Mathematics 4010: Spring 2008

Instructor: Michael van Opstall
Office: JWB 313, Tel: 585-5435
Email: opstall@math.utah.edu
Office Hours: MW 10:45-11:45, F 11:45-12:45 and by appointment
Textbook: Musser, Burger, Peterson: Mathematics for Elementary Teachers, 7th ed.

Current homework

Due 1/16: 1.1B: 1,2,4,13,18.
Due 1/25: 1.2B: 1,5,6,7,11,18; 2.1B: 4,14,20,22,25,28,30,34.
Due 1/30: 2.2B: 8,9,10,12a-c,18,19; 2.3B: 2,11,13,14,21,22.
Midterm 1 Review: p. 41ff: 1,3,10; p. 101ff: 1 (not g,k,l), 2, 6 (not d), 7-9, 15,18.
Due 2/13: 3.1B: 3,7,12,15,19; 3.2B: 8,11,14,18,21,26,29.
Due 2/22: 3.3B: 5,7,12,15; 4.1B: 4,8,18,25,38.
Due 2/27: 4.2B: 3, 11, 12, 15, 24-26, 32.
Midterm 2 Review: p. 148: 1,3,6,7,10,12,15,21,22; p. 190: 5,9; p. 194: 1,4,7,8,22.
Due 3/7: 5.1B: 4,5,8,12,18,26,29,30.
Due 3/14: 5.2B: 3,6,8,12,20; 6.1B: 1,4,6,8-10,17,21.
Due 3/26: 6.2B: 3,7,11,16,20,21,24,28; 6.3B: 2,4,8,9,15,22,27.
Due 4/4: 7.1B: 1,4,6,7,10,14,15,17.
Due 4/11: 7.2B: 6,7,10,12,14,26,29, 7.3B: 1,4,5,11,14,27,30.

Portfolio things

Sudoku | Bees | Magic Squares

Course Content

This course is the first in a two-semester sequence of required mathematics courses for elementary school teachers. The sequence is designed to help K-6 preservice teachers develop a conceptual framework for mathematics, especially for those aspects normally experienced in primary and elementary school. Through their work in each course in the sequence students examine the common threads of mathematics throughout the curriculum, consider both mathematical and pedagogical issues in teaching, and spend a six hour practicum in a local school relating their course work to the classroom situation.

Please note: This course is designed for preservice elementary school teachers and requires time spent in the elementary school classroom. Students must complete the practicum (described below) in order to pass the course.

Grading

Portfolio: The portfolio is a way to organize your work for the semester. It will count as two assignments. You will come in for a portfolio interview the last week of class. It should be well organized and have a table of contents. A more detailed description will follow.
Assignments/Quizzes:There will be about 10 assignments/quizzes (including the portfolio) on the course work during the semester. These assignments will be due Wednesdays. Since the lowest score will be dropped, late assignments will not be accepted. Assignments should be done on lined paper or graph paper, neatly organized, well labeled, and legible. It should be stapled together before coming to class and is due at the beginning of class on the assigned day.
Midterms: There will be three midterms and the dates planned for these are January 30, February 27, and March 26. If any change becomes necessary, an announcement will be made in class a week before the midterm is scheduled.
Practicum: Each student will spend six hours in an elementary school classroom, three periods observing and three periods working with one or two children in the classroom. This classroom experience will be the subject of some class discussion and an assignment so please be sure to complete your observations by February 27. The practicum report is a typewritten analysis of your mathematical work with the children. Be sure to keep careful notes from your work with the children in order to have the information available when you write your practicum report. This report is due April 9 and will be discussed in detail in class. More details are here.
Final Exam: Comprehensive, on Wed. April 30, 8-10 am.
ADA Statement: The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that reasonable accommodations be made for students with physical, sensory, cognitive, systemic, learning, and psychiatric disabilities. Please contact me at the beginning of the quarter to discuss any such accommodations for the course.
Calculators: You will need a calculator for the course and you will be expected to know your calculator well enough to make it perform the tasks required. Calculators will not be allowed on exams.