Presents an article featured in the March issue of "Mathematics Teaching" that discusses the necessary components of active learning in mathematics classrooms. Considers constructivist framework for analysis of mathematical learning activities that need to be carried out with consideration of aspects of presentation, the nature of pupils' mental…

Presents a teacher's experiences with teaching fractions by employing the constructivist approach. Concludes that children will go much further with depth, pleasure, and confidence if they are allowed to construct their own mathematics to make sense to them every step of the way. (ASK)

Describes how graphing calculators can be used to explore different functions, from linear to higher degree polynomials. "Globs" (circles) are drawn around randomly plotted points on the screen, and students devise functions that pass through as many of these globs as possible. Variations on the game are also mentioned. (DPM)

Describes a project in which students, in groups, wrote a chapter on factoring polynomials. Gives general format of the activity and excerpts from student writings. (10 references) (MKR)

Presents an activity through which students develop mathematical concepts connected to area and perimeter in a rich, real-life setting and use tables, graphs, diagrams, and spreadsheets to explore the problem, see relationships, and make and test conjectures about those relationships. Encourages algebraic thinking. (SYB)

Presents applications related to African day-names, the sunrise clock, and the Islamic calendar. (MKR)

Discusses how students construct their own understanding of mathematics as they discover and then learn it in class. Presents Krystal's method to subtract mixed numbers that her peers adopt and name for her. (ASK)

Presents an activity in which students use geometric figures, rep-tiles, to design a tile floor. Rep-tiles are geometric figures of which copies can fit together to form a larger similar figure. Includes reproducible student worksheet. (MKR)

Describes an activity designed to help students understand the concept of a variable and the process of gathering like terms or simplifying algebraic expressions using egg cartons and plastic eggs. (MKR)

Presents five worksheets that contain hands-on geometry activities dealing with the ideas of quadrilateral, trapezoid, parallelogram, isosceles, kite, axis of symmetry, and rhombus. (MKR)

Discusses the mathematics used by Bernard Harris, Jr., the first African American astronaut to walk in space who is also an engineer, physician, medical research scientist, and pioneer space doctor. Includes a mission specialist activity sheet about understanding the magnitude of living in space. (MKR)

Discusses how a disc jockey uses mathematics. Presents a history of the 60 minute-per-hour notion of time. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)

Presents a sixth-grade, interdisciplinary activity in which students investigate the physical size of the Roman Empire. (MKR)

Describes two problem-solving videodisc adventure stories related to geometry and reports reactions of (n=25) teachers and their students who used the adventures. Results found teachers and students had increased knowledge of ways to apply geometry. (12 references) (MKR)

Discusses the fraction knowledge contained in the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus from ancient Egypt and presents a worksheet to explore these ideas. (MKR)