Mathcasts

select grade level:

Overview

Teachers can use Mathcasts to supplement instruction in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms. Mathcasts—short screencasts that explain and solve mathematical problems—were developed to help students with another venue for learning. Educators and students may access these resources for free.

All Mathcasts align with the 2008 Washington State math standards and are organized according to whether they address:

  • Core Content
  • Additional Key Concepts
  • Core Processes

Content strands are also noted, where applicable:

  • Numbers
  • Operations
  • Geometry/Measurement
  • Algebra
  • Data/Statistics/Probability
  • Processes (Reasoning, Problem Solving, and Communication)

Usage suggestions

Whole class instruction

Using an LCD projector, you may run just the portion of the Mathcast that "sets up" the problem. Ask students for their thoughts about how best to approach the problem. After taking their input, run a bit more of the Mathcast to see how the narrator approaches the problem. Continue in this manner through the solution of the problem. Be sure to inform students that there may be more than a single way to solve the problem.

Combination of individual/whole class teaching and learning

All teachers know that the best way to learn something is to teach it. Assign specific Mathcasts to individual students, according to those categories or strands that are most challenging to them. Students view and study their assigned Mathcast independently, with additional teacher support as needed. Using an LCD projector, students run the introduction portion of the Mathcast but then teach the solution portion to the rest of the class.

Individually-assigned Mathcasts

Using the OSPI scoring data sent to each district, identify those areas in which individual students fell short on the most recent state assessment (MSP or HSPE). Assign students to view Mathcasts in those areas.