FRACTALS

Exploring Fractals ('H') (Standards)
 Good teacher resource for Exploring Fractals: From Cantor Dust to The Fractal Skewed Web. Correlated to NCTM Standards. By Dr. Mary Ann Connors, U MA, Amherst.
Teacher resources: www.math.umass.edu/~mconnors/fractal/fractal.html

Exploring Patterns in Nature ('H')
These are high school science curriculum guides with "hands-on activities, laboratory experiments, and interactive visualization programs. The activities ... encourage students to explore how fundamentally random microscopic events can give rise to fractal macroscopic patterns in nature." "Subjects include fractal coastline and dimension, measuring randomness, physical and chemical branching structures, biological branching patterns, diffusion, percolation, and motion on a fractal. These tutorials do not assume extensive knowledge of mathematics." Free software with the activities. By the Center for Polymer Studies at Boston University.
Teacher resources: polymer.bu.edu/ogaf/

Fract-ED ('H')
A tutorial on fractals for the high school and college student. As the site says, "It is an informal discussion of some of the elements of fractal geometry, and includes interactive programs which demonstrate the techniques of fractal generation." By EAL Software.
www.ealnet.com/ealsoft/fracted.htm

Fractal Images ('H')
Following an explanation of fractal geometry, fabulous images.
www.cosmiclight.com/imagegalleries/fractals.htm

Fractal Microscope ('M' 'H')
In their own words: "A Distributed Computing Approach to Mathematics in Education. The Fractal Microscope is an interactive tool designed by the Education Group at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) for exploring the Mandelbrot set and other fractal patterns... With this program students can enjoy the art of mathematics as they master the science of mathematics. This focus can help one address a wide variety of topics in the K-12 curriculum including scientific notation, coordinate systems and graphing, number systems, convergence, divergence, and self-similarity." The Shodor Foundation provides an interactive version workable on your computer's browser or via their server (use the high power version).
Teacher resources: www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Edu/Fractal/Fractal_Home.html
Shodor browser version:
Teacher resources: www.shodor.org/master/fractal/software/mandy/index.html
Shodor high power version:
Teacher resources: compute2.shodor.org/cgi-bin/mandy/cnew.pl

Fractals Unit for Elementary and Middle School Students ('E' 'M')
Plenty of activities here with student handouts provided. Lessons are online and also printable. By Cynthia Lanius, Rice University.
Teacher resources: math.rice.edu/~lanius/frac/

The Fractory: An Interactive Tool for Creating and Exploring Fractals ('M' 'H')
Award-winning Thinkquest site designed by middle school students: "Fractals are chaos and order, math and beauty. This is a well-designed multi-level exploration of a simple yet infinitely complex world. View the impressive designs and try your hand at creating your own. Learn why scientists--in fields from astronomy to economics--feel that fractals can help predict seemingly random occurrences. Discover who Julia and Mandelbrot are, and how complex numbers are used to plot a fractal."
library.thinkquest.org/3288/