Pros: It's a helpful place to locate, submit, and rate Common Core-aligned math resources.
Cons: The quality of resources varies greatly, and some links are broken; activities may require further evaluation.
Bottom Line: As a potential time-saver for teachers on the go, the site points you in the right direction but leaves you to evaluate each link.
Math Chimp could be well-used to enrich your existing math curriculum with easy-to-find resources for students. The site can also be a stop for teachers when searching for Common Core-aligned math activities. If you're looking to support specific learning objectives, it's a helpful place to find resources, from simple worksheets to videos for a flipped classroom.
Teachers could also use some of the resources to help with targeted differentiation. Since each activity is linked to a specific grade level and Common Core standard, you can assign videos and activities to support and push students in areas where they may need extra practice. A good number of the resources could make for homework assignments or extensions. Giving students a vetted list of links from Math Chimp could help provide them more choices in their learning path.
Math Chimp is a free, crowd-sourced directory of math games, videos, and worksheets that align to the Common Core standards. The resources listed on Math Chimp are generally hosted on external sites; Math Chimp organizes the resources so they're easier to find. In addition to searching for resources, teachers can add resources to the site and align them to Common Core standards. Each resource listing includes a screenshot, URL, Common Core correlation, and a rating provided by other Math Chimp users.
The site is designed to house activities for grades 1-8, across all Common Core standards. Almost all of the videos are from Khan Academy, which has its own easy-to-use search tool. User accounts are free and easy to set up. Once logged in, users can submit activities, rate the existing ones, and keep track of favorite resources. They can also flag content that may be miscategorized.
Math Chimp's directory is a great way for teachers to locate a variety of math resources on the fly. However, because the site's five-star ratings are crowd sourced, teachers might have to spend some extra time vetting the activities. Will the resources work with the technology you've got available? Does a linked game actually meet your objectives? Are the links valid? Teachers should ask themselves these questions before turning students loose on the site. Because the quality varies among the linked resources, it's best to review and narrow the list of resources you'd like your students to use.
Overall, the site is simple to navigate, with a relatively uncluttered interface. Since searching by grade level and Common Core standard is easy, students could use Math Chimp on their own to locate sites for additional math practice. Unfortunately, some of the links don't work properly, and there isn't an easy way to report these issues. Also, the quality of resources isn't the same across all of the standards. The site could be more useful if it included a more specific rating system, link validation, and a more student-friendly interface.
Learning Rating
Community Rating
Interactive Game-Like Learning
As with any other program, Math Chimp comes with its own set of improvements needed. Although the program is organized in a sequential, easy to follow manner, a negative attribute would include its lack of variety within each Common Core. Overall, each Common Core only includes about two or three games, which can result in the student losing interest rather quickly. The program overall includes many disciplines to choose from, but not as many options within each specific skill.
Overall, I believe this program has more than enough positives to create a helpful aid to each teacher user.
Explore Our Favorite Tools
