Flavius Josephus was a Jewish historian living in the first century when he and his comrades found themselves trapped in a cave. Surrounded by Roman centurions, this band chose suicide over capture, and they elected to form a circle and then start killing themselves. From this rather traumatic situation came the well-known Josephus Problem, a classic problem of recreational mathematics. This...

Over the last decade standards-based teaching has become the single greatest push in education. The question for teachers often lies with wondering how and where to find resources that match the standards. The K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Center, funded by the National Science Foundation, seeks to do just that by offering to "inform and assist schools and districts as they select and implement...

Mathematics teachers and tutors, especially those who work with students with special needs, may be interested in the Learning Kaleidoscope. Authored by Andrew Gael, who teaches mathematics at a K-12 school designed for students with disabilities, this blog is designed to share instructional techniques and build community amongst math teachers. Teachers may want to start by checking out the Tasks...

The Joint Policy Board for Mathematics sponsors Mathematics Awareness Month (MAM) every April with the goal of increasing public understanding of and appreciation for mathematics. MathForum offers this website with activity announcements and other information on MAM. Resources that are forthcoming include: a Theme Poster, Essays, and Related Resources. This year's theme is The Mathematics of...

For people of a certain age, the phrase "math worksheet" may conjure images of pieces of paper with wet purple ink, freshly mimeographed. For others, they might just say: "What's a mimeograph?" Both groups will find things to like about this website, which brings together a number of math worksheets for general use. The site is maintained by Scott Bryce, and while some of the materials require a...

The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) has done an excellent service by placing this collection of podcasts online. This diverse set of podcasts consists of talks and presentations given at MAA-sponsored events, and visitors are welcome to use them in the classroom or for their own personal edification. The podcasts here extend back to the spring of 2007, and the presentations include "Why...

K-12 mathematics instructors and tutors, along with parents and youth librarians, will find a wealth of resources at The Mathematics Shed, including videos, worksheets, lesson plans, interactive activities, PowerPoint presentations, and more. Instructors can browse for resources by numerous subcategories, such as Calculation Shed, Maths Inquiry Shed, Data Shed, Flash Games Shed, and Maths Myths...

Does knowing about Descartes help students understand the Cartesian coordinate system? Will teaching students the origin of the term parabola help them understand the mathematical importance of parabolas and other related matters? A team of mathematicians at Black Hills State University were curious about such matters, so they decided to investigate what the effects of including historical modules...

James Tanton's website offers a number of resources for math teachers, including instructional videos, puzzles, essays, and more. Tanton is a mathematics scholar who has taught high school and college students and authored a number of instructional resources. Visitors will find free material in the Think cool math! and Think curriculum! sections. These materials are designed to facilitate student...

This offering from ed.gov, offers this comprehensive and downloadable kit on teaching math to your children. There are several activities to do at home, the grocery store, and on the go, as well as a glossary of related terms. In consideration of "our increasingly technological world," the foreward to this publication argues that, "To ensure that our children are ready for high school and on track...