MED 308  

Assignment #9

1.     Go to nctm.org and log in.  Under the heading NCTM Standards you will see Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (with the logo).  Click on more.  This is the updated (2000) version of the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics that you read and wrote about previously.  Read Chapters 1 and 2 and the first electronic page of Chapter 3. You will need to know the 6 principles in addition to the familiar 10 standards.  You may have this book and not need to go to the website. In addition:

a.      Read Chapter 6, p. 211 – 255 (the pages are found in the left margin).  These pages describe the content standards and expectations for Grades 6-8 and illustrate the standards through discussions of many mathematical problems.

b.      As you read the Number and Operations, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data Analysis and Probability sections, take time to work on problems with pencil and paper in hand. The problems involve more than you might expect in a grade 6-8 classroom and represent the vision of where we want our 6-8 grade students to be.  Select three problems that you find particularly interesting and be prepared to discuss/present these on Tuesday.

2.  The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) was conducted in 1995.  It involved 41 countries and half a million students.  As a part of the study, three countries were selected for video taping of lessons and analysis of those lessons.  The results were released in several documents as well as several sample lessons from each country.  The sample lessons were selected because they typify what was seen in the many classrooms videotaped within each country.  You can view these sample lessons at the following link. http://ceure.buffalostate.edu/%7Edltl/TIMSS/index.html  Select the second U.S. lesson on angles.  Watch each part and reflect on the things we've discussed thus far and the level of engagement of the students.  Be prepared to discuss your observations on Tuesday.