Task Centre News

October 2003

In this News you will find:

• Now Is The Right Time
  Maths300 membership and renewal prices will be rising on December 1st 2003.
  This rise also affects Task Centre resources which have a Maths300 component. Orders received between now and November 30th will be invoiced at the prices listed in the Resources link on the left.
  

  Please pass this information on to colleagues. There will be many who are applying for their 2004 budgets right now and may want to manipulate funding to take advantage of the current cheaper prices.

  From December 1st 2003 new Australian prices will be:

  	AUST
  Maths300 1st Year Membership	$495
  Maths300 Annual Renewal	$145
  Starting Maths300 (Membership & CD-ROM)	$533.50
  Starting Maths300 CD (Members only)	$38.50
  Starting Maths300 & Tasks	$929.50
  Working Mathematically Curriculum Pack (Australia only)	$2915

  The Starting Maths300 & Tasks price includes a discount on both tasks and Maths300 membership.
  The WM Curriculum Pack price includes a $50 discount on Maths300 membership.

  From December 1st 2003 new Overseas prices will be:

  	USA	UK	NZ	SWE
  Maths300	$US330	£200	$NZ560	SEK2600
  Renewal	$US100	£60	$NZ170	SEK750
  Starting M300	$US355	£220	$NZ630	SEK2800
  Members CD	$US40	£30	$NZ70	SEK330
  Starting M300/Tasks	$US675	£425	$NZ1210	SEK5300

• Task Centre Prices
  Prices for other Task Centre resources will NOT CHANGE IN AUSTRALIA, except for any extra manual beyond those included with various resources.
  From December 1st 2003, any extra manual will be $55.

  However, changes in postal charges, currency exchange and bank fees that are beyond our control will cause changes in some prices in some countries from December 1st 2003.

  From December 1st 2003 new Overseas prices will be:

  	USA	UK	NZ	SWE
  Task Kit (100)	$US1200	£730	$NZ2000	SEK9000
  Starter Kit (50)	$US600	£365	$NZ1000	SEK4500
  Tasks (each)	$US12	£7.30	$NZ20	SEK90
  Indigenous Kit	$US650	£395	$NZ1100	SEK4900
  Replacement Unit	$US295	£180	$NZ500	SEK2200
  Mixed Media Unit	$US250	£155	$NZ425	SEK1950
  Library Kit	$US295	£180	$NZ500	SEK2200
  Sampler Kit	$US150	£95	$NZ250	SEK1125
  Professor Morris	$US45	£30	$NZ75	SEK400
  Any Extra Manual	$US45	£30	$NZ75	SEK400
  Available to Maths300 members
  Maths With Attitude Kits	$US330	£210	$NZ580	SEK2650

For more detail about the contents of any resources, check the current list for your country in the Resources link on the left.
• Tasks, Tasks & More Tasks
  As at the end of September, just on 240,000 tasks had been placed in schools around the world since the project began in 1992. But none of them would have the two new tasks that have just been added to the list.
  • Task 112, Coloured Squares, can be used at all levels. It is an easy to set up spatial/logic task that has a very deep iceberg. There are even links to 4 x 4 Magic Squares.
  • Task 232, Dice Footy, is suitable for Years 2 - 8 and places number skill practice and data analysis in a game situation with a great multi-coloured board.
  You will find the complete task catalogue in the Documents link.

• Expanding The Services
  Several schools have taken advantage of the new service offered by Distribution Manager, Ina Koetsier. These schools have 'found a task centre in their storeroom' and realised that if they could get it back into order they could improve their curriculum. Getting it back into order is exactly the service Ina provides. See the heading Refreshing Your Task Centre in the Resources link on the left.

• Tweaking Folder
  This is a simple idea used by our teachers at Cobram Secondary College. It is a folder for ideas or things found to be trialled. After testing in the classroom the ideas are brought back to a meeting to share. For example I found a game of Fraction Dominoes. I trialled it in class and brought back what happened. When shown to others we can improve each others ideas. It's just like Show & Tell. All teachers have ideas - why not share!

  Nicole Owen, Cobram Secondary College

• Maths on the Move 2004
  Are you planning your professional development program for 2004? Take a look at the 11 full day programs in the Maths on the Move link. Perhaps we can support your state, district, cluster, school by jointly planning an on-going program.

• Growing Sphinxes
  Have you been following the Adventure of the Sphinx. It just grows and grows. It began with Task 166, Sphinx. Years ago it developed into the challenges on the Sphinx Site which illustrate how students at all levels can learn to work like a mathematician. Those challenges have been taken further by Amy and Emma who are recorded in the Sphinx Album link on the left. AND NOW, Chris Collett from Queensland has constructed what we believe to be the world's first Size 17 Sphinx. Check it out in the Sphinx Album.

• Did you miss the August/September News?
  If so you missed information about:
  1. the release of the Iceberg Information link on the left
  2. some great stories from your colleagues that arrived in the email.

Keep smiling,
Doug.

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