Syllabus: MTHT 550

Concepts in Elementary School Mathematics II

Spring 2001

Instructor: John T. Baldwin

Text: Teacher Implementation Guide for Math Trailblazers, Wagreich et al, Kendall-Hunt, 1998.

Class meets 5-8 Mondays.

This course considers important concepts presented in the elementary school curriculum. We will consider both the mathematics linking various concepts and methods of presenting these concepts to students. Sample mathematical topics for the semester are provided in the assignment list. We will discuss some theory and practice of cooperative learning and methods of assessment in elementary school mathematics.

There will also be some use of computer activities and of the internet. Each student should have a UIC computer account before the second class.

The home page for this class is at www.math.uic.edu/~jbaldwin; then follow your nose.

Materials: A calculator is required. Only TI-8X are directly supported.

There will be homework assignments weekly, a midterm and a final project. Homework will be accepted only on the due date, since it will be discussed in class that day.

The grade will be based 30% on the final project, 15% on the weekly homework, 20% on the midterm, 20% on the final and 15% on class participation.

Office hours M-W-F at 1:30. I will also try to hold office hours from 4-5 on Monday; but this session will be canceled for some departmental colloquia. Tell me if other times are better.

Feel free to e-mail me at jbaldwin@uic.edu or phone to make an appointment to discuss any difficulties that arise.

Office: 417 SEO.

Office phone: 312-413-2149

Assignments: The weekly assignments will have up to 4 parts: a reading assignment, mathematics problem(s) assigned that week, pedagogical questions relating to the reading assignment, and the following assignment which is due each week.

Make up or find an activity/problem for use with (you specify grade of students). The problem should illustrate a concept relevant to the reading assignment for that week. Be prepared to defend its quality in terms of relevance, mathematical depth, preparation for other courses, etc.

Some sources of problems will be websites for the course; but you are free to search anywhere and encouraged to share you sources.

Following is a tentative schedule for the semester. It will probably be substantially modified as we go along.

Jan 8. What is mathematics? What is an algorithm?

Jan. 15: Holiday

Jan. 22: Assignment due Jan. 22

A. pages 127-130 and 177-192 from the text. (Arithmetic)

B. (Make up and do as many 3 digits multiplications as you need to become familiar with the all-partials and lattice algorithms.) What is the relation between the lattice and all-partials method of multiplication?

C. Write a complete description of the standard subtraction algorithm. Assume that subtraction of one digit numbers from one or two digits numbers is a single step.

D. Check with students, teachers, friends to find alternative algorithms for any of the basic arithmetic procedures.

E. Write a one-two page essay expanding the discussing on `mathematics with an arithmetic

implant'; what are we trying to teach in elementary school mathematics?

Jan 29: pages 227-240 from text. (Math Facts) pages 160-162 from New Standards

(Make up and do as many divisions (say 2 or 3 digits into 4 or 5) as you need to become familiar with the `forgiving' algorithm.)