Task Centre News April 2010

477 tasks placed in schools during March. 322,437 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: Mathematics Centre New-look Maths300 New Task Professional Development Griffith High School Changes to TC Site Fibonacci on YouTube Tasks of the Month Task 120, Nim Task 122, Football Ladder Task 123, Bob's Buttons MOTM Reminder

• Mathematics Centre

  Mathematics Centre is here!

  Your world of alternatives to text-based learning which is built around the attitude that all students can learn to work like a mathematician in happy, healthy, cheerful, productive, inspiring classrooms.

  Mathematics Centre is your gateway to this world. It is designed to help you navigate more swiftly and efficiently all the areas you already know on our sites and explore more readily that which you have yet to discover.

  Please visit the link below and make it a favourite.

  I have found it useful to create a Mathematics Centre folder on my favourites bar and within it include links to my most commonly used parts of the site. It's all ready to go right now, but over time you will notice consequent small redesigning of familiar parts to improve cohesion and navigation even further. The plan is to make these changes as seamlessly and unobtrusively as possible.

• New-look Maths300
  Two years of background work by Curriculum Corporation (recently renamed Education Services Australia) has finally been realised. On April 6th ESA released the new-look, edited and reconstructed Maths300 site ready, willing and able to support mathematics teachers at all levels for its second decade.

  Please visit and explore.

  Every piece of content you know and love is there and new material has begun to flow again. Maths300 is now in the hands of ESA completely with Charles and myself as contracted supporters. Please feedback to ESA through the 'Contact Us' link on site to congratulate them or guide them in tidying up any little problems you discover.

• New Task
  Less Than Fractions, Task 240, helps to develop concepts about the order and size of fractions by challenging students to use a limited number of digits (1 to 9) as the numerator or denominator to make a fraction less than 1. There are 36 possible answers to this challenge, which is then extended by suggesting students to use the digits to make two fractions whose sum is less than one.

  The task is suitable for Years 4 to 10 and can be used to enhance Maths With Attitude Number & Computation kits in Years 5/6 and Years 9/10.

• Professional Development: Griffith High School
  At the end of 2009, staff at Griffith High School, New South Wales, moved forward with their plans to develop a Working Mathematically curriculum through a Working Mathematically Curriculum Pack workshop day with an added Discussion Lesson day. Read a little of their story in the Link List below.

• Changes to TC Site
  A consequence of last month's release of Working Mathematically with Infants is that we have been able to upgrade parts of our sites to better cater for teachers of Years K - 2. There have been a few small changes, but the major one is in the section titled Tasks for Infants. See the Link List below.

  Thanks to teachers, Francesca Lyon, Bushfield School, UK, and Clare Malone, Alsager School, Cheshire, UK, there have also been changes to the Task Cameos for Task 2, Cars in a Garage, and Task 12, Matching Cards. See the Task Cameo Library in the Link List below.

• Fibonacci on YouTube
  Pam McGifford, Tasmania, sent an email containing a link ... and an apology because she doesn't usually send these things on. I am so glad she did. The animation you will find at the link in the Link List below is stunning, and only one of several captivating short videos at the site. You will be able to use this as a teaching tool - no words but so many questions!

• Tasks of the Month
  Three new cameos this month.
  • Nim is a game involving a little number fact work and a lot of reasoning. The challenge is to find winning positions.
  • Football Ladder motivates students through their interest in sport. It offers clues to the teams positions on the ladder after a certain round and challenges students to recreate the ladder positions.
  • Bob's Buttons seems to be a closed exercise at first, but there are clues on the card that suggest there is more than one solution. The search for these multiple solutions becomes the exciting part of the task.
      
  
  Click a photo to access its cameo, or access all current cameos through the Link List below.

• MOTM Reminder
  Just a reminder to Victorian teachers that Critical Agendas is hosting the delivery of several Maths on the Move workshops around Melbourne during May. The programme is:
  • May 10 ... Sunshine Convention Centre
         Working Mathematically with Very Little
  • May 14 ... The Buckingham International, Highett
         Working Mathematically in Chance & Measurement
  • May 17 ... Overnewton Castle Conference Centre
         Working Like a Mathematician
  • May 18 ... Overnewton Castle Conference Centre
         Multiplication, Meaning & Times Tables
  • May 19 ... Overnewton Castle Conference Centre
         Fractions in a Fraction of the Time

  Different titles, different content, but all within one framework:

  All children can learn to work like a mathematician in happy, healthy, cheerful, productive, inspiring classrooms.

  Choose one session, some sessions or all sessions. Sessions are limited to workshop size, so first in best dressed. May is not that far away, so this is not an opportunity to put off until later.

  All bookings are being handled by Critical Agendas as explained in the PDF fliers linked below.

• Link List
  • Mathematics Centre ... visit & bookmark
  • New-look Maths300 or link from Mathematics Centre ... visit & bookmark
  • Professional Development at Griffith High School
  • Tasks for Infants
  • Fibonacci on YouTube
  • MOTM Workshops May 10 & 14 ... Flier (PDF)
  • MOTM Workshops May 17 - 19 ... Flier (PDF)
  • These workshop are also recorded in the Maths on the Move 2010 MOTM Courses list
  • Task Cameo Library (114 tasks listed)

• Did you miss March?
  If so you missed information about:
  1. Maths on the Move in Melbourne
  2. Release of Working Mathematically with Infants
  3. PD in Pakenham
  4. Iceberg Information about three Tasks of the Month (Tasks 114, 117, 119)
  5. ...and more...

Keep smiling,
Doug.

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