Timely ideas and information, with daily updates. Frequently Asked Questions Thousands of web sites for educators and students. Support for long-term classroom planning and professional development. Information covering important topics for today's educators and parents. For example, students bring small order size baskets of french fries to class on the first day of a three day lesson.
Students measure the length of individual french fries and count the number of fries in each basket.
They record data, prepare individual spreadsheets, calculate basic statistics, and make charts using the spreadsheets. Issues related to quality control are considered as students look at variations across the data. Other lessons describe how to use calculators, word processors, and presentation software as part of the problem solving process or as a tool for completing a project. Most lessons at this site were piloted in middle school classrooms and refined based on student performance. References offer a sample of research studies and curriculum materials related to conceptual approaches to mathematics, integrated instruction where students work on complex, ill defined problems, and writing as a method for enhanced understanding of mathematics.