Task Centre News

June 2006

• Learning to Problem Solve
  My third year BEds have had to put together a 'Problem Box' for an assignment. The photo shows some of these - I can barely get into my office. Many of them are based on tasks - Dominoes, Monkeys & Bananas, Farmyard Friends, Eric the Sheep, Line Up and many others. The $2 shop got a workout as students got together materials to help solve the problems. I was delighted with the result even if I spent all weekend marking them!
  Cheers
  Rosemary Callingham, University of New England, NSW

• Tasks of the Month
  Same Or Different can be tackled empirically by a wide range of students, but it has an amazing 'sting in its tail' when tackled theoretically because this chance activity is governed by a predictable algebraic relationship. Cookie Count is a very practical context for extending the concept of equal shares from wholes into parts, ie: fractions.     

  Read about these Tasks of the Month in Task Cameos in the Iceberg Information link on the left, or click on a photo to go straight to printable information about the task.

  Also this month we have added new information to every cameo to indicate the Year levels at which the task has been used.

  In another Cameo development, photos of students struggling with Task 3, Doug's Tablecloth have been added to the information about this task. Thanks Helen:

  I have just had two classes in the morning and we have now re-worked the question, focussing on getting one side to 9cm. Many of the boys came up with the correct folds and a tablecloth measuring 9 x 12. I have also taken photos of several groups - there was no shortage of keen models.

• Price List Changes
  Just a couple of small ones. Maths300 annual renewal fee goes up to $160 from $145 from July 1st. For schools of 50 or fewer students the new figure will be $80. Also the Sampler Kit has been discontinued. All appropriate listings on the site have changed and if you want printable versions see the Resources link on the left.

• July MOTM
  Victorian teachers please be aware that three sessions of the Maths on the Move program titled Assessment, Recording & Reporting in Mathematics have been added to the appointments in the link on the left. These sessions are in the Loddon-Campaspe region at Swan Hill, Bendigo and Kyneton on July 5 - 7 respectively. There are no places left in Bendigo, but if you rang the organiser, Neville Davies, immediately on 0429 424 070 you may be able to secure a place.

• Another Decorated Sphinx
  Wade High School has presented us with another decorated Sphinx. Look in Sphinx Album/Decorated Sphinxes on the left and scroll down the page to see the contribution from Sandra Bell's classroom.

• Did you miss the May News?
  If so you missed information about:
  1. Comparing a task library with a book library
  2. Iceberg Information about two Tasks of the Month
  3. New Maths on the Move sessions
  4. Extra information added to Task 9, Row Points, in Poly Plug & Tasks
  5. ... and more

Keep smiling,
Doug.

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