Section 40 Math Inquiry Questions for NCTM, October 17, 2002
Here are some Mega Math Sites to use to begin your search:
I've been going through the NCTM website < http://www.nctm.org >
looking for references to the Standards (there's a lot of good stuff at this site) and I came across another wonderful
site within NCTM.
It's the Illuminations site and it has lots of examples of activities for just about everything you could wish
to teach in mathematics. I suggest you explore the site. http://illuminations.nctm.org/index2.html
There's stuff on roller coasters, combinations, ...
Another great mega site is Math Forum found at http://www.mathforum.org and
the Pac Bell site at http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/
Don't forget our own Math Central at http://mathcentral.uregina.ca and our very own mathed searchable database at http://dev.www.uregina.ca/mathed
Object factory at
http://www.schoolnet.ca/vp-pv/amof/index.html
NCTM and NCMT Illuminations, Math Forum, Math Central, the Mathed database, and Pac Bell and general searches on Google < http://www.google.ca > should provide you with a lot of information. You still may need the odd article or book or library reference help.
Some other great mega sites are:
Mathematics and Computer Science Hotlist at http://sln.fi.edu/tfi/hotlists/math.html
Websites for Little People--all subjects at http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listprimaryjm.html
Math Forum links at http://mathforum.org/library/levels/p/ for Pre-K-grade 2 and http://mathforum.org/library/levels/elem1/ for grades 3-5 and a general link for primary children at http://mathforum.org/varnelle/index.html
To help you locate some resources for your questions I have basically explored the above sites. As I have time
I will continue to do this, but you also need to do some exploring. Don't rely on me to find all your resources
for you.
Here's an interesting site for children--and for all of us. http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!/
Another large site that seems to have potential for a number of your questions is Math Cats at http://www.mathcats.com/
Also, don't forget the Eric Database for journal articles and online fulltext articles. Go to http://ericir.syr.edu/Eric/
and enter your search item to get some journal article titles.
Please carefully check the following chart. I am preparing a master chart for the conference -- that I wll pass
out to the teachers -- and I want to be sure that I have your questions worded correctly. Also, please write in
any websites or books/articles etc that you have found for your question. If there isn't enough room below please
write them on scrap paper (with group #) and give them to Beth with this chart.
The math lab will be open from 1:00 - 2:30 on Thursday Oct. 10 for you to work on your projects. I can also be
here on Thursday evening for anyone who wants to work late (from 6 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.). Other times can probably
be arranged.
| Gp # | Names | Math Inquiry Question | Materials Needed | Resources |
| 1 | Jen Beattie and Nicole Welder | How can cryptograms make children into mathematical thinkers? | http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/pro/rich.html | |
| 2 | Trisha Bennett and Brandy Knourek | Stonehenge in the Mathematics Realm | http://www.geocities.com/tmwfl/ http://www.christiaan.com/stonehenge/ http://witcombe.sbc.edu/earthmysteries/EMStonehenge-aerial.html |
|
| 3 | Sandra Bratkoski and Jillian Logel | What is the mathematics involved in building bridges? | ||
| 4 | Trina Delanoy and Kristin Uzelman | What mathematical concepts are involved in magic? | http://www.grand-illusions.com/ http://www.cs.brown.edu/stc/outrea/greenhouse/nursery/optical_illusions/home.html |
|
| 5 | Dennie Fornwald and Lydia Gee | How does our calendar system work? How did we get the system we have? | ||
| 6 | Jennifer Green and Chantal Kress | How can smarties be used to teach graphing and estimation concepts? | ||
| 7 | Kim Hornung and Lisa Morgan | How do people of different professions use mathematics in their daily lives? | ||
| 8 | Erin Mazenc and Wendy Olson | How is Fibonacci represented in music? | http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fibnat.html http://www.schoolnet.ca/vp-pv/amof/e_fiboI.htm http://www.btinternet.com/~se16/hgb/optical.htm |
|
| 9 | Melissa McCartney and Jaye Smith | What is ethnomathematics? How can we incorporate other cultures' mathematics into our classroom? | ||
| 10 | Karen Miller and David Smith | How does a computer perform an operation? | ||
| 11 | Tammy Neufeld and Lindsay Wentzell | How do thermometers work and how do they apply to mathematics? | http://www.astro.uu.se/history/celsius_scale.html http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blthermometer.htm |
|
| 12 | Courtney Nicolson and Melina Reich | Ever wonder about ... Tessellations--an invitation to math? |
http://www.sandlotscience.com/ http://dogfeathers.com/java/spirals.html http://www.grand-illusions.com/ http://www.cs.brown.edu/stc/outrea/greenhouse/nursery/optical_illusions/home.html http://www.btinternet.com/~se16/hgb/optical.htm |
|
| 13 | Danielle Ozirny and Angela Sparks | What mathematical patterns can be found in indigenous art? | ||
| 14 | Cassandra Smith and Beckie Young | How is math related to the arch shape? |
If you wish to change your questions please let me know as soon as possible. Be thinking of what materials you
need to (A) design and develop your backdrop, and (B) design and develop your hands-on activity.
The math lab has a good supply of materials. However, if you require special materials that we do not have I need
to know in advance so that I can purchase them for you.
The large cardboard backdrops-which get "bent" into trifolds-are located in room 323. Let me know when
you are ready for them. If you need to laminate please let me know in advance. A student in section 40 is in charge
of the materials lab and the lab is open for laminating on certain evenings. Any laminating that you do for this
project will be paid for by the math subject area.
Please complete the above chart for your question. Please send it back to me with the completed information. You
are getting this in hard copy format and also on WebCT mail so please respond in whatever format you wish.
As I come across resources that I think "fit" your question I will post them under resources in the above chart beside your question. If you find resources that fit your question or someone else's question please let me know and I will post them above in the appropriate boxes.