Envision Math Problem Solving Handbook For The New Paradigm
If Saxon isn½t your cup of tea, but you need a good secular math program Prentice Hall can fill that void. This series is written to meet standards and prepare students for standardized testing. The books are colorful and easy to use while the teacher resources give you everything you need to teach the course and a lot of extras.
Paradigm shifts in education in recent years envisions a new type of learning culture that demands ICT integration with. PISA assesses the skill and knowledge (reading, mathematical, problem solving and scientific literacy) students have acquired at the end of their compulsory education. The PISA sample is drawn from.
Each course bundle includes a Student Text, All-in-One Student Workbook, and Teacher Center CD-ROM (PLEASE NOTE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS BELOW). The Student Text not only gives you comprehensive colorful lessons, but a plethora of resource information. The front of the book includes web codes (for use at the publishers website) for easy access to vocabulary quizzes, chapter tests, chapter projects, and how to access them; how to use the book; diagnostic test; and a problem-solving handbook that teaches students how to work through problems understand, plan, carryout, and check. Resources are continued in the back of the book with chapter projects, extra practice, skills handbook with exercises, reference tables for measurement, math symbols, formulas & properties, an English/Spanish glossary, select answers to exercises (mostly odd problems), and 'Instant Check System' answers. Each chapter in the student text begins with a short review of previous concepts and an introduction as to what will be covered in the present chapter.
Chapters are broken down into lessons which include a list of skills needed for fulfilling the chapter content, concept presentation with examples, highlighted vocabulary, Quick Check practice, Check Your Understanding, homework exercises, notes for where you can go for help, guided problem solving, web codes for homework video tutors (short lessons on key concepts), test prep & mixed review, and activity labs. Sometimes there will be test prep tips, vocabulary builders, or 'Math at Work' which highlights math in careers. At the end of each chapter you might find test-taking strategies, chapter review, chapter test, and a test prep which will be either reading comprehension with math reading and word problems or a cumulative review. The Teacher Center CD-ROM includes an extreme amount of information and resources and includes 4 discs for installation and program elements along with guides for installation and use. The resource disc includes test forms, answer keys, answer grids, progress charts, practice tests for ITBS, NAEP, and SAT10, project pages, note taking pages, activity pages in Spanish, transparencies, and the list goes on. One very helpful component in the teacher materials is a readiness test that lets you know if your student is prepared for algebra.
The Teacher Center CD-ROM is awesome and easy to use, but I do have one complaint. The PDF files for all of the printable pages and answer keys, etc. Dont have the titles of them listed. They are labeled with cryptic letters and numbers, so you will need to decipher the code to find the file you need. System Requirements for the Teacher CD are: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP and 10 MB hard disk space available or Mac OS X, 10.2-10.4 with 20 MB hard disc space available; 64 MB of RAM available (128 recommended) and internet access for the codes and links. The All-in-One Student Workbook offers consumable formatted pages for daily note taking, guided problem solving, additional practice, vocabulary checks and reviews for use with special needs students. The pages offer room to work problems, less clutter, and more white space.
This series allows for some flexibility in the course sequence. Students can choose to do Course 1 and Course 2, and then they have the option of doing Course 3, Algebra Readiness, or going directly to Pre-algebra in the high school series. According to the publisher, Algebra Readiness contains the same general content as Pre-algebra with small differences in content. This series offers a strong alternative for those who want classroom equivalent courses and content that meets standards.
More time is spent on the concept at the time of presentation, but review keeps the material fresh. Overall, this series is strong enough to prepare students for high school math with the flexibility in the courses you take. Donna Note: If you have purchased this product and are having trouble with the Teacher CD-ROM, please contact customer service for assistance. Yay for Pearson for offering a Homeschool Bundle on this product! If Saxon isn½t your cup of tea, but you need a good secular math program Prentice Hall can fill that void.
This series is written to meet standards and prepare students for standardized testing. The books are colorful and easy to use while the teacher resources give you everything you need to teach the course and a lot of extras. Each course bundle includes a Student Text, All-in-One Student Workbook, and Teacher Center CD-ROM (PLEASE NOTE SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS BELOW). The Student Text not only gives you comprehensive colorful lessons, but a plethora of resource information. The front of the book includes web codes (for use at the publishers website) for easy access to vocabulary quizzes, chapter tests, chapter projects, and how to access them; how to use the book; diagnostic test; and a problem-solving handbook that teaches students how to work through problems understand, plan, carryout, and check. Resources are continued in the back of the book with chapter projects, extra practice, skills handbook with exercises, reference tables for measurement, math symbols, formulas & properties, an English/Spanish glossary, select answers to exercises (mostly odd problems), and 'Instant Check System' answers. Each chapter in the student text begins with a short review of previous concepts and an introduction as to what will be covered in the present chapter.
Chapters are broken down into lessons which include a list of skills needed for fulfilling the chapter content, concept presentation with examples, highlighted vocabulary, Quick Check practice, Check Your Understanding, homework exercises, notes for where you can go for help, guided problem solving, web codes for homework video tutors (short lessons on key concepts), test prep & mixed review, and activity labs. Sometimes there will be test prep tips, vocabulary builders, or 'Math at Work' which highlights math in careers. At the end of each chapter you might find test-taking strategies, chapter review, chapter test, and a test prep which will be either reading comprehension with math reading and word problems or a cumulative review. The Teacher Center CD-ROM includes an extreme amount of information and resources and includes 4 discs for installation and program elements along with guides for installation and use. The resource disc includes test forms, answer keys, answer grids, progress charts, practice tests for ITBS, NAEP, and SAT10, project pages, note taking pages, activity pages in Spanish, transparencies, and the list goes on. One very helpful component in the teacher materials is a readiness test that lets you know if your student is prepared for algebra. The Teacher Center CD-ROM is awesome and easy to use, but I do have one complaint.
The PDF files for all of the printable pages and answer keys, etc. Dont have the titles of them listed. They are labeled with cryptic letters and numbers, so you will need to decipher the code to find the file you need.
System Requirements for the Teacher CD are: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP and 10 MB hard disk space available or Mac OS X, 10.2-10.4 with 20 MB hard disc space available; 64 MB of RAM available (128 recommended) and internet access for the codes and links. The All-in-One Student Workbook offers consumable formatted pages for daily note taking, guided problem solving, additional practice, vocabulary checks and reviews for use with special needs students. The pages offer room to work problems, less clutter, and more white space. This series allows for some flexibility in the course sequence. Students can choose to do Course 1 and Course 2, and then they have the option of doing Course 3, Algebra Readiness, or going directly to Pre-algebra in the high school series. According to the publisher, Algebra Readiness contains the same general content as Pre-algebra with small differences in content.
Envision Math Problem Solving Handbook For The New Paradigms
This series offers a strong alternative for those who want classroom equivalent courses and content that meets standards. More time is spent on the concept at the time of presentation, but review keeps the material fresh. Overall, this series is strong enough to prepare students for high school math with the flexibility in the courses you take. Donna Note: If you have purchased this product and are having trouble with the Teacher CD-ROM, please contact customer service for assistance. Yay for Pearson for offering a Homeschool Bundle on this product!
The critical thinking tools introduced here were developed by Dr. Sandra Kaplan, USC under the auspices of OERI, Javits Curriculum Project T.W.O., 1996. Ideas presented here are also adapted from Flip Book, Too Dr.
Sandra Kaplan and Bette GouldThe Depth and Complexity Icons are visual prompts designed to help students go beyond surface level understanding of a concept and enhance their ability to think critically. These critical thinking tools help students dig deeper into a concept ( depth) and understand that concept with greater complexity.In fact, to truly understand something, one must be able to speak the language specific to that topic.
One cannot have a critical understanding of that same topic without knowing the details, rules and patterns associated with it or understanding how it may have changed and the varied perspectives through which it is viewed.As you examine each icon, pay close attention to the design, as it will help to reveal its meaning. Keep in mind that our goal is not to teach the icons themselves, but rather to utilize them as visual “thinking” tools to help students gain a critical understanding of a topic or concept.Depth Tool- Language of the DisciplineThe meaning of this icon is pretty self-explanatory.
The lips represent specialized language related to a topic or concept. This language includes key words, phrases, signs/symbols, figures of speech, abbreviations, and the like.For example, to truly understand a concept in mathematics, one must speak the “language of math”. A student being asked to add and subtract would need to understand not only terms such as “sum” and “difference”, but also be able to understand mathematical sentences which often include symbols: 27 + (16 – 5) =In the study of the American Revolution, students would need to know the meaning of “Redcoat” and realize that it isn’t something one can purchase in a store!Depth Tool- DetailsAs you consider the design of this icon, think about the details of the flower and how each part (flower petals, etc.) make up the whole flower. Details contain the information that enhance understanding. They act as supporting information to a big idea or concept (main idea).
Details include: parts, factors, attributes, traits, and variables.If we go back to our earlier math example: 27 + (16 – 5) = the details are the numbers themselves (the parts that make up the equation). Being able to discern important details of a story is key to one’s ability to critically analyze that text. While we can concede that one of the pigs in the story, The Three Pigs is wearing a red shirt, we can agree that the color of the shirt is extraneous and doesn’t lead to a deeper understanding of the story.Depth Tool- PatternsThere’s no surprise that this icon represents patterns (note the circle, line, circle, and zig-zag pattern). If one were asked, it would be a fairly simple task to continue the pattern. Patterns are recurring elements or factors in ideas, objects, stories, and events.
They are predictable, repetitive and ordered.We see patterns in math: number lines, geometry; literature: “Little pigs, little pigs! Let me come in”; social studies: patterns in movement and settlement, behavior. The list goes on Being able to move beyond simple identification of patterns to defining the cause and effect of a pattern or identifying relationships among patterns is rigorous and requires the ability to think critically.Depth Tool- RulesRules are the organizational elements that create structure. This concept is an easy one for students, as they are surrounded by rules (at home, school, in sports, etc). Rules provide structure and represent organization and hierarchy. The meaning is reflected in the design of the icon, which itself has a clear structure.This icon is often seen in science when looking at classifications. Students may encounter it when examining the structure of a text (compare and contrast, main idea and details, and the like).
They may also be asked to apply mathematical rules (formulas) to solve a problem or utilize spelling and grammar rules in writing.Depth Tool- Big IdeaThe Big Idea indicates a generalization, principle or theory about the curriculum being studied. It often represents the focus of study or a learning task.For example, the big idea of a science lesson might be the water cycle. The Big Idea design works well to help students organize the main idea of a story or paragraph (in the roof), which is then supported with evidence (pillars supporting the roof).
Students use this with universal themes and generalizations.Depth Tool- Ethical IssuesThis element of Depth and Complexity represents moral principles (possible rights or wrongs). An easy way to remember the meaning: “Black and white/ right and wrong”. It represents conflicting points of view on events, ideas or issues and involves bias, values, or judgments.Students will most likely encounter this dimension when analyzing literature or studying social studies. For example, students might be asked to consider ethical issues surrounding Spanish colonization and the establishment of missions along the California coast or to examine ethical issues surrounding a character’s behavior in a story.Depth Tool – TrendsThis is the icon I about which get the most questions. Trends represent the general direction of change. CHANGE is the key word here.Trends can be explained by external factors or influences that contribute to the change. This icon is represented well by the line graph.
Each spike and dip in the graph was caused by something (external factor or influence). Think cause and effect here. One example I like to use is the trend in schools to move away from hardback text books to e-books. What caused the change to go from one to another? Context is huge here!
In this case, one reason the trend was caused was the availability of technologyThis is different from simple change over time, because for a trend to occur, one thing has to replace, or compete with, another. It’s important to not only examine the “why”, but also the “so now what?” questions. What are the consequences, both intentional and unintentional?Depth Tool- Unanswered QuestionsThese are questions about anything is is unsolved, unclear, or unproven.
These can be ideas that have yet to be explored, are unresolved, or that have missing components (incomplete). Unanswered questions are good!These are questions we need to pursue. Having said this, many students will be content with simply asking a question and leaving it at that. As educators, we need to push students to pursue the answers to these questions.
These are typically questions that are not answered quickly and sometimes they aren’t answerable (yet), but they do have the potential to generate some good thinking and discussion.Complexity Tool- Multiple PerspectivesThis icon basically represents different points of view on ideas, events, people, and issues.It often represents an “expert” viewpoint, and is dependent on time and place. This icon falls under the “complexity” section of the Depth and Complexity framework.
This icon is easy for students to remember because glasses have lenses through which one must look to see something clearly. Multiple perspectives combines nicely with the other icons. For example, one could look at the different perspectives on rules or on details. One really couldn’t get a good understanding of a conflict without first looking through the different perspectives involved.Complexity Tool- Change Over TimeThis icon prompts students to explore a concept, event, or person as it relates to time (past/present/future).Change is inevitable.
This powerful tool facilitates a more complex exploration and can easily be applied across disciplines and combined with all the other Depth and Complexity Tools. Consider having students examine how and why rules change over time. How do changing perspectives impact changes in rules? For a different approach, consider having students explore why things haven’t changed.Complexity Tool- Across DisciplinesThis icon also falls under the complexity section of the framework.The Across Disciplines icon prompts exploration of connections within, between and across subject areas. Although not used as often as some of the other tools, this icon supports understanding of how something relates to multiple disciplines.
For example, students can examine natural resources across science, economics, history, etc. Questions students might explore – How does the California Gold Rush relate to science, economics, and history? Through what disciplines might we better understand the presidential election?Save Save.