Informational Session for Parents and Other Interested Community Members

1. Investigations in Number, Data, and Space Informational Session for Parents and Other Interested Community Members Presented by

2. Agenda • Today’s Number • Introduction • Investigations in Number, Data, and Space • What is different about practice and homework in Investigations? • Questions

3. Prince William County Mathematics Vision Statement Prince William County Schools’ mathematics program promotes an environment in which students develop a comprehensive and enduring understanding of the concepts of mathematics. Students learn to effectively apply these concepts and use a variety of problem solving strategies. The program nurtures a productive disposition toward mathematics and supports further investigations in this field.

4. What do we want our students to know and be able to do? Children should ...... • find mathematics personally useful every day. • understand the mathematics they do. • have confidence that they can make sense of mathematics if they work at it. • be able to explain and justify their thinking. and…. Students should like mathematics!

5. Myth Students learn by remembering what they are taught. Reality Students construct meaning as they learn mathematics. They use what they are taught to modify their prior beliefs and behavior, not simply to record what they are told. It is students’ acts of construction and invention that build their mathematical power and enable them to solve problems they have never seen before.

6. Mathematics Standards Content Standards • Number & Operations • Algebra • Geometry • Measurement • Data Analysis and Probability Curriculum Implications What do we teach? Process Standards • Problem Solving • Reasoning and Proof • Communication • Connections • Representation Instructional Implications How do we teach?

7. How does an Investigations classroom look different from a traditional math classroom?

8. In an Investigations classroom… Students are actively engaged in learning.

9. In an Investigations classroom… Students are defending their solutions and ideas.

10. In an Investigations classroom… Students are using technology.

11. In an Investigations classroom… Students are working in groups to solve problems in multiple ways.

12. In an Investigations classroom… Students are sharing mathematical ideas with others .

13. In an Investigations classroom… Students are making and testing hypotheses.

14. In an Investigations classroom… Students are questioning and listening to one another.

15. In an Investigations classroom… Students are working with tools to solve problems.

16. In an Investigations classroom… Students are sharing their work.

17. In an Investigations classroom… Students are having fun!

18. Investigations in Number, Data, and Space Major goals of the program: • To offer students meaningful mathematical problems • To provide coherence and depth in mathematical content, revisiting mathematical ideas from different perspectives at different levels • To develop sustained and powerful mathematical thinking, explanation, justification, and demonstration. • To communicate mathematical content and pedagogy to teachers • To substantially increase the pool of mathematically literate students

19. Games can increase in complexity and be differentiated to meet student needs.

20. Organized for Success

21. Questions? Contact the Office of Mathematics 703-791-8849 Donna Stofko Elementary Math Coordinator, stofkoda@pwcs.edu Linda Zborofsky Elementary Math Coordinator, zborofln@pwcs.edu Carol Livingston Elementary Math IST, livingcc@pwcs.edu Linda Wood Elementary Math IST, woodlk@pwcs.edu Carol Knight Math Supervisor, knightcj@pwcs.edu