Imagine handling students state-by-state data on the number of gallons of soft drinks sold per person in one year. Imagine using it to lead a vibrant problem-solving session in which students energetically pose and answer mathematical questions: Why does it say sold instead of consumed? What is a soft drink? Is it the same as a soda? Who would collect this kind of data? Why would they collect it? How was gallons per person calculated? What was the total amount of soda sold in our state? How many 12-ounce cans is that? 20-ounce bottles? How many of each per person? Understanding Middle School Math gathers 50 cool problems like this that lead to deep thinking. Problems such as the Renovation Problem, in which students uncover ideas about how perimeter, area, length, and cost affect a construction project. Or Chocolate Algebra, where they discover linear relationships among the pocket money available to buy two differently priced chocolate candies. Arthur Hyde combines the latest research and decades of classroom experience to braid language, cognition, and math. His approach can help any student, including underprepared ones, with the rigors of math in middle school and beyond. He has created and adapted problems that strongly connect math to the real world, to students lives, and to prior knowledge. Problems that scaffold content and processes, and give students multiple entry points into learning. Every problem has been extensively field tested and refined by classroom teachers. And for each cool problem practicing middle school teachers describe how they used it to differentiate over a wide range of students and extend learning. For fantastic problems your students won't soon forget and teaching solutions that are exciting, substantial, and transformative, turn to Art Hyde. Read and use Understanding Middle School Math and pass your love of math on as you meet your classroom goals.

Empower students to be the change—join the teaching mathematics for social justice movement! We live in an era in which students have —through various media and their lived experiences— a more visceral experience of social, economic, and environmental injustices. However, when people think of social justice, mathematics is rarely the first thing that comes to mind. Through model lessons developed by over 30 diverse contributors, this book brings seemingly abstract high school mathematics content to life by connecting it to the issues students see and want to change in the world. Along with expert guidance from the lead authors, the lessons in this book explain how to teach mathematics for self- and community-empowerment. It walks teachers step-by-step through the process of using mathematics—across all high school content domains—as a tool to explore, understand, and respond to issues of social injustice including: environmental injustice; wealth inequality; food insecurity; and gender, LGBTQ, and racial discrimination. This book features: Content cross-referenced by mathematical concept and social issues Downloadable instructional materials for student use User-friendly and logical interior design for daily use Guidance for designing and implementing social justice lessons driven by your own students’ unique passions and challenges Timelier than ever, teaching mathematics through the lens of social justice will connect content to students’ daily lives, fortify their mathematical understanding, and expose them to issues that will make them responsive citizens and leaders in the future.

This research-based book brings tough Standards for Mathematical Practice 3 standards for mathematical argumentation and critical reasoning alive - all within a thoroughly explained four-part model that covers generating cases, conjecturing, justifying, and concluding.

Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally provides an unparalleled depth of ideas and discussion to help teachers develop a real understanding of the mathematics they will teach and the most effective methods of teaching the various mathematics topics. This text reflects the NCTM and Common Core State Standards and the benefits of problem-based mathematics instruction. It is structured for maximum flexibility, offering 23 chapters that may be mixed and matched to fit any course or teaching approach. This comprehensive, practical text offers readers a strong theoretical perspective reflecting the most current research on how students learn mathematics, ways to best teach it, and many problem-based activities to engage students. An important reference to consult throughout a teaching career, Van de Walle, Karp and Bay-William's book helps teachers and their preK-8 students find the excitement that happens when mathematics makes sense.

See a gap in understanding? Mine it to move your students forward. How good are you at exploiting students’ mathematical mistakes? In this remarkable book, the authors remind us that student mistakes are not random, and when we take the time to “mine the gap,” we can dispel misunderstandings before they take root. Included are 180 downloadable high-quality tasks, aligned to the standards and big ideas of grades 6–8 mathematics. Each task includes sample student work, commentary on strengths and gaps, and next instructional steps. Whether you use this bank of tasks for instruction or assessment, you will love how it helps you easily identify students’ thinking and then follow up with instruction that brings clear, complete understanding.

A highly practical resource for special educators and classroom teachers, this book provides specific instructional guidance illustrated with vignettes, examples, and sample lesson plans. Every chapter is grounded in research and addresses the nuts and bolts of teaching math to students who are not adequately prepared for the challenging middle school curriculum. Presented are a range of methods for helping struggling learners build their understanding of foundational concepts, master basic skills, and develop self-directed problem-solving strategies. While focusing on classroom instruction, the book also includes guidelines for developing high-quality middle school mathematics programs and evaluating their effectiveness.