The study of functions has traditionally received the most attention at the secondary level, both in curricula and in standards documents--for example, the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSI 2010) and "Principles and Standards for School Mathematics" (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM] 2000). However, the…

In 2000, the "National Council of Teachers of Mathematics" recommended that Algebra Standards, "instructional programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 should enable all students to use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships." In this article, the authors suggest the "Balance"…

Since 2001, the authors have been working with groups of teachers to investigate students' early algebraic thinking--learning representations, connections, and generalizations in the elementary school grades. They began paying attention to students' explicit remarks about regularities in the number system or what students imply by their…

A whimsical mathematics event for children and adults, derived from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, was held at the Providence Children's Museum in Rhode Island. NCTM's Standards were the basis of all the activities. (Contains 10 figures and 1 table.)

Invites students to try magic-number tricks and discover how and why they work. (Author)

Explains how number work in elementary school can be extended to prepare students for algebra. Suggests some practical strategies that focus on five aspects of number knowledge essential for algebra learning. (ASK)

Describes an activity in which students roll balls down a ramp to measure the distance rolled under varying conditions. (Author/YDS)

Investigates and explores questions and activities related to using a calendar. Students explore number sense and operations, logical reasoning, data analysis, probability, and algebra. (Author/NB)

Investigates and explores questions and activities on pets. Students explore number sense and operations, logical reasoning, data analysis, and algebra. (Author/NB)

Investigates problems called "cranium crackers" and focuses on number sense, logical reasoning, data analysis, geometry, measurement, and algebraic thinking. (Author/NB)

Investigates ways to analyze change in various contexts. Focuses on computer technology providing contexts for children's investigations of patterns of change and helping to develop foundational ideas of algebra and calculus. Discusses relationships between patterns of change, fundamental algebraic notions as linear and nonlinear functions, and…

Illustrates how many key algebraic concepts can be informally developed within the number and operations strand taught in the primary grades. Discusses expressions and equations, properties and conventions, relationships between operations, and variables from this perspective. (ASK)

Explores algebraic thinking as children search for patterns while collecting, organizing, and graphing data and as they derive equations describing relationships found in the data. (ASK)

Uses three computer software programs to help students develop algebraic reasoning. Programs include spreadsheets, Logo programming language, and Teasers by Tobbs. (ASK)

Investigates different approaches of students from different cultures to problems and problem-solving strategies. Suggests ways to encourage students to use algebraic strategies. Provides some action research ideas for teachers to try in their classrooms. Contains 11 references. (ASK)