Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education [1], which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. Click here [2]to read the full app review.
Desmos [2]
What’s It Like?
Desmos is a free graphing and teaching tool for math. In addition to plotting equations, classroom activities are available to help students learn about a variety of math concepts. For example, students can learn how to transform periodic functions by trying to slide marbles through points on a graph. Or, they can plug in their own equation and see what kind of graph pops up; sliders allow students to adjust values and see what happens. Users can also click directly on the graph to find the coordinates of points of intersection, maxima, and minima.
Price: Free
Grades: 6-12
Rating: 4/5
Pros: Free and easy-to-use tool that gives students a visual way to understand expressions.
Cons: Without significant help, less experienced students might struggle when things gets complicated.
Bottom line: Innovative calculator and simulations are a standout graphing option for inquiry-driven math.