The use of a contest to have pupils construct games that teach specific mathematical skills and facts is promoted. Results of a contest and several pupil-developed games are presented. (MP)

A method of teaching students how to recognize when zeros are necessary and when they may be omitted is presented. (MP)

Children and adolescents tested to determine the development of the operator construct of rational numbers employed different problem-solving strategies depending on test presentation. Three major phases in the rational number construct appear to be a primitive fractional construct, a unit operator phase, and a general operator phase. (SB)

The results of this study indicate no significant differences on two achievement tests and one aptitude test between calculator and non groups. Nevertheless, the investigator notes several advantages of using the calculator. (MK)

Examined role of linguistic demarcation of numerals on cognitive representations of numbers with Caucasian children, 5-7 years old. Theorized that the linguistic paradigm does not always support the idea that language affects number concepts and that children's performance is shaped by other constraints. Results suggest that the task reflects…

Presents an activity in which students were required to develop their own house plans, including finding the perimeter of the lot and house and calculating the total area of the house. (ASK)

Presents activities that demonstrate how technology can help students discover the mathematics in nature. Claims that these experiences can clarify students' vision of the symmetry of beauty that fills the world beyond the computer. Concludes that the use of flexible software tools helps students explore how a shape is affected when they change…

Describes an experimental study in which two sections of calculus were taught using the same materials, except one section was enhanced with the computer algebra system Mathematica. Results indicated that the students in the technology group had advantages to understanding certain key topics in calculus such as limits, derivatives, and curve…

Describes a nine-hour, three-sequence mathematics course in the elementary teacher certification program at Texas Tech University. Emphasizes the development, philosophy, design, and implementation of the sequence. Presents excerpts from the activities and group exercises outlined for the course. Contains 15 references. (Author/ASK)

Studied the development of third graders' spatial thinking during an instructional unit on area and motion. Found strong positive effects on the transformation of internalized images. Found initial gender differences in spatial thinking, but both boys and girls made substantial gains during instruction. Students applied a unitizing operation to…

Presents a numerical simulation of a simple food chain together with a set of mathematical rules generalizing the model to a food web of any complexity. Discusses some of the model's interesting features and its use by students. (Author/JRH)

Studied a model for integrating mathematical content and children's mathematical thinking earlier so that prospective mathematics teachers engage with children's thinking in their first mathematics course. Preliminary data from 47 preservice teachers indicate that the sophistication of students taught through this model increased more than the…

Suggests ways early years educators can begin teaching young children to think algebraically and prepare them for success in algebra. Focuses on ways to promote mathematical patterns, mathematical situations and structures, models of quantitative relationship, and change. Describes how first-graders used real object representations to better…

Discusses the differences between puzzles and mathematics questions. Argues that mathematics teachers need to be thoroughly grounded in the well-documented recreational side of mathematics and be encouraged to use it. (JRH)

Speculates on whether our knowledge of a mathematical topic is really the same as the knowledge of the topic held by our mathematical ancestors centuries ago. Provides specific examples of using the cultural context of mathematics as an instructional strategy. (DDR)