Computational thinking can provide a basis for problem solving, for making evidence-based decisions, and for learning to code or create programs. Therefore, it is critical that all students across the K-12 continuum--including students in the early grades--have opportunities to begin developing problem solving and computational thinking skills.…

Effective use of mathematical representation is key to supporting student learning. In "Principles to Actions: Ensuring Mathematical Success for All" (NCTM 2014), "use and connect mathematical representations" is one of the effective Mathematics Teaching Practices. By using different representations, students examine concepts…

Holidays and seasonal activities provide excitement and a change of pace for teachers and students alike. They also offer perfect backdrops for mathematical tasks that can be related to other topics and themes in the classroom. "Problem Solving in All Seasons, Prekindergarten-Grade 2" delivers thirty-two appealing, real-world situations,…

Teachers use the word assessment to describe any method of gathering information about student learning. Whether it be formative assessment (intended to guide instructional decisions) or summative assessment (a reflection on the entirety of student learning from prior instruction), teachers are constantly working to identify what their students…

Insects are fascinating creatures--especially when you and your students get up close and personal with them! To that end, the authors facilitated an inquiry-based investigation with an emphasis on identification of the different types of insects found in the school yard, their characteristics, their habitat, and what they eat, while engaging the…

"Scratch" is a media-rich digital environment that utilises a building block command structure to manipulate graphic, audio, and video aspects. It incorporates elements of Logo including "tinkerability" in the programming process. In "Scratch" students use geometric and measurement concepts such as coordinates, angle,…

Can students build a house that is cost effective and strong enough to survive strong winds, heavy rains, and earthquakes? First graders in Ms. Peter's classroom worked like engineers to answer this question. They participated in a design challenge that required them to plan like engineers and build strong and cost-effective houses that would fit…

American students continue to struggle on measures of student achievement. This study employed Hierarchical Linear Modeling to estimate a two-level model and examine the influences of calculator use and teachers' instructional practices on student achievement in mathematics amongst first-grade students. The outcome variable was mathematics test…

Seeking more effective mathematics instruction, this author decided to incorporate Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) into first-grade classroom lessons. Students in CGI mathematics classrooms are prompted to use their prior knowledge to solve new problems, establish cognitive structures to which new learning can be connected, and be driven by…

"Focus in Grade 1: Teaching with Curriculum Focal Points" describes and illustrates learning paths for the mathematical concepts and skills of each grade 1 Focal Point as presented in Curriculum Focal Points for Prekindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics. It includes representational supports for teaching and learning that can facilitate…

Data were collected in the problem representations and solution strategies of 30 first graders who were given a series of simple addition and subtraction word problems. The children were interviewed three times during the school year. The influence of problem structure on children's solution strategies appears more extensive and decisive than that…

Explains how critical thinking, communication, and estimation can be incorporated into an exciting problem-solving unit for first-grade students. Presents four related activities. (ASK)

Illustrates some learning encounters for facilitating first graders' understanding of geometry. Describes some of children's approaches using Cuisenaire rods and teacher's intervening. Presents six problems involving various combinations of Cuisenaire rods and cubes. (YP)

Describes the use of the children's book "Geraldine's Blanket" to promote discussion and allow the teacher to assess the children's understanding of area, place value, number sense, fractions, and problem-solving strategies. (MKR)

Presents study results showing that a range of modes of interactive organization coexist in expert-novice problem-solving activity and vary with the asymmetry of the relationships. Reports that by combining high achieving status with task-related expertise, the resulting interactive dynamic is guidance/tutoring. Argues for multidimensional…