent, tutor, or teacher to sign in and track progress. The SAT Companion
(also free) automatically adapts to your skill level and can send you an email reminder about studying.
March 2 Success https://www.march2success.com/index.cfm Offers 7 full length practice tests for both the SAT and
ACT. These practice tests are timed. Each section can be reviewed after the section has been scored. This will show
whether each question is correct or incorrect with the correct answer and explanation of the problem.
I Need a Pencil http://ineedapencil.ck12.org/ Provides free SAT prep materials and online textbooks.
Major Tests http://www.majortests.com/sat/ SAT practice questions arranged into mini practice tests, each practice test
has a score card at the end. Provides explanations to the questions you get wrong so that you can learn from your
mistakes.
Technology-Based Inquiry Learning
Demonstrating Mathematical Proofs http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/11/inquiry-learning-ideas-for-math-andscience-with-ipads/ Dr. Randy Yerrick, professor of science education, State University of New York at Buffalo, 8th- to
12th-grade math
Following a lesson where math teachers demonstrate the construction of an algebraic or geometric proof, students are
given the opportunity to create their own. Using media-based presentations and audio recordings of their own voices,
students create and share a narrated slide-show presentation.
Keynote is Apple’s presentation app that enables students to build a slide-based presentation with text and media,
which they then present live in front of an audience. The Explain Everything app enables students to build and record a
series of narrated slides with picture, text, and media content that explains and demonstrates a concept to an audience.
Essentially, once students put the slides in the order they choose, they tap Record and step through their slides,
explaining, highlighting with color, and accentuating with the laser pointer feature. The Record function also enables
students to pause or to rerecord their presentation so that they can practice before presenting it to the class. Explain
Everything also includes members’ libraries and upload links to such social media sharing sites as Dropbox and
Facebook, making student sharing of work easy and manageable.
Austin ISD Advanced Academic Services and Austin ISD Mathematics
Revised 11/12/2013
Students were given the option of using the preceding apps to explain some of the data that can be retrieved from
scientific agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA),
and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Students used the latitude and longitude of
approaching hurricanes to learn Cartesian coordinates and plot them. For example, one student provided an explanation
of the calculated arrival time of a tsunami across the Pacific Ocean from an image acquired from the USGS. This is also a
scenario in which students can use apps such as GarageBand or iMovie to collate specific photos they gather into a
podcast or movie and explain what they know or how they apply the concepts to examples in the real world.
Austin ISD Advanced Academic Services and Austin ISD Mathematics
Revised 11/12/2013