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…

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…

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…

This article presents a set of spatial tools for classroom learning about spatial justice. As part of a larger team, we designed a curriculum that engaged 10 learners with 3 spatial tools: (a) an oversized floor map, (b) interactive geographic information systems (GIS) maps, and (c) participatory mapping. We analyze how these tools supported…

Presents four activities in which students cut out and assemble pieces to create Celtic designs. (ASK)

The theme of the 38th meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME 38) and the 36th meeting of the North American Chapter of the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME-NA 36) was "Mathematics Education at the Edge." Academically, the theme provides opportunities to highlight and examine…

Uses spatial visualization to make connections among Zeno's paradox, geometry, fractions, infinite series, and limits. (YDS)

Calculus students have great trouble visualizing solids of revolution and their cross sections. Illustrates the use of props in order to help students understand the solid revolution. (ASK)

Discusses the need for three-dimensional ideas in geometry. Describes a three-year sequence of projects that help develop students' spatial skills. (ASK)

Describes how to deal with students' structuring of rectangular arrays of squares and other two-dimensional regions. Presents activities that connect spatial structuring to the development of multiplicative thinking. (ASK)

Presents interesting activities to develop mental imagery and the ability to transform these images. Concludes that using images facilitates mathematical thought in numerical and geometric settings. (ASK)

Discusses important lessons on the mathematics of manufacturing and how curriculum content and teaching can prepare students for working. Features concepts such as the importance of spatial and geometric reasoning, problem solving, numbers and computation, and measurement. (ASK)