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Bibliographic Data
Title: Active Learning in the Mathematics Classroom, Grades 5-8
Author:
Hope Martin;
Copyright Year:
2007
Grade Levels:
5-8
Format Type:
Book;
Descriptors:
Topic Area: Mathematical Structures;
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Order from:
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Corwin Press, Inc.
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2455 Teller Road
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Thousand Oaks CA 91320-2218
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Toll free:
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805-410-7750
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Fax number:
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805-410-7003
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Web address:
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www.corwinpress.com
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Email:
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info@corwinpress.com
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ISBN:
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1412949785
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Price per copy:
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$35.95
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Review
Active Learning in the Mathematics Classroom, Grades 5-8
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I. Description of Materials
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This 187-page book consists of five chapters that are directly related to the five content standards from NCTM’s PSSM (Numbers and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data and Probability). The chapters include a brief introduction and teachers’ pages, which give planning and implementation information. Each lesson is also related to the five process standards from NCTM’s PSSM (Problem Solving, Reasoning and Proof, Communication, Connections, and Representation). Lessons are interactive and require small group or partner participation. Each chapter begins with a brief description of the lessons in the chapter.
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II. Purpose and Audience
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This book was written for teachers or pre-service teachers who might want to implement a constructivist lesson in a field experience. It could also be used in a workshop to introduce teachers to concepts included in the NCTM standards or to show how children can build conceptual understanding through hands-on experiences.
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III. Content and Quality
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The content in this book closely relates to material recommended by NCTM’s PSSM. The activities are extensive, and students experience all of the standards through active participation. There are variations for each lesson to provide a good learning experience for all students. Students are expected to write in journals, and prompts are included to help promote the writing process. Suggestions are given for each lesson, giving teachers the option to tailor the lessons to suit the needs of their students.
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IV. Reviewers' Ideas for Using this Material
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This book provides useful lessons to extend or supplement topics in the 5–8 mathematics curriculum. The style in which the lessons are presented could help children understand concepts through hands-on, active involvement and learn to exchange ideas while working with other students. In addition, the material in the textbook could be used for 9th- and 10th-grade students who may need additional support in understanding the concepts. Many lessons include links to websites that students could access to explore the concepts of the lesson. Some of the links provide teachers with instructional materials, such as Venn diagrams, tangrams, and so forth. There are also black-line masters of various types of graph paper and other charts that can easily be copied if necessary.
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V. Comments and Cautions
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The constructivist concepts built into each lesson could be helpful in developing mathematical understanding beyond grades 5 to 8, the grades for which the book was written. It is possible to implement the concepts at grades below 5th grade with a little adjustment to meet the levels of the students. This collection of lessons should not be considered to be a replacement for the school or state curriculum, but as extensions to topics that are covered. No chapter contains enough lessons to comprise a complete unit on particular topics. In addition, it may be necessary to provide introductory lessons that introduce concepts and vocabulary prior to implementation. There are no explanations of the topics in each lesson. Teachers are expected to be familiar with the concepts in each lesson in order to implement the lesson and activities.
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