Section 1: Math Standards

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Content goals: The goals this week are for you to

Apology: I'm afraid I'm still getting my head around what is most important to know about the common core math practice standards, so some of these explanations are not as smooth as they will be after I've taught it to classes for 3-4 years.  If there's something that seems particularly confusing, please let me know so I can improve my teaching of this topic.

Format and structure of the math standards:

Videos to watch:

Introduction to the NCTM Standards
Introduction to the Common Core State Standards

Link to the NCTM Standards
Link to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (Practice standards)

 Problem Solving part 1: the Common Core Standards

Print this file to refer to during this discussion: Problem solving and the Common Core Standards

Videos to watch:

Steps and strategies for problem solving: "How to Solve It" by George Polya

Spend a few minutes working on 1. the school music problem (from the file you printed on problem solving and the common core standards).  Think about how your problem solving process.  Which of Polya's steps did you use?  Then watch: An example of problem solving: the school music problem

Standard 1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Standard 2: Reason Abstractly and Quantitatively, Contextualizing and Decontextualizing

Do first: Work on the box problems on the problem solving worksheet. Think about how you are using the numbers in the problem, and reflect on what your answers mean, and if they make sense in the context of the problem.

Video discussion of standard 2 using the box problems as examples

Standard 4: Model with Mathematics: Mathematical models and representations

Video discussion of standard 4 (what a mathematical model is)

Problem solving part 2: designing and analyzing problem solving experiences.

Do first: go to the Wisweb applets page and scroll down and choose Spotting Numbers Problems.  Work through all of the questions on the first problem that comes up (level 1: V numbers). For each problem, ask yourself: at what grade would this be a reasonable problem?

vids:

Progression from concrete to abstract and the Spotting Numbers Problem
What problem solving looks like in elementary classes
Some generalities about designing problem solving experiences (my observations)

Assn 1: Practice Spotting Numbers Problems (due May 31)

(See introduction for information on how to submit your assignments)

Analysis of problem solving and the standards in a specific lesson

Read Dividing Brownies, then read my analysis

Assn 2: Choose one of these videos or written lessons to watch or read, and then write an analysis of how problem solving and the practice standards 1, 2 and 4 apply in the lesson of your choice: (due May 31)

Equality and the Equals sign

vids:

Self-check: questions and answers about the equals sign

Assn 3: writing correct equations practice