Describes seven number-sense skills for elementary and middle school grades. Provides eight short stories for grades three through eight designed to develop students' number-sense skills in which students replace missing data so that the story makes sense. (MDH)

Described is a strategy where students write stories to help in the process of solving problems. The strategy is a five-step process which includes prewriting, writing, conference, revising and editing, and publication. (KR)

Presents a series of activities developed from the "Arithmetic Teacher's" regular feature entitled "Problem Solving: Tips for Teachers" to help students develop skills in each of the four steps of Polya's problem-solving process: (1) Understanding the Problem; (2) Making a Plan; (3) Carrying Out the Plan; and (4) Reflecting…

Describes seven problems designed to enhance the development of four types of student communication in mathematics: (1) describing observations; (2) justifying solutions and solution processes; (3) documenting thinking; and (4) completing or creating mathematical problems. (MDH)

Presents the teaching strategy of having first grade students write their own word problems. Suggests the use of calculators to permit students to create problems with larger, more realistic numbers. Gives examples of student-generated problems and discusses students' attempts to solve the problems. (MDH)

Presents the results of a survey of 165 seventh grade students asked to respond yes, no, or maybe to 21 metacognitive statements about their cognitive activity on a mathematical word problem. Suggests how to use the responses as a basis for developing classroom activities. (MDH)

Presents a study of 87 second graders to demonstrate that achievement tests in primary mathematics emphasize pupil's lower-order thinking by comparing answers to interview questions from constructivist and traditionally instructed groups. Results indicated that constructivist instructed students demonstrated superior higher-order thinking on tasks…

Discusses the use of drawings to nurture problem-solving attitudes and independent learning. Drawings help develop thinking skills, clarify misconceptions, develop representational preferences, supply a context for relationships in K-8 mathematics, and illustrate mathematical connections. (MDH)

Gives examples of, and a rationale for, using estimation in the classroom daily. Includes instructional tips and strategies to enhance estimation activities. (MKR)

Discusses the equation and proportion methods for teaching how to solve percent problems. Supplements the teaching of each method by introducing a representational model that enhances understanding when solving percent problems. (MDH)

Presents activities in problem solving for levels K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 for each week of the month of March. Activities include open-ended problems and games that engage students' intellect and interest while working individually and cooperatively. (MDH)

Described are activities involving higher order thinking skills developed for gifted students that can be used for all students. Discussed is a framework for designing activities using Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain and William's Student Behaviors. Sample activities are included. (KR)

Presents 5 activities for the K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 grade levels and for in the home in which students explore the concept of combinations. Each activity includes a lesson plan to investigate a combinatorics problem appropriate for that grade level. Provides reproducible worksheets. (MDH)

Presents two seasonally related investigations involving arithmetic series to develop critical thinking: (1) the number of candles needed for the eight nights of Hanukkah, and (2) the number of presents given during "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Students also calculated the amount of money needed to buy all the presents. (MDH)

Presents a three-phase process that connects writing and cooperative problem solving to each other and to mathematical skills and concepts. The three phases are: (1) writing to communicate mathematics; (2) cooperative learning; and (3) problem solving. Provides examples illustrating each phase. (MDH)