This article describes how integrating children's literature in mathematics classrooms has proven to provide a common context that is suitable for problem solving and modeling that advances mathematical thinking and reasoning. The engaging task inspired by children's literature allowed this teacher to infuse science, engineering, technology, and…

We describe the components and implementation of an activity for multivariable calculus featuring applications to the field of chemistry. This activity focuses on the isobaric thermal expansion coefficient found using partial differentiation of the volume of an ideal gas with respect to temperature as pressure is held constant. Broader goals of…

There is a growing interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) units and projects in the early childhood and elementary years. There are many advantages of embedding math in STEM contexts and activities; it can be excellent for reinforcing math (as well as science, technology, and engineering) concepts and skills. However,…

This paper describes an interdisciplinary collaboration of faculty and students from chemistry and mathematics to develop and implement an activity showcasing the relevance of calculus in chemistry to first-semester calculus students. The activity focuses on using calculus optimization methods to maximize the ground-state radial probability…

Teachable moments are often thought of as serendipitous moments when children's ideas become visible and a teacher is able to take advantage of a specific idea to teach content (e.g., Glasswell and Parr 2009; Hyun and Marshall 2003; Virtue 2007). However, teachers cannot always wait for serendipity to create moments of authentic learning, which…

Too often, mathematics and science are taught in isolation from each other and from meaningful problems that matter to students. This book draws on the authors' experiences with teacher colleagues, including time spent in their classrooms co-developing and refining lessons. The core of their approach is to encourage learners to pursue solutions to…

With this paper, we share an activity for the undergraduate mathematics classroom called "The Harp Project" that leverages the aesthetic nature of both the mathematical and the musical arts. This project was conceived as a STEAM/PBL project with the added feature that it was carried out in pieces by an entire class. Anecdotal evidence…

In the seventeenth century, Guarino Guarini, mathematician and architect, affirmed that architecture, a discipline that primarily deals with measures, relies on geometry: therefore, the architect needs to know at least its basic principles. On behalf of Guarini's words, we designed a set of interdisciplinary teaching experiences, between…

In Easy as 1, 2, 3, authors Katherine B. Green and Jacqueline P. Towson share an approach for integrating early math concepts and shared book reading to support positive outcomes for young children, including those with disabilities. The timing of this article is perfect, as it coincides with the availability of additional free and readily…

Many students who enroll in a first course in linear algebra major in STEM disciplines other than mathematics. Teachers who serve such students may find it difficult to provide authentic problems from these broader areas that ignite students' interest in linear algebra. In this paper, we highlight an interdisciplinary learning activity that…

This article describes the authors' experiences developing and implementing an innovative curriculum connecting mathematics and the biological sciences. It describes the original plan, the modifications that were necessary, and some advice to readers who might want to develop comparable programs.

This article illustrates one of several learning sequences from the Interdisciplinary Mathematics and Science (IMS) Learning project, connecting science and mathematics learning in the primary school. Investigating Body Height involved a series of investigations conducted in Years 5 and 6 across six classes in one school. The project teachers…

The authors describe their approach to teaching a course on finite fields and combinatorial applications, including block designs and error-correcting codes, using a hybrid of lectures and active learning. Under the discussed classroom model, there are two lecture days and two discovery-based discussion days each week. Discussions center around…

Life is a set of relationships in which countless factors interact and go on together. Each of the interacting factors is handled and used as a different discipline when the time comes. Depending on the spirit of the times and the structure of societies, the importance of some discipline areas may change and their place in the agenda may decline.…

Transforming an observable phenomenon into a tractable model is a challenging process, from determining the appropriate modeling scale to making realistic simplifying assumptions. However, many modeling texts are anchored around problems that have already been synthesized into a digestible format, which inhibits an opportunity to engage students…