Arithmetic Teacher articles from December 1993

Arithmetic Teacher archives from December 1993

My turn: a talk with the Logo Turtle. (software development company) (Interview)
December 1, 1993... What might be the role of using Logo in mathematics education, given the information in the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards (NCTM 1989) and the appearance of numerous new software packages? A recent rare interview with the Logo turtle may...

Mean or meaningless? (understanding the meaning of arithmetic mean) (Cover Story)
December 1, 1993... The arithmetic mean is not really mean to students; the mean is merely meaningless to students if they really do not understand what the mean really means. Confused and tongue-tied? Read on and see what the authors did with a group of fifth...

Primary arithmetic: children inventing their own procedures.
December 1, 1993... In an article that appeared in the Arithmetic Teacher, Madell (1985) described findings from a private school in New York City in which children were not taught any algorithms until the end of the third grade. Without algorithms, the children...

Loving mathematics. (mathematics club in a school to promote interest in mathematics)
December 1, 1993... Students in my fourth-grade class were having a frustrating time in mathematics. Since students of this age like clubs, I decided to start one in mathematics. Parts of the approach I used were reflected in "There Is a Mathematics Club in My...

Critical thinking: during the December holidays. (recreational mathematics during holidays)
December 1, 1993... In a conscious effort to make mathematics more open-ended and relevant and to dispel the myth that the discipline is a series of easily solved and discrete experiences, the curriculum has been reshaped in the author's school to allow for some...

Dealing with data and chance: an illustration from the middle school addendum to the standards.
December 1, 1993... Throughout life, people make decisions based on their own informal collection of data. For example, Alice has three convenient routes to her workplace. After a year of trials and experiences, Alice has settled on the route that she uses most...

Teaching and learning mathematics through classroom discussion.
December 1, 1993... Tien-Tien announced during the news of the day that her grandmother was coming for a visit. Her third-grade teacher later used this news to introduce the mathematics lesson as follows: `If Tien-Tien's grandmother leaves China tomorrow morning,...

Errata: A Book of Historical Errors.
December 1, 1993... As readers turn the pages of this book, they will find twelve scenes from great civilizations of the past. Each colorful illustration contains ten deliberate errors, or anachronisms, that readers must try to find. An answer key at the back of...

Talking Using Money and Making Change. (mathematics software) (Evaluation)
December 1, 1993... Talking Using Money and Making Change is a three-part program on three disks, which are loaded into one folder. Any of the parts can be run from one double click. "This program is designed to teach basic money and math skills to children in...

Kids Cook! Fabulous Food for the Whole Family.
December 1, 1993... The authors are both high school students who have written an informative cookbook for elementary school students. Over 150 recipes are given for breakfasts, lunches, salads, dinners, snacks, and desserts. The step-by-step instructions are easy...

Look Both Ways.
December 1, 1993... This other book in the I Love Math series focuses on mathematics in the city. Intended for children in the primary grades, it contains various stories and puzzles that highlight interesting shapes and patterns in city architecture. For...

The Math Teaching Handbook.
December 1, 1993... This 220-page spiral-bound book is addressed to tutors, parents, and teachers who wish to engage children in mathematical learning experiences consistent with the goals outlined in the NCTM's Curriculum and Evaluation Standards (1989). The...

Today's Mathematics: Concepts and Methods in Elementary School Mathematics.
December 1, 1993... The authors' purpose is to "aid the teacher in understanding mathematical concepts and relationships commonly found in elementary school programs. The text also assists the teacher in presenting these concepts to children..." (p. ix). The...

Multicultural Mathematics: Interdisciplinary Cooperative-Learning Activities.
December 1, 1993... This reproducible blackline-master book is organized in five chapters. The title mentions "interdisciplinary cooperative-learning activities," but the worksheets can be completed independently. The guide encourages students to work in pairs or...

Multiplication Tables.
December 1, 1993... If searching for a new and innovative approach to teaching multiplication facts, look no more. Multiplication Tables introduces the times tables by using whole-language, cooperative-learning, and interdisciplinary methods. Multiplication...