Assignment on Teaching Addition and Subtraction Using Word Problems.

After reading or watching the lecture, and reading the chapter in Childrens Mathematics, write a 500 word essay on using word problems and the information from the CGI research to teach addition and subtraction to children who are mostly at a direct modeling stage (kindergarten and/or first grade). (500 words is approximately 1 page, Times 12 point, single spaced)

Choose one of my suggested approaches, or come up with a focus of your own to guide your essay.

Suggestions for focusing your essay:

• Compare the lecture to the Children's Mathematics chapter: how are they similar? What points do they raise that reinforce ideas in each other?
• Suggest another guiding principle: What guiding principle did I leave out of my lecture? Why is it important?
• Plan a lesson: Write a (short) lesson or outline a set of lessons that use word problems to teach addition and subtraction to kindergarten or first grade students. Explain how your lesson or lessons uses what you've learned about problem types and childrens solution strategies and/or how your lesson or lessons applies the guiding principles identified in the lecture. (This can be a narrative or summary of a lesson idea, it doesn't have to be in lesson plan format).

Characteristics of an excellent essay are:

• Shows a clear understanding of the concepts in the lecture and readings.
• Has a clear focus that is developed during the essay.
• Includes new insights into applying the CGI research to teaching (insights that show that you are synthesizing what you have read and are putting it together with your personal experiences)
• Easy to read--good spelling and sentence structure.