Five (5) Reasons for Teaching Mathematics

 Its importance in everyday life and society;

HOW DOES MATHEMATICS CONTRIBUTE TO EVERYDAY LIFE AND SOCIETY?

Math encourages:

• logical reasoning

• critical thinking

• creative thinking

• abstract or spatial thinking

• problem-solving ability

• effective communication skills

Overcoming common Maths misconceptions: What cognitive science can tell us

THE PROBLEM WITH SCHEMAS AND THE MATHS MISCONCEPTIONS THEY CAUSE

Common example of this are the following:

 Common misconceptions in fractions: rational numbers vs natural numbers

 Overcoming common fractions misconceptions: Understand number values

 Overcoming fractions misconceptions: Understand number order

 Understand and overcoming Place Value misconceptions

 Unpacking common misconception around the curriculum

The Best Way to Avoid Common Fractions Misconceptions

HOW DOES MATHEMATICS CONTRIBUTE TO THE CHILD’S INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT?

Learning experiences for children in mathematics should ensure that children enjoy learning
mathematics, by providing opportunities to:

-Experience the sense of pleasure that comes from solving a problem or a mathematical puzzle

-Have their curiosity stimulated by formulating their own questions and investigating mathematical
situations

-Play small-group games that draw on mathematical skills and concepts

-Experiment with pattern in numbers and shapes and discover relationships for themselves, and have
some beautiful moments in mathematics where they are surprised, delighted or intrigued.

Common Mathematics Manipulatives and Their Uses

Manipulatives are physical teaching tools which engage students not just visually, but also physically.
These learning tools include anything from coins to puzzles and blocks. The use of manipulatives is
becoming more popular because students are actively involved in the learning process.

Geoboards

Recognize area as an attribute of plane figures and understand concepts of area measurement.

Pattern Blocks

Identify shapes as two-dimensional (lying in a plane, “flat”) or three-dimensional (“solid”).

Distinguish between defining attributes (e.g., triangles are closed and three-sided) versus non-defining
attributes (e.g., color, orientation, overall size); build and draw shapes to possess defining attributes.

Color Tiles

Partition a rectangle into rows and columns of same-size squares and count to find the total number of
them.
Unifix/Snap

Cubes Recognize volume as an attribute of solid figures and understand concepts of volume
measurement.

A cube with side length 1 unit, called a “unit cube,” is said to have “one cubic unit” of volume, and can
be used to measure volume.

A solid figure which can be packed without gaps or overlaps using n unit cubes is said to have a volume
of n cubic units.

Triman Compass

Draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and perpendicular and parallel
lines. Identify these in two-dimensional figures.

Cuisenaire Rods

Compute unit rates associated with ratios of fractions, including ratios of lengths, areas and other
quantities measured in like or different units. For example, if a person walks ½ mile in each ¼ hour,
compute the unit rate as the complex fraction ½/1/4 miles per hour, equivalently 2 miles per hour.

Base-10 Blocks
Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens and ones. Understand
the following as special cases:

10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten ones — called a “ten.”

The numbers from 11 to 19 are composed of a ten and one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or
nine ones.

The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 refer to one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, or
nine tens (and 0 ones).

Number Tiles

Write numbers from 0 to 20. Represent a number of objects with a written numeral 020 (with 0
representing a count of no objects).

TI Explorer Plus Calc.

Perform operations with numbers expressed in scientific notation, including problems where both
decimal and scientific notation are used. Use scientific notation and choose units of appropriate size for
measurements of very large or very small quantities (e.g., use millimeters per year for seafloor
spreading). Interpret scientific notation that has been generated by technology.
Two-sided Counters

Understand that positive and negative numbers are used together to describe quantities having
opposite directions or values (e.g., temperature above/below zero, elevation above/below sea level,
credits/debits, positive/negative electric charge); use positive and negative numbers to represent
quantities in real-world contexts, explaining the meaning of 0 in each situation.

Judy Clock

Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks.

Abacus

Add within 100, including adding a two-digit number and a one-digit number, and adding a two-digit
number and a multiple of 10, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on place value,
properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction; relate the strategy
to a written method and explain the reasoning used. Understand that in adding two-digit numbers, one
adds tens and tens, ones and ones; and sometimes it is necessary to compose a ten.

Scale/ Balance

Identify when two expressions are equivalent (i.e., when the two expressions name the same number
regardless of which value is substituted into them). For example, the expressions y + y + y and 3y are
equivalent because they name the same number regardless of which number y stands for.

Bonus manipulatives: Coins

Coins provide a great opportunity to explore many mathematical concepts, including decimals and place
value. Since each coin and bill have an assigned value, money plays a crucial role as an effective math
manipulative. Teachers can also use dollar bills and coins to explain other concepts such as addition,
multiplication, percentage and division.
Tips for Teachers

It is important for teachers to get the most out of these manipulatives by following these tips:

• Do not think of manipulatives but as powerful learning tools to build conceptual understanding of
math.

• Manipulatives serve as a bridge between concrete and abstract levels of complicated mathematical
topics.

• Do your homework and research about how to use each manipulative

Adapt and be familiarized on the topics and learning competencies found in the curriculum guide in
mathematics that is needed by the pupils. Watch the videos for you to have idea the approach for the K-
12 Math curriculum. Below are the links.

Creating Digital Content in Mathematics for K-12 Curriculum with Dr. Peter Esperanza (Number Bender)
- YouTube

Roadmap for K-12 Math Curriculum - YouTube