Useful Web sites for single subject math/science

Assuming that "the test" refers to the CSET - though the relevance of this post is broader! - find a list of formulae one ought to know here, and a TI-83 (plus) Graphing Calculator primer here.

Here's another smashing TI 83/84 tutorial site.

Jay.
http://innovationguy.easyjournal.com

 

CSET Study Guides

I have some gently used study guides from the Orange County Dept. of Education (OCDE) for subtests I and II of CSET Math. These things are pretty comprehensive and, used along with some textbooks, make subtests I and II pretty manageable. I used them to pass both tests on the first try. Send me an e-mail if you are interested in buying them for a much lower price than the OCDE is selling them: preston.siemsen at gmail dot com

 

I thought I should mention the site run by an experienced physics teacher in Florida - it's a *fantastic* resource.

http://dev.physicslab.org/

 

Fun online interactive Science and Math games

what2learn. Has loads of interactive Science games and exam drills and quite a lot of Math as well as lots of other subjects.

Free to sign up and all of the scores the students get are recorded on their portfolio. It provides a different, fun way to learn.

 

Here's a nifty goodie that was reported elsewhere on A to Z:

 

OCDE Study guide?

Anyone want to get rid of their OCDE study guide for CSET Math subject tests I & II? Please let me know.

Thanks

 

hello guys!

i am new to this great forum and currently studying for the cset math subtest 1. I am having trouble accessing innovationguy's website. Does anyone else have this problem? thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
jimmyb

 

Yes, the host server is down! It happens a couple of times a year - I cannot help it; however, it comes back up in a couple of days!

Jay.
http://innovationguy.easyjournal.com

 

thank you so much for being so generous and helpful to all of us innovationguy. you website is awesome! and also thanks to everyone that takes the time out to help the newbies. much respect.

sincerely,
jimmyb

 

the very first standard is this: DESCRIBE THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE.

how exact do we get in this? stars are almost entirely hydrogen, the universe is about 15B light years wide....

 

More exact than that, but pay attention to the overlaps between this standard and the others, not only in this section but elsewhere in science.

Making connections between one fact or concept and another is crucial in tests like these - and indeed in thinking in the discipline.

 

What about linking it back to the similarities/differences between earth composition and meteorites (chondrites, etc)? There are lots of isotopic differences--example Iridium is very rare on Earth and is a good marker for impact sites.

I don't know anything about your specific test, but I would imagine that anything covered in standard introductory college courses is fair game.

 

Makes sense. I suppose I just looked at the standard and thought, "well, ... gee, you could start at the start and go on for just about forever ..."

Focus! Hehe

 

material for CSET Math

I am a newbie and would like to get your suggestions on good material for CSET Math. I hv heard about InnovationGuy, and Orange County Education material. Any suggestions on which one to follow? Thanks

 

Welcome to A to Z, everest.

You can get a sense of innovationguy's style by looking through his posts here on A to Z and also looking at his Web site (featured in his signature). Test-driving the OCDE materials is a bit more of a challenge, but people whose skills I trust seem to like them a lot, so one could certainly do worse.

 

Geometry resources… a work in progress

http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/geometry/math-GEOMETRY.htm

http://mathbits.com/MathBits/CrossWords/GEOMETRY1.html

http://mathbits.com/MathBits/PPT/GeometryFigures.htm

http://mathbits.com/MathBits/MathMovies/ResourceList.htm

http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/geometry/FormulaSheetGeometry.pdf

http://www.themathlab.com/geometry/funnyproofs.htm

http://www.ics.uci.edu/~eppstein/junkyard/

http://mathbits.com/MathBits/StudentResources/GraphPaper/GraphPaper.htm

http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/algtrig/ATE3/quadsongs.htm


http://www.math.com/homeworkhelp/Geometry.html

http://www.themathpage.com/aTrig/trigonometry.htm

http://realmathinaminute.blogspot.com/2009/05/30-60-90-triangle-relationships.html

http://www.regentsprep.org/Regents/math/geometry/math-GEOMETRY.htm

 

Amazing FREE program for science - Celestia
I found a great program for anyone who teaches the Solar System and Universe. I have been addicted to it ever since.

Celestia is a FREE program that simulates the known universe and the solar system. In this program you can explore the planets, stars, solar system and parts of the universe. It is amazingly realistic and has tons of add-ons you can download (all free) that increase the experience. It recognizes the correct time, date and corresponding position of everything in the universe. You can also speed up and slow down time to see how things orbit and watch events.

Here is a great example of what the program does:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t706Me4viC8

Here is a great User Guide to learn how to use it:
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Celestia

I downloaded it from here, but you can download it from other places too. Just do a search for it.
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/celestia.html
http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

You can download add-ons that give tours of each planet and the moons. They are fairly easy to load. I hope this helps someone.

 

check out these sites. surely these sites will help you
Math
http://www.brev.org/websites/science.htm

http://www.curiousmath.com/

http://mathworld.wolfram.com/
"Math World is a comprehensive and interactive mathematics encyclopedia intended for students, educators, math enthusiasts, and researchers."

Science
http://www.hhmi.org/coolscience
Cool Science is a fun site that helps students appreciate science.

 

Great links, priyaanka! Thank you!

 

I found this webpage where the university professor created these videos of him teaching the different compents found on the CSET tests. The videos are still in the works, but they have quite a few up!!

http://geology.csustan.edu/Teachers/CSET%20prep.html

 

do you have any good website to practice for Praxis 2 math (high school)

 

help with science subtest -3

Hi,
Thank you all for posting important science links on the website ( they are very-very useful).

I have cleared my science subtest 1 and 2, and i am preparing for the subtest 3.The syllabus/curriculum for the same mentions that there will be 3 constructive response questions on the test, but unlike subtest 1/2 does not mention from what area precisely will those constructive response questions will be asked.

I will really appreciate if somebody can tell me if i have to prepare each and every part of the syllabus for the constructive response questions or there are are only selective areas that i need to focus on.
Thank you.

 

Which Subtest III are you taking? - bio, chem, earth science, physics?

 

science subtest 3

I am taking biology subtest 3
Thanks

 

The constructed responses in a given Subtest III for a given specialty are likeliest to be in the domains of that specialty for which the general science subtests have constructed responses - but there are no guarantees... so, yes, the prudent student will be prepared for constructed responses to come from any domain.

 

While studying for the CSET 119 test, I came across this website. Seems to be pretty helpful!

http://csetprep.org/science/PhysSciencesHome.htm

 

Good luck to all who may be taking the science CSET tomorrow. My friend and I are driving up together (she's taking all English CSETS! I'm only taking CSET 119). I wanted to add that watching the Khan Academy videos on youtube was extremely helpful in preparing me for some of the topics that will be covered on the test. Okay, off to review some more!

 

Peachy, don't study too late tonight, please.

 

I'll try not to study TOO late. Thankfully our tests do not begin until 1:30 and we only have to drive 40 minutes, this time, for the test.

 

And breathe, please.

 

Yes, I think I shall partake in the cellular respiration process during the test.

 

You'd be amazed how many people sort of forget that...

 

Whew! Done and done. I feel pretty good, but there were a few problems where I was down to two choices..... I did kick butt on the chemistry section and thermodynamics. Crossing my fingers that I passed! (and for my friend who took all four Enlglish CSETs at one time!)

 

Sounds promising, Peachy.

Passing all four English CSET subtests in one go is indeed achievable.

 

So, I passed CSET 119 with flying colors. I was happy to see the four pluses on most of the domains, with some threes. I also did very well on the response part.

I used the Usborne encyclopedia, my college chemistry textbook, khanacademy videos, and UC Irvine's OpenCourseWare website (although, I must warn you that there are a few mistakes on this particular website).

Now, onto chemistry and earth science 120 tests.

 

Congratulations, Peachy!

 

I took the Math subtest III yesterday - calculus and history of math. I think that most of the sites have been shared already, but I came across a great resource for history of math that really helped on the test.

go to youtube and search BBC History of Maths. They did a four hour series starting with the ancient Egyptians up to the 20th century. It covers all the high points and really helps you visualize math history. I watched a bit each evening for a couple weeks.. a great break from calculus problems and actually really interesting (at least for someone that likes math). Take some notes though to ensure you can keep the folks straight.

Other resources used for Math Subtest III:

Started with a Calculus textbook just to clear the cobwebs out since it has been awhile since I've done calculus. Focused on chapters covering limits, derivatives and applications, integrals and applications, and series.

The Orange County Department of Ed test prep book was excellent -- provided some samples across pretty much all the areas of the test -- although don't worry too much about memorizing all the proofs... just understand the main concepts and how to apply.

Khan Academy videos (search for them on youtube) are a great supplement to the OCDE materials... OCDE is more a workbook and meant to be used with an instructor. Khan Academy videos help provide the intuition and descriptions for the content.


The UC Irvine materials were okay .. but aren't my favorite resource. As noted earlier, there are a few mistakes in the website and I don't think they give enough description to help you understand, but it does help you see the types of topics on the test to help focus your study.

As always, the sample test on the CSET website is indispensable. While the test questions aren't identical, many of them rely on similar concepts. Make sure you can do every problem on the sample test and really understand why you got the answer you did.

That's it

 

cset science 118 & 119

Hi, I am planning to take 118 & 119 science sub tests. I want to take coaching from National University - they charge $355 & send course material online & they claim that if you don't pass your cset, you can come back within 6 months & retake coaching for free. Has anybody done that? Is it worth it?

 

I have often referred to Paul's Online Math Notes with Trig & Calculus help.

Now what I need is a site that helps with Number Theory and Probability & Statistics - as these are the two areas of the CSET I am most worried about.

 

Welcome to A to Z, rboylan.

From what I hear, the number theory questions are indeed a bit alarming - but they are few enough in number that they can safely be blown off, provided one does well enough on the remaining questions.

Have you got any background in probability & stats?