Games and activities which involve problem solving are presented in order to help teachers develop the numeric, geometric, and logical thought processes of elementary school students. The activities and games (many of which are pencil-and-paper) require using logic, plan-ahead strategies, spatial reasoning, strategies based on prior patterns or…

The Mathematics Pentathlon is a tournament of mathematics games held each spring since 1979 to promote the development of mathematical concepts and skills while fostering interaction among the educational community. There are five games in each of four divisions, for grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-7. The focus is on active problem solving and…

The Mathematics Pentathlon is a tournament of mathematics games held each spring since 1979 to promote the development of mathematical concepts and skills while fostering interaction among the educational community. There are five games in each of four divisions, for grades K-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-7. The focus is on active problem solving and…

Activities originally designed to teach third-grade students about measuring liquids are presented. Included in the document are reasons to teach students how to use the basic units of liquid measurement and the development of a "laboratory" within the classroom where pupils could work while minimizing the mess. Some of the topics developed for…

This paper studies the difficulties children have solving word problems that correspond to one of the situations modeled by multiplication; that of a ratio (e.g. "candies per box"), multiplied by an extensive quantity (e.g. "boxes") (I x E). Sixty children were individually observed solving and repeating I x E problems. Various…

This document presents six chapters on four-dimensional geometry, whose titles are: (1) A Brief History; (2) What Is Four-Dimensional Geometry?; (3) Selected Drawings and Models; (4) How to Study the Configurations; (5) Selected Topics; and (6) Applications. The text, suitable for students in advanced levels of secondary school mathematics,…

This set of transparency masters of mathematical puzzles has as its intent the development of logical and perceptual skills. The puzzles include patterns, magic squares, and counting problems. Solutions and follow-up suggestions are provided on the back of each page. (MP)

Fourteen research reports related to mathematics education are abstracted and analyzed in this publication. Five of the reports deal with sex differences in mathematics learning and instruction, and three reports deal with assessment or prediction of mathematics achievement. Remaining reports involve the topics of calculators, logical implication,…

This supplementary mathematics textbook is designed to teach pupils in the intermediate grades about the vocabulary and use of the metric system of measurement. The book limits exploration to the units of measurement for length, capacity, mass, temperature, area, and volume, with only the following prefixes considered: kilo, hecto, deka, deci,…

This USMES unit challenges students to find the best way to learn or teach someone else certain things. The teacher resource book for this unit contains five sections. The first section describes the USMES approach to student-initiated investigations of real problems, including a discussion of the nature of the USMES "challenges" and of classroom…

This USMES unit challenges students to collect and maintain a variety of animals in the classroom. The teacher resource book for the School Zoo unit contains five sections. The first section describes the USMES approach to student-initiated investigations of real problems, including a discussion of the nature of the USMES "challenges" and of…

This USMES unit challenges students to find ways to help themselves and/or others to adapt to new situations. The teacher resource book for the Orientation unit contains five sections. The first section describes the USMES approach to student-initiated investigations of real problems, including a discussion of the nature of the USMES "challenges"…

This USMES unit challenges students to build a burglar alarm which will give adequate warning. The teacher resource book for the Burglar Alarm Design unit contains five sections. The first section describes the USMES approach to student-initiated investigations of real problems, including a discussion of the nature of the USMES "challenges" and of…

This USMES unit challenges students to find out what is the best information to put in a description so that a person can be quickly and easily identified. The teacher resource book for the Describing People unit contains five sections. The first section describes the USMES approach to student-initiated investigations of real problems, including a…

This USMES unit challenges students to invent a new soft drink that would be popular and produced at a low cost. The teacher resource book for the Soft Drink Design unit contains five sections. The first section describes the USMES approach to student-initiated investigations of real problems, including a discussion of the nature of the USMES…