The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Curriculum and Evaluation Standards puts great stress on the mathematical processes of problem solving, communication, reasoning, and making connections. NCTM standards also emphasize new and emerging content areas for middle school students such as algebra, data analysis, and probability.…

Describes the use of data sets from ultraracing--foot races that are longer than a marathon--with second-year algebra students in data-analysis projects. (JRH)

Reports on a study in which three volunteer teachers helped design and then taught an experimental program of introductory differential calculus in which students had full access to calculators with a computer algebra system (CAS) in the classroom, at home, and during tests. Test scores indicated that the classes had learned similar amounts of…

Details the authors' investigation of journal writing in first-year algebra and unveils journal writing's connections with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics. (MKR)

Explores the ramifications of two three-year-long experiences with different pedagogical approaches to beginning algebra. Focuses on differences in the nature of subject matter understandings and explores the impact on the teacher to support students' classroom exploration of mathematical ideas. (Contains 58 references.) (Author/ASK)

Finds that students taking algebra-based introductory physics have difficulty with one- and two-body problems in particle mechanics. Provides graded exercises for drawing and utilizing free-body diagrams. (CCM)

Shares the experiences of intermediate algebra course instructors at a large urban community college in using a service-learning project to help students understand and appreciate the mathematics they were studying. (ASK)

This teacher's guide contains a collection of supplemental algebra activities adapted for secondary students who have disabilities and other students with diverse learning needs. It consists of alternative methods, materials, and activities that support strands, standards, and benchmarks found in Florida's Sunshine State Standards for mathematics.…

Explains the cooperative learning technique of jigsaw. Details the use of a jigsaw lesson for explaining complex numbers to intermediate algebra students. Includes copies of the handouts given to the expert groups. (Author/ASK)

Outlines efforts to create mathematics-related activities for freshman/sophomore level college algebra and statistics classes at Shippensburg (Pennsylvania) University. Shares some of the ways in which these activities were created and adapted. (ASK)

Discusses the rationale behind the technique of rationalizing the denominator in algebra. Argues that the importance of this technique is greatly exaggerated and is usually unnecessary. Examines an appropriate application of rationalizing the denominator. (ASK)

This book contains an interactive calculator and worksheet program designed to teach the graphing of some of the functions that appear in high school mathematics courses. The graphs of linear, exponential, and logarithmic functions are explored as well as other functions. Activities focus on the graph that appears as a standard part of algebra…

This study compared the effects of two different special educator roles within high school algebra classes containing special needs students. The special educator served as either in-room assistant or as co-teacher. The study was conducted for one chapter of algebra study over a 3-week period. No significant differences between groups were found…

An algebra class activity of creating computer graphics by connecting a series of ordered number pairs with subsequent investigations involving the transformations of the functional relationship between the elements of those ordered pairs is presented. (JJK)

This article describes the application of effective instructional practices to the teaching of remedial algebra with dyslexic students at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Project Success program. Practices involve direct instruction, stranded lesson designs, mastery learning, use of manipulative materials in problem solving, and training in…