Finding the number of cubes in rectangular solids provides a cognitive framework for understanding the measurement of volume. This study reveals whether the activities provided in the context of equal investing and equal sharing that emphasize both numerical and spatial aspects of cube configurations cause any improvement in student strategies…

Two studies were conducted to compare experimentally the effects of teacher-led instruction and seatwork on acquiring mathematical concepts. In the first study, 255 fourth graders were assigned to groups to be taught a 15-minute teacher-led lesson only, a 15-minute lesson plus 12 minutes of teacher-led follow-up, or a 15-minute lesson plus 12…

The purpose of this study was to look intensively at two aspects of mathematics instruction--development and practice. It contrasted the Direct Instruction approach to the development phase of teaching problem solving with a Traditional approach taken from the teachers' manual of four widely used basal textbooks. Seventy-three fourth graders…

This document is part 1 of the workbook for grade 4 pupils in the Comprehensive Instructional Management System, a unified mathematics curriculum for kindergarten through grade 7. Each objective is developed by a variety of strategies, with mastery of objectives diagnosed through a testing component. The activities in the student workbook are…

Fourth-grade students' understanding of the order and equivalence of fractions was investigated in an 18-week teaching experiment. Three related characteristics of thinking are hypothesized to be related to success of such tasks, involving flexibility and reasoning that becomes increasingly independent of specific concrete embodiments. (MNS)

This book contains a collection of multiplication lessons that support curriculum and instruction. The goals of the lessons are to give all students the chance to learn how to mentally multiply by 10, powers of 10, and multiples of 10; use the distributive property to calculate products; use paper and pencil to record thinking when solving…

There is plenty of "math on the menu" in the series of activities featured in this book. Students help the Rosada family start a Mexican restaurant featuring a variety of tostadas. Over the course of the unit, students apply different problem-solving strategies as they plan and expand the menu, determine different combinations of ingredients,…

Success for All is the most extensively researched of all comprehensive reform models for Title I elementary schools. It incorporates scientifically based principles of reading and mathematics instruction, cooperative learning, professional development, tutoring, and family support. Ohio schools implementing the Success for All reading program…

A lesson using Logo was found to be effective when working with concepts of division. It emphasizes relationships between arithmetic and geometry in a novel way, and has been used with students in grades two and four. (MNS)

Presents a mathematics activity involving a function box for students to develop an understanding of patterns, relationships, and functions. Uses the function box as an aid in teaching about squares, cubes, and circles. (ASK)

Presents conversations from series of lessons in which the power of mathematical conversations was epitomized and fourth-grade students were encouraged to make conjectures to their classmates. Describes how each conversation offered insights into the ways in which students had constructed mathematics. (ASK)

This is the second volume of "State Strategies and Practices for Educational Technology" by the National Educational Technology Trends Study (NETTS). NETTS is a federally sponsored evaluation of the Enhancing Education Through Technology (EETT) program, a program authorized by Title II, Part D, of the "Elementary and Secondary…

This document contains the framework and a set of recommendations for the NAEP 2007 mathematics assessment, which will assess student achievement nationally and state-by-state, as well as in select urban districts, in grades 4 and 8. It includes descriptions of the mathematical content of the test, the types of test questions, and recommendations…

Video is currently a key element of numerous professional development programs, yet relatively little is known about how video fosters changes in teachers' thinking. This study examines how a particular type of video-based professional development, namely video clubs, supports teacher development. Video clubs are professional development…

While it has been suggested that patterning activities support early algebra learning, it is widely acknowledged that the shift from perceiving patterns to understanding algebraic functions--and correspondingly, from reporting empirical patterns to providing explanations--is difficult. This paper reports on the collaborations of grade 4 students…