This article details a high school classroom activity in which algebra tiles are used to help students gain a conceptual understanding of completing the square. The activity utilises the eight elements of effective mathematics education suggested in the National Council of Teacher of Mathematics' (NCTM's) "Principles to action: Ensuring…

Mathematics can be conceptualized in different ways. Policy documents such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) (2000) and the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) (2010), classify mathematics in terms of mathematical content (e.g., quadratic functions, Pythagorean theorem) and mathematical activity in the form of…

Teachers know that Differentiated Instruction (DI) helps all students to learn. Yet DI challenges teachers, and nowhere more than in mathematics. In this new book, written specifically for secondary mathematics teachers, the authors cut through the difficulties with two powerful and universal strategies that teachers can use across all math…

Describes an activity on fractal geometry in which students built a 19-foot-tall Sierpinski pyramid in the Minneapolis Convention Center in conjunction with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics' (NCTM) 75th Annual Meeting in April, 1997. Contains 13 references. (ASK)

Algebra is no longer just for college-bound students. After a widespread push by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and teachers across the country, algebra is now a required part of most curricula. However, students' standardized test scores are not at the level they should be. NCTM's seventieth yearbook takes a look at the…

How is the president of the United States elected? Why is this the method used? Is this the best and most efficient way of electing the president of the United States? Questions such as these are well suited for a mathematics discussion that promotes numeracy, because, "notwithstanding the immense value of numeracy for education and vocation,…

This book is the third in a series of family math books whose aim is to involve parents and their children in middle school mathematics. All the activities contained in this guide are based on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards, and most activities involve several integrated math concepts rather than isolated skills.…

This document represents the next step by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) in its efforts to ensure quality, indicate goals, and promote positive change in mathematics education for grades pre-K-12. Following an introduction in Chapter 1, Chapter 2 elaborates on six guiding principles for school mathematics instructional…

Do your students think a triangle can be constructed from any three given line segments? Do they believe that a transformation affects only the pre-image--not the whole plane? Do they understand that examples--no matter how many they find--cannot prove a conjecture but one counterexample is sufficient to disprove it? "What tasks can you…

This book is the result of the collaborative effort of nine AYA National Board Certified Teachers in Mathematics. It represents a compilation of teacher-tested activities that prompt high school students to explore, conjecture and reflect on their mathematical adventures-- thus "experience mathematics." This edition will educate the teacher…

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in the teaching and learning of mathematics at all levels. This publication reports on overviews of research and findings on the impact of technology. It furnishes a context in which to observe teachers in prekindergarten through grade 12 and teacher educators using technology to help their…

Making connections becomes increasingly important as students proceed through middle school and high school. This book shows ways of embedding connective processes in instruction in grades 9-12. Problems invite mathematical modeling, unify diverse content, call for different representations, and encourage students to look back at their work to…