EMTH 215-040 Winter 2006 Course Schedule

Winter 2006

EMTH 215-040

1:00-2:50 Tuesdays and Thursdays

Tentative Schedule

Date

Course Content

Assignments Due/Questions to Think About

Chapter/Additional Readings/References

Jan. 5
Introduction

Introductions
Story/discussion
Course outline/discussion
Textbook walkthrough
Curriculum walkthrough
Online mathematics resources
What is problem solving?

Jan. 10
Problem Solving

Overview of problem solving, types of problems, strategies for problem solving, and teaching with a problem solving orientation.

In class we will explore different types of problems, actually DO some of the problems, and discuss HOW we solved the problems.

Solving problems (for our own pleasure)
Mathemagic
Creating and posting problems--for others to solve

We will visit some websites that contain problems that could be used with young children.

In class we will share the books you bring, consider the problems in the stories, and write a problem statement that can be answered by reading the story.

Exit question on problem solving.

What does it mean to have a problem-solving focus or a problem-solving orientation to teaching?

Read the section of the Elementary Curriulum Guide that discusses problem solvin
Read the section of your text (chapter 3) that discusses problem solving, reasoning, communicating, and connecting (ALL of chapter 3)
Read some notes I have preapred for chapter 3 and some other notes I have prepared on problem solving.
Each group of 3 or 4 students should bring one book that is a story-problem that young children would enjoy and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level.
Be prepared to discuss aspects of your story with others and also be prepared to demonstrate and share the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.

Jan. 12 Information on assignment 4.1 and 4.2

Thinking about how to assess problem solving.

During this class, your Ed Psych class, and your EPS class you will be doing a lot of thinking about assessment. Why do we assess, what are we assessing, who is doing the assessment, what form will the assessment take, how do we record and maintain a record of assessment information, and who gets to see this information?
Exit question on assessment of problem solving.

Read your text, pages 23-27 and page 174, read your EPS text, pages 293-301.
Each group of 3-4 students should come prepared to share with the class one website that shows examples of good problems for young children or problem solving assessment ideas or strategies. Be prepared to say why your site is a GOOD one.

Jan. 17 Today in class we will think about the children we will work with next week at Sacred Heart School and start to plan activities that will engage them in problem solving. You will have more time on January 19th to continue with your planning.

Jan. 19 Today you will have 'free' time to prepare for January 24th. I have a conference Jan.19-21 (on campus) and will be in and out of the math lab. Please feel free to come to the lab to prepare any materials that you may need for January 24th.

Jan. 24 Sacred Heart School visit. Please come early to begin working with the children at 1 p.m. School goes until 3 p.m. after which we will stay and talk with the teachers until about 4 p.m.

Jan. 26 Debriefing the school experience--what did you learn?

Jan 31
Early Number Concepts and Activities

Montessori
Montessori worksheet
Montessori and math site
Working with junk--> Pre-Number concepts & activities
designing a math lesson for Pre-K/K

Exit questions on Montessori and on early number.

What are pre-number concepts and why are they important?

Read one article or book chapter about Montessori or interview someone who is familiar with Montessori. Come to class ready to share/discuss some of the contributions that Montessori has made to (mathematics) education.

Some pre-number sites to explore:

Early Childhood Mathematics: Promoting Good Beginnings

http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions/psmath.asp

Regina Board of Education--Marnie McMillan

http://web.rbe.sk.ca/support/primary.html#4

The Global Classroom

http://www.globalclassroom.org/ecell00/javamath.html

Math Advantage

http://www.hbschool.com/menus/math_advantage.html

Teaching and Learning Resources

http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/funmaths.shtml

Interactive skill-based curriculum activities

http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/sbeck/interactive_curriculum_sites.htm

Interactive websites for Primary Grades

http://www.suelebeau.com/priminteractive.htm

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives

http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/grade_g_1.html

NCTM Illuminations Site

http://illuminations.nctm.org/

Feb. 2
Mathematics Their Way

Workjobs and other ideas from Mathematics Their Way and the Centre for Innovation store
Other great math books
organizing/managing a mathematics resource-rich classroom
activity centres based on MTW concepts
designing mathematics activities for young children based on MTW concepts
Assignment 4.1 due today (20%)--Mathematical Assessment

Assignment 4.2 due today (30%)--problem solving activities

Feb. 28
Chapter 4 -- Numbers and Operations

See NCTM website at http://www.nctm.org/

Especially visit the link to the NCTM Standards

Standards website
http://standards.nctm.org/
document/chapter4/index.htm

activity centres based on Numbers and Operations concepts
designing mathematics activities for young children based on Numbers and Operations concepts

Exit question on chapter 4.

Read chapter 4 of your text.
Read chapter 4 notes
Each group of 3-4 students should bring to class one children's book that relates to numbers and operations and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level.
Be prepared to read your story to others and also be prepared to demonstrate and discuss the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.

March 2
Chapter 5 -- Patterns, Functions and Algebra

See NCTM Standards website
http://standards.nctm.org/
document/chapter4/index.htm

activity centres based on Patterns, Functions and Algebra concepts
designing mathematics activities for young children based on Patterns, Functions and Algebra concepts

Exit question on chapter 5.

Why is an understanding of pattern so important in knowing mathematics?

Read chapter 5 of your text.
read some notes for chapter 5.
Each group of 3-4 students should bring to class one children's book that relates to patterns, functions, and algebra and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level.
Be prepared to discuss aspects of your story with others and also be prepared to demonstrate and share the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.

March 7
Chapter 6 -- Geometry and Spatial Sense

See NCTM Standards website
http://standards.nctm.org/
document/chapter4/index.htm

activity centres based on Geometry and Spatial Sense concepts
designing mathematics activities for young children based on Geometry and Spatial Sense concepts

What is 'spatial sense?'

Read chapter 6 of your text.
Read some notes I have prepared for a K-5 text I use with the Elementary students.
Each group of 3-4 students should bring to class one children's book that relates to problem solving and to geometry and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level.
Be prepared to discuss aspects of your story with others and also be prepared to demonstrate and share the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.

March 9 Geometry continued--fun with i-books, the Internet and interactive online geometry learning objects, and geometry manipulatives.

March 23
Chapter 8 -- Data Analysis and Probability

See Standards website
http://standards.nctm.org/
document/chapter4/index.htm

activity centres based on Data Analysis and Probability concepts
designing mathematics activities for young children based on Data Analysis and Probability concepts

Read chapter 8 of your text.

Read extra notes on graphing from the elementary text.

March 28 Preparing for the Math Fair: backdrops, banners etc Exit questions on chapters 6 and 8.

March 30 Preparing for the Math Fair: backdrops, banners etc

April 4 Math Fair for Sacred Heart students at the U of R

April 6 Fractions (Rational Numbers)

This is special work that I will prepare for you. It is not in your textbook. Come to class prepared to engage in exciting mathematical activity. What is meant by a "fair share?"

I have made available to you some notes on fractions from the elementary text and class activities.

Reflection take-home activity

April 11 Last day of class--pot luck lunch at Vi's place Assignment 4.3 due today (30%)--Interactive Activities

Date	Course Content	Assignments Due/Questions to Think About Chapter/Additional Readings/References
Jan. 5	Introduction Introductions Story/discussion Course outline/discussion Textbook walkthrough Curriculum walkthrough Online mathematics resources What is problem solving?
Jan. 10	Problem Solving Overview of problem solving, types of problems, strategies for problem solving, and teaching with a problem solving orientation. In class we will explore different types of problems, actually DO some of the problems, and discuss HOW we solved the problems. Solving problems (for our own pleasure) Mathemagic Creating and posting problems--for others to solve We will visit some websites that contain problems that could be used with young children. In class we will share the books you bring, consider the problems in the stories, and write a problem statement that can be answered by reading the story.	Exit question on problem solving. *What does it mean to have a problem-solving focus or a problem-solving orientation to teaching?* Read the section of the Elementary Curriulum Guide that discusses problem solvin Read the section of your text (chapter 3) that discusses problem solving, reasoning, communicating, and connecting (ALL of chapter 3) Read some notes I have preapred for chapter 3 and some other notes I have prepared on problem solving. Each group of 3 or 4 students should bring one book that is a story-problem that young children would enjoy and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level. Be prepared to discuss aspects of your story with others and also be prepared to demonstrate and share the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.
Jan. 12	Information on assignment 4.1 and 4.2 Thinking about how to assess problem solving. During this class, your Ed Psych class, and your EPS class you will be doing a lot of thinking about assessment. Why do we assess, what are we assessing, who is doing the assessment, what form will the assessment take, how do we record and maintain a record of assessment information, and who gets to see this information?	Exit question on assessment of problem solving. Read your text, pages 23-27 and page 174, read your EPS text, pages 293-301. Each group of 3-4 students should come prepared to share with the class one website that shows examples of good problems for young children or problem solving assessment ideas or strategies. Be prepared to say why your site is a GOOD one.
Jan. 17	Today in class we will think about the children we will work with next week at Sacred Heart School and start to plan activities that will engage them in problem solving. You will have more time on January 19th to continue with your planning.
Jan. 19	Today you will have 'free' time to prepare for January 24th. I have a conference Jan.19-21 (on campus) and will be in and out of the math lab. Please feel free to come to the lab to prepare any materials that you may need for January 24th.
Jan. 24	Sacred Heart School visit. Please come early to begin working with the children at 1 p.m. School goes until 3 p.m. after which we will stay and talk with the teachers until about 4 p.m.
Jan. 26	Debriefing the school experience--what did you learn?
Jan 31	Early Number Concepts and Activities Montessori Montessori worksheet Montessori and math site Working with junk--> Pre-Number concepts & activities designing a math lesson for Pre-K/K	Exit questions on Montessori and on early number. *What are pre-number concepts and why are they important?* Read one article or book chapter about Montessori or interview someone who is familiar with Montessori. Come to class ready to share/discuss some of the contributions that Montessori has made to (mathematics) education. Some pre-number sites to explore: Early Childhood Mathematics: Promoting Good Beginnings http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions/psmath.asp Regina Board of Education--Marnie McMillan http://web.rbe.sk.ca/support/primary.html#4 The Global Classroom http://www.globalclassroom.org/ecell00/javamath.html Math Advantage http://www.hbschool.com/menus/math_advantage.html Teaching and Learning Resources http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/funmaths.shtml Interactive skill-based curriculum activities http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/sbeck/interactive_curriculum_sites.htm Interactive websites for Primary Grades http://www.suelebeau.com/priminteractive.htm National Library of Virtual Manipulatives http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/grade_g_1.html NCTM Illuminations Site http://illuminations.nctm.org/
Feb. 2	Mathematics Their Way Workjobs and other ideas from Mathematics Their Way and the Centre for Innovation store Other great math books organizing/managing a mathematics resource-rich classroom activity centres based on MTW concepts designing mathematics activities for young children based on MTW concepts	Assignment 4.1 due today (20%)--Mathematical Assessment Assignment 4.2 due today (30%)--problem solving activities
Feb. 28	Chapter 4 -- Numbers and Operations See NCTM website at http://www.nctm.org/ Especially visit the link to the NCTM Standards Standards website http://standards.nctm.org/ document/chapter4/index.htm activity centres based on Numbers and Operations concepts designing mathematics activities for young children based on Numbers and Operations concepts	Exit question on chapter 4. Read chapter 4 of your text. Read chapter 4 notes Each group of 3-4 students should bring to class one children's book that relates to numbers and operations and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level. Be prepared to read your story to others and also be prepared to demonstrate and discuss the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.
March 2	Chapter 5 -- Patterns, Functions and Algebra See NCTM Standards website http://standards.nctm.org/ document/chapter4/index.htm activity centres based on Patterns, Functions and Algebra concepts designing mathematics activities for young children based on Patterns, Functions and Algebra concepts	Exit question on chapter 5. Why is an understanding of pattern so important in knowing mathematics? Read chapter 5 of your text. read some notes for chapter 5. Each group of 3-4 students should bring to class one children's book that relates to patterns, functions, and algebra and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level. Be prepared to discuss aspects of your story with others and also be prepared to demonstrate and share the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.
March 7	Chapter 6 -- Geometry and Spatial Sense See NCTM Standards website http://standards.nctm.org/ document/chapter4/index.htm activity centres based on Geometry and Spatial Sense concepts designing mathematics activities for young children based on Geometry and Spatial Sense concepts	*What is 'spatial sense?'* Read chapter 6 of your text. Read some notes I have prepared for a K-5 text I use with the Elementary students. Each group of 3-4 students should bring to class one children's book that relates to problem solving and to geometry and that addresses mathematics at an Early Childhood level. Be prepared to discuss aspects of your story with others and also be prepared to demonstrate and share the mathematics of your story and how you would use this story to engage young children in learning mathematics.
March 9	Geometry continued--fun with i-books, the Internet and interactive online geometry learning objects, and geometry manipulatives.
March 23	Chapter 8 -- Data Analysis and Probability See Standards website http://standards.nctm.org/ document/chapter4/index.htm activity centres based on Data Analysis and Probability concepts designing mathematics activities for young children based on Data Analysis and Probability concepts	Read chapter 8 of your text. Read extra notes on graphing from the elementary text.
March 28	Preparing for the Math Fair: backdrops, banners etc	Exit questions on chapters 6 and 8.
March 30	Preparing for the Math Fair: backdrops, banners etc
April 4	Math Fair for Sacred Heart students at the U of R
April 6	Fractions (Rational Numbers) This is special work that I will prepare for you. It is not in your textbook. Come to class prepared to engage in exciting mathematical activity.	What is meant by a "fair share?" I have made available to you some notes on fractions from the elementary text and class activities. Reflection take-home activity
April 11	Last day of class--pot luck lunch at Vi's place	Assignment 4.3 due today (30%)--Interactive Activities