When children (aged 7 through 9) are learning mathematics, which areas
they find most difficult? What games are used in different countries
to teach these children about mathematics and numbers? What
mathematical or numerical aspects of physical bridges are of most
interest to these children? What types of fictional characters are
these children most likely to identify with?

---

Clarification of Question by bizuth-ga on 16 Jun 2005 17:46 PDT

I would greatly appreciate even a partial answer or comments from any country.

---

Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 20 Jun 2005 00:49 PDT

Hello bizuth-ga,

I've been working on your question and I've found some good resources
about children learning math and some interesting methods that can be
used to make learning math fun and interesting.

As I was exploring your question I suddenly realized that I don't know
what you mean when you ask, "What mathematical or numerical aspects of
physical bridges are of most interest to these children?" Are you
asking if children are learning math through learning about building
bridges? If not, please give me more details or some examples of what
you're looking for.

I'm also intrigued by your question on whether children learning math
identify with fictional characters? Do you know of some? Do you know
of some math teaching programs that use fictional characters? Please
also say more about the international aspects of your question. Some
countries seem to do a much better job of teaching math than others.
Is your research focused on specific countries?

As I said, I've started digging into your question but it would be
very helpful if you could tell me more about the context of your
question and whatever research you've already done on this subject. I
don't want to present you with information you already have. The more
you can share about your project, the more likely I will be able to
get you the information you need.

I look forward to your clarification.

~ czh ~

---

Clarification of Question by bizuth-ga on 20 Jun 2005 06:57 PDT

Thank you czh-ga for the pertinent questions. 

We have a background in math and architecture and wish to help
children learn math in innovative and practical ways. We would love to
make complex math and probability concepts accessible and meaningful
to kids under 10-year old. We are starting with a blank canvas and
thought Google Answers would help us collect information before
digging further. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Here is the
response to your request for clarification

Are you asking if children are learning math through learning about
building bridges?
Yes. This is just one option that could be available to educators, be
they parents or teachers.

Do you know of fictional characters that children learning math could
identify with?
I don?t know of any in the field of math education. However, TV
programs for kids use fictional characters for teaching numbers. Dora
is used to teach rudimentary Spanish. Fritz, Bianca, Chesster and
other fictional characters do a superb job at teaching Chess to kids
4-year old and up.

Do you know of some math teaching programs that use fictional characters? No.

Some countries seem to do a much better job of teaching math than
others. Is your research focused on specific countries?
We are very interested in learning lessons related to early childhood
math education from countries doing well or at least improving over
the years.

I would be delighted to provide further info if needed.

---

Request for Question Clarification by czh-ga on 20 Jun 2005 07:04 PDT

Thanks for the clarifications. I'm glad to hear that I'm on the right
track. I'm not sure how much has been done in math education along the
lines you suggest but your question is quite clear now. I will have
something for you shortly.

~ czh ~

Hello bizuth-ga,

What an interesting search project? There is a tremendous amount of
information and resources available about the teaching of math. I?ve
collected a variety of resources to sample the outstanding teaching
materials that have been compiled over the years. I?ve paid special
attention to your interest in using lessons from real life for
teaching math. I?ve also collected some articles on some theories
about what are the current problems with teaching math and how they
could be remedied. Finally, I?ve concentrated on giving you a broad
selection of math resources showing how games, fictional characters,
history, and real life evens can be used in teaching math.

This is an enormous topic and consequently I see this research as an
introduction to the depth and breadth of what might be available if
you want to refine your search or continue your explorations further.
Please don?t hesitate to ask for clarification if any of what I?ve
provided is confusing.

Wishing you well for your project.

~ czh ~


=====================================================
LEARNING THROUGH BUILDING PROJECTS ? BRIDGES AND MORE
=====================================================

http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001541.shtml?prnfriendly
Mathematics and Bridge Constructions
Title: 	Mathematics and Bridge Constructions

Description: 	
Learn how to plan, design, calculate, and construct a model of a
bridge. Find out how mathematical concepts of ratio, proportion, and
scale are implemented in the bridge building process. Includes
worksheets, lesson plans, an online truss calculator tool, and games.
There are links to eThemes resources on building bridges,
architecture, and mathematical ratios and proportions.
Grade Level: 	7

***** This page also includes lots of resource links.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.bridgesite.com/funand.htm
Fun & Learning About Bridges
 -- Learning For Kids & Newbies
 -- Just Fun

***** This site offers dozens of links on bridges and other
construction-oriented educational sites that would be very useful for
teaching math while capturing the imagination.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/sitemap.html
Building Big

Bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams, and tunnels take center stage on
PBS with BUILDING BIG, a five-part miniseries on megastructures,
hosted by renowned author-illustrator David Macaulay. BUILDING BIG
explores the history behind some of the world's greatest feats of
engineering and the ingenuity of the engineers, architects, and
builders who designed and built them.

BUILDING BIG is a great opportunity to get kids thinking about
structures they see every day. You can use the television series and
Web site to increase students' awareness of their built environment
and the impact of technology on society, while teaching basic physical
science concepts. This Educators' Guide is a Web version of the
printed Activity Guide created for the BUILDING BIG television series.

***** This looks like a wonderful program that provides lots of
activities and is geared to the elementary level.

-------------------------------------------------


http://earthquake.usgs.gov/4kids//
USGS -- Earthquakes for Kids and Grownups

***** This is a very rich and interesting site that offers lots of
science lessons and activities many of which encompass teaching math.
The Science of Earthquakes is especially intriguing.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.pre-engineering.com/modelsmart/ms.html
Design and Test Model Bridges and Towers on Your Computer with ModelSmart TM

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/archive/
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/archive/int_phys.html
Find by Interest -- Physics & Math

***** Browse the collection of programs for several that might be
suitable for teaching math. Each is accompanied by Classroom
Activities, Teachers? Guides and other resources. Excellent.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/teachers/programs/2418_avalanch.html
Avalanche! 
 
Program Overview 
Scientists estimate that there are more than 1 million avalanches each
year. Complex in nature, an avalanche can range from snow falling off
a roof to entire mountainsides of snow traveling for miles. The
evolving field of avalanche research draws scientists from many
disciplines who combine interests in geophysics, atmospheric sciences,
and snow science to understand the properties of snow, snow crystal
formation, snow mechanics, and the interaction between the environment
and the snow pack. NOVA travels around the world to examine the state
of the art of avalanche science.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge/
Super Bridge
Viewers are sidewalk supervisors for one of the most unusual
construction projects in the U.S. - the building of the stunningly
beautiful and eminently practical Clark Bridge over the Mississippi
River. Contractors faced every obstacle in the book?and then some?to
build this complex structure.


============================================
FUN WITH MATH -- GAMES, CHARACTERS, PROJECTS
============================================

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Math/index.html
http://www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/math/index.html
Helping Your Child Learn Math

Perhaps one of the most important ways that families can reinforce
mathematics achievement is simply by having a positive attitude that
children can master challenging math. Too often, we undermine our
children's interest in math by using statements such as "math is hard"
or "I didn't like math either." Research shows that when we believe
all children can learn challenging materials and we set high
expectations, children rise to the occasion.

This booklet includes activities for families with elementary
school-aged children. These activities use materials found inside your
home and also make learning experiences out of everyday routines, such
as grocery shopping and cooking. The activities are designed for you
to have fun with your child while reinforcing mathematical skills.

This booklet is part of a series aimed at helping families participate
in their children's learning. We hope you and your children will enjoy
the activities suggested in this book and develop many more of your
own. I commend you for being an involved family. Your commitment will
encourage your children to reach their full potential.

***** The Activities section will be of special interest to you. There
are fun learning projects for Math in the Home, Math at the Grocery
Store, Math on the Go, and Math for the Fun of It.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.mathcats.com/grownupcats/ideabankactivities.html
Math Activities Idea Bank
for the Home, the Classroom, and the Whole School 

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.funbrain.com/
Pearson Education, Inc

http://www.funbrain.com/brain/MathBrain/MathBrain.html
25 arcade style math games

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.lawrence.org/edlinks/math_lower_elem/math_lower_elem.htm
Lawrence Public Schools ? Lower Elementary Math Resources

***** Many of the activities on this site use fictional characters,
stories or games for teaching math.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org/aunty/index.html
Meet Aunty Math

Hello! Aunt Mathilda Mathews here. I just love math, maybe because the
word math is in my first and my last name! I like to visit with my
niece Gina and my nephews Danny, and Barney. Whenever they visit I try
to think up some math challenges for them to try to solve.

http://www.dupagechildrensmuseum.org/aunty/chmain.html
Auntie Math?s Past Challenges

***** Lots of fun math learning activities.

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/subjects/childrens_learning.shtml
Children?s Learning

-------------------------------------------------


http://math.cofc.edu/faculty/kasman/MATHFICT/about.php
Mathematical Fiction

Of the many works of fiction that are published, very few involve
mathematics or mathematicians. However, people who like mathematics
(or are mathematicians ourselves) may especially enjoy reading those
few that do. Moreover, as I argue in an article in the AMS Notices,
mathematicians should be interested in these works of "mathematical
fiction" even if we do not enjoy them because they both affect and
reflect the non-mathematician's view of this subject.

-------------------------------------------------


http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/School_Bell/Math/Games_and_Puzzles/
Home > School Bell > Math >Games and Puzzles

***** This directory lists dozens of resources.


======================================================
DIFFICULTIES IN LEARNING MATH IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES
======================================================

http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/SMTS/news-july2002/a4-love-or-hate-math.htm
Ensuring That Students Hate (Love) Mathematics?

***** This website lists teaching approaches and methods that turn
kids away from math and makes suggestions for appropriate changes.

-------------------------------------------------


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/180195_focus04.html
The M Word: Cultivating a culture where math comes alive for children

Want to know why fewer than 20 percent of fourth-grade students in
Seattle's Central District elementary schools pass the math section of
the Washington Assessment of Student Learning in any given year?

As a black man who grew up in the Central District, graduated from
Garfield High School and now teaches math in the Seattle and Lake
Washington school districts, I do not offer race or money as
explanations for the failure. Nor do I fault Washington state's
standardized test. No, these kids and others in environments like
theirs fail because they have virtually no exposure to math outside of
the limited time they spend learning it in the classroom. What these
students need -- and what students in other parts of the region get --
is a math culture at school supported by parents.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/wslwtsw.htm
Why Students Lose When "Tougher Standards" Win: A Conversation with Alfie Kohn

If students are to help design their own learning experiences and if
teachers are to be free to develop a curriculum on the basis of their
students' needs, schools must buck the "Tougher Standards" movement,
author Alfie Kohn says.

This issue of Educational Leadership focuses on how teachers can shape
instruction to meet the unique needs of learners. At present, though,
there is an even stronger trend toward creating common standards for
all students. Are these common standards incompatible with the ideals
of personalized learning?

The current approach taken by the proponents of Tougher Standards is
incompatible with personalized learning and with the interests of kids
at the margins, and, ultimately, I think it is incompatible with
excellence.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.asee.org/acPapers/20207.pdf
Engineering Students in K-12 Schools

Abstract 
There is a wealth of knowledge and information to be shared between
elementary, particularly K-5, students and college engineering
students. Increasingly, children are deciding on those subjects they
like and dislike (and therefore do and don?t do) as early as
elementary school. Anecdotal evidence suggests that females, in
particular, lose interest in math and science in mid-elementary
school. An innovative new program in North Carolina?s Wake County is
attempting to influence the academic choices of the elementary
student, particularly young girls and underrepresented minorities.
This is the pilot year of an NSF funded program that places college of
engineering students as resources at public elementary schools.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3614/is_200304/ai_n9229964
Math anxiety: Overcoming a major obstacle to the improvement of
student math performance

In today's high-tech, increasingly connected world, it is important
that young children build confidence in their ability to do
mathematics. This article reviews the literature on preventing and
reducing math anxiety. The authors believe that as students become
less anxious about and more confident in their abilities to do math,
their performance on standardized test scores will improve and they
will be better prepared for the future.

Extensive research on math anxiety has tried to determine why so many
people in the United States demonstrate a fear or even antipathy
toward math.

Marilyn Burns (1998), a leading mathematics education expert, contends
that two thirds of American adults loathe and fear mathematics.

By contrast, most current teaching practices in mathematics classrooms
do not provide sufficient time for critical thought. In fact, the
methods used in mathematics instruction itself seem to play a critical
role in shaping attitudes toward math (Jackson & Leffingwell, 1999).
Sarason (1993) maintains that any reform in education must first begin
with teacher training.

***** Be sure to read the whole article to get a good understanding of
current trends in math education.



==============================================================
TEACHING MATH ? RESOURCES, DIRECTORIES, ORGANIZATIONS, PORTALS
==============================================================

http://www.suzannesutton.com/index.htm
What We Are
NewtonsWindow.com is a website for students, families, and teachers as
they learn - and teach - math.  We are an ad-free site offering ideas,
resources, educational gifts and products, links, and more.

Why We're Here
Learning math is hard.  And we learn math differently than we learn
other subjects.  So many students struggle in math, not because they
cannot learn math, but because they haven't been taught how.  Parents
want to help, but don't always feel able.  Teachers want ideas and
tools.   Students want to 'get it.'
That's why we're here.  

***** This is a huge portal offering lots of resources for making math
teaching and learning enjoyable.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/
The goals of Project Interactive are the creation, collection,
evaluation and dissemination of interactive Java-based courseware for
exploration in science and mathematics.

http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/elementary/
Elementary Topics
This chart will help identify which activities from Project
Interactivate can be used to explore the topics covered in elementary
grades 3 - 5 mathematics. The lesson ideas are still a work in
progress but all of the activities are aligned with suggested grade
levels.

 · Number and Operation Concepts
 · Geometry and Measurement Concepts
 · Function and Algebra Concepts
 · Probability and Data Analysis Concepts

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.awesomelibrary.org/
Awesome Library organizes the Web with 26,000 carefully reviewed
resources, including the top 5 percent in education.
http://www.awesomelibrary.org/Classroom/Mathematics/Elementary_School_Math/Elementary_School_Math.html
Elementary School Math 

***** Pick the grade level or topic and find lots of resources to help
with the subject.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.scholastic.com/sitemap.htm
Scholastic Inc.

A highly trusted brand name with many businesses centered around
education and learning, Scholastic's products and services include
award-winning curriculum software, television shows, videos,
magazines, books and toys marketed through school and home, including
the Internet, direct mail, telemarketing call centers and sales
forces. Scholastic is a publicly held company that trades on NASDAQ
under the ticker symbol SCHL.

http://www.scholastic.com/sitemap.htm
Resources for Families and Teachers by age, grade and subject.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.math.com/parents/articles/domath.html
Doing Mathematics with Your Child

This article presents resources that will enable parents to fulfill
their responsibility for developing their children's abilities to do
mathematics, while at the same time encouraging more positive
attitudes toward mathematics.

1. Activities in the Home
2. Working with Your Child's Teacher
3. Projects for Parental Involvement

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.ti.com/calc/pdf/fmlymath.pdf
Uncovering Math with Your Family - Texas Instruments (PDF). Important
math concepts are everywhere!

***** This is a 12-page booklet with lots of ideas and learning opportunities.

-------------------------------------------------


http://42explore.com/42exploremath.htm
42eXplore!

When you're learning about something new, it's nice to have more than
one resource to explore. This web project provides "four to explore"
for each topic. On each page you'll find information, definitions,
links, and other resources. Click a topic to start exploring!

Mathematic topics include a wide variety of areas. 
 · charts & graphs 
 · codes, ciphers & secret messages 
 · fractals (see also 'tessellations') 
 · geometric shapes and figures (see also 'fractals', 'tessellations') 
 · graphs (see 'charts & graphs) 
 · number systems 
 · patterns 
 · Pi 
 · polls and surveys 
 · shapes (see 'geometric shapes and figures') 
 · statistics & probability 
 · surveys (see 'polls and surveys') 
 · tessellations (see also 'fractals') 

-------------------------------------------------


http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/drmath.elem.html
Ask Dr. Math -- Elementary Archive
Browse questions and answers:

-------------------------------------------------


http://ajdaniel.org/InteractiveWebsitesMathandScience.html
Interactive Websites for Mathematics and Science

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.aaamath.com/
AAA Math

Hundreds of pages of Basic Math Skills, Interactive Practice on every
page, An Explanation of the math topic on each page, Several Challenge
Games on every page, Math Problems are randomly created These pages
illustrate and provide interactive arithmetic exercises and problems.
They contain a series of basic math lessons which are a resource that
can be used by math students in formal elementary education math
classes, home schooling or elsewhere.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.shambles.net/pages/staff/mathsall/
Mathematics (All)

***** Dozens of math teaching resources.

-------------------------------------------------


http://atozteacherstuff.com/TeacherStore/Math/
A to Z Teacher Stuff is teacher-created, and designed to help teachers
find online resources more quickly and easily. We offer lesson plans,
thematic units, teacher tips, discussion forums for teachers,
downloadable teaching materials & eBooks, printable worksheets and
blacklines, emergent reader books, themes, and more.

-------------------------------------------------


://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&biw=780&q=teaching+primary+math+grades+
SEARCH: teaching primary math grades

***** Lots of primary grade math resources.

-------------------------------------------------


http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/mathbib.html
Making Math Fun
Materials for Teaching and Learning Mathematical Concepts



===============
SEARCH STRATEGY
===============

learn elementary math
young children learning math
learn math bridge building
learn elementary math bridge building
teach lower elementary math fictional characters
having fun with math primary grades
kids have trouble with math primary grades
kids lose interest in math primary grades
overcoming math anxiety OR phobia

---

Request for Answer Clarification by bizuth-ga on 29 Jun 2005 13:25 PDT

Dear czh-ga,
From a first glance, I am unequivocally impressed by your hard-working
effort and wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Sorry I
cannot respond before a week when I plan to devote a couple of days of
total attention to your thorough answer.
Have a wonderful week.
Bizuth-ga

---

Clarification of Answer by czh-ga on 29 Jun 2005 16:11 PDT

Dear bizuth-ga,

Thank you for your kind words. I hope your expectations have been met.
I look forward to your feedback after your review.

~ czh ~

---

Request for Answer Clarification by bizuth-ga on 17 Jul 2005 17:48 PDT

Thank you for the superb job and patience. All sites scanned so far
were pertinent except for a couple of bad links. The first flawed link
is Bridge Watching For Beginners
http://www.media.uwe.ac.uk/masoud/projects/bridges/bridges.htm
It is located in the page  Building Big 
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/buildingbig/sitemap.html,
under the papragraph Learning For Kids & Newbies
http://www.bridgesite.com/funand.htm.

The second Bad link is Four to Explore
http://42explore.com/42exploremath.htm 
which should have been  http://www.42explore.com/

These remarks are offered in a constructive spirit and should in no
dilute the outstanding value of your work.
I am still digesting the content.
Best wishes

---

Clarification of Answer by czh-ga on 17 Jul 2005 19:17 PDT

Hello again bizuth-ga,

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic response, valuable feedback,
five stars and very generous tip. I see that you've posted another
question for teaching math to girls. If no one else has grabbed it I'm
going to give it a shot as it's a topic that's close to my heart.

I'm sorry about the links that didn't work. This is a manifestation of
the dynamic nature of the Web. Sometimes websites simply disappear or
they're rerouted. Here's a substitution for the Bridge Watching for
Beginners site.

It was fun working on your project. Best wishes for inspiring your students.

~ czh ~

http://www.media.uwe.ac.uk/masoud/projects/bridges/bridges.htm
Bridge Watching For Beginners -- site gone and looking for lower level
eventually redirects to the following:

http://www.intellectbooks.com/masoud/index.htm
Masoud Yazdani
At the age of 50 I have now retired from academic life in order to
focus my full attention on publishing at Intellect. Before then I was
Professor of Digital Media at the Faculty of Art, Media and Design at
the University of the West of England, Bristol. I have been the
founding editor of 3 journals - Digital Creativity, Artificial
Intelligence Review and Interactive Learning Environments and at
present edit the iQ magazine.

://www.google.com/search?num=100&hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&q=%22Bridge+Watching+For+Beginners%22
Search for "Bridge Watching For Beginners" -- these results offer lots
of other sites that might be of interest to you.

czh-ga did an outstanding job by first validating the questions
thoroughly cross-examining both semantics and contextual validity,
then delivering a smogerboard of research corridors we are now
navigating with great interest and joy. With researchers like her/him,
I will be eager to use GA whenever the need arises. Thank you.