Presents two seasonally related investigations involving arithmetic series to develop critical thinking: (1) the number of candles needed for the eight nights of Hanukkah, and (2) the number of presents given during "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Students also calculated the amount of money needed to buy all the presents. (MDH)

Describes Vygotsky's zones of proximal development, the importance of social interaction in learning through problem solving, and the benefits of modeling. Presents three implications for teaching and learning mathematics based on a teaching experiment focusing on these constructs. (MDH)

Examined the possibility of gender-by-content achievement differences in computer-based instruction (CBI) in mathematics and language arts. From a study of eighth-grade students (n=50), one of the findings was a significant three-way interaction between gender and ability from the pretest to the posttest in mathematics CBI but not in language arts…

Discussion of how visual analogies aid students' understanding of math and science focuses on new types of representations that use computers. Topics addressed include understanding and cognitive performance; the role of representations in understanding, including examples; evidence of instructional effectiveness of new representations; and…

Activities embedded within events in two math classes were examined to determine patterns that suggested the teacher's knowledge in one content area, mathematics. An external representation of the teacher's classroom "script" was constructed to illuminate the essential elements of the script and what connections existed within the script…

Benefits of using trade books in secondary mathematics and science are constructed knowledge, vicarious experiences of the science and mathematics process, positive attitudes toward science and mathematics, and higher levels of literacy. Includes samples of books and quotes. (56 references) (Author/MKR)

Provides secondary mathematics and science teachers with a variety of methods for incorporating trade books into instruction. Includes group problem solving, art projects, poem and song composition, drama, and character journal writing. Provides a list of 40 mathematical and science trade books. (26 references) (Author/MKR)

Presents eight activities that make mathematical connections across the curriculum and which help teachers learn how to design their own activities. (Author/MKR)

Describes a form of adaptive communication, referred to as single switch technology, as a method for assessing and developing mathematics skills of speech and motor disabled students. Provides a BASIC program to illustrate a basic single switch mathematics program. (MDH)

Presents measurement activities for K-3, 4-6, 5-6, and 7-8 grade levels. Activities include a measurement scavenger hunt, using a clinometer to measure angles of elevation, estimating the age of trees, measuring the height of a tree, and measuring objects at a distance. Includes reproducible worksheets. (MDH)

Analyzed students' reasoning with fractions. Found that skilled students applied strategies specifically tailored to restricted classes of fractions and produced reliable solutions with a minimum of computation effort. Results suggest that competent reasoning depends on a knowledge base that includes numerically specific and invented strategies,…

Describes a wide range of activities based on a grade-number theme of "two" in second grade, "three" in third grade, and "four" in fourth grade. (MKR/SW)

Twenty elementary teachers were supported in developing curriculum-based measurement and peer-mediated instruction to serve math students with learning disabilities (LD); 10 of the teachers also used decision rules and specialized adaptations when student progress was inadequate. Teachers implemented the specialized adaptation with respectable…

Tests of (n=105) ninth-grade algebra students involving the addition and multiplication of monomials found that common, systematic errors made when multiplying monomials were related logically to the symbolism used and the algebraic convention of using an implicit 1 as an exponent. (16 references) (MKR)

Explores ways to share mathematics both in and out of school and uses the newspaper as a vehicle for communicating ideas about mathematics. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)