Using Mathematics to Build an Understanding of the United States

1999 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-127
Author(s):  
Ellen L. Clay
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
Whole Language ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
The World ◽  
Integrative Study ◽  
Mathematics Class

Mathematics is frequently separated from the rest of the educational experience to such an extent that even in the literature of whole language, with its comprehensive belief systems about integrative study, mathematics is often left out (Armbruster 1992). As a mathematician, I naturally see mathematics abound in the world around us. Therefore, after hearing comments from elementary school teachers that children read and write in every class but do mathematics only in mathematics class, I decided to design a social studies unit that would incorporate the use of mathematics. The resulting unit emphasizes the study of the United States as a whole rather than as fifty individual states.

Activities for Students: A S(t)imulating Study of Map Projections: An Exploration Integrating Mathematics and Social Studies

2001 ◽  
Vol 94 (8) ◽  
pp. 660-671
Author(s):  
Jesse L. M. Wilkins ◽  
David Hicks
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Geography Education ◽  
Education Standards ◽  
Map Projections ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
The World ◽  
Mental Mapping ◽  
Entire World

As technological advances continue to help more people make connections with the entire world, students must understand how to use and interpret information shown in different maps of the world (Geography Education Standards Project 1994; Freese 1997). However, mental-mapping research suggests that students in the United States have major misconceptions about proportions, locations, and perspective when they work with maps (Dulli and Goodman 1994; Stoltman 1991).

Bilingualism in measurement: the coming of the metric system

1973 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 397-399
Author(s):  
George W. Bright
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
Measurement System ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Teachers

At such time as the metric system is adopted as the measurement system in the United States, every American will develop some degree of bilingualism in the English and metric languages of measurement. The burden of encouraging this development will fall to a large extent on elementary school teachers, for they will have to confront the confusion of young children. But there are advantages that will accrue for those who learn to use the metric system. As teachers recognize these advantages and begin to exploit them, acceptance of the metric system will increase.

Alternative Algorithms: Increasing Options, Reducing Errors

2001 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 480-484
Author(s):  
Tamela Randolph ◽  
Helene Sherman
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Elementary School Teachers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Place Value ◽  
Comfort Zone ◽  
Major Focus ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
School Based ◽  
Step Procedure ◽  
Finite Step

An algorithm is “a finite, step-by-step procedure for accomplishing a task that we wish to complete” (Usiskin 1998, p. 7). Algorithms have served as a major focus of mathematics education in the United States for decades. Because school-based mathematics focuses on computation and estimation, the tasks of developing number sense, place-value understanding, and strategies for computing with algorithms remain of great importance to elementary school teachers. “The use of algorithms allows students to look at math as a process rather than as a question answer type activity … they can choose from their toolbox. Algorithms provide a comfort zone for some students and encourage students to pursue better ways as they get comfortable with them” (Mingus and Grassl 1998, p. 56).

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