Task Centre News September 2008

1062 tasks placed in schools during August. 308,404 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: Puzzle Olympics Tasks of the Month Task 72, Farmyard Task 73, In The Bag Coming Home

Puzzle Olympics National Literacy & Numeracy week at the beginning of September led to several schools thinking about doing something special with their maths tasks. Three in particular, Beaufort and Trawalla Primary Schools and Castlemaine Secondary College, decided to use the Puzzle Olympics concept. As a result that section of the site has been updated with added resources and great photos. This is a very successful idea to keep in mind for a special occasion and much of the preparation has been done for you. Access through Maths Tasks/Integrating Tasks or directly through the links in the list below. Tasks of the Month Two new cameos this month. Farmyard is two spatial challenges using simple equipment. Students are asked to divide a certain block of land into identical parts. The second of the two challenges can take a while to think through, but the best part is yet to come. The task has a surprisingly deep and broad iceberg - just the way we like it. In The Bag develops spatial perception through kinaesthetic cues. It comes with multiple levels of difficulty built in and has a surprising iceberg that links to algebra through Task 65, Shape Algebra, and Task 71 Algebra Through Geometry.      Click a photo to access its cameo, or access all current cameos through the Link List below. Coming Home The work involved in migrating task centre material from the MAV site to the Mathematics Task Centre has continued this month. All files involved have been updated in the process so that content has been checked and the files have taken on the look and feel of their new home. Key changes this month have been a considerable rework of the Indigenous Students link, An American Experience added to the Research & Stories link and, very importantly, we now house the story of the development of the world's first task centre. See the Link List for details. Teachers of Indigenous Students should look in the link below especially for stories from Dominic Killalea & Karen Palmer, an article titled INISSS: An Elder's View and historic links to the Introduction: Northern Territory Kit, the Story of the Logo and involvement with Native American Students. Link List Puzzle Olympics Models & Structures for Integrating Tasks Task Cameos - a list of all currently available Indigenous Students An American Experience How Task Centres Began Research & Stories Did you miss the August News? If so you missed information about: Iceberg Information about two Tasks of the Month (Tasks 70 & 71) A revision of the Poster Problem Clinic link Updates to Enhancing Maths With Attitude and some Task Cameos News from Kingsbury Primary School ...and more Keep smiling, Doug. Previous News July 2008 May/June 2008 ... April 2008 ... March 2008 ... February 2008 ... Dec.2007/ Jan.2008 November 2007 ... October 2007 ... August/September 2007 ... July 2007 June 2007 ... May 2007 ... April 2007 ... March 2007 ... February 2007 ... Dec. 2006/ Jan. 2007 November 2006 ... October 2006 ... September 2006 ... August 2006 ... July 2006 June 2006 ... May 2006 ... April 2006 ... March 2006 ... February 2006 ... Dec. 2005/ Jan. 2006 November 2005 ... October 2005 ... September 2005 ... August 2005 ... July 2005 June 2005 ... May 2005 ... April 2005 ... March 2005 ... February 2005 ... Dec. 2004/ Jan. 2005 November 2004 ... October 2004 ... September 2004 ... August 2004 ... July 2004 June 2004 ... April/May 2004 ... March 2004 ... February 2004 December 2003 ... October 2003 ... August/September 2003 ... July 2003 June 2003 ... April/May 2003 ... March 2003 ... February 2003 ... January 2003 December 2002 ... November 2002 ... October 2002 ... September 2002 ... March 2002 December 2001 ... October 2001 Follow this link to Task Centre Home page.