Complementing the aims of problem-based inquiry, a pedagogical approach called design thinking (DT) has students grapple with issues that require a creative redefinition and reimagining of solutions akin to professional skills of designers, who consider conflicting priorities and complex negotiations to arrive at a solution to an ill-defined…

Describes knowledge for teachers as curriculum designers and a framework for interdisciplinary unit development. Includes an example of the framework in action. (Author/MM)

Presents examples of how students can create drawings of sets of lines whose envelopes are parabolas, cardioids, epicycloids, or hypocycloids. Provides students with experience in problem solving, reasoning, communication, and connections between numbers and geometry, between mathematics and art, and between mathematics and other applications.…

Sources for everyday problems are suggested and examples from newspapers are given. Also included are a sample role-playing situation and six other suggested activities. (MK)

Describes an attempt to promote both mathematical and nonmathematical problem solving. Suggests that the goals for the average mathematics course need revision, in practice, or additional courses introduced, which will develop thinking ability as a primary objective. (EB)

The authors trace the growing concern over mathematics and its relationship to other disciplines in the curriculum of the secondary schools from the early 1960's. The case is then argued for a mathematics curriculum in which students become heavily involved in solving problems which are interdisciplinary and are real and of interest to them. (MN)

A list of five broad skill areas common to science and mathematics is presented and discussed. Also considered are the learning and teaching of basic skills. (MK)

Integrates mathematics and science by investigating the scientific application of the Polynomial Difference Theorem using data points from an experiment. Utilizes the different capabilities of the graphing calculator to investigate a problem whose solution is a second degree equation and makes connections between the mathematical concepts involved…

Described is an integrated science and mathematics activity which is an extension of the Elementary Science Study unit "The Clay Boat." Discussed are prerequisite skills, science and mathematics concepts covered, objectives, content background, materials, procedures, and evaluation for this activity. (CW)

An activity in which students establish criteria outlining what constitutes wasted paper, calculate averages, and compute the number of trees needed to produce a measured amount of wasted paper is described. The mathematics and science concepts, objectives, rationale, content overview, lesson outline, and extensions are included. (KR)

Discusses how actual or planned travel experiences can form the basis for constructing realistic, challenging, and interesting problem-solving tasks for classroom use. Provides examples of how teachers and students can create travel problems for use in the classroom. The travel-problem concept is adaptable to any elementary, secondary, or…

The two articles dealing with problem solving and technology in this publication should be useful to those developing the kinds of materials, experiences, and thinking that elementary school industrial arts offers children. The first article accepts problem solving as an educational goal and reports a timely and universally acceptable approach.…

Problems ask students to calculate the pressure against a billboard in high winds and the velocity of water flowing from a reservoir through a cylindrical pipe. Problem solutions incorporate computer tools such as spreadsheets. (MDH)