Access to the Web means finding millions of resources. How does anyone choose what to review and even more, what to use? Most often, finding a trusted source that provides thoughtful recommendations makes all the difference. In this case, the sites listed are from the federal government. In 1997, more than 30 Federal agencies formed a working group to make hundreds of federally supported teaching and learning resources easier to find. The result of that work is the Federal Resources for Educational Excellence web site (FREE). (http://www.ed.gov/free/index.html). The web sites listed below are excerpted with permission.

Here are web sites for teaching mathematics and computer science.

Math: What's the Problem?
This site examines the state of math education in the U.S. and the roles of culture, technology, and research on improving math learning and proficiency.  Learn about the "miles per gallon illusion" and the train problem.  Discover resources on fractals, matrices, human face recognition, biomimetic research, computational conformal mapping, and the "kissing number" of a sphere.  (National Science Foundation)
http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2131
 
Understanding Taxes
This site includes lesson plans, tutorials, and role playing simulations to help students from middle school up learn about dozens of topics -- taxpayer rights, the history of taxes, indirect taxes, progressive and proportional taxes, exemptions, dependents, education credits, earned income credit, how taxes influence behavior, the politics of taxes, your first job, and more.  It also includes 14 self-paced modules offering a step- by-step approach to tax preparation.  (Internal Revenue Service)
http://www.free.ed.gov/resource.cfm?resource_id=2135

Calculus on the Web
This site offers an interactive environment for learning, practicing, and experimenting with the ideas and techniques of calculus. It is organized in seven parts: Precalculus; Calculus I, II, and III; Linear Algebra; Number Theory; and Abstract Algebra. (NSF)
http://www.math.temple.edu/%7Ecow/

Mathematics: Research Overview
This site looks at topics of major research in mathematics: image creation, statistics, inverse problems, CPU testing, materials and nanotechnology, proteins, random graphs, prime numbers, optimization, design, financial mathematics, weather and
climate simulation, rare events, and high-dimensional data sets.  (NSF)
http://www.nsf.gov/news/overviews/mathematics/index.jsp

Mathematics Across the Community College Curriculum
This site provides course descriptions and student projects in anthropology, art, biology, business, chemistry, computer science, economics, English, environmental science, health, marketing, mathematics, nursing, physics, policy studies, political science, social services, and urban planning.  (NSF)
http://www.mac3.amatyc.org/index.htm

Digital Workshops
This site offers online professional development for teachers in math and science, language arts, and other areas.  Watch presentations on vocabulary, phonemic awareness, reading and writing in the content areas, algebra, measurement and geometry, computation, linear equations, differentiated instruction, history, inclusive classrooms, using data to improve instruction, No Child Left Behind basics, and more.  Many states offer professional development credit for teachers who participate.  (ED)
http://www.paec.org/teacher2teacher/

TeachEngineering
This site provides more than 500 lessons and activities for teaching engineering content in K-12 science and math classes.  Topics include oil and energy consumption, water and electricity, mass and volume, various energy sources, heat transfer, solar heating systems, collisions and momentum, electrons, cellular respiration, biomedical engineering, and more.  Lessons connect real-world experiences with concepts and skills already taught in K-12 classrooms.  (MA)
http://www.TeachEngineering.org

Engineering Is Elementary
This site provides lessons & overviews on acoustical engineering, agricultural engineering (insects), civil engineering (balance & forces), environmental engineering (water), industrial engineering (simple machines), materials engineering (earth materials), mechanical engineering (air & weather). (NSF)
http://www.mos.org/doc/1545

NASA Robotics
This site invites students & teachers to start robotics teams, "botball" teams, & enter robotics competitions.  Take online courses in robotics.  Follow along with scientists who are developing technologies to drill for life on Mars.  Find lessons for teaching robotics & related topics. (NASA)
http://robotics.nasa.gov/home/home.php

Cyberinfrastructure
This site examines the convergence of three realities -- the spread of the Internet, the shrinkage of computers, and the accumulation of databases -- that has led researchers to envision a planet-wide grid of computing, information, networking, and sensor resources.  Learn about projects to develop the emerging cyberinfrastructure.  Find out how researchers are beginning to depend on it. Discover resources for teaching and learning about information technology.  (NSF)
http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/cyber/index.jsp