Presents a brief definition and examples of residue designs while sharing some of the algebraic thought that a student used to form generalizations about the patterns discovered during the investigations of residue designs. (ASK)

This proceedings contains 75 research reports, 8 discussion groups, 32 oral reports, and 28 poster presentation entries from the 1996 Annual Meeting of the American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. A one-page synopsis is included for discussion groups, oral reports, and poster presentations. Topic…

The theme of the material contained in this annotated resource list is the relationship between teaching and learning mathematics in the specific content area of graphing functions. The list contains 30 articles, papers, and unpublished manuscripts written from 1979 through 1989. The articles treat various aspects of concept formation,…

This document features the experiences of three science teachers who video and audiotaped classroom proceedings in order to go back over what was said in classroom events, to explore the intentions and ideas that were perhaps not fully understood at the time. Mary DiSchino, who teaches 3rd and 4th graders, teaches a science curriculum which she…

Presents three teaching ideas: (1) investigating patterns in the sum of four numbers in a square array, no two from the same column or row; (2) using three-dimensional coordinates to generate models of three tetrahedra; and (3) applying the K=rs area formula for a triangle to other polygons. (MDH)

Demonstrates how graphing calculators can be used by students to solve equations involving absolute value. Allows students to make connections between the algebraic and graphical representations of the problem. (MDH)

Presents a mathematics problem that provoked an excellent classroom discussion concerning the nature of numbers and their relationships. (MKR)

Presents an approach to the concept of absolute value that alleviates students' problems with the traditional definition and the use of logical connectives in solving related problems. Uses a model that maps numbers from a horizontal number line to a vertical ray originating from the origin. Provides examples solving absolute value equations and…

High school students (n=295) were administered variants of the student-professor problem to ascertain whether errors could be traced to implicit versus explicit relationships between the variables. Concludes that implicit variable relationship problems were harder than explicit variable relationship problems. A follow-up study to explore why is…

Clarifies the benefits of having students write about their understanding and dispositions toward mathematics. Discusses ways to manage journal writing and incorporate it into existing classes. Suggests 19 assignments students can respond to in their journals. (MDH)

Presents three hands-on, discovery geometry lessons based on the use of special pieces called Polydrons by a fifth-grade class to build and investigate special properties of polyhedra and to stimulate students to think geometrically. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)

Presents lesson plans for activities to introduce recursive sequences of polygons: golden triangles, regular pentagons, and pentagrams. The resulting number patterns involve Fibonacci sequences. Includes reproducible student worksheets. (MKR)

Presented are two ideas to improve instruction. The first celebrates the Christmas birthday of Isaac Newton with an essay assignment related to Newton and a party. The second suggests a more appropriate moment to introduce the technique of completing the square to promote greater flexibility in factoring problems. (MDH)

The first idea concerns a board game similar to tic-tac-toe in which the strategy involves the knowledge of the factorization of quadratic polynomials. The second game uses the calculation of the surface areas of solid figures applying the specific examples of cigar boxes and cylindrical tin cans. (JJK)

Presented is a set of mathematics problems associated with the characteristics, production, and consumption of chicken eggs. Student assignment sheets are included. (CW)