Math+Interactives

We evaluated the following tools:**Geometer's Sketchpad, GeoGebra, and Wolfram Mathematica** The purpose for our grade level to use the software is the following: Dynamic software used to demonstrate and explain graphically Math middle school concepts and manipulate constructions. Rubric used to evaluate the tools:
 * Math Interactives**

1. Geometer's Sketchpad Features: Has a fee (not expensive if bought for school) and you have a limited license to install, you cannot work collaboratively, needs an introductory class to start working with it, webpage with tutorials, resources and lesson planning, independent exploring learning with hands-on activities, works with several teaching levels from elementary to engineering and can be applied to other disciplines, dynamic visualizations. It does not directly explain concepts. media type="custom" key="19224732" 2. GeoGebra Purpose: Dynamic software used to demonstrate and explain graphically Math concepts and manipulate constructions. It does not directly explain concepts. Features: No fee, you cannot work collaboratively, needs an introductory class to start working with it, webpage with tutorials, resources and lesson planning, independent exploring learning with hands-on activities, works with several teaching levels from elementary to engineering and can be applied to other disciplines, dynamic visualizations, runs on any platform that supports Java. It does not directly explain concepts. 3. Wolfram Mathematica 8 Purpose: Dynamic software used to demonstrate and explain graphically Math concepts and manipulate constructions. It does not directly explain concepts. Features: Has a fee (expensive) with limited installations, too big and slow, you cannot work collaboratively, needs an introductory class to start working with it, webpage with tutorials, resources and lesson planning, independent exploring learning with hands-on activities, works with several teaching levels from elementary to engineering and can be applied to other disciplines, dynamic visualizations. Can be used in research and more complex demonstrations.It does not directly explain concepts. media type="custom" key="19224752"

We think that for the purpose for our grade level the most appropriate tool is Geometer's Sketchpad.