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Subject
Mathematics
Mathematics is the subject students most often decide they are bad at, usually because it was introduced as a set of procedures to memorise rather than a set of questions worth answering.
The entries collected here mostly take the second approach. They start from a question — how big is a billion, how do odds actually work, why does this shape tile a floor — and let the arithmetic follow.
What sits under mathematics
Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, statistics and probability, discrete mathematics, and the history of mathematics.
A note on word problems
The reason so many students stall on word problems is not the mathematics, it is the translation step. Reading a situation and deciding which relationship applies is a separate skill from executing the operation, and it needs separate practice.
33 entries from the archive
May 1999
It All Adds Up!
Math really does have a purpose in everyday life. Find out how mathematical principles help you decorate your home, cook delicious meals and save money wisely.
Play All Day!
Learn the Alphabet with Alphabet Action or go wild in a Fraction Frenzy. Just choose your age group and let the fun begin!
Enter into the World of Myth
Explore world mythology on three different levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Compare and contrast the stories and family trees of ancient mythological figures from around the world.
July 1999
School Biz
July 1, 1999
At the U.S. State and Local Gateway, you'll find federal educational publications, statistics, and the results of federally-funded educational studies. Apply for a grant, or keep up-to-date on legislation that may affect your school.
Quick Facts
July 7, 1999
How do you make art from mathematical equations? M.C. Escher used patterns drawn from numerical formulas to fill his canvas. A black hole is similar to what household appliance? It is like a vacuum cleaner that sucks up space and time.
School Biz
July 8, 1999
How do your school's academic standards measure up and what can you do to foster improvement? Many federal and state agencies publish free information for school communities, and the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education is a great resource. Even if your school isn't part of a localized Copernicus community, School Biz offers valuable information for educators and parents alike.
July 1999
Tease Your Brain
this summer with some fun math brain teasers. When you're sufficiently stumped, relax with a book and try to write a prize-winning review.
Extra! Extra!
USA TODAY has its eyes on the nation, with information on the latest scholarships and contests. Kids will enjoy the United Nations Cyber School Bus, filled with games about geography, economics, and health.
Gobble up the Globe
Jet from one country to the next at a furious pace, completing your whirlwind world tour in just 80 clicks of a mouse. Then gloat over your globetrotting in postcards to friends back at home.
Batter up!
You'll be a monster on the baseball diamond if you can make sense of the math before it strikes you out. Or if baseball's not your sport, try playing power football.
Just Fun and Games
As the temperature outside escalates, cool down inside with some online games that are kid-tested and teacher-approved. Then dust off your dictionary and create word puzzles to stump your friends.
August 1999
School Biz
August 2, 1999
How do your school's academic standards measure up and what can you do to foster improvement? Many federal and state agencies publish free information for school communities, and the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education is a great resource. Even if your school isn't part of a localized Copernicus community, School Biz offers valuable information for educators and parents alike.
Hot News
August 16, 1999
After a summer of healing, Columbine High School students return to classes today in refurbished buildings equipped with new security measures and counselors on hand to help faculty and students cope with the haunting memories of last year's tragedy.
Hot News
August 30, 1999
The number of college graduates certified to be teachers is reaching an historical high. Schools across the U.S., however, are scrambling to find qualified teachers to fill their classrooms this fall.
August 1999
Hands-on Reading
Louis Braille created the system known as braille from a military code known as "night writing" that proved too complex for soldiers. Louis Braille simplified the code, turning it into a language for the blind that is now used in almost every country in the world.
September 1999
School Biz
September 1, 1999
How do your school's academic standards measure up and what can you do to foster improvement? Many federal and state agencies publish free information for school communities, and the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education is a great resource. Even if your school isn't part of a localized Copernicus community, School Biz offers valuable information for educators and parents alike.
October 1999
School Biz
October 1, 1999
How do your school's academic standards measure up and what can you do to foster improvement? Many federal and state agencies publish free information for school communities, and the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education is a great resource. Even if your school isn't part of a localized Copernicus community, School Biz offers valuable information for educators and parents alike.
Hot News
October 4, 1999
Based on a Census Bureau report published today, the problem of providing health insurance worsened between 1997 and 1998, when one million more people were added to a growing number of uninsured Americans.
Hot News
October 11, 1999
In less than 75 years the Earth's population has tripled and on Tuesday, the world will welcome its six billionth baby, a milestone that makes some experts more anxious than eager.
Hot News
October 27, 1999
Looking for an industry with growth potential? Try the Internet. According to a new study, the Internet economy increased 68 percent in the last year, growing faster than the overall U.S. economy. Click here for the full story.
October 1999
A Day in the Life of Columbus
A sailor could measure how fast they were going by tossing a knotted rope tied to a reel into the water. By counting the remaining knots on board after a certain amount of time, he would then use multiplication to learn their ship's speed.
The Universal Language
Even after they've graduated, your kids will need to use math throughout their lives. If they want to carpet a bedroom, bake cookies, or invest in the stock market, they'll need to learn math, a language spoken around the globe.
What's the Word about the 23rd?
Avogadro proposed that the number of molecules in one molecular gram of weight = 6.0221367 x 10 23. His discovery is celebrated on the 23rd because it is the exponent of his famous formula.
Big Sights in a Small Country
While on Chuuk, the Adventure Team has terrific things to see and do including scuba diving in an "underwater graveyard" of sunken ships and tropical fish, visiting a local high school, and eating dinner with a Chuukese family.
November 1999
Hot News
November 4, 1999
Time is running short for a House measure to increase minimum wage by $1 because lawmakers cannot agree on when the hike would happen or on a tag-along tax relief package. Click here for the full story.
Hot News
November 11, 1999
Today state and federal government offices and most schools are closed for Veterans Day, a holiday to honor the men and women who protected our country in the armed services during time of war. Click here for the full story.
November 1999
Care for Some Pi?
Did you know that pi is simply a Greek word representing the number 3.14159? Take the fear out of math each week with a new problem from multiplication to calculus. If you're really stumped, send a question to Dr. Math.
Safe Cycling
Next time your kids hop on their bikes, make sure they've got on their helmets. Learn how to buy a proper-fitting helmet, see the statistics for why they're important, and volunteer to organize a bike helmet program in your neighborhood.
December 1999
A World of Many Languages
Can you guess which language is spoken by more people than any other? Mandarin Chinese. Discover the world's top 100 languages, where they are spoken, and which areas are home to the largest number of different languages.
Holiday Hoopla
Did you know that the first Christmas trees were decorated with apples? Or that Santa Claus delivers gifts in Germany on December 6, Saint Nicholas Day? Get the facts on all the holiday history and learn how countries around the globe celebrate Christmas.
A Voice from Vesuvius
Not much from Pompeii survived to tell the tale of its destruction, except this vivid account from Pliny the Younger. A few years after the event, Pliny wrote a friend describing the happenings when the eruption of Vesuvius obliterated Pompeii. At the time, Pliny was only eighteen.
Math Drill
You probably can't get your hands on enough practice math worksheets for your class. Here are several that cover the elementary skills from addition to fractions. You'll also find science, geography, history, and language arts handouts.
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