Task Centre News October 2007

1006 tasks placed in schools during September. 295,473 placed since the project began in July 1992. We offer an email news service from each of the three key projects linked to this site. If you would like to receive updates from the Task Centre Project, Maths300 or Calculating Changes send an email to doug@blackdouglas.com.au: In the subject line write Subscribe Maths. In the body of message state which projects you want to subscribe to, or simply write Subscribe All. Add your name and preferred email address. Please feel free to distribute this information.

In this month's News you will find: Sphinx Comes to Scotch College Tasks of the Month Task 50, Flight Departures Task 51, Staircase Tasks in Sweden

Sphinx Comes to Scotch College From the Link List below access Sphinx Comes to Scotch College. One of the most mathematically engaging activities that my students have been involved in. The enthusiasm to create a 642 Sphinx was infectious. Anna Casey, Year 6, Scotch College Junior School, South Australia.

• Tasks of the Month
  Two new cameos this month.
  • Flight Departures is one of a number of tasks that require reasoning from language clues to answer a question. As it stands, this is an easy version of this type of problem but what happens if...
  • Staircase engages students in building a visual pattern, and wherever there is a visual pattern, there will be an underlying number pattern. In this case, there are two levels of number pattern which makes the problem appropriate for primary and secondary students alike. The generalisation involved can be developed through visual or symbolic algebra.
      

  From the Link List below access Task Cameos, or click on a photo to go straight to printable information about the task.
  Add the printed files to your Cameo Collection. There is a cover page for your collection in Task Cameos.

• Tasks in Sweden

  In Sweden tasks are called Mattegömmor - a place where mathematics is hidden. Swedish teachers might have changed the name, but they haven't changed the tasks. They are used in English in Sweden, just as they are in Australia, Hong Kong, UK, USA, South Korea and other places, to help students learn to work like a mathematician. Try making that international connection through one text book.

  Photos are from Trädgårdsstadsskolan, Tullinge, near Stockholm. During a workshop for local teachers held at the school recently, Teresia Brzokoupil suggested a new iceberg question for Task 12, Matching Cards. See the link list below.

Task 17, Truth Tiles 2	Task 7, Consecutive Sums
Task 36, Making Triangles	The same Mattegömmor being investigated by teachers at an after school workshop.

Task 24, Squares Around Squares

• Link List
  
  • Sphinx Comes to Scotch College
  • Task Cameos
  • Task 12, Matching Cards

• Did you miss the August/September News?
  If so you missed information about:
  1. Lots of information about professional development programs and the changes in kids' learning that develops from them.
  2. Tasks at work in two schools.
  3. Upgrading task collections to Maths With Attitude.
  4. Iceberg Information about four Tasks of the Month (Tasks 46 - 49).
  5. ...and more.

Keep smiling,
Doug.

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