Presents four cases of real-world probabilistic situations to promote more effective teaching of probability. Calculates the probability of obtaining six of six different prizes successively in six, seven, eight, and nine boxes of cereal, generalizes the problem to n boxes of cereal, and offers suggestions to extend the problem. (MDH)

Describes an extended problem-solving activity utilizing drift-bottles that encourages students to deduce probable and great-circle drift-bottle routes, to use logic based on unit calculations, and to estimate the distance traveled and the minimum velocity of these drift-bottles. Includes materials needed, learning objectives, procedures,…

Describes the importance of estimation in science for planning projects, conducting experiments, and developing theories. Defines order of magnitude. Provides explicit mathematical equations and calculations to estimate answers for seven provocative physics problems. Includes nine additional open-ended problems with hints and solutions. (PR)

Presents two geography problem-solving scenarios for use with elementary and middle school children or preservice teachers in social studies methods courses. Provides problems about the magnetic poles and the presence of ice in desert conditions. Calls upon teachers to encourage students to use their thinking skills to solve the problems. (SG)

Describes the Secant Method, a numerical method to approximate solutions to equations for which symbolic solution methods do not apply. Illustrates the method using the EXCEL spreadsheet program. Discusses instructional implications of utilizing this method. (MDH)

Reports observations of primary teachers (n=14) efforts to provide activity-based lessons for their pupils. Teachers' beliefs that their lessons were student-centered were not confirmed by the observations of the lessons. Discusses implications of the findings for inservice teacher education and parental involvement. (MDH)

Evaluation of a schoolwide enrichment and resource room enrichment program on problem solving/problem finding for gifted children in grades 3-5 found that the gifted students involved made significantly greater gains than did average ability students receiving the special treatment and significantly greater gains than did gifted students receiving…

This paper describes programs such as Resolving Conflict Creatively which teach "emotional literacy." The program is a basic curriculum that teaches students how to handle their emotions, settle disagreements, and demonstrate caring for others. Evidence of the curriculum's effectiveness in mediating disputes and reducing tensions is cited. (JDD)

Discusses the Teacher Behavior Continuum (TBC), which is a model of strategies for teachers to use in interacting with children. Strategies range from looking at children's behavior to physical intervention. Ways to use the TBC in dealing with victims in children's disputes and children's tattling are suggested. (LB)

Uses air temperature profiles--a topic taught in beginning meteorology courses--to illustrate the ease of restructuring the teaching/learning environment as a problem-solving mode. Students access real-time information through Accu-Weather's interactive database. Students use the data to answer the question, "What happens to air temperatures…

Reports a study to test the hypothesis that intermediate grade teachers (n=96) will reflect an expectation of male success in the scores they assign to students' work in mathematical problem solving. MANOVA involving the variables of student gender, teacher grade level, and teacher gender indicated no gender bias on the part of teachers. (MDH)

Presents examples of questions and answers arising from a hands-on and exploratory approach to discrete mathematics using cuisenaire rods. Combinatorial questions about trains formed of cuisenaire rods provide the setting for discovering numerical patterns by experimentation and organizing the results using induction and successive differences.…

Offers calculus students and teachers the opportunity to motivate and discover the first Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (FTC) in an experimental, experiential, inductive, intuitive, vernacular-based manner. Starting from the observation that a distance traveled at a constant speed corresponds to the area inside a rectangle, the FTC is discovered,…

Presents two teaching ideas for mathematics instruction. The first employs "mind maps" as a method to help students learn, record, and recall mathematical information. Provides examples for solving quadratic equations and complex numbers. The second discusses two ways to find the average speed during a trip employing differing constant…

Discusses problem-solving evaluation methods and describes the development of an instrument to evaluate an individual's problem-solving processes. Provides an example of the instrument. (MDH)