- Poly Plug Returns
The ship has docked, the container is unloaded, the raw material has been delivered and manufacturing has begun. Feel free to order Poly Plug again, just in time to plan their use for 2012. For example, both tasks listed below in the cameos can be converted to a whole class investigation using Poly Plug. See Link List below where you will also find that the Poly Plug activities, each with software support, that were recently added to NRICH have now been linked to their related Mathematics Centre activities.
- PD from MC 2012
All professional development from Mathematics Centre...
- ...involves practical hands on activity
 
- ...is constructed around working like a mathematician and teaching craft that fascinates, captivates and absorbs learners
- ...shares stories of success from classrooms
- ...draws from Calculating Changes, Mathematics Task Centre and Maths300
- ...relies on and develops the expertise and experience of participants
 
- ...offers programs at all levels including K - 2
- ...and is well received.
Comments from Recent Programs
Six Day Program
- [Change...] evidenced by the way children approach and complete tasks and activities ... enthusiastic, and getting more confident when explaining their findings and some are extending themselves.
- I am trying to include more 'hands on' at the beginning of all new topics. Student understanding of concepts seems to be quicker. Concepts make sense even to the slow or 'maths haters'. As each task is carried into a lesson, we have other teachers using the same method. They become confident and help perfect the lesson for the group. Next to make all tasks start off all topics.
- We are one of the schools that have located many of the task cards. We have now introduced them to all of our teachers on Stage 3 and have also programmed them into our teaching. We usually have a problem solving day on Fridays, but we have decided to explicitly teach the strategies for a 2 week block [instead]. This has been very successful and the children are very engaged.
- I have started allowing students to learn and discover concepts for themselves. I have stopped telling them everything. However, the type of questions ... put to students allows me at times to derive formulas or concepts ... Every now and then students are reminded as to how a mathematician works. I have also started to motivate students and allowing them to realise that maths isn't hard. This happens when I am able to pick the 'aha' moments in students.
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One Day Program
- Once again, I would really like to thank you for the professional development session yesterday. I know that many of us walked out refreshed and reinvigorated to teach our students to "think like mathematicians".
- Challenged to input what I have learnt to my staff.
- Very well presented in terms of content and delivery of engaging maths activities. Loved the physical tasks to play with.
- Incorporate this strategy into our maths curriculum next year - discuss and share with team members how these strategies, resources can be used most effectively in our studio environment.
- Excellent. Opens your mind to new ideas. Makes you reflect on what you are doing in your classroom now.
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See Link List below for more information about our programs and please plan ahead to arrange a date.
- 5 Square Assessment
As a result of participation in our 6 day course Engineering 'aha' Moments in Algebra in 2009, Jodi Wilson has been continually developing alternative assessment techniques consistent with a Working Mathematically curriculum. Her latest contribution is 5 Square Assessment which includes a proforma supporting students to plan a report of their investigation and a rubric for assessing the report. See Link List below for Jodi's work, which she shares willingly, and for a student work sample.
- Calculating Changes Update
Pot Boiler, the Calculating Changes eNews, was issued last week to those on the list. It included free tour information and activities and two new activities for Members which were supported by the work of Kym and Cathy Linke from South Australia. If you would like to receive Pot Boiler, please send an email request as above. See Link List below for more about Calculating Changes, which is a network of K - 8 teachers interested in enhancing children's number sense.
- Maths300 Update
Over the past few months there have been several new lessons on Maths300. They have intriguing titles such as:
- Dice Cricket
- Maths of Lotto
- Natalie's LCM Task
- Fractions to Decimals (on a rope!)
- Sporting Finals (NRL)
There have also been Classroom Contributions to:
- Trigonometry Walk
- Halving Squares
- Cars In A Garage
- 4 Cube Houses
And the software has been updated and expanded. Now is a good time to make plans for better use of Maths300 next year.
See Link List below.
- MAV Membership
The Mathematical Association of Victoria is one of the largest and most supportive maths teachers organisations in the world. At the beginning of December around 2000 teachers will be gathering at their annual conference. Has your school renewed its membership for 2012? See Link List below.
- Tasks of the Month
Two new cameos this month.
- Squound A square and a circle intersect in a 'squound'. If you know the number of objects in the square and the number of objects in the circle, how do you calculate the number of objects in the squound? Tasks are designed for early success, so this opening challenge is enticing without being too difficult. Tasks include materials so the maximum number of students can access them. You might be able to answer the intial challenge without the counters, but your students might need them. And tasks are also designed with an iceberg and this task has a beauty based around the questions How many solutions are there? and How do we know when we have found them all?. Now the task is suitable for Years 2 - 12.
- Time For Tiling This tiling pattern is within a square and involves dark square tiles on the main diagonals and light square tiles in the other positions. If I tell you the size of the square, can you tell me the number of dark tiles and the number of light tiles? The challenge can be approached through number patterns in a table, or through seeing how the tiling pattern is constructed. Both approaches lead to a generalisation (and the symbolic representation of it), so the challenge encourages the mathematician's question Can I check it another way?.
 
Click a photo to access its cameo, or access all current cameos through the Link List below.
Keep smiling,
Doug.
Link List
- Did you miss October News?
If so you missed information about:
- Maths Fiesta
- Eric The International Sheep
- Iceberg Information about two Task of the Month
(Tasks 137, 138)
- ...and more...
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Did You Know?
- You can find tasks coded by Year Level and Curriculum Strand in the Task Centre Catalogue (PDF file).
- The Activities link of Calculating Changes offers Content Finder & Year Level Finder tools.
- Our Site Map acts as a Table of Contents to help you find what you need in Mathematics Centre.
- You can search for lessons by Year Level, Curriculum Strand, Lesson Features & Keyword at Maths300.
- You can connect Tasks to their Maths300 companion lesson using Tasks & Maths300 (a PDF file).
- All these links, and more, appear in Working with Mathematics Centre (a PDF file).
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