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It's All Connected: The Power of Proportional Reasoning to Understand Mathematics Concepts, Gr. 6–8

Overview

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About this Resource

Foreword by Cathy Seeley

Chapter Excerpt

Correlations to Curricula

Common Core State Standards and NCTM's Principles and Standards

It’s All Connected provides teachers of mathematics the support they need to improve their instruction. This in-demand collection of lessons for grades 6–8 explores proportionality, proportional relationships, and proportional reasoning, acknowledging that the ability to reason proportionally is crucial in the middle school mathematics curriculum. The lessons support teachers and students in thinking of proportionality as the big idea that connects across all strands. Each lesson features:

Common Core State Standards correlations;
connections to the five content strands of middle-school mathematics;
engaging themes, from Zapping Zombies to Downloading Music;
carefully detailed teaching suggestions;
three sets of question types to ask students as they progress through lessons—questions for struggling students, students on task, and students who need extensions;
reproducible student recording pages; and
“Check for Success” assessment ideas.

Carmen Whitman
304 pages

ISBN: 978-1-935099-24-6
Price: $35.95


What People Are Saying
	"It’s All Connected provides clear illustrations of the key principles of design of the new Common Core State Standards: focus and coherence. The lessons offer middle-school teachers the resources to focus on a key concept of mathematics, proportional reasoning, and create coherence by deliberately making connections among the concepts studied. In addition, each lesson offers the pedagogical support teachers need to differentiate their instruction for their students who are struggling, for those who are on-track, and for those ready for going beyond." Harold Asturias Director, Center for Mathematics Excellence and Equity Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley
	"It’s All Connected supports students in areas that are central to students’ success in mathematics. The lessons help students explore the relationships among difficult mathematics concepts and engage students in appealing situations to deepen their understandings. For example, the lesson “Zapping Zombies” takes advantage of the interest and the imagination of students at this level. Having fun and learning at the same time—a great concept!" Glenda Lappan University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University Past President, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
	"If proportional reasoning has always baffled you, this book will help to unlock its mysteries. It’s All Connected offers a brilliant collection of lessons that provide engaging context, thought-provoking questions, and insightful guidance for teachers. Carmen’s commitment to having students understand mathematics by making connections to big ideas such as proportional reasoning is apparent in this thought-out resource. Both teachers and students will enjoy doing math this way! Everyone wins with this book. I am recommending this book to all the math teachers in our district. Kudos to Carmen!" Edwina Henslee Middle School Mathematics Curriculum Coordinator, Hobbs, New Mexico
	"It’s All Connected presents a powerful study in proportional reasoning, capturing the essence of foundational pieces of mathematical understanding crucial to the success of students in high school, college and/or a career of their choice. The resource reinforces “mathematical understandings” endorsed by the Common Core State Standards and NCTM. Additionally these lessons help develop the Standards for Mathematical Practices found in the Common Core State Standards. These practices promote rich mathematical learning. I highly recommend It’s All Connected to teachers looking for well-thought-out lessons for their students." Karen Sisco Snow Math Consultant, Houston, Arkansas
	"It’s All Connected clearly highlights, through questioning strategies, ways to prevent or correct misconceptions. In particular, the questions that differentiate instruction with struggling and on-task students provide teachers with concrete tools to facilitate learning. The additional questions to extend student thinking provide challenges for those opportune moments with stronger learners. Having had the chance to observe Carmen in the classroom, I know how successful she is in teaching these concepts to middle-school students." Cynthia L. Schneider Researcher, Austin, Texas
	"Carmen is one of the best connectors of ideas that I have ever met. She not only sees how the mathematical pieces fit together, she helps the rest of us make sense of those connections. Most of all, Carmen is the ultimate teacher. She is as committed to her own continued learning as she is to that of her students. She has great intuition with students and, like a great teacher, she listens to her students and she seems to know the right questions to ask to get them thinking just a bit harder." Cathy Seeley Author, Faster Isn’t Smarter: Messages About Math, Teaching, and Learning in the 21st Century Past President, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Senior Fellow, Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin

Author Bio
	Carmen Whitman is a prolific leader in the mathematics field. She has served on NCTM’s Committee for Professional Development, been a featured NCTM speaker ("Middle School Mathematics: Let’s Give It the Attention It Needs"), and is a contributing author to several textbooks, Middle School Mathematics, Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. An educator for twenty-six years, Whitman is presently the director of Mathematics for All Consulting. Prior to independent consulting, she was the mathematics program coordinator at the Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin. Her extensive experience started in the classroom—she has worked as a mathematics specialist, a grades 6–8 mathematics teacher, and an elementary teacher. Whitman was supervisor for the Connected Mathematics Project and was recognized as Teacher of the Year (Martin Middle School, Corpus Christi, Texas).

It's All Connected: The Power of Proportional Reasoning to Understand Mathematics Concepts, Gr. 6–8

What People Are Saying

Author Bio