Math 413, Mathematics for the Middle Grades
(5:35-6:50 MW in N-101)


Our final exam is at 5-7 on Mon, 5/13. It is cumulative.

Syllabus: Here is the syllabus.

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

Online resources:
Homework:

Assigned
Due date Read
Exercises
1/28

Thinking Mathematically pp. 1-3 No exercises yet.
1/30
2/4
Thinking Mathematically pp. 4-10 Paper Strip on p. 4
2/4
2/11
Thinking Mathematically pp. 10-23
Handout from Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics (Introduction and Ch. 3)
Patchwork on p. 10
Chessboard Squares on p. 17
2/11
2/18
Thinking Mathematically pp. 24-29
Circles and Spots on p. 75: Find the maximum number of regions for N=7 and N=8. Can you come up with a conjecture for a general formula?
2/18
2/25
Thinking Mathematically pp. 24-29
Tethered Goat on p. 27
Electric Frog
2/25
3/4
Thinking Mathematically pp. 30-34
Ladies Luncheon on p. 29
Fractious on p. 31
Envelopes on p. 32
3/4
3/11
Thinking Mathematically pp. 34-39
Find the number of ways to paint the vertices of an equilateral triangle red , green, and blue so that each vertex is painted a different color. What if the triangle is made of glass, i.e. can be turned around? What about a square (and 4 colors), or a regular pentagon (and 5 colors), etc?
Cubes Cubed on p. 33
3/11
3/18
Thinking Mathematically pp. 34-39
Quick and Toasty on p. 34
Chessboard Rectangles on p. 39
3/18
3/25
Thinking Mathematically pp. 40-52
Creepy Crawlies on p. 40
Threaded Pins on p. 48
Also, work on Reading Assignment 1. It is due on 4/10
3/25

Thinking Mathematically pp. 52-62
Homework holiday. Prepare for the upcoming exam.
4/8
4/15
Thinking Mathematically pp. 62-77
Furniture on p. 61
Consecutive Sums on p. 62
Square Differences on p. 72
Remember that Reading Assignment 1 is due on 4/10
4/10
5/6
LS majors: Chs. 4 and 5 from Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics LS majors: Reading assignment 2 is due on 5/6.
Math majors: your Reading assignment 2 is also due on 5/6, but you need to choose the problem you are going to work on by 4/17.
4/15
4/22
Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 1-14
Fifteen on p. 73 in TM
The Locker Problem on p. 10 and Crossing the River on p. 11 in FAT
4/22
4/29
Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 13-24
Cuisenaire Trains on p. 13 and the Postage Stamp Problem on p. 24
4/29
5/6
Fostering Algebraic Thinking pp. 24-36
Crawling Snail on p. 31
Cutting Through the Layers on p. 32

Exam solutions:
Educational links:
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: