Math 413

Math 413, Mathematics for the Middle Grades
(7:25-8:40 MW in N-102)

Final exam: Our final is at 7 PM - 9 PM on 5/14 in our usual classroom. It is comprehensive and covers through p. 56 in Thinking Mathematically.

Office hours during final exam week:

3:30-4:30 on Tue, 5/8
3:30-4:30 on Wed, 5/9
11-12 on Thu, 5/10
11-12 and 4-6 on Mon, 5/14

Syllabus: Here is the syllabus. As I announced in class, one change to the grading scheme is that the final will be weighted by whatever percentage you need to bring your total score up to 100%. This way, anybody who gets a near perfect score on the final can get an A in the class, no matter where they stand now. Of course, those of you with who already have high scores will still have an easier time getting a good grade because they are already close to a good grade.

Textbooks: Here is a link to the 1st edition of Thinking Mathematically.

Online resources:

I use Blackboard to post your grades periodically throughout the semester

Homework:

Assigned	Due date	Read	Exercises
1/18		Syllabus, Handout from Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics (Introduction and Ch. 2)	No exercises yet.
1/23		Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 1-13	No exercises yet.
1/25	1/30	Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 1-13	Crossing the River on p. 11
1/30	2/6	Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 14-26	Postage Stamp Problem on p. 24
2/6	2/13	Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 26-31 Listen to Local Charter School Conquering Algebra	Crawling Snail on p. 31
2/13	2/20	Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 32-33	Homework holiday. Use the time to review past homework and in-class exercises. Some of those will be on our first exam on 2/20.
2/20	2/27	Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 32-36	Cutting Through the Layers on p. 32 Sneaking Up the Line on p. 35
2/27	3/5	Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 32-38	Age Problem on p. 33 Sums of Consecutive Numbers on p. 37 Also, work on Reading Assignment 1. It is due on 3/19.
3/5	3/12	Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 39-41	The Cutting Edge on p. 38 Lots of Squares on p. 39
3/19	4/2	Thinking Mathematically pp. 1-10	Warehouse on p. 1 Paper Strip on p. 4
4/2	4/9	Thinking Mathematically pp. 11-25	Patchwork on p. 11 Chessboard Squares on p. 19
4/9	4/16	Thinking Mathematically pp. 26-29	Homework holiday. Use the time to review past homework and in-class exercises.
4/16	4/23	Thinking Mathematically pp. 30-34 Handout from Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics (Chs. 3, 5)	Tethered Goat on p. 29 Ladies Luncheon on p. 32 Fractious on p. 34
4/23	4/30	Thinking Mathematically pp. 35-48	Cubes Cubed on p. 36 Quick and Toasty on p. 37 Creepy Crawlies on p. 44 Also, work on Reading Assignment 2. It is due on 5/7. I'll bring hard copies of the assignment to class on Wed.
4/30	5/7	Thinking Mathematically pp. 49-62	Chessboard Rectangles on p. 43 Threaded Pins on p. 52 Remember that Reading Assignment 2 is due on 5/7.

Exam solutions:

First hourly exam pdf
Second hourly exam pdf
Final exam pdf

Educational links:

A serious paper on teaching/learning at the university level by Prof. Steven Zucker
A more light-hearted, but very true guide on how to be on good terms with your professor (who assigns your grade) by Prof. Doug Andrews at Wittenberg University

Math links: The links below lead to sites with encyclopedias of math terms. You can use them to find definitions, examples, and some theorems.

Some scholarship opportunities for prospective teachers: