NCTM website is also wonderful. Their illuminations site has many unit
and lesson ideas along with applets you can use as part of your lesson or
independently with students at a computer. the website is
Some more great sites I use are:
 has gizmos that visually represent algebra topics
and many others
library of virtual manipulatives which has many applets to use with
I'd like to comment on the discussion of using timed fact tests. I do not
like using these kinds of tests with students because it creates anxiety
especially those students that struggle with math. Timed tests only tell
us that the child has memorized their facts but doesn't tell us anything
else. It doesn't evaluate their math fluency or if they know when to use
the operation when solving problems. It also doesn't let us know if the
child has developed the conceptual idea of multiplying and division. Many
children already struggle with math concepts because they have a hard
time understanding the connection to real life and the usefulness of it.
Timed tests is another way in my opinion to turn them off.
If you want to work on math facts with your students I would suggest
playing games with cards ... multiplication war etc. I use to set up
centers in my room. One of them the students would work on their math
facts... if they got the flash card right, they could either move their
piece on a board I created or throw a nerf basketball and try and get it
in the hoop. There are many things you can do to reinforce math facts
without using timed tests. You might want to test them just to see where
they are with their facts as an assessment tool and then try and see what
facts they need help on and work on those together. There are many rhymes
and songs (like another person suggested) to reinforce this.
Some children will not be able to memorize their facts and will have on
their IEP's to use calculators or math fact sheets.... so make sure you
know what accommidations your students have in your subject area. Many
state standard tests in Middle School have students using calculators
because they want to assess problem solving skills and not if a child
knows their facts or not.