mathematical reasoning
Games and Puzzles that Reach the Kids and Teach the Standards
By Bill Lombard on 27 November, 2009
The title of this post is from a conference session at the California Math Council conference at Asilomar in December, 2009. You may download the handout, with instructions for some activities, through the following link: Games and Puzzles that Reach the Kids and Teach the Standards – download file Puzzles and Games are a great [...]
Posted in Math Activity, Puzzle | Tagged games, logical reasoning skills, mathematical games, mathematical reasoning, number strategies, Problem-Solving, resources for teachers | 3 Responses
George Polya, Master Problem Solver – a Model for All Math Teachers
By Bill Lombard on 27 October, 2009
George Polya was a master of problem solving, and his effect on other teachers has been extraordinary. His most popular book, How to Solve It, has sold over a million copies. As is the case with many great books, Polya had been turned down by three publishers before finding one to publish the English version [...]
Posted in Pedagogy | Tagged george polya, heuristics, math instruction, mathematical patterns, mathematical reasoning, problem solving skills | 5 Responses
KenKen News – Will Shortz Adds Puzzle to Daily New York Times Puzzle Page
By Bill Lombard on 9 February, 2009
The New York Times has added KenKen to its Puzzle Page, next to their crossword puzzle, and publish it daily Monday-Saturday. This puzzle launch is accompanied by an article by the NYTimes Puzzle Editor, Will Shortz. Here are some excerpts from Will’s article: “KenKen, which starts in The New York Times today next to the [...]
Posted in Puzzle | Tagged games, KenKen, language skills, mathematical reasoning, Problem-Solving, Puzzle, Will Shortz | 1 Response
Friday Afternoon Lifesavers – the Teacher’s Best Friend; Part 4, A Knight’s Tour
By Bill Lombard on 6 February, 2009
Friday Afternoon Lifesavers are exactly what they sound like: at the end of the week when you and your students are running out of gas, these activities come to the rescue. They are mathematical, engaging, fun, and give the teacher a much-needed break. A Knight’s Tour is a motivating activity/puzzle that works with both over [...]
Posted in Puzzle | Tagged critical thinking, friday afternoon, intriguing puzzles, lifesavers, mathematical reasoning, Problem-Solving, Puzzle | 2 Responses
KenKen Puzzles – Six New Puzzles for You Each Day from 4×4 to 9×9
By Bill Lombard on 25 January, 2009
I just received word that new daily KenKen puzzles are now available at this kenken.com website. You can choose from small puzzles, such as the 4×4, all the way to the mega-size 9×9 for real KenKen enthusiasts. All the puzzles are rated Medium. This serves as a nice companion to the New York Times KenKen [...]
Posted in Puzzle | Tagged KenKen, logical reasoning skills, mathematical reasoning, Miyamoto, number sense, Problem-Solving, Puzzle | 8 Responses
Schools Turn Algebra into Child’s Play in Lebanon Oregon
By Bill Lombard on 30 December, 2008
This post features a video and some excerpts from the article “Lebanon schools turn algebra into child’s play”, by Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian. While most high schools in Oregon and across the nation struggle to get freshmen to pass algebra, one school district is trying something very different. Lebanon, which educates 4,000 students in eight [...]
Posted in Pedagogy, Website Resource | Tagged algebra one, intuitive sense, math classroom, math instruction, mathematical reasoning, numerical reasoning, teaching math, visual modeling | 2 Responses
Digit Puzzles–Using Number Sense Strategies to Foster Algebraic Thinking for All Students
By Bill Lombard on 1 June, 2008
The June 2008 issue of the California Math Council ComMuniCator journal has posed the following problem in the student problem section: “Use each of the numbers 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, and any operations to express as many counting numbers as possible, beginning with 1. All five of the numbers must be used in [...]
Posted in Math Activity | Tagged brain exercise, intriguing puzzles, mathematical reasoning, number sense, number strategies, numerical reasoning, Puzzle, teaching math | 1 Response
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