Mathematics that exists in the Mende culture, an African tribe in Sierra Leone, includes counting, computation, ratios, fractions, forecasting games, and mathematical applications. Presents The Mende representations of these concepts and discusses implications of their integration into mathematics teaching. (MDH)

This article describes an activity in measurement and geometry in which sixth-grade students explore the volume and surface area of a donut. Through calculation, creative thinking, and discovery, the students enhanced their geometric vocabulary and reasoning. (Contains 9 figures.)

This article reports on the English National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) and, in particular, on the way in which children aged from 8- to 11-years-old view "interactive whole class teaching". A qualitative, grounded study of both teachers' and children's perceptions of interactive teaching was undertaken, making use of "video stimulated…

Students sometimes have difficulty in mathematics because they solve problems mechanically, without understanding the ideas represented by their equations. This brief note provides mathematics instructors with ideas for rectifying this fundamental flaw in students' paradigm of problem solving. (Contains 1 footnote.)

This article presents an example of a versatile multi-solution problem that can be used right across the primary years. The basic problem is: "Noah saw 16 legs go past him into the Ark. How many creatures did he see?" Any even number can be used, although, 2 legs allows only one answer and with 16 legs there are already 14 different…

Twenty primary-aged students with learning disabilities were tutored by nondisabled students in grades 3-6. Tutored students' performance on single-digit addition facts improved compared to a no-treatment control group. There were no significant differences between two tutoring procedures: a counting-on approach and a rote-memorization approach.…

This paper looks at the issue of mathematics learning from a developmental perspective. It begins by focusing on the importance for teachers of understanding how mathematical thinking develops. The New Zealand Number Framework is used as an example of a developmental progression that is of particular relevance to the teaching of mathematics. The…

This book is based on the underlying philosophy that mathematics learning at the elementary level should be active. Children should learn through meaningful hands-on activities with manipulative materials, pictures and technology. More than 400 pupil activities and suggestions for designing more activities are described. Because mathematics is to…

Activities from the "IDEAS" department which appeared in the "Arithmetic Teacher" between 1980 and 1985 were selected for this publication, designed for students in grades 4 through 6. The activities were reprinted just as they originally appeared in the journals. The selections are arranged according to the major topical areas of the curriculum:…

This paper anlyzes the new elementary school mathematics curriculum materials being implemented in Taiwan. A list of objectives involving whole numbers is given for each semester in grades 1 through 5, with the time noted for each unit. Improved teaching methods, the use of the abacus and of technology, the roles of problem solving and estimation,…

The instructional strategy described was used to incorporate both the computer and the hand calculator into trigonometry courses at an Ohio community college. The computer was used to generate different problem sets for individual students and, at the same time, solution sets for the instructor. The students were required to use calculators to…

Describes how interactive programs for scientific modeling may be created by using spreadsheet software such as LOTUS 1-2-3. Lists the advantages of using this method. Discusses fractional distillation, batch partial melting, and combination models as examples. (CW)

Presents a new method to teach the subject of evaporators which is both simple enough to use in the classroom and accurate and flexible enough to be used as a design tool in practice. Gives an example using a triple evaporator series. Analyzes the effect of this method. (CW)

Activities are given to assist students in seeing a rationale for the difficult algorithms we teach for fractions. Both interpretations of fractions and operations with fractions are discussed. (MNS)

Calculates an approximation to Avagadro's number for one mole of water by assuming the mole to be in cubical form and then halving the cube three times, thereby doubling the surface area of the original cube. The calculations are derived from the work necessary to perform these divisions. Presents calculated values for several liquids. (MDH)