Building activities can be used any time in the school year in mathematics classes to promote problem solving, perseverance, and to develop students' spatial thinking. Spatial visualization skills are the "ability to mentally manipulate, rotate, twist, or invert a pictorially presented stimulus object." The authors were guided by the…

Integer operations are typically introduced in sixth grade, but they are a consistent area of struggle among these students. This struggle also inhibits their understanding of algebraic computations involving positive and negative terms. In this article, the author provides introductory tasks and models for adding and subtracting integers that can…

A one-degree angle would certainly be difficult to draw accurately, especially without the aid of other tools like a protractor. However, mentally making a one-degree angle in visualized imagination is not only possible, but it is important for students' emergent understandings of angular measure. When students begin learning about length,…

Spatial visualisation is an essential component of geometric thinking and measurement sense. It is a particular type of spatial skill that involves manipulation of spatial images and may not be naturally occurring for students. However, research shows that it is malleable and can be developed through instruction. This article presents an…

Embedding mathematics in a relatable context has changed the way Christie Henderson's elementary students view the subject. In this article, Henderson discusses how presenting mathematics through a relatable context enables students to visualize the math and make a pictorial representation to aid them in solving it. When relevant and relatable…

Number system knowledge (NSK) is broadly defined as the understanding of number relationships and is an essential mathematics skill for young elementary school-aged students. NSK instruction that emphasizes connections between number sense and spatial reasoning could be a critical anchor for second-grade students to stay rooted in their conceptual…

We consider here a number of ideas for the classroom or lecture theatre associated with the mensuration of solids. In particular, the volumes of various tetrahedra are obtained in an indirect manner (by way of prisms and square-based pyramids). This activity develops problem-solving skills, spatial visualization and a from-first-principles…

Almost 20 years ago, Cuoco, Goldenberg, and Mark wrote a seminal paper for the "Journal of Mathematical Behavior" entitled "Habits of Mind: An Organizing Principle for Mathematics Curricula" (Cuoco et al., 1996). The article remains as relevant today as when it was originally published. The premise of their paper is that…

The most challenging parts of teaching mathematics are engaging students and helping them understand the connections between mathematics concepts. In this volume, you'll find a collection of low floor, high ceiling tasks that will help you do just that, by looking at the big ideas at the fourth-grade level through visualization, play, and…

This study on the mental solving of systems of linear equations is part of a larger research program, aimed to gain a better understanding of the potential of mental mathematics activities with topics/objects other than numbers. Through outlining the study details and the activities engaged with, the paper reports on the variety of strategies…

While exploring the subject of geometric proofs, boolean logic operators AND and OR can be used to allow students to visualize their true-or-false patterns. An activity in the form of constructing electrical circuits is illustrated to explain the concept.

Takes the concept of using a geometrical or visual approach to teach algebraic concepts and extends it to connect with the section on binomial expansion by using three dimensional objects. (ASK)

Presents the Shape Search problem to develop student visualization. Focuses attention on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Geometry Standard. (Author/NB)

Describes how elementary school teachers demonstrated for themselves and their students how using simple drawings and visualization can improve problem-solving ability. (ASK)

The graphing calculator affords the student in analysis a powerful tool to extend visualization, which was previously limited to textbook illustrations and time-consuming constructions. Provides illustrative examples used in initial classroom presentations of several topics including convergence and in student explorations of these topics. (ASK)