Gender Differences in Children's Math Self-Concept in the First Years of Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindberg, Sven; Linkersdörfer, Janosch; Ehm, Jan-Henning; Hasselhorn, Marcus; Lonnemann, Jan

2013-01-01

In the course of elementary school, children start to develop an academic self-concept reflecting their motivation, thoughts, and feelings about a specific domain. For the domain of mathematics, gender differences can emerge which are characterized by a less pronounced math self-concept for girls. However, studies are rather sparse regarding the…

Conservation Abilities, Visuospatial Skills, and Numerosity Processing Speed: Association with Math Achievement and Math Difficulties in Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambert, Katharina; Spinath, Birgit

2018-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between elementary school children's mathematical achievement and their conservation abilities, visuospatial skills, and numerosity processing speed. We also assessed differences in these abilities between children with different types of learning problems. In Study 1 (N = 229), we…

Math Manipulatives to Increase 4th Grade Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Couture, Katie

2012-01-01

This research project was completed with twenty-nine fourth grade students from Shawnee Elementary, a school in the Chippewa Valley School District. It began in April 2012 and the data collection was completed by June 2012. The purpose of this project was to see if utilizing math manipulatives in an elementary classroom will increase student…

The Impact of Competition on Raising Mathematics Competency at Camelot Elementary School in Chesapeake, Virginia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayden, L. B.; Johnson, D.

2012-12-01

In 1995, the Virginia Department of Education approved a federal mandate for No Child Left Behind 2001 Education Act implementing the Standards of Learning (SOL) in four content areas: Mathematics, Science, English, and History and Social Sciences. These new guidelines set forth learning and achievement expectations for content areas for grades K-12 in Virginia's Public Schools. Given the SOL mandates, Virginia's elementary teachers and school leaders utilized research for specific teaching methods intended to encourage score improvements on end of year mathematics tests. In 2001, the concept of the Math Sprint Competition was introduced to Camelot Elementary School in Chesapeake Virginia, by researchers at Elizabeth City State University of Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Camelot Elementary, a K-5 school, is a Title I school nestled in a lower middle class neighborhood and houses a high number of minority students. On average, these students achieve lower test score gains than students in higher socioeconomic status district schools. Defined as a test-review based in relay format that utilizes released SOL test items, Math Sprint promotes mathematical skills outlined in Virginia SOL's and encourages competition among students that motivated them to quickly pick up on new material and retain the old material in order to out-do the others. Research identified was based on specific relationships between student competition and statewide testing results in mathematics for grades three, four, and five at Camelot Elementary. Data was compiled from results of the Math Sprint Competition and research focused on methods for motivating students encouraged by the use of a math sprint competition. Individual Pearson Product Moment Correlations were conducted to determine which variables possess strong and statistically significant relationships. Significantly, positive results came from 2005 to 2010 math sprints data from which students participated.

Elementary School Math Instruction: Can Reading Specialists Assist?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heinrichs, Audrey S.

1987-01-01

Discusses the contradictions found in recommendations for direction instruction or informal math language development, and some suggestions for practical resolution of disagreements, to enable school reading specialists to provide both background and practical help to classroom instructors teaching math. (HTH)

The Groove of Growth: How Early Gains in Math Ability Influence Adolescent Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watts, Tyler W.; Duncan, Greg J.; Siegler, Robert S.; Davis-Kean, Pamela E.

2014-01-01

A number of studies, both small scale and of nationally-representative student samples, have reported substantial associations between school entry math ability and later elementary school achievement. However, questions remain regarding the persistence of the association between early growth in math ability and later math achievement due to the…

Bright Lights: Stories of Success and Excellence from BC Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Dept. of Education, Victoria.

This document profiles 16 elementary schools in British Columbia that are creating excitement about learning through innovative and creative practices. The schools and their activities are: Westwood Elementary School (Port Coquitlam)--a 1-day "mini-conference" to show students how math is relevant in daily life; Henderson Elementary…

Remediation of Math Anxiety in Preservice Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunkle, Susan M.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure the level of math anxiety in preservice elementary teachers, and then to determine if remediation methods would lower the measured level of anxiety in these same preservice teachers. The 10-day study provided an intense remediation using a time-series design to measure change on the Revised Math Anxiety…

Slow off the Mark: Elementary School Teachers and the Crisis in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Diana; Miller, Raegen T.

2011-01-01

One can't throw a stone without hitting a STEM initiative these days, but most science, technology, engineering, and math initiatives--thus the STEM acronym--overlook a fundamental problem. In general, the workforce pipeline of elementary school teachers fails to ensure that the teachers who inform children's early academic trajectories have the…

Assessing the Effects of the "Rocket Math" Program with a Primary Elementary School Student at Risk for School Failure: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Christina R.; Marchand-Martella, Nancy E.; Martella, Ronald C.

2011-01-01

This study assessed the effects of the "Rocket Math" program on the math fluency skills of a first grade student at risk for school failure. The student received instruction in the "Rocket Math" program over 6 months. He was assessed using a pre- and posttest curriculum-based measurement (CBM) and individualized fluency checkouts within the…

Departmentalize Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Tak Cheung; Jarman, Delbert

2004-01-01

In elementary schools today, most students receive their education in a single classroom from one teacher who is responsible for teaching language arts, social studies, math, and science. The self-contained classroom organization is predicated on the assumption that an elementary school teacher is a Jack (or Jill)-of-all-trades who is equally…

The Effects of DI Flashcards and Math Racetrack on Multiplication Facts for Two Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lund, Kaitlyn; McLaughlin, T. F.; Neyman, Jen; Everson, Mary

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Direct Instruction (DI) flashcard system paired with a math racetrack to teach basic multiplication facts to two elementary students diagnosed with learning disabilities. The study was conducted in a resource room which served intermediate aged elementary students. The school was located…

Launching Kindergarten Math Clubs: The Implementation of High 5s in New York City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacob, Robin; Erickison, Anna; Mattera, Shira K.

2018-01-01

Early math has been shown to predict not only longer-term math achievement, but also future reading achievement, high school completion, and college attendance. Yet effects from early math programs often fade out as children move into more varied instructional contexts in elementary school. This fade-out suggests the need for an alignment of math…

Addressing the Math-Practice Gap in Elementary School: Are Tablets a Feasible Tool for Informal Math Practice?

PubMed Central

Stacy, Sara T.; Cartwright, Macey; Arwood, Zjanya; Canfield, James P.; Kloos, Heidi

2017-01-01

Students rarely practice math outside of school requirements, which we refer to as the “math-practice gap”. This gap might be the reason why students struggle with math, making it urgent to develop means by which to address it. In the current paper, we propose that math apps offer a viable solution to the math-practice gap: Online apps can provide access to a large number of problems, tied to immediate feedback, and delivered in an engaging way. To substantiate this conversation, we looked at whether tablets are sufficiently engaging to motivate children’s informal math practice. Our approach was to partner with education agencies via a community-based participatory research design. The three participating education agencies serve elementary-school students from low-SES communities, allowing us to look at tablet use by children who are unlikely to have extensive access to online math enrichment programs. At the same time, the agencies differed in several structural details, including whether our intervention took place during school time, after school, or during the summer. This allowed us to shed light on tablet feasibility under different organizational constraints. Our findings show that tablet-based math practice is engaging for young children, independent of the setting, the student’s age, or the math concept that was tackled. At the same time, we found that student engagement was a function of the presence of caring adults to facilitate their online math practice. PMID:28270780

Addressing the Math-Practice Gap in Elementary School: Are Tablets a Feasible Tool for Informal Math Practice?

PubMed

Stacy, Sara T; Cartwright, Macey; Arwood, Zjanya; Canfield, James P; Kloos, Heidi

2017-01-01

Students rarely practice math outside of school requirements, which we refer to as the "math-practice gap". This gap might be the reason why students struggle with math, making it urgent to develop means by which to address it. In the current paper, we propose that math apps offer a viable solution to the math-practice gap: Online apps can provide access to a large number of problems, tied to immediate feedback, and delivered in an engaging way. To substantiate this conversation, we looked at whether tablets are sufficiently engaging to motivate children's informal math practice. Our approach was to partner with education agencies via a community-based participatory research design. The three participating education agencies serve elementary-school students from low-SES communities, allowing us to look at tablet use by children who are unlikely to have extensive access to online math enrichment programs. At the same time, the agencies differed in several structural details, including whether our intervention took place during school time, after school, or during the summer. This allowed us to shed light on tablet feasibility under different organizational constraints. Our findings show that tablet-based math practice is engaging for young children, independent of the setting, the student's age, or the math concept that was tackled. At the same time, we found that student engagement was a function of the presence of caring adults to facilitate their online math practice.

Do More, Add More, Earn More: Teacher Salary Redesign Lessons from 10 First-Mover Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miles, Karen Hawley; Pennington, Kaitlin; Bloom, David

2015-01-01

William Taylor, 29, a third generation Washington, D.C. resident stands out for a number of reasons. For one, he is an African American man who taught math at an elementary school for many years. Taylor excelled in the role, so much so that he now coaches his fellow math teachers at Aiton Elementary School, which is located in a high-poverty…

The Impact of an Online Tutoring Program on Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Amy K.; Whetstone, Patti

2014-01-01

The authors explored the impact of an online tutoring program, Math Whizz (Whizz Education, 2014), on student mathematics achievement at 15 elementary schools. Students participated in the use of the Math Whizz program for the duration of the school year as a supplement to mathematics instruction. The Math Whizz program recorded such information…

Math Anxiety, Working Memory, and Math Achievement in Early Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramirez, Gerardo; Gunderson, Elizabeth A.; Levine, Susan C.; Beilock, Sian L.

2013-01-01

Although math anxiety is associated with poor mathematical knowledge and low course grades (Ashcraft & Krause, 2007), research establishing a connection between math anxiety and math achievement has generally been conducted with young adults, ignoring the emergence of math anxiety in young children. In the current study, we explored whether…

Preparing Elementary Mathematics-Science Teaching Specialists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, L. Diane

1992-01-01

Describes a professional development program to train math/science specialists for the upper elementary school grades. Using results from an interest survey, 30 teachers were chosen to participate in a 3-year program to become math/science specialists. Presents the teaching model used and the advantages for teachers and students in having subject…

Relationship between the TCAP and the Pearson Benchmark Assessment in Elementary Students' Reading and Math Performance in a Northeastern Tennessee School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dugger-Roberts, Cherith A.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there was a relationship between the TCAP test and Pearson Benchmark assessment in elementary students' reading and language arts and math performance in a northeastern Tennessee school district. This study involved 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students. The study focused on the following…

Exploring Gender Differences across Elementary, Middle, and High School Students' Science and Math Attitudes and Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LeGrand, Julie

The issue of female underrespresentation in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology careers and courses has been well researched over the last several decades. However, as gender gaps in achievement close and representation becomes more equitable in certain academic domains, research has turned to social and cultural factors to explain why fewer women persist in STEM studies and careers than men. The purpose of this study was to examine gender differences in science and math attitudes and interests from elementary school, to middle school, to high school. To examine possible gender-specific shifts in students' interest and attitudes in science and math, 136 students from a suburban, public school district were surveyed at the elementary school level (N=31), middle school level (N=54), and high school level (N=51) and various constructs were used to assess the responses in accordance with expectancy-value theory. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, a random sample of students from each grade level then participated in focus groups, and corollary themes were identified. Results from a logistical regression analysis and Mann-Whitney Test indicated that significant gender differences exist for interest, efficacy, expectancy, and value within science domains (p<.05), although these differences are not the same at each grade level or for each scientific discipline. Significant gender differences in mathematics are present only at the elementary school level.

A Randomized Trial of an Elementary School Mathematics Software Intervention: Spatial-Temporal Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rutherford, Teomara; Farkas, George; Duncan, Greg; Burchinal, Margaret; Kibrick, Melissa; Graham, Jeneen; Richland, Lindsey; Tran, Natalie; Schneider, Stephanie; Duran, Lauren; Martinez, Michael E.

2014-01-01

Fifty-two low performing schools were randomly assigned to receive Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math, a supplemental mathematics software and instructional program, in second/third or fourth/fifth grades or to a business-as-usual control. Analyses reveal a negligible effect of ST Math on mathematics scores, which did not differ significantly across…

Does Math Self-Efficacy Mediate the Effect of the Perceived Classroom Environment on Standardized Math Test Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fast, Lisa A.; Lewis, James L.; Bryant, Michael J.; Bocian, Kathleen A.; Cardullo, Richard A.; Rettig, Michael; Hammond, Kimberly A.

2010-01-01

We examined the effect of the perceived classroom environment on math self-efficacy and the effect of math self-efficacy on standardized math test performance. Upper elementary school students (N = 1,163) provided self-reports of their perceived math self-efficacy and the degree to which their math classroom environment was mastery oriented,…

Math-Gender Stereotypes in Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cvencek, Dario; Meltzoff, Andrew N.; Greenwald, Anthony G.

2011-01-01

A total of 247 American children between 6 and 10 years of age (126 girls and 121 boys) completed Implicit Association Tests and explicit self-report measures assessing the association of (a) "me" with "male" (gender identity), (b) "male" with "math" (math-gender stereotype), and (c) "me" with "math" (math self-concept). Two findings emerged.…

Transitions from Elementary to Middle School Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schielack, Janie; Seeley, Cathy L.

2010-01-01

In the move from elementary to middle school mathematics, students encounter major changes in instructional materials and approaches, work expectations, school structure, and general level of difficulty in material. Research shows that, in general, students suffer significant declines in academic achievement in the transition from elementary…

Promoting children's health through physically active math classes: a pilot study.

PubMed

Erwin, Heather E; Abel, Mark G; Beighle, Aaron; Beets, Michael W

2011-03-01

School-based interventions are encouraged to support youth physical activity (PA). Classroom-based PA has been incorporated as one component of school wellness policies. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of integrating PA with mathematics content on math class and school day PA levels of elementary students. Participants include four teachers and 75 students. Five math classes are taught without PA integration (i.e., baseline) followed by 13 math classes that integrate PA. Students wear pedometers and accelerometers to track PA during math class and throughout the school day. Students perform significantly more PA on school days and in math classes during the intervention. In addition, students perform higher intensity (step min(-1)) PA during PA integration math classes compared with baseline math classes. Integrating PA into the classroom is an effective alternative approach to improving PA levels among youth and is an important component of school-based wellness policies.

Assessing the State of Servant Leadership, Teacher Morale, and Student Academic Performance Outcomes in a Florida Elementary School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

EL-Amin, Abdul

2013-01-01

This descriptive research study was conducted to determine the state of perceived teacher morale and student academic performance as measured by fourth-grade reading and math scores among four elementary schools defined by the servant leadership score of each principal in this Florida elementary school district. While related research from other…

Strengthening Children's Math Skills with Enhanced Instruction: The Impacts of Making Pre-K Count and High 5s on Kindergarten Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattera, Shira K.; Jacob, Robin; Morris, Pamela A.

2018-01-01

Early math skills are a strong predictor of later achievement for young children, not only in math, but in other domains as well. Exhibiting strong math skills in elementary school is predictive of later high school completion and college attendance. To that end, the Making Pre-K Count and High 5s studies set out to rigorously assess whether…

Do Teachers' Perceptions of Children's Math and Reading Related Ability and Effort Predict Children's Self-Concept of Ability in Math and Reading?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Upadyaya, Katja; Eccles, Jacquelynne

2015-01-01

This study investigated to what extent primary school teachers' perceptions of their students' ability and effort predict developmental changes in children's self-concepts of ability in math and reading after controlling for students' academic performance and general intelligence. Three cohorts (N?=?849) of elementary school children and their…

Building Relationships Step by Step: One Teacher Leader's Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mangin, Melinda M.

2010-01-01

This case describes how Hannah, a new math specialist, strives to create a positive math culture in her elementary school. Along the way, she works to build relationships with the teachers and the school principal. The accompanying teaching notes facilitate analysis of the case from the perspective of professional relationships in schools.

Contextual Factors Related to Math Anxiety in Second-Grade Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jameson, Molly M.

2014-01-01

As the United States falls farther behind other countries in standardized math assessments, the author seeks to understand why U.S. students perform so poorly. One of the possible explanations to U.S. students' poor math performance may be math anxiety. However, math anxiety in elementary school children is a neglected area in the research. The…

Opportunities for Learning Math in Elementary School: Implications for SES Disparities in Procedural and Conceptual Math Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachman, Heather J.; Votruba-Drzal, Elizabeth; El Nokali, Nermeen E.; Castle Heatly, Melissa

2015-01-01

The present study examined whether multiple opportunities to learn math were associated with smaller socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in fifth-grade math achievement using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD; N = 1,364). High amounts of procedural math instruction were associated with higher…

Math Literacy through French Language Learning: Connecting with the Common Core in the Lower Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis-Wiley, Patricia; Miller, Roy V.

2013-01-01

Among the reported proven positive results of early world Language (WL) study are improved cognitive abilities and "higher achievement test scores in reading and math" (Stewart: 11), which are expected student performance outcomes for the Common Core Standards. The future viability of Foreign Language in Elementary Schools (FLES)…

Math Carnival Nights (Planting the Seeds for Engineers in Elementary School)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

ONLY (Leave b:jnk) 2 .. OW’ CdATE I"bruarv 1993 I ’. . 4 TITLE AND SUSTITJI-. MATH CARNIVAL NIGFhS (Pl.ANTIN(; THE SEEDS FOR t:NGINI-2.ILS IN...CARNIVAL NIGHTS (PLANTING THE SEEDS FOR ENGINEERS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLft-. ... Fly Ui THERESE DOUGHERTY -,;,b.tI.. Systems Engineer Naval Command

The Effects of Clustering and Curriculum on the Development of Gifted Learners' Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pierce, Rebecca L.; Cassady, Jerrell C.; Adams, Cheryll M.; Speirs Neumeister, Kristie L.; Dixon, Felicia A.; Cross, Tracy L.

2011-01-01

There is a paucity of empirical studies dealing with benefits of gifted programming in mathematics for elementary students. The current study reports on the impact of using cluster grouping and specific curriculum to support gifted learners' math achievement in urban elementary schools. Although the results of Year 3 provide the most compelling…

Doing Math Together to Build Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rawding, Molly Rothermel; Call, Susan

2016-01-01

Last year, Annandale Terrace Elementary School (Annandale, Virginia) began exploring professional learning communities (PLC). In this article, two of Annandale's math coaches share the school's journey. On the basis of their own reflections, the coaches conclude with some recommendations for those considering embarking on a similar journey…

Mathematics learning disabilities in girls with fragile X or Turner syndrome during late elementary school.

PubMed

Murphy, Melissa M; Mazzocco, Michèle M M

2008-01-01

The present study focuses on math and related skills among 32 girls with fragile X (n = 14) or Turner (n = 18) syndrome during late elementary school. Performance in each syndrome group was assessed relative to Full Scale IQ-matched comparison groups of girls from the general population (n = 32 and n = 89 for fragile X syndrome and Turner syndrome, respectively). Differences between girls with fragile X and their comparison group emerged on untimed arithmetic calculations, mastery of counting skills, and arithmetic problem verification accuracy. Relative to girls in the comparison group, girls with Turner syndrome did not differ on untimed arithmetic calculations or problem verification accuracy, but they had limited mastery of counting skills and longer response times to complete the problem verification task. Girls with fragile X or Turner syndrome also differed from their respective comparison groups on math-related abilities, including visual-spatial, working memory, and reading skills, and the associations between math and those related skills. Together, these findings support the notion that difficulty with math and related skills among girls with fragile X or Turner syndrome continues into late elementary school and that the profile of math and related skill difficulty distinguishes the two syndrome groups from each other.

Developing Creative Behavior in Elementary School Students with Robotics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nemiro, Jill; Larriva, Cesar; Jawaharlal, Mariappan

2017-01-01

The School Robotics Initiative (SRI), a problem-based robotics program for elementary school students, was developed with the objective of reaching students early on to instill an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math disciplines. The purpose of this exploratory, observational study was to examine how the SRI fosters student…

What Is the Optimal Length of an ELL Program?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Guanglei; Gagne, Joshua; West, Andrew

2014-01-01

This study focuses on assessing the contribution of ELL services to Spanish-speaking students' mathematics learning in elementary schools. ELL students tend to have lower average math achievement at school entry and throughout elementary school. The term "ELL services" encompasses English-as-a-second-language (ESL) programs, bilingual…

Neighborhood Characteristics, Parental Practices and Children’s Math Achievement in Elementary School

PubMed Central

Greenman, Emily; Bodovski, Katerina; Reed, Katherine

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the relationships among neighborhood characteristics, education-related parental practices, and children’s academic achievement during a critical but under-studied stage of children’s educational trajectories – the elementary school years. Using a large, nationally representative database of American elementary school students – the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS–K) – and contextual data from the 2000 U.S. Census, we examine parental practices and neighborhood characteristics at the beginning of children’s school careers (grades K-1) and their associations with math achievement through the end of the 5th grade. Findings Net of family-level characteristics, higher levels of early education- oriented parental practices were associated with higher mathematics achievement at the end of 5th grade, while neighborhood disadvantage was associated with lower 5th grade math achievement. Families residing in high poverty, high unemployment, low-education neighborhoods employed fewer education- oriented practices with their kindergarten- first grade children, but the positive effect of such parental practices on children’s mathematics achievement was stronger for children who live in disadvantaged neighborhoods. PMID:25125713

Math Achievement Trajectories among Black Male Students in the Elementary- and Middle-School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zilanawala, Afshin; Martin, Margary; Noguera, Pedro A.; Mincy, Ronald B.

2018-01-01

In this article, we analyze the variation in math achievement trajectories of Black male students to understand the different ways these students successfully or unsuccessfully navigate schools and the school characteristics that are associated with their trajectories. Using longitudinal student-level data from a large urban US city (n = 7,039),…

Elementary Teacher Self-Efficacy in Engineering and Student Achievement in Math and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gorena, Jacquelyn L.

2015-01-01

STEM education is a national priority, and more schools are implementing STEM K-12. Elementary teachers are prepared to teach science, mathematics, and technology, but teachers may not feel as prepared to teach engineering. Engineering is a new genre for elementary schools, and it is not typically a content area included in teacher preparation…

A Study on the Effect of Computer Assisted Math Fact Fluency Intervention on Math Achievement for Elementary and Middle School Special Education Students in a Chicago South Suburban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nottke, Regina

2017-01-01

The gap in academic achievement between regular and special education students is well documented. Math was once the stronger area for students with IEPs; however, the scores in Illinois in 2013 suggest that for the subgroup of IEP students, reading and math performance has reached an all-time ten-year low, even when correcting for the change in…

Math Grades and Intrinsic Motivation in Elementary School: A Longitudinal Investigation of Their Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weidinger, Anne F.; Steinmayr, Ricarda; Spinath, Birgit

2017-01-01

Background: It is often argued that the negative development of intrinsic motivation in elementary school strongly depends on the presence of school grades because grades represent extrinsic consequences and achievement feedback that are supposed to influence intrinsically motivated behaviour. However, only a few studies have tested this…

Evaluation of the MIND Research Institute's Spatial-Temporal Math (ST Math) Program in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wendt, Staci; Rice, John; Nakamoto, Jonathan

2014-01-01

The MIND Research Institute contracted with the Evaluation Research Program at WestEd to conduct an independent assessment of mathematics outcomes in elementary school grades across California that were provided with the ST Math program. Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math is a game-based instructional software designed to boost K-5 and secondary-level…

41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

41 CFR 109-50.202 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... DISPOSAL AUTHORITIES 50.2-Math and Science Equipment Gift Program § 109-50.202 Definitions. As used in this... improving math and science curricula or activities for elementary and secondary school education, or for the...

Math.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning, 1980

1980-01-01

Classroom games designed to develop mathematics skills in elementary school children are presented. These games involve personalizing metric measurement, telling time by television, creating an all-math newsletter, addition puzzles, subtraction games, division cards, multiplication, fractions, and measurement. (JD)

The Effects of Using Space to Teach Standard Elementary School Curriculum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ewell, Robert N.

1996-01-01

This brief report and recommendation for further research brings to a formal close this effort, the original purpose of which is described in detail in The effects of using space to teach standard elementary school curriculum, Volume 1, included here as the Appendix. Volume 1 describes the project as a 3-year research program to determine the effectiveness of using space to teach. The research design is quasi experimental using standardized test data on students from Aldrin Elementary School and a District-identified 'control' school, which shall be referred to as 'School B.' Students now in fourth through sixth grades will be compared now (after one year at Aldrin) and tracked at least until the present sixth graders are through the eighth grade. Appropriate statistical tests will be applied to standardized test scores to see if Aldrin students are 'better' than School B students in areas such as: Overall academic performance; Performance in math/science; and Enrollments in math/science in middle school.

Science and Math Assessment in K-6 Rural and Small Schools. Rural, Small Schools Network Information Exchange: Number 14, Spring 1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement of the Northeast & Islands, Andover, MA.

This packet includes reprints of journal articles and other resources concerning the assessment of science and math in small, rural elementary schools. Articles include: (1) "Standards, Assessment, and Educational Quality" (Lauren B. Resnick); (2) "A True Test: Toward More Authentic and Equitable Assessment" (Grant Wiggins); (3) "How World-Class…

Shoring Up Math and Science in the Elementary Grades: Schools Enlist Specialists to Teach Science Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacobson, Linda

2004-01-01

As science gets squeezed in the elementary curriculum, at least two Florida districts are trying a new approach to keeping hands-on lessons a part of pupils' experiences. This article reports how Broward and Palm Beach county districts have increased the number of science specialists working in their elementary schools--teachers who, like physical…

Impact of the Developing Mathematical Ideas Professional Development Program on Grade 4 Students' and Teachers' Understanding of Fractions. REL 2017-256

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jayanthi, Madhavi; Gersten, Russell; Taylor, Mary Jo; Smolkowski, Keith; Dimino, Joseph

2017-01-01

Contemporary state math standards emphasize that students must demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical ideas underlying the computations that have typically been the core of the elementary school math curriculum. The standards have put an increased emphasis on the study of fractions in upper elementary grades, which are the years during…

Assessing Formal Knowledge of Math Equivalence among Algebra and Pre-Algebra Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fyfe, Emily R.; Matthews, Percival G.; Amsel, Eric; McEldoon, Katherine L.; McNeil, Nicole M.

2018-01-01

A central understanding in mathematics is knowledge of "math equivalence," the relation indicating that 2 quantities are equal and interchangeable. Decades of research have documented elementary-school (ages 7 to 11) children's (mis)understanding of math equivalence, and recent work has developed a construct map and comprehensive…

Reading Coaching for Math Word Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Sharon A.; Maloy, Robert W.; Anderson, Gordon

2009-01-01

"Math is language, too," Phyllis and David Whitin (2000) remind everyone in their informative book about reading and writing in the mathematics classroom. This means that students in elementary school math classes are learning two distinct, yet related languages--one of numbers, the other of words. These languages of numbers and words…

An Unplanned Path

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGarvey, Lynn M.; Sterenberg, Gladys Y.; Long, Julie S.

2013-01-01

The authors elucidate what they saw as three important challenges to overcome along the path to becoming elementary school mathematics teacher leaders: marginal interest in math, low self-confidence, and teaching in isolation. To illustrate how these challenges were mitigated, they focus on the stories of two elementary school teachers--Laura and…

Movement and Learning in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindt, Suzanne F.; Miller, Stacia C.

2017-01-01

Incorporating movement into elementary school lessons in reading, math, and other subjects can boost students' interest and academic learning while also helping them meet recommendations for daily involvement in physical activity. In a recent study, researchers found that students in classrooms where movement was integrated into regular lessons,…

Making the case for STEM integration at the upper elementary level: A mixed methods exploration of opportunity to learn math and science, teachers' efficacy and students' attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Brianna M.

Student achievement in science and math has been linked to per capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth propagating the belief that science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is an important factor in economic prosperity. However, The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), favors math over science, positioning the subjects as competitors rather than collaborators. Additionally, NCLB focuses almost exclusively on the cognitive outcome of students' achievement with the affective outcome of students' attitudes being nearly ignored. Positive attitudes toward science and math early on are essential for subsequent and cumulative decisions students make in taking courses, choosing majors, and pursuing careers. Positioning students' attitudes as a desirable educational outcome comparable to students' achievement is an emerging goal in the literature. Using the case of one school district in south-central Pennsylvania with three elementary schools, 15 upper elementary teachers, and 361 students, the purpose of this study was to better understand influences on upper elementary students' attitudes toward STEM (SA) subjects and careers. The study aimed to explore two influences on SA, opportunity to learn (OTL) and teacher's efficacy (TE), in the comparative contexts of math and science. The studied employed a mixed methods convergent design in which five data sets from four sources were collected over three phases to triangulate three constructs: OTL, TE, and SA. The goal of the study was to offer recommendations to the case school district for enhancing OTL, TE, and thus SA. Findings regarding OTL revealed that the opportunity to learn science was lower than math. Finding regarding TE revealed that outcome expectancy was lower than personal teaching efficacy in both science and math; and, teachers had low STEM career awareness, STEM integration, and technology use. Findings regarding SA revealed a lower perceived usefulness of science compared to math and a high interest in engineering careers, especially among girls. Based on these findings it was recommended that the school district utilize its District Level Plan and the pre-existing structures of Career Day and the Science Fair to integrate STEM education as a means of improving OTL, TE, and thus SA.

The Impact of Junior Kindergarten on Math Skills in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pagani, Linda S.; Larocque, Denis; Tremblay, Richard E.; Lapointe, Pierre

2004-01-01

Using data from the first cycle of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, this study examines the impact of junior kindergarten on children's later skills in math, above and beyond regional differences and individual/household factors. It was hypothesized that earlier schooling would better prepare children for first formal…

Synchronizing Physics And Math Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weisel, Derek

2008-04-01

State and national standards tend to focus primarily on math and reading. This has led many schools to focus the majority of instruction time on these two subjects. This creates the negative effect of placing less emphasis on physics in many schools. An effective way to keep physics as a primary focus in schools is to emphasize that physics curriculum meets many of the math standards and can be used as a tool to introduce, practice and reinforce important math concepts. This is also a way for physics curriculum to be introduced at the elementary level. This talk will highlight some common areas where math standards are being met and exceeded in the physics curriculum.

Trajectories of Math and Reading Achievement in Low Achieving Children in Elementary School: Effects of Early and Later Retention in Grade

PubMed Central

Moser, Stephanie E.; West, Stephen G.; Hughes, Jan N.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the effects of retention or promotion in first grade on growth trajectories in mathematics and reading achievement over the elementary school years (grades 1–5). From a large multiethnic sample (n = 784) of children who were below the median in literacy at school entrance, 363 children who were either promoted (n = 251) or retained (n = 112) in first grade could be successfully matched on 72 background variables. Achievement was measured annually using Woodcock-Johnson W scores; scores of retained children were shifted back one year to permit same-grade comparisons. Using longitudinal growth curve analysis, trajectories of math and reading scores for promoted and retained children were compared. Retained children received a one year boost in achievement; this boost fully dissipated by the end of elementary school. The pattern of subsequent retention in grades 2, 3 and 4 and placement in special education of the sample during the elementary school years is also described and their effects are explored. Policy implications for interventions for low achieving children are considered. PMID:23335818

Saxon Math, Southeast Fountain Elementary School: Effective or Ineffective?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolser, Susie; Gilman, David A.

This paper compared the Math ISTEP scores of third graders before the implementation of the Saxon Math program to the math ISTEP scores of the same group of students in sixth grade after implementation. Ex post factor research was used to compare data from the comparison year to the treatment year. Data collected was in the form of ISTEP math…

Think3d!: Improving Mathematics Learning through Embodied Spatial Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burte, Heather; Gardony, Aaron L.; Hutton, Allyson; Taylor, Holly A.

2017-01-01

Spatial thinking skills positively relate to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) outcomes, but spatial training is largely absent in elementary school. Elementary school is a time when children develop foundational cognitive skills that will support STEM learning throughout their education. Spatial thinking should be considered a…

Blending In

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilcox, Jesse; Kruse, Jerrid; Clough, Michael

2017-01-01

Even though many educators are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), science often does not receive the attention in elementary school that it should. One way to ensure that elementary school children have the science experiences they need and deserve is to use it as a context to teach…

Conservation Abilities, Visuospatial Skills, and Numerosity Processing Speed: Association With Math Achievement and Math Difficulties in Elementary School Children.

PubMed

Lambert, Katharina; Spinath, Birgit

The aim of the present study was to investigate the associations between elementary school children's mathematical achievement and their conservation abilities, visuospatial skills, and numerosity processing speed. We also assessed differences in these abilities between children with different types of learning problems. In Study 1 ( N = 229), we investigated second to fourth graders and in Study 2 ( N = 120), third and fourth graders. Analyses revealed significant contributions of numerosity processing speed and visuospatial skills to math achievement beyond IQ. Conservation abilities were predictive in Study 1 only. Children with math difficulties showed lower visuospatial skills and conservation abilities than children with typical achievement levels and children with reading and/or spelling difficulties, whereas children with combined difficulties explicitly showed low conservation abilities. These findings provide further evidence for the relations between children's math skills and their visuospatial skills, conservation abilities, and processing speed and contribute to the understanding of deficits that are specific to mathematical difficulties.

Instruction, Teacher–Student Relations, and Math Achievement Trajectories in Elementary School

PubMed Central

Crosnoe, Robert; Morrison, Fred; Burchinal, Margaret; Pianta, Robert; Keating, Daniel; Friedman, Sarah L.; Clarke-Stewart, K. Alison

2010-01-01

Children enter elementary school with widely different skill levels in core subjects. Whether because of differences in aptitude or in preparedness, these initial skill differences often translate into systematic disparities in achievement over time. How can teachers reduce these disparities? Three possibilities are to offer basic skills training, to expose students to higher order instruction, or to provide socioemotional support. Repeated measures analyses of longitudinal data from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development revealed that children with low, average, or high math skills prior to elementary school followed different but parallel trajectories of math achievement up through fifth grade. When enrolled in classes with inference-based instruction, however, the initially least skilled children narrowed the achievement gap as long as they did not have conflictual relations with their teachers. They did not make this kind of progress if they were in classes focused exclusively on basic skills instruction or if they were in inference-focused classes but had conflictual relations with teachers. PMID:20657743

Keeping Up in School? Identifying Learning Problems

MedlinePlus

... español Send us your comments Reading, writing, and math are the building blocks of learning. Mastering these ... and can create issues with reading, writing, and math. “Typically, in the first few years of elementary ...

Teachers' Ability and Help Attributions and Children's Math Performance and Task Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tõeväli, Paula-Karoliina; Kikas, Eve

2016-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships between teachers' causal attributions and children's math performance and task persistence. In total, 760 elementary school children and their teachers participated in this study. The children were tested in math twice, at the end of the second and third grades. At both time…

Math and Economics: Implementing Authentic Instruction in Grades K-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Althauser, Krista; Harter, Cynthia

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to outline a partnership program that involved a local elementary school district, an institution of higher education, the local business community, and a state economic education advocacy group to integrate economics into math in grades K-5. The "Economics: Math in Real Life" program was provided in…

Preservice Teachers' Observations of Children's Learning during Family Math Night

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurz, Terri L.; Kokic, Ivana Batarelo

2011-01-01

Family math night can easily be implemented into mathematics methodology courses providing an opportunity for field-based learning. Preservice teachers were asked to develop and implement an inquiry-based activity at a family math night event held at a local school with personnel, elementary children and their parents in attendance. This action…

D.C. Student Test Scores Show Uneven Progress. Data Snapshot

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuPre, Mary

2011-01-01

Over the past five years, both DC Public Schools (DCPS) and public charter schools (PCS) have seen significant growth in secondary reading and math scores on the state test known as the District of Columbia Comprehensive Assessment System (DC CAS). However, scores have not improved as much at the elementary level. Reading and math scores for DCPS…

Online Options for Math-Advanced Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wessling, Suki

2012-01-01

Once upon a time, a student well advanced past grade level in math would have had few choices. Advanced students would invariably outpace the skills of their elementary teachers, and due to age wouldn't have options such as going to the middle school or community college for classes. Soon thereafter, students would enter middle school only to find…

Old Math, New Math: Parents' Experiences with Standards-Based Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Remillard, Janine T.; Jackson, Kara

2006-01-01

We focus on how African American parents in a low-income neighborhood experience, interpret, and respond to current reform efforts as implemented in their children's school. As part of a larger project on parent-child numeracy connections in an elementary school, we interviewed 10 parents and held 2 focus group meetings, during which parents…

The Developmental Dynamics of Task-Avoidant Behavior and Math Performance in Kindergarten and Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirvonen, Riikka; Tolvanen, Asko; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2012-01-01

Besides cognitive factors, children's learning at school may be influenced by more dynamic phenomena, such as motivation and achievement-related task-avoidant behavior. The present study examined the developmental dynamics of task-avoidant behavior and math performance from kindergarten to Grade 4. A total of 225 children were tested for their…

At-Risk Student Mobility in an Urban Elementary School: Effects on Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shoho, Alan R.; Oleszewski, Ashley

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of at-risk student mobility on academic achievement in an urban elementary school. Math and reading scores from the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) of 172 third, fourth, and fifth grade students from an urban school district in South Central Texas were examined to determine whether…

Dancing through the School Day: How Dance Catapults Learning in Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Kelly Mancini

2013-01-01

The necessity for engaging the body in learning, the need for students to move throughout the school day, and the positive effects that dance has on students' development are all good reasons for dance to be included in the elementary curriculum. There are many ways for teachers to integrate movement into the school day, using math, science,…

Negotiating the integration of new literacies in math and science content: The lived experience of classroom teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wimmer, Jennifer Joy

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the lived experience of integrating new literacies in math and science content by upper elementary and middle school teachers. This study highlights the lived experience of six teachers including two elementary math teachers, two middle school math teachers, and two middle school science teachers. Data sources included five in-depth interviews, teachers' weekly reflection journals, weekly classroom observations, and one principal interview at each of the three high-needs schools. Data were analyzed through an analytic and thematic approach. A reconstructed story was created for each teacher which provides insight into the teacher as an individual. Additionally, a thematic analysis resulted in the identification of five essential themes across all six stories which included: technology exclusively, rethinking who they are as teachers, stabilizing rather than challenging content, rethinking student learning, circumstances, and futures, and serving official context and discourse. The findings indicate that the teachers' lived experience of integrating new literacies in math and science content was filled with uncertainty and a search for stability. A key implication of this study is the need for quality professional development that provides teachers with the opportunity to learn about, question, and rethink the intersection of new literacies, content area literacy, and teacher knowledge.

Principals' Self-Perceived Transformational Leadership Behaviors and Academic Achievement in South Carolina Public Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newman, Je-Nata Kennedy

2017-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between principals' perceptions of their transformational leadership behaviors and academic achievement in the areas of reading, math, science, and social studies in South Carolina public elementary schools. The theoretical framework for this research was provided…

Effects of School Gardening Lessons on Elementary School Children's Physical Activity and Sedentary Time.

PubMed

Rees-Punia, Erika; Holloway, Alicia; Knauft, David; Schmidt, Michael D

2017-12-01

Recess and physical education time continue to diminish, creating a need for additional physical activity opportunities within the school environment. The use of school gardens as a teaching tool in elementary science and math classes has the potential to increase the proportion of time spent active throughout the school day. Teachers from 4 elementary schools agreed to teach 1 math or science lesson per week in the school garden. Student physical activity time was measured with ActiGraph GT3X accelerometers on 3 garden days and 3 no-garden days at each school. Direct observation was used to quantify the specific garden-related tasks during class. The proportion of time spent active and sedentary was compared on garden and no-garden days. Seventy-four children wore accelerometers, and 75 were observed (86% participation). Children spent a significantly larger proportion of time active on garden days than no-garden days at 3 of the 4 schools. The proportion of time spent sedentary and active differed significantly across the 4 schools. Teaching lessons in the school garden may increase children's physical activity and decrease sedentary time throughout the school day and may be a strategy to promote both health and learning.

Report to the Palau Ministry of Education on the Mathematics Project at Harris, Maris Stella, and Meyuns Elementary Schools, 1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Irvin L.; Emesiochl, Masa-Aki

Since 1985, the students in grades 2-8 in three selected elementary schools in Palau have been tested on basic math skills. This report describes the data collected in May 1993 and indicates the relative strengths and weaknesses of students at each grade level in each school. Major outcomes include: (1) the students at Harris School scored…

Examining the Influence of a Mobile Learning Intervention on Third Grade Math Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiger, Derick; Herro, Dani; Prunty, Deb

2012-01-01

Third grade students at a Midwestern elementary school participated in a 9-week mobile learning intervention (MLI). Two classrooms used Everyday Math and daily practice using flashcards, etc., to learn multiplication. Two other classrooms used Everyday Math and web applications for the iPod touch for daily practice. MLI students outperformed…

Stickybear's Math Splash: Adventures in Math Fun for Ages 5-10! School Version with Lesson Plans. [CD-ROM].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Highsmith, Joni Bitman

Stickybear's Math Splash is a CD-ROM-based software tool for teaching mathematics skills beyond simple number recognition to elementary students. The accompanying printed lesson plans are designed to complement mathematics skills with other methods and areas of emphasis including kinesthetic learning, listening skills, decision making skills, and…

Supermath: An Alternative Approach to Improving Math Performance in Grades 4 through 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pogrow, Stanley

2004-01-01

In this article, the author shares a decade's worth of experience in developing an approach to teaching math to upper-elementary and middle school students that simultaneously increases basic skills, improves problem solving, raises test scores, and sparks student interest in math. Sections include: (1) Background Of Supermath; (2) Description Of…

The Effects of Accelerated Math Utilization on Grade Equivalency Score at a Selected Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kariuki, Patrick; Gentry, Christi

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Accelerated Math utilization on students' grade equivalency scores. Twelve students for both experimental and control groups were randomly selected from 37 students enrolled in math in grades four through six. The experimental group consisted of the students who actively participated in…

A Quantitative Examination of Title I and Non-Title I Elementary Schools in District 8 of North Alabama Using Fourth Grade Math and Reading Standardized Test Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Headen, Renee Ashley

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a difference over time on standardized test scores for reading and math between fourth grade students attending Title I and Non-Title I schools in three select school systems within District 8 of North Alabama. In an effort to determine if Title I schools are successfully closing the…

Adolescents' and Emerging Adults' Implicit Attitudes about STEM Careers: "Science Is Not Creative"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valenti, S. S.; Masnick, A. M.; Cox, B. D.; Osman, C. J.

2016-01-01

Although interest in science and math is often high in the elementary grades, interest in choosing science and math careers drops off beginning in junior high school for both genders, but especially for girls. By high school, a shift towards increased rigor is often accompanied by a lack of creativity in the way that scientific disciplines are…

Demystify Math, Science, and Technology: Creativity, Innovation, and Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Dennis; Hamm, Mary

2010-01-01

Technology is viewed as a powerful force both in and out of school and has long been linked with math and science. Although concepts and activities of this book apply to any grade, the primary focus is on the elementary and middle school levels. This book provides principles and practical strategies for promoting creative and innovative work in…

The Effect of Cognitively Guided Instruction on Primary Students' Math Achievement, Problem-Solving Abilities and Teacher Questioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medrano, Juan

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to impact the teaching and learning of math of 2nd through 4th grade math students at Porfirio H. Gonzales Elementary School. The Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) model serves as the independent variable for this study. Its intent is to promote math instruction that emphasizes problem-solving to a greater degree…

Signs of In/Equality: A History of Representation and Reform in Elementary School Mathematics from the 1950s to the Present

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaz, Jennifer DeNet

2014-01-01

This study begins with the assumption that the equal sign (=) in elementary school mathematics is not merely a symbol of mathematical logic. Rather, as the equal sign (=) appears in the school math curriculum, it orders children's thinking about equality by assigning identities to things of the world--as expressions of equivalences and…

Can Community and School-Based Supports Improve the Achievement of First-Generation Immigrant Children Attending High-Poverty Schools?

PubMed

Dearing, Eric; Walsh, Mary E; Sibley, Erin; Lee-St John, Terry; Foley, Claire; Raczek, Anastacia E

2016-05-01

Using a quasi-experimental design, the effects of a student support intervention were estimated for the math and reading achievement of first-generation immigrant children (n = 667, M = 11.05 years of age) attending high-poverty, urban elementary schools. The intervention was designed to help schools identify developmental strengths and barriers to learning and, in turn, connect children to community and school supports aligned with their strengths and needs. By exploiting within-school changes in the implementation of the intervention, the present study revealed statistically and practically significant treatment effects indicating improvements in math and reading achievement at the end of elementary school. In addition, the intervention appears to considerably narrow achievement gaps between English language learners and immigrant children proficient in English. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Math Anxiety in Pre-Service Elementary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malinsky, Marci; Ross, Ann; Pannells, Tammy; McJunkin, Mark

2006-01-01

This research article examines math anxiety in pre-service teachers. The Mathematics Anxiety Scale-Revised (MARS-R) was administered to 481 university students. Significant results were found in areas of gender, educational level, and educational major. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)

Math Anxiety Is Related to Some, but Not All, Experiences with Math

PubMed Central

O'Leary, Krystle; Fitzpatrick, Cheryll L.; Hallett, Darcy

2017-01-01

Math anxiety has been defined as unpleasant feelings of tension and anxiety that hinder the ability to deal with numbers and math in a variety of situations. Although many studies have looked at situational and demographic factors associated with math anxiety, little research has looked at the self-reported experiences with math that are associated with math anxiety. The present study used a mixed-methods design and surveyed 131 undergraduate students about their experiences with math through elementary school, junior high, and high school, while also assessing math anxiety, general anxiety, and test anxiety. Some reported experiences (e.g., support in high school, giving students plenty of examples) were significantly related to the level of math anxiety, even after controlling for general and test anxiety, but many other factors originally thought to be related to math anxiety did not demonstrate a relation in this study. Overall, this study addresses a gap in the literature and provides some suggestive specifics of the kinds of past experiences that are related to math anxiety and those that are not. PMID:29375410

Math Anxiety Is Related to Some, but Not All, Experiences with Math.

PubMed

O'Leary, Krystle; Fitzpatrick, Cheryll L; Hallett, Darcy

2017-01-01

Math anxiety has been defined as unpleasant feelings of tension and anxiety that hinder the ability to deal with numbers and math in a variety of situations. Although many studies have looked at situational and demographic factors associated with math anxiety, little research has looked at the self-reported experiences with math that are associated with math anxiety. The present study used a mixed-methods design and surveyed 131 undergraduate students about their experiences with math through elementary school, junior high, and high school, while also assessing math anxiety, general anxiety, and test anxiety. Some reported experiences (e.g., support in high school, giving students plenty of examples) were significantly related to the level of math anxiety, even after controlling for general and test anxiety, but many other factors originally thought to be related to math anxiety did not demonstrate a relation in this study. Overall, this study addresses a gap in the literature and provides some suggestive specifics of the kinds of past experiences that are related to math anxiety and those that are not.

School-Level Contextual Effects of Parent Involvement on Children's Achievement during Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oh, Yoonkyung

2012-01-01

This study used the ECLS-K to examine the contextual influences of parent involvement on children's achievement growth in reading and math during elementary grades. The study used Rasch models and HLM measurement models to develop reliable and valid constructs of parent involvement both at the student and at the school level. Piecewise linear…

Do Children in Montessori Schools Perform Better in the Achievement Test? A Taiwanese Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peng, Hsin-Hui; Md-Yunus, Sham'ah

2014-01-01

The study examines whether elementary school students in Taiwan who had received Montessori education achieved significantly higher scores on tests of language arts, math, and social studies than students who attended non-Montessori elementary programs. One hundred ninety six children in first, second, and third grade participated in the study.…

Staying Alive: Social Studies in Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pascopella, Angela

2005-01-01

Social studies, particularly in the elementary grades, has been pushed to the back burner in schools. Time is the biggest nemesis. Increased attention to math and language arts under the federal No Child Left Behind law is squeezing out social studies. Many states have standards in social studies so teachers are expected to cover the topic, but…

Effects of Remedial Instruction on Low-SES & Low-Math Students' Mathematics Competence, Interest and Confidence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Der-Ching; Lai, Meng-Lung; Yao, Ru-Fen; Huang, Yueh-Chun

2014-01-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of remedial instruction on low-SES & low-math first graders' basic mathematics competence as well as their interest and confidence in mathematics learning. Fourteen participants of low-SES & low-math were selected from two classes totaling fifty-seven first graders at a public elementary school in…

Urban Elementary Single-Sex Math Classrooms: Mitigating Stereotype Threat for African American Girls

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowe, Anica G.; Desjardins, Christopher D.; Covington Clarkson, Lesa M.; Lawrenz, Frances

2017-01-01

This study utilized a mixed-methods approach to holistically examine single-sex and coeducational urban elementary mathematics classes through situated cognitive theory. Participants came from two urban low-income Midwestern elementary schools with a high representation of minority students (n = 77 sixth graders, n = 4 teachers, n = 2 principals).…

Hopes and Goals Survey for Use in STEM Elementary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, K. Anna; Strobel, Johannes

2015-01-01

This study reports the development and validation studies of the Hopes and Goals Survey, an assessment designed to measure the level of hope of elementary students from diverse backgrounds, and its relation to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) studies and career. Data collected from students attending urban elementary schools were…

Running an Elementary School Astronomy Club: Engaging Children in the Wonders of Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, L.; Odenwald, S.; Lundberg, C.; Dimarco, A.

2000-10-01

``At the elementary school level, children are motivated by two things, dinosaurs and space" (Dr. Harold Williams, Montgomery College Planetarium Director). Yet, many elementary school science objectives include only the most basic astronomical concepts. Some ignore the subject all together in favor of more traditional courses (e.g. math and reading) or Earth science based curricula such as weather and local ecosystems. In addition, most elementary school teachers are unfamiliar with astronomical concepts and are poorly equipped to teach the subject. With teacher requirements increasing due to increasing class sizes, state competency exams, and a back to basics political climate, there is often little room to capitalize on the natural sense of curiosity children have about the universe during the normal school day. An after school astronomy club can provide a solution. In this paper, we present a model for setting up and running an after school astronomy club for students in grades 3-6. Our model was developed at two Maryland schools, Sligo Creek Elementary and Holy Redeemer Elementary/Middle School and incorporates national education standards as well as NASA OSS guidelines for effective education outreach programs. We propose here, a Community Based Learning (CBL) approach with the goal of engaging multiple elements of the community in the learning process including local amateur astronomy clubs, industry, community colleges, parents, and teachers. Methods for using astronomy as a basis for teaching reading, writing, math, and presentation skills are introduced. Resources, teaching methods, preparation guidelines, discipline, and safety are discussed and a list of grade appropriate, hands-on astronomy activities is presented along with procedures and expected outcomes.

Professional Books.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilstrap, Robert L.

1994-01-01

Reviews five books: "Garbage Pizza, Patchwork Quilts and Math Magic" (Ohanian), about elementary math instruction; "Ready for What?" (Graue), on school readiness; "The Braid of Literature: Children's Worlds of Reading" (Wolf and Heath); "The Best Years of Their Lives" (Zvirin), a book of resources for teenagers; and "Teaching and Learning in the…

Star Students Make Connections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Anne Marie; Superfine, Alison Castro; Canty, Reality S.

2010-01-01

Ms. Beyer's first graders have been working for several weeks on solving problems that encourage the use of such multiple representations as ten frames and number lines. The class is using Math Trailblazers, a National Science Foundation-supported elementary school math curriculum developed to reflect recent reform efforts in mathematics…

A Study of Implicit Theories and Beliefs about Teaching in Elementary School Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcelo, Carlos

In this study interactive teaching of two math teachers at elementary schools in Spain was observed. Focus was on the description of the principles of the practice which guide the teaching activities of the subjects, because it was felt these principles form the base of teachers' theories with respect to the teaching and the students. During a…

Relationship between Patterns of Personality of Campus Leaders and Scholastic Achievement in Elementary Schools: A Test of Holland's Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Linda Ann

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine student achievement as a function of principal personality and assistant principal personality in an elementary school setting. Student achievement, the dependent variable, was fifth grade campus mean scale scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills test for reading, math, and science. Holland's…

Developing Elementary Math and Science Process Skills Through Engineering Design Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strong, Matthew G.

This paper examines how elementary students can develop math and science process skills through an engineering design approach to instruction. The performance and development of individual process skills overall and by gender were also examined. The study, preceded by a pilot, took place in a grade four extracurricular engineering design program in a public, suburban school district. Students worked in pairs and small groups to design and construct airplane models from styrofoam, paper clips, and toothpicks. The development and performance of process skills were assessed through a student survey of learning gains, an engineering design packet rubric (student work), observation field notes, and focus group notes. The results indicate that students can significantly develop process skills, that female students may develop process skills through engineering design better than male students, and that engineering design is most helpful for developing the measuring, suggesting improvements, and observing process skills. The study suggests that a more regular engineering design program or curriculum could be beneficial for students' math and science abilities both in this school and for the elementary field as a whole.

Potential of Using iPad as a Supplement to Teach Math to Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaur, Daljit; Koval, Ashely; Chaney, Hannah

2017-01-01

This qualitative study was conducted to identify the potential of using iPad as a supplement to teach math to students with learning disabilities. Ten teacher candidates from a university in the south provided one-on-one math tutoring services to ten students in a self-contained classroom at a local high poverty elementary school. The students…

A Comparison of Teacher Quality in Math for Late Elementary and Middle School Students with and without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilmour, Allison F.; Henry, Gary T.

2018-01-01

Students with disabilities (SWDs) perform below their peers in math on national and state assessments. The quality of teachers who provide these students with math instruction is an unexamined variable that could influence this low achievement. We used data from more than 1 million students to compare the quality of teachers assigned to teach math…

Math grades and intrinsic motivation in elementary school: A longitudinal investigation of their association.

PubMed

Weidinger, Anne F; Steinmayr, Ricarda; Spinath, Birgit

2017-06-01

It is often argued that the negative development of intrinsic motivation in elementary school strongly depends on the presence of school grades because grades represent extrinsic consequences and achievement feedback that are supposed to influence intrinsically motivated behaviour. However, only a few studies have tested this hypothesis. Therefore, we investigated the role of school grades in inter- and intra-individual changes in elementary school students' intrinsic motivation from when grades were first introduced until the end of elementary school, when students in Germany receive recommendations for a secondary school type on the basis of their prior performance in school. A sample of 542 German elementary school students (t 1 : M = 7.95 years, SD = 0.57) was followed for 2 years from the end of Grade 2 to the end of Grade 4. At seven measurement occasions, children's math grades and their domain-specific intrinsic motivation were assessed. Latent growth curve models showed differences in trajectories of intrinsic motivation across students rather than uniform development. Moreover, students' trajectories of grades and intrinsic motivation were only weakly associated. A latent cross-lagged model revealed that reciprocal effects between the two constructs over time were small at best. Contrary to theoretical considerations, our results indicate that negative performance feedback in the form of grades does not necessarily lead to a decrease in intrinsic motivation. This calls into question the common opinion that a perception of being less competent, as reflected by poor grades, is responsible for weakening students' intrinsic motivation. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

The Effects of Direct Instruction Flashcard and Math Racetrack Procedures on Mastery of Basic Multiplication Facts by Three Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skarr, Adam; Zielinski, Katie; Ruwe, Kellen; Sharp, Hannah; Williams, Randy L.; McLaughlin, T. F.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if a typical third-grade boy and fifth-grade girl and a boy with learning disabilities could benefit from the combined use of Direct Instruction (DI) flashcard and math racetrack procedures in an after-school program. The dependent variable was accuracy and fluency of saying basic multiplication facts. A…

Early Childhood Mathematics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Susan Sperry

Most experts believe that young children possess a substantial amount of informal knowledge about mathematics. The teacher's role is to create a link between children's ability to use informal math and the ability to understand the more formal math taught in elementary school. Teachers must help children construct and elaborate upon what they…

The Influence of Theoretical Mathematical Foundations on Teaching and Learning: A Case Study of Whole Numbers in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambris, Christine

2018-01-01

This paper examines the existence and impact of theoretical mathematical foundations on the teaching and learning of whole numbers in elementary school in France. It shows that the study of the New Math reform--which was eventually itself replaced in the longer term--provides some keys to understanding the influence of mathematical theories on…

The Relationship between Comprehension and Conceptual Mathematics of Third Grade Students at a Selected Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kariuki, Patrick N.; Morris, Dustin A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between reading comprehension scores and conceptual mathematics scores of third grade students at a selected elementary school. The sample consisted of 27 students of which 15 were females and 12 were males. Data were collected using a teacher made conceptual math exam and the scores from…

Reading, Writing, and Math Self-Concept in Elementary School Children: Influence of Dimensional Comparison Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehm, Jan-Henning; Lindberg, Sven; Hasselhorn, Marcus

2014-01-01

The internal/external (I/E) frame of reference model (Marsh, "Am Educ Res J" 23:129-149, 1986) conceptualizes students' self-concepts as being formed by dimensional as well as social comparison processes. In the present study, the I/E model was tested and extended in a sample of elementary school children. Core academic skills of…

The Relationship between Preschool Block Play and Reading and Maths Abilities in Early Elementary School: A Longitudinal Study of Children with and without Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanline, Mary Frances; Milton, Sande; Phelps, Pamela C.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the predictive relationship between the level of symbolic representation in block constructions of preschoolers and reading and mathematics abilities and rate of growth in early elementary school for children with and without disabilities. Fifty-one children participated, 22 of whom had identified…

Mathematics Learning Disabilities in Girls with Fragile X or Turner Syndrome during Late Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Melissa M.; Mazzocco, Michele M. M.

2008-01-01

The present study focuses on math and related skills among 32 girls with fragile X (n = 14) or Turner (n = 18) syndrome during late elementary school. Performance in each syndrome group was assessed relative to Full Scale IQ-matched comparison groups of girls from the general population (n = 32 and n = 89 for fragile X syndrome and Turner…

It's Not a Math Lesson--We're Learning to Draw! Teachers' Use of Visual Representations in Instructing Word Problem Solving in Sixth Grade of Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boonen, Anton J. H.; Reed, Helen C.; Schoonenboom, Judith; Jolles, Jelle

2016-01-01

Non-routine word problem solving is an essential feature of the mathematical development of elementary school students worldwide. Many students experience difficulties in solving these problems due to erroneous problem comprehension. These difficulties could be alleviated by instructing students how to use visual representations that clarify the…

Initial Spanish Proficiency and English Language Development among Spanish-Speaking English Learner Students in New Mexico. REL 2018-286

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arellano, Brenda; Liu, Feng; Stoker, Ginger; Slama, Rachel

2018-01-01

To what extent do Spanish-speaking English learner students develop English proficiency and grade-level readiness in English language arts and math from early elementary school to upper elementary school? Is there a relationship between proficiency in a student's primary home language, Spanish, and the amount of time needed to attain fluency in…

Playing To Learn.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Dale; Shakeshaft, Charol; Kottkamp, Robert; Becker, Jonathan

2000-01-01

A study to determine effects of Lightspan Partnership Inc.'s interactive materials on student achievement in a Denver- area elementary school revealed higher reading and math test scores for Lightspan schools, compared to control schools. This serious play curriculum, assisted by parents, benefited neediest kids most. (MLH)

An Evaluation of an Elementary Mathematics Program at a Medium-Sized Suburban School District in North Carolina

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honeycutt, Robin A.

2013-01-01

Math instruction has undergone a tremendous amount of change since the late 1950s. "New math" of the 1960s, the standards movement, back to the basics in the early 90s, and now the common core standards have all had an impact on how mathematics is taught. This study examined the Math Expressions program, a conceptually based program…

G.E.M.S. event

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-08

About 170 high school and elementary girls from area schools participated in a Girls Excited about Math and Science event at Stennis Space Center on March 8, 2012. The event was designed to promote studies in science and mathematics.

Longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's negative emotions, effortful control, and math achievement in early elementary school.

PubMed

Swanson, Jodi; Valiente, Carlos; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Bradley, Robert H; Eggum-Wilkens, Natalie D

2014-01-01

Panel mediation models and fixed-effects models were used to explore longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's displays of negative emotions, children's effortful control (EC), and children's math achievement (N = 291; M age in fall of kindergarten = 5.66 years, SD = .39 year) across kindergarten through second grade. Parents reported their reactions and children's EC. Math achievement was assessed with a standardized achievement test. First-grade EC mediated the relation between parents' reactions at kindergarten and second-grade math achievement, beyond stability in constructs across study years. Panel mediation model results suggested that socialization of EC may be one method of promoting math achievement in early school; however, when all omitted time-invariant covariates of EC and math achievement were controlled, first-grade EC no longer predicted second-grade math achievement. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Math Word Problems: Reading Math Situations from the Start

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Khristine; Gabriel, Rachael

2017-01-01

Reading and creating stories is a longstanding pedagogical approach to literacy learning in elementary school classrooms because stories offer personal and human experiences to which students can relate and respond. Stories, including digital forms such as short films, offer accounts of what it is to belong to a community and its worldviews and…

A Study of Parent-Child Numeracy Interaction in Families of English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stiles, Terri F.

2010-01-01

Current research has focused on early numeracy in the preschool setting, but few studies have addressed the relationship between elementary school children's understanding of mathematical concepts and parent-child interactions during math play or work. As a result, the researcher sought to understand the extent to which math concepts were…

Music: Highly Engaged Students Connect Music to Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Shelly M.; Pearson, Dunn, Jr.

2013-01-01

A musician and a mathematics educator create and implement a set of elementary school lessons integrating music and math. Students learn the basics of music theory including identifying notes and learning their fractional values. They learn about time signatures and how to determine correct note values per measure. Students are motivated by…

Singapore Math: Place Value, Computation & Number Sense. [CD-ROM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Sandra

2008-01-01

"Singapore Math: Place Value, Computation & Number Sense" is a six-part presentation on CD-ROM that can be used by individual teachers or an entire school. The author takes primary to upper elementary grade teachers through place value skills with each of the computational operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. She gives…

Magic SEED? A New Approach to Teaching Math Produces Some Eye-Popping Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shore, Debra

1991-01-01

Project SEED is a successful program that teaches elementary school students advanced math. Specialists conduct 45-minute lessons, asking questions designed to help students discover mathematical logic. Students respond with a system of SEED hand signals which allow everyone to participate and be monitored at once. (SM)

Inhibitory Control of Spanish-Speaking Language-Minority Preschool Children: Measurement and Association with Language, Literacy, and Math Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lonigan, Christopher J.; Allan, Darcey M.; Goodrich, J. Marc; Farrington, Amber L.; Phillips, Beth M.

2017-01-01

Children's self-regulation, including components of executive function such as inhibitory control, is related concurrently and longitudinally with elementary school children's reading and math abilities. Although several recent studies have examined links between preschool children's self-regulation or executive function and their academic skill…

A Comparison of Behavioral and Constructivist Interventions for Increasing Math-Fact Fluency in a Second-Grade Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poncy, Brian C.; McCallum, Elizabeth; Schmitt, Ara J.

2010-01-01

Although basic math skill deficits are commonly encountered across elementary and secondary school students, few empirically validated, group-administered interventions are available for educators attempting to prevent or remedy such problems. This study compared the effectiveness of two theoretically distinct interventions for improving the…

Breaking the Tradition of Summer Vacation to Raise Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramos, Barbara Kay

2011-01-01

This study found that students in settings with a year-round calendar statistically outperformed students with traditional calendars in a school-within-a-school setting in mathematics. The study included reading and math achievement of fifth graders in three school-within-a-school year-round elementary schools. Overall, the study made 16…

Enhancing Elementary Teacher Practice through Technological/Engineering Design Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deck, Anita S.

2016-01-01

As widespread as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiatives and reforms are today in education, a rudimentary problem with these endeavors is being overlooked. In general, education programs and school districts are failing to ensure that elementary teachers who provide children's early academic experiences have the appropriate…

Facilitating an Elementary Engineering Design Process Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill-Cunningham, P. Renee; Mott, Michael S.; Hunt, Anna-Blair

2018-01-01

STEM education in elementary school is guided by the understanding that engineering represents the application of science and math concepts to make life better for people. The Engineering Design Process (EDP) guides the application of creative solutions to problems. Helping teachers understand how to apply the EDP to create lessons develops a…

Efficacy of Two Mathematics Interventions for Enhancing Fluency with Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mong, Michael D.; Mong, Kristi W.

2010-01-01

An alternating treatments design was used to evaluate two curriculum-based mathematics interventions designed to enhance fluency with three elementary school students. Results indicate that both the Math to Mastery (MTM) intervention and the Cover, Copy, Compare (CCC) intervention were effective at increasing mathematics fluency, as measured by…

The aurora, Mars, and more! Increasing science content in elementary grades through art and literacy programs in earth and space science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renfrow, S.; Wood, E. L.

2011-12-01

Although reading, writing, and math examinations are often conducted early in elementary school, science is not typically tested until 4th or 5th grade. The result is a refocus on the tested topics at the expense of the untested ones, despite that standards exist for each topic at all grades. On a national level, science instruction is relegated to a matter of a few hours per week. A 2007 Education Policy study states that elementary school students spend an average of 178 minutes a week on science while spending 500 minutes on literacy. A recent NSTA report in July of elementary and middle school teachers confirms that teachers feel pressured to teach math and literacy at the expense of other programs. One unintended result is that teachers in grades where science is tested must play catch-up with students for them to be successful on the assessment. A unique way to combat the lack of science instruction at elementary grades is to combine literacy, social studies, and math into an integrated science program, thereby increasing the number of science contact hours. The Dancing Lights program, developed at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, is a science, art, and literacy program about the aurora designed to easily fit into a typical 3rd-5th grade instructional day. It mirrors other successful literacy programs and will provide a basis for the literacy program being developed for the upcoming MAVEN mission to Mars. We will present early findings, as well as "lessons learned" during our development and implementation of the Dancing Lights program and will highlight our goals for the MAVEN mission literacy program.

Similar English Learner Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better? A Follow-Up Analysis Based upon a Large-Scale Survey of California Elementary Schools Serving High Proportions of Low-Income and EL Students. Report of Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Trish; Perry, Mary; Oregon, Isabel; Brazil, Noli; Hakuta, Kenji; Haertel, Edward; Kirst, Michael; Levin, Jesse

2007-01-01

In Spring 2006 California released its first ever school-level Academic Performance Index (API) scores for English Learners (ELs). These EL-API scores were based on California Standards Tests in English language arts and math taken in the spring of 2005. The new EL-API data make it clear that elementary schools vary widely in their ability to get…

Santa Fe Alliance for Science: The First Eight Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eisenstein, Robert A.

2013-04-01

The Santa Fe Alliance for Science (SFAFS) was founded in May, 2005. SFAFS exists to provide assistance in K-14 math and science education in the greater Santa Fe area. It does this via extensive programs (1) in math and science tutoring at Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe Community College and to a lesser degree at other schools, (2) science fair advising and judging, (3) its ``Santa Fe Science Cafe for Young Thinkers'' series, (4) a program of professional enrichment for K-12 math and science teachers, and (5) a fledging math intervention program in middle school math. Well over 150 STEM professionals, working mostly as volunteers, have contributed since our beginning. Participation by students, parents and teachers has increased dramatically over the years, leading to much more positive views of math and science, especially among elementary school students and teachers. Support from the community and from local school districts has been very strong. I will present a brief status report on SFAFS activities, discuss some of the lessons learned along the way and describe briefly some ideas for the future. More information can be found at the SFAFS website, www.sfafs.org.

Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission's Red Planet program: Bridging the gap in elementary school science through climate studies of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, E. L.

2012-12-01

Although reading, writing, and math examinations are often conducted early in elementary school, science is not typically tested until 4th or 5th grade. The result is a refocus on the tested topics at the expense of the untested ones, despite that standards exist for each topic at all grades. On a national level, science instruction is relegated to a matter of a few hours per week. A 2007 Education Policy study states that elementary school students spend an average of 178 minutes a week on science while spending 500 minutes on literacy. A recent NSTA report in July of 2011 of elementary and middle school teachers confirms that teachers feel pressured to teach math and literacy at the expense of other programs. In our interaction with elementary teachers, it is also apparent that many are uncomfortable with science concepts. In order for us to successfully address the Next Generation Science Standards, teachers must be able to reconcile all of the different requirements placed on them in a given school day and in a given school environment. A unique way to combat the lack of science instruction at elementary grades is to combine literacy into an integrated science program, thereby increasing the number of science contact hours. The Red Planet: Read, Write, Explore program, developed for the MAVEN mission, is a science, art, and literacy program designed to easily fit into a typical 3rd-5th grade instructional day. Red Planet tackles climate change through Mars' geologic history and makes Mars-Earth comparisons, while encouraging students to reflect on the environmental requirements needed to keep a biological organisms (including humans) happy, healthy, and alive. The Red Planet program is currently being pilot tested at Acres Green Elementary School in Colorado.

Science and Math through Role-Play Centers in the Elementary School Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarrett, Olga S.

1997-01-01

Describes role-play centers in which children can do math problems, invent, experiment, write with a purpose, and act out adult career roles. Examples of centers include a doctor's office, a supermarket, a fix-it or inventor's workshop, a post office, a pet store, a zoo, a veterinary clinic, a museum, and a restaurant. (DKM)

Teachers' Experiences of Georgia's Early Math Intervention Program: A Phenomenological Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Rachel Amanda Garner

2016-01-01

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the perceptions that K-5 teachers have toward Georgia's mandated Early Intervention Math Program (EIP) on at risk learners in an elementary school in a rural, North Georgia community. The following questions guided the study: 1. How do K-5 teachers describe their experience with…

I Am a Math Coach: Now What?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rapacki, Lauren J.; Cross Francis, Dionne I.

2014-01-01

When one of the authors saw the job description for an elementary school mathematics coach on a state Department of Education website, she recognized it as an opportunity to have her dream job. She knew that making the transition from the classroom to a math teacher leader would afford her the opportunity to have an even greater impact on student…

A Districtwide Study of Automaticity When Included in Concept-Based Elementary School Mathematics Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGee, Daniel; Richardson, Patrick; Brewer, Meredith; Gonulates, Funda; Hodgson, Theodore; Weinel, Rebecca

2017-01-01

While conceptual understanding of properties, operations, and the base-ten number system is certainly associated with the ability to access math facts fluently, the role of math fact memorization to promote conceptual understanding remains contested. In order to gain insight into this question, this study looks at the results when one of three…

Teaching Mathematics to Kindergarten Students through a Multisensory Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uzomah, Stephanie Lynn

2012-01-01

In 2007, only 32% of Georgia's fourth grade students were considered at or above the proficient level in mathematics. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the TouchMath program at one elementary school. The TouchMath program was developed based on the constructivist learning theory and includes aspects of theories from…

Selecting Effective Interventions to Increase Math Computation Fluency via Brief Experimental Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reisener, Carmen D.; Dufrene, Brad A.; Clark, Chelsi R.; Olmi, D. Joe; Tingstrom, Daniel H.

2016-01-01

In a response to intervention RtI paradigm, the use of brief experimental analyses (BEAs) for identifying effective interventions for elementary and middle school students struggling with math is a relatively new area of research. This investigation includes two studies, both of which employed a brief multielement design and an extended analysis…

School Turnaround in North Carolina: A Regression Discontinuity Analysis. Working Paper 156

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heissel, Jennifer A.; Ladd, Helen F.

2016-01-01

This paper examines the effect of school turnaround in North Carolina elementary and middle schools. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find that turnaround led to a drop in average school-level math and reading passing rates and an increased concentration of low-income students in treated schools. We use teacher survey data to examine…

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions of Mathematics Instruction in Montessori and Traditional Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kofa, Linda

2017-01-01

Students in grades 3 and 4 attending a traditional public elementary school in a northeastern state did not meet proficiency levels in mathematics as measured by the state's assessment system. Published reports indicated that students attending the Montessori programs were more proficient in solving math problems compared to students in…

Conditions and Decisions of Urban Elementary Teachers Regarding Instruction of STEM Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Erica L.; Parker, Carolyn A.; McKinney, David; Grigg, Jeffrey

2018-01-01

The study was situated in a National Science Foundation supported Math Science Partnership between a private university and an urban school district. This study sought to understand the decision-making process of elementary teachers as they implement an integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curriculum in their…

Effects of Teacher Diversity and Student-Teacher Racial/Ethnic Matching in Elementary Schools on Educational Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banerjee, Neena

2013-01-01

This dissertation investigates the implications of student-teacher racial/ethnic matching on two educational outcomes. The fourth chapter investigates whether assignment to same-race teachers affects students' math and reading achievement growth in early elementary grades and whether the overall racial/ethnic composition of the teaching workforce…

Elementary Students' Metacognitive Processes and Post-Performance Calibration on Mathematical Problem-Solving Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

García, Trinidad; Rodríguez, Celestino; González-Castro, Paloma; González-Pienda, Julio Antonio; Torrance, Mark

2016-01-01

Calibration, or the correspondence between perceived performance and actual performance, is linked to students' metacognitive and self-regulatory skills. Making students more aware of the quality of their performance is important in elementary school settings, and more so when math problems are involved. However, many students seem to be poorly…

Jane and Johnny Love Math: Recognizing and Encouraging Mathematical Talent in Elementary Students; A Guidebook for Educators and Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lupkowski, Ann E.; Assouline, Susan G.

This book is a guide for parents and teachers of mathematically talented elementary school students. Chapters and sections include: (1) "Overview"; (2) "Historical and Current Perspectives"; (3) "Making Informed Educational Decisions"; (4) "Diagnostic Testing Followed by Prescriptive Instruction: SMPY's DT to PI…

Does school mobility place elementary school children at risk for lower math achievement? The mediating role of cognitive dysregulation.

PubMed

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H; Raver, C Cybele

2015-12-01

Children growing up in poverty have a higher likelihood of exposure to multiple forms of adversity that jeopardize their chances of academic success. The current paper identifies school mobility, or changing schools, as 1 such poverty-related risk. Using a sample of low-income, predominantly ethnic-minority children (n = 381) in Chicago, this study tests the hypothesis that repeatedly changing schools during the 5-year period between Head Start (preschool) and third grade is a potent predictor of children's math achievement in fourth grade and that children's cognitive dysregulation serves as a mechanism through which school mobility may negatively affect children's math achievement. Hierarchical linear models controlling for baseline child and family characteristics (including children's early math and dysregulation measured during Head Start) revealed an inverse relation between the number of times low-income children changed schools between preschool and third grade and children's math achievement on state standardized tests in fourth grade. Furthermore, frequently changing schools (3 or 4 school changes over the same time period) was positively associated with teacher-reported cognitive dysregulation in third grade and negatively associated with children's math achievement in fourth grade. Evidence for the role of children's cognitive dysregulation as a partial statistical mediator was found for the relation between frequently changing schools and math achievement, even after accounting for baseline risk. Results are discussed in terms of school policies, practices, and intervention strategies to prevent the disruptive and potentially stressful experiences of school mobility for young, low-income children. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Does School Mobility Place Elementary School Children at Risk for Lower Math Achievement? The Mediating Role of Cognitive Dysregulation

PubMed Central

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H.; Raver, C. Cybele

2015-01-01

Children growing up in poverty have a higher likelihood of exposure to multiple forms of adversity that jeopardize their chances of academic success. The current paper identifies school mobility, or changing schools, as 1 such poverty-related risk. Using a sample of low-income, predominantly ethnic-minority children (n = 381) in Chicago, this study tests the hypothesis that repeatedly changing schools during the 5-year period between Head Start (preschool) and third grade is a potent predictor of children’s math achievement in fourth grade and that children’s cognitive dysregulation serves as a mechanism through which school mobility may negatively affect children’s math achievement. Hierarchical linear models controlling for baseline child and family characteristics (including children’s early math and dysregulation measured during Head Start) revealed an inverse relation between the number of times low-income children changed schools between preschool and third grade and children’s math achievement on state standardized tests in fourth grade. Furthermore, frequently changing schools (3 or 4 school changes over the same time period) was positively associated with teacher-reported cognitive dysregulation in third grade and negatively associated with children’s math achievement in fourth grade. Evidence for the role of children’s cognitive dysregulation as a partial statistical mediator was found for the relation between frequently changing schools and math achievement, even after accounting for baseline risk. Results are discussed in terms of school policies, practices, and intervention strategies to prevent the disruptive and potentially stressful experiences of school mobility for young, low-income children. PMID:26436870

Class Trips in Cyberspace: No Passports Required.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holzberg, Carol S.

1996-01-01

Describes examples of electronic field trips for elementary and secondary school students taking place during the 1996-97 school year. Topics include Mayan civilization, wildlife migration, geothermal hot spots, Antarctica, sailboat voyages, baseball and math, viruses, Hong Kong, and offerings from National Geographic. (LRW)

On the relationship between math anxiety and math achievement in early elementary school: The role of problem solving strategies.

PubMed

Ramirez, Gerardo; Chang, Hyesang; Maloney, Erin A; Levine, Susan C; Beilock, Sian L

2016-01-01

Even at young ages, children self-report experiencing math anxiety, which negatively relates to their math achievement. Leveraging a large dataset of first and second grade students' math achievement scores, math problem solving strategies, and math attitudes, we explored the possibility that children's math anxiety (i.e., a fear or apprehension about math) negatively relates to their use of more advanced problem solving strategies, which in turn relates to their math achievement. Our results confirm our hypothesis and, moreover, demonstrate that the relation between math anxiety and math problem solving strategies is strongest in children with the highest working memory capacity. Ironically, children who have the highest cognitive capacity avoid using advanced problem solving strategies when they are high in math anxiety and, as a result, underperform in math compared with their lower working memory peers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Re-Analysis Report: Daylighting in Schools, Additional Analysis. Tasks 2.2.1 through 2.2.5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heschong, Lisa; Elzeyadi, Ihab; Knecht, Carey

This study expands and validates previous research that found a statistical correlation between the amount of daylight in elementary school classrooms and the performance of students on standardized math and reading tests. The researchers reanalyzed the 19971998 school year student performance data from the Capistrano Unified School District…

G.E.M.S. event

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-08

NASA Human Resources Specialist Ashley Speed speaks to a group of high school students from area schools during a Girls Excited about Math and Science event at Stennis Space Center on March 8, 2012. About 170 high school and elementary girls from area schools visited Stennis to participate in a day of activities designed to promote studies in science and mathematics.

The Relationship between Working Memory and Mathematical Problem Solving in Children at Risk and Not at Risk for Serious Math Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, H. Lee; Beebe-Frankenberger, Margaret

2004-01-01

This study identified cognitive processes that underlie individual differences in working memory (WM) and mathematical problem-solution accuracy in elementary school children at risk and not at risk for serious math difficulties (SMD). A battery of tests was administered that assessed problem solving, achievement, and cognitive processing in…

G.E.M.S. event

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-08

About 170 high school and elementary girls from area schools participated in a Girls Excited about Math and Science event at Stennis Space Center on March 8, 2012. The event featured various workshops and presentations designed to promote studies in science and mathematics, as well as other activities.

Fractions and the Funky Cookie

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellington, Aimee J.; Whitenack, Joy W.

2010-01-01

Mathematics specialists play a significant, meaningful, and integral role in supporting elementary school teachers in this mathematically connected world. These teacher leaders (coaches, resource teachers, math leads, and so on) work closely with all members of the school community--students, teachers, and administrators--and have a range of…

Promoting Student Achievement through Educational Practices in Middle School Math Transitioning Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Viola Towels

2016-01-01

There is a plethora of research pertaining to Response to Intervention (RTI) implementation at the elementary school setting. However, research studies on teachers' perceptions relative to implementing RTI in a middle school tier-based classroom had not been conducted. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teachers' perception…

Designing Open and Individualized Instruction at the Elementary Level: A Guide for the Individual Teacher.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldhusen, John; And Others

A description of open and individualized elementary school instruction is provided. The goals of such instruction are to: 1) teach basic skills in language arts, math, science, and social studies; 2) develop higher cognitive abilities, such as problem solving; and 3) develop the child's social competence and self-concept. Open, individualized…

Evaluating the Promise of Single-Track Year-Round Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haenn, Joseph F.

1996-01-01

Describes two single-track year-round elementary schools in Durham, North Carolina, established in discrete attendance zones. Remediation and enrichment activities were provided during intersession. Low-SES students were overrepresented in remediation sessions. Student outcomes data (end-of-grade reading and math test scores) suggest that…

Teacher-Initiated Differentiation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ensign, Jacque

2012-01-01

Elementary school teachers in Seattle, Washington, are encouraged to adapt differentiated instructional practices in math to accommodate the particular students in their own classrooms. Seattle Public Schools is a large, urban district serving 47,000 students who speak over a hundred languages. More than a third receive free or reduced lunch. The…

Effects of Teacher-Student Ethnoracial Matching and Overall Teacher Diversity in Elementary Schools on Educational Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banerjee, Neena

2018-01-01

The United States is facing culture gaps between students and teachers in schools. Although the U.S. school-age population is racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse, the teachers are predominantly White. This article investigates whether assignment to same-race teachers affects students' math and reading achievement growth in early…

All the President's Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patton, Jessica Rae

2006-01-01

The skies were threatening on the morning we visited Cranberry Station Elementary School in Westminster, MD. It had been raining nearly nonstop for two weeks and today did not look like an exception. Hopeful for a change in forecast, the kids all arrived at school dressed in their gym clothes and ready to participate in the school-wide Fun Run, a…

Leading for Low Income Students: Results from a Study on School Leaders in Low Income Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Goldy, III; Bynum, Yvette; Beziat, Tara

2017-01-01

The literature on school leadership shows a correlation between effective leadership and increases in student achievement. However, low-income students continue to be disproportionately represented among students who are below grade level in reading and math. This study explored principal practices that went on in six-low income elementary…

The Role of Family Background and School Resources on Elementary School Students' Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nonoyama-Tarumi, Yuko; Hughes, Kathleen; Willms, J. Douglas

2015-01-01

This article compares the effects of family background and school resources on fourth-grade students' math achievement, using data from the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). In order to ameliorate potential floor effects, it uses relative risk and population attributable risk to examine the effects of family…

A Global Look at Math Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Son, Ji-Won

2011-01-01

The topic of fractions is an important concept in elementary school mathematics. The study of fractions not only enables students to perform computations but also provides a foundation for later work with rates, percents, slope, and other topics in secondary school mathematics. However, research has long reported that many students and even adults…

Are Math Grades Cyclical?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Gerald J.; Dial, Micah

1998-01-01

The cyclical nature of mathematics grades was studied for a cohort of elementary school students from a large metropolitan school district in Texas over six years (average cohort size of 8495). The study used an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model. Results indicate that grades do exhibit a significant cyclical pattern. (SLD)

Psychological Intervention: Case Studies in School Psychological Services. Volume 2, 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grimes, Jeff, Ed.

The 16 case studies illustrate the nature and scope of psychological intervention with emotionally disturbed and otherwise handicapped students. Included are papers with the following titles and authors: "Reducing Math Anxiety while Increasing Independent Work Habits in a Learning Disabled Elementary School Boy" (K. Hoogeveen); "Coping with…

A Science Club Takes Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeDee, Olivia; Mosser, Anna; Gamble, Tony; Childs, Greg; Oberhauser, Karen

2007-01-01

The after-school science club at Galtier Math, Science, and Technology Elementary Magnet School in St. Paul, Minnesota, learned some valuable lessons when they took newfound knowledge about pollution into their homes. After learning about the effects of various contaminants on health and what informed citizens can do about it, students tested…

Girls and Computer Technology: Barrier or Key?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gipson, Joella

1997-01-01

Discusses the disparity in numbers of girls and boys taking math, science, and computer classes in elementary and secondary schools, and examines steps being taken to better prepare girls, especially minority girls, for an increasingly technical society. A program in Michigan is described that involved a school and business partnership. (LRW)

Restorative Practices from Candy and Punishment to Celebrations and Problem-Solving Circles

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldys, Patrice H.

2016-01-01

Norwood Elementary, a Title I science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) school in Baltimore County, MD, recently realized that traditional behavior management programs and processes were not working with their students. Over time, school administrators discovered more successful approaches, and restorative practices became the way to…

How Social Studies Survives: A Case Study of the Conditions That Support Its Presence in Four Elementary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kipling, Jonie

2013-01-01

Since the inception of NCLB Laws and "Race to the Top," researchers have documented the continued decline and disappearance of social studies curriculum and instruction in elementary classrooms as schools focus on language arts and math, the subjects that are the focus of standardized testing. This qualitative study's goal is to examine…

Orientation and Mobility, Reading, and Math: Analysis of Data for Children with Visual Impairments from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Dawn L.

2010-01-01

This dissertation research comprised three studies focused on vision-specific skills, and their association with functional and academic outcomes for school-age students with visual impairment. The studies involved analysis of secondary data for 850 students with visual impairment who participated in the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal…

School Climate, Teacher-Child Closeness, and Low-Income Children’s Academic Skills in Kindergarten

PubMed Central

Lowenstein, Amy E.; Friedman-Krauss, Allison H.; Raver, C. Cybele; Jones, Stephanie M.; Pess, Rachel A.

2015-01-01

In this study we used data on a sample of children in the Chicago Public Schools in areas of concentrated poverty-related disadvantage to examine associations between school climate and low-income children’s language/literacy and math skills during the transition to kindergarten. We also explored whether teacher-child closeness moderated these associations. Multilevel modeling analyses conducted using a sample of 242 children nested in 102 elementary schools revealed that low adult support in the school was significantly associated with children’s poorer language/literacy and math skills in kindergarten. Teacher-child closeness predicted children’s higher language/literacy and math scores and moderated the association between low adult support and children’s academic skills. Among children who were high on closeness with their teacher, those in schools with high levels of adult support showed stronger language/literacy and math skills. There were no significant associations between adult support and the academic skills of children with medium or low levels of teacher-child closeness. Results shed light on the importance of adult support at both school and classroom levels in promoting low-income children’s academic skills during the transition to kindergarten. PMID:26925186

Operationalizing Levels of Academic Mastery Based on Vygotsky’s Theory

PubMed Central

Nezhnov, Peter; Kardanova, Elena; Ludlow, Larry

2014-01-01

The present study tested the possibility of operationalizing levels of knowledge acquisition based on Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive growth. An assessment tool (SAM-Math) was developed to capture a hypothesized hierarchical structure of mathematical knowledge consisting of procedural, conceptual, and functional levels. In Study 1, SAM-Math was administered to 4th-grade students (N = 2,216). The results of Rasch analysis indicated that the test provided an operational definition for the construct of mathematical competence that included the three levels of mastery corresponding to the theoretically based hierarchy of knowledge. In Study 2, SAM-Math was administered to students in 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th grades (N = 396) to examine developmental changes in the levels of mathematics knowledge. The results showed that the mastery of mathematical concepts presented in elementary school continued to deepen beyond elementary school, as evidenced by a significant growth in conceptual and functional levels of knowledge. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for psychological theory, test design, and educational practice. PMID:29795820

A rural math, science, and technology elementary school tangled up in global networks of practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlone, Heidi B.; Kimmel, Sue; Tschida, Christina

2010-06-01

This is an ethnographic study of a newly created math, science, and technology elementary magnet school in a rural community fiercely committed to cultural preservation while facing unprecedented economic instability brought on by massive loss of manufacturing jobs. Our goal was to understand global- and community-level contexts that influenced the school's science curriculum, the ways the school promoted itself to the community, and the implicit meanings of science held by school staff, parents and community members. Main sources of data were the county's newspaper articles from 2003 to 2006, the school's, town's, and business leaders' promotional materials, and interviews with school staff, parents, and community members. A key finding was the school's dual promotion of science education and character education. We make sense of this "science with character" curriculum by unpacking the school and community's entanglements with historical (cultural preservation), political (conservative politics, concerns for youth depravity), and economic (globalization) networks. We describe the ways those entanglements enabled certain reproductive meanings of school science (as add-on, suspect, and elitist) and other novel meanings of science (empathetic, nurturing, place-based). This study highlights the school as a site of struggle, entangled in multiple networks of practice that influence in positive, negative, and unpredictable ways, the enacted science curriculum.

Can teacher-child relationships alter the effects of early socioeconomic status on achievement in middle childhood?

PubMed

McCormick, Meghan P; O'Connor, Erin E; Parham Horn, E

2017-10-01

Using data from the NICHD SECCYD (N=1053), we used two-level hierarchical linear models with site fixed effects to examine whether teacher-child closeness and conflict moderated associations between two indicators of early socioeconomic status (maternal education and family income) and standardized measures of children's math and reading achievement at 54months, 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades. Children whose mothers had lower levels of education and conflictual relationships with teachers exhibited lower reading achievement, on average, across elementary school. At the same time, children with less educated mothers who experienced increases in teacher-child closeness and decreases in teacher-child conflict exhibited improvements in reading achievement across elementary school. Finally, low teacher-child closeness elevated the risk for poor math achievement posed by low family income. Implications for intervention design and development are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Defense of Field Trips: A Conversation with Educators from an Extraordinary Alabama Public School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Zastrow, Claus

2010-01-01

People looking for a public school Cinderella story need look no further than George Hall Elementary in Mobile, Alabama. The once struggling school, which serves mostly low-income children, now boasts state math and reading test scores most wealthy suburban schools would be proud of. George Hall did not have to sacrifice all but the basics to get…

Does School Mobility Place Elementary School Children at Risk for Lower Math Achievement? The Mediating Role of Cognitive Dysregulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman-Krauss, Allison H.; Raver, C. Cybele

2015-01-01

Children growing up in poverty have a higher likelihood of exposure to multiple forms of adversity that jeopardize their chances of academic success. The current paper identifies school mobility, or changing schools, as 1 such poverty-related risk. Using a sample of low-income, predominantly ethnic-minority children (n = 381) in Chicago, this…

Can Community and School-Based Supports Improve the Achievement of First-Generation Immigrant Children Attending High-Poverty Schools?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dearing, Eric; Walsh, Mary E.; Sibley, Erin; Lee-St.John, Terry; Foley, Claire; Raczek, Anastacia E.

2016-01-01

Using a quasi-experimental design, the effects of a student support intervention were estimated for the math and reading achievement of first-generation immigrant children (n = 667, M = 11.05 years of age) attending high-poverty, urban elementary schools. The intervention was designed to help schools identify developmental strengths and barriers…

Do Preschool Programs Affect Social Disadvantage? What Social Workers Should Know

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herman-Smith, Robert

2013-01-01

The majority of children from lower income families enter elementary school well behind their peers in reading, math, and general knowledge. Poor academic achievement in the early grades is associated with a range of social problems such as failure to complete high school, increased risk of unintended pregnancy, increased criminal activity, and…

Elementary School Teacher's Perceptions of the Math Coach Approach to Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drust, Janice H.

2013-01-01

An increasingly popular way of supporting teachers is with instructional coaching, which involves the teacher working alongside an instructional coach in the classroom and participating weekly in professional development. Due to a challenge issued to educators from government leaders, schools and districts are considering the coaching model as an…

The Four Keys to Teaching Golf in Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasil, Jay

2006-01-01

Golf is a lifetime sport that can have a positive influence on children in many ways. Golf provides physical educators a means of teaching character education, etiquette, and interdisciplinary concepts such as math, in addition to physical education objectives such as motor skills, coordination, and flexibility. When teaching golf in schools,…

Mathematics Performance of the Primary School Students: Attention and Shifting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poorghorban, Maryam; Jabbari, Susan; Chamandar, Fatemah

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between executive functions and mathematical abilities to determine the contribution of these functions to math performance. In this study, 30 students were selected from among 4th graders of elementary school, in two groups with low achievement in mathematics (poor) and high achievement…

Teacher Support and Engagement in Math and Science: Evidence from the High School Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Sean; Zhang, Yuan

2016-01-01

Supportive teacher-student relationships are associated with increased levels of engagement and higher levels of achievement. Yet, studies also show that higher achieving students typically receive the most encouragement. Moreover, many studies of teacher-student relationships pertain to elementary and middle school students; by the time students…

Understanding Rural Appalachian Ohio Educators' Perceptions of Students of Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, Angela Dawn

2017-01-01

In a rural elementary school, characterized by high poverty levels in Appalachian Ohio, school personnel were concerned that student literacy and math proficiency levels remained low during 2005-2015 and teachers had not been able to close the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged students and non-economically disadvantaged students…

Teachers Embrace the Japanese Art of Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubin, Jennifer

2010-01-01

In Japan, "jugyou kenkyuu"--or lesson study--is the most common form of professional development among elementary school and lower-secondary school teachers. While in the United States it is best known as a means of improving math instruction, in Japan, lesson study is practiced in all subjects, from language studies to physical…

Student-teacher relationship quality and academic adjustment in upper elementary school: the role of student personality.

PubMed

Zee, Marjolein; Koomen, Helma M Y; Van der Veen, Ineke

2013-08-01

This study tested a theoretical model considering students' personality traits as predictors of student-teacher relationship quality (closeness, conflict, and dependency), the effects of student-teacher relationship quality on students' math and reading achievement, and the mediating role of students' motivational beliefs on the association between student-teacher relationship quality and achievement in upper elementary school. Surveys and tests were conducted among a nationally representative Dutch sample of 8545 sixth-grade students and their teachers in 395 schools. Structural equation models were used to test direct and indirect effects. Support was found for a model that identified conscientiousness and agreeableness as predictors of close, nonconflictual relationships, and neuroticism as a predictor of dependent and conflictual relationships. Extraversion was associated with higher levels of closeness and conflict, and autonomy was only associated with lower levels of dependency. Students' motivational beliefs mediated the effects of dependency and student-reported closeness on reading and math achievement. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geotechnical engineering in US elementary schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suescun-Florez, Eduardo; Iskander, Magued; Kapila, Vikram; Cain, Ryan

2013-06-01

This paper reports on the results of several geotechnical engineering-related science activities conducted with elementary-school students. Activities presented include soil permeability, contact stress, soil stratigraphy, shallow and deep foundations, and erosion in rivers. The permeability activity employed the LEGO NXT platform for data acquisition, the soil profile and foundations activity employed natural and transparent soils as well as LEGO-based foundation models, and the erosion activity utilised a 3D printer to assist with construction of building models. The activities seek to enhance students' academic achievement, excite them about geotechnical engineering, and motivate them to study science and math. Pre- and post-activity evaluations were conducted to assess both the suitability of the activities and the students' learning. Initial results show that students gain a reasonable understanding of engineering principles. Moreover, the geotechnical engineering activities provided students an opportunity to apply their math skills and science knowledge.

Comparing Self-Regulatory and Early Academic Skills as Predictors of Later Math, Reading, and Science Elementary School Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murrah, William M., III

The achievement score gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged children at school entry is a major problem in education today. Identifying the skills critical for school readiness is an important step in developing interventions aimed at addressing these score gaps. The purpose of this study is to compare a number of school readiness skills with an eye toward finding out which are the best predictors of later academic achievement in math, reading, and science. The predictors were early reading, math, general knowledge, socioemotional skills, and motor skills. Data were obtained from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of 1998 (NCES, 1998) database. While controlling for an extensive set of family characteristics, predictions were made across five years - from the end of kindergarten to the end of fifth grade. Consistent with current findings, reading and math skills predicted later achievement. Interestingly, general knowledge, attention, and fine motor skills also proved to be important predictors of later academic achievement, but socioemotional skills were not. The findings were interpreted from a neurobiological perspective involving the development of self-regulation. These school entry skills are used to predict later achievement in reading, math, and science. I argued that in addition to acquiring early academic knowledge, children need to regulate the use of this knowledge to meet academic goals.

An Interactive Geometry Program and Its Effect on Elementary Students' Achievement and Understanding of Geometry: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMarinis, Matthew David

2011-01-01

While many studies examining the effectiveness of using dynamic geometry software exist, few studies exist at the elementary school level. An extensive data analysis of student performance on New York State Math Assessments revealed that students in the fifth grade may not have had a clear understanding of interior angles sums of polygons, more…

Greenness and school-wide test scores are not always positively associated – A replication of "linking student performance in Massachusetts elementary schools with the 'greenness' of school surroundings using remote sensing"

Treesearch

Matthew H.E.M. Browning; Ming Kuo; Sonya Sachdeva; Kangjae Lee; Lynne Westphal

2018-01-01

Recent studies find vegetation around schools correlates positively with student test scores. To test this relationship in schools with less green cover and more disadvantaged students, we replicated a leading study, using six years of NDVI-derived greenness data to predict school-level math and reading achievement in 404 Chicago public schools. A direct replication...

Longitudinal Relations among Parents' Reactions to Children's Negative Emotions, Effortful Control, and Math Achievement in Early Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Jodi; Valiente, Carlos; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Bradley, Robert H.; Eggum-Wilkens, Natalie D.

2014-01-01

Panel mediation models and fixed-effects models were used to explore longitudinal relations among parents' reactions to children's displays of negative emotions, children's effortful control (EC), and children's math achievement (N = 291; M age in fall of kindergarten = 5.66 years, SD = 0.39 year) across kindergarten through…

Science FEST: Preservice Teachers link Math and Science in Astronomy Lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMuth, N. H.; Kasabian, J.; Hacking, P. B.

2005-12-01

Funded by the National Science Foundation and corporate sponsored by Northrop Grumman, Science FEST (Science for Future Elementary School Teachers) aims to develop the science content and pedagogy for project participants by connecting their college coursework to the science they will eventually teach. Working individually and in pairs, future elementary and secondary school teachers design a comprehensive module in astronomy that is inquiry-based and reflects national and state science standards. Project participants then teach their module in local elementary or middle school classrooms. Science FEST project participants report gaining a deep understanding of the science they are teaching, learning to engage all students to explore science concepts, and reflecting on their teaching and how it can be improved. The project's website can be found at www.science-fest.org.

The association between arithmetic and reading performance in school: A meta-analytic study.

PubMed

Singer, Vivian; Strasser, Kathernie

2017-12-01

Many studies of school achievement find a significant association between reading and arithmetic achievement. The magnitude of the association varies widely across the studies, but the sources of this variation have not been identified. The purpose of this paper is to examine the magnitude and determinants of the relation between arithmetic and reading performance during elementary and middle school years. We meta-analyzed 210 correlations between math and reading measures, coming from 68 independent samples (the overall sample size was 58923 participants). The meta-analysis yielded an average correlation of 0.55 between math and reading measures. Among the moderators tested, only transparency of orthography and use of timed or untimed tests were significant in explaining the size of the correlation, with the largest correlations observed between timed measures of arithmetic and reading and between math and reading in opaque orthographies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hill, Catherine; Corbett, Christianne; St. Rose, Andresse

2010-01-01

The number of women in science and engineering is growing, yet men continue to outnumber women, especially at the upper levels of these professions. In elementary, middle, and high school, girls and boys take math and science courses in roughly equal numbers, and about as many girls as boys leave high school prepared to pursue science and…

Relationship of Friends, Physical Education, and State Test Scores: Implications for School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollingsworth, Mary Ann

2010-01-01

This study examined the relationship between dimensions of wellness and academic performance for 634 third through fifth grade students in Title One schools in rural Mississippi, using composites of the Five Factor Wellness Inventory for Elementary Children and Reading, Language, and Math Scores of the Mississippi Curriculum Test (a state level…

Jump as Far as You Can [Problem Solvers: Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yigit, Melike; Bofferding, Laura; Warnock, Miranda

2014-01-01

The How Far Do You Think You Can Jump? activity (see EJ1174770) was completed in three different contexts: an after-school mathematics enrichment program at Woodland and Country Schools in Weston, Massachusetts; a small-group pull-out of second graders at Wren Elementary in Piedmont, South Carolina; and a family math night in Lafayette, Indiana.…

Can Music in Schools Live up to Its Promise?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whyte, Ingrid; Mould, Norman

2011-01-01

Music helps to bring out the best in young people. It nourishes self-esteem and keeps them engaged. The starting point for any good school program is the teacher, whether that program teaches English, math, science, history, arts--or music. So why is it that, at the elementary level, we have so many generalist classroom teachers--with no…

Implementation of Response to Intervention in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morning, Karen Vanessa

2012-01-01

Education has been under major reform since the passing of the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Under the NCLB Act states have set benchmark goals to measure whether districts and schools are making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) toward ensuring that all children are proficient in reading and math by 2014. Lack of progress in reading has…

G.E.M.S. event

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-03-08

High school students register for activities during a Girls Excited about Math and Science event at Stennis Space Center on March 8, 2012. The event attracted about 130 high school girls and 40 elementary girls from 18 Louisiana and Mississippi for a day of workshop and seminar presentations, a 'Dress for Success' fashion show and a tour of information technology facilities.

The MESA Way: A Success Story of Nurturing Minorities for Math/Science-Based Careers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Somerton, Wilbur H.; And Others

Significant steps have been taken by the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) project since its formation in 1970. The founders of MESA began a campaign, first in high schools, and later in middle and elementary schools, to convince educators, parents, and students of the importance of raising standards for the minority children…

Cognitive consistency and math-gender stereotypes in Singaporean children.

PubMed

Cvencek, Dario; Meltzoff, Andrew N; Kapur, Manu

2014-01-01

In social psychology, cognitive consistency is a powerful principle for organizing psychological concepts. There have been few tests of cognitive consistency in children and no research about cognitive consistency in children from Asian cultures, who pose an interesting developmental case. A sample of 172 Singaporean elementary school children completed implicit and explicit measures of math-gender stereotype (male=math), gender identity (me=male), and math self-concept (me=math). Results showed strong evidence for cognitive consistency; the strength of children's math-gender stereotypes, together with their gender identity, significantly predicted their math self-concepts. Cognitive consistency may be culturally universal and a key mechanism for developmental change in social cognition. We also discovered that Singaporean children's math-gender stereotypes increased as a function of age and that boys identified with math more strongly than did girls despite Singaporean girls' excelling in math. The results reveal both cultural universals and cultural variation in developing social cognition. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Potpourri of Math Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisberg, Phyllis G.

1987-01-01

The article offers practical games and "tricks" to help remediate deficits in arithmetic and mathematics at the elementary school level. Games include using the fingers to calculate, lattice multiplication, dividing paper into equal columns, square games, code cracking games, and fraction dominoes. (Author/DB)

77 FR 38611 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records-Study of Promising Features of Teacher Preparation Programs

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-28

... question: What is the impact on students' reading and math achievement of novice elementary school teachers... received the appropriate level of security clearance from the Department. Before entering into such a...

Mathematics Anxiety and Preservice Elementary Teachers' Confidence to Teach Mathematics and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bursal, Murat; Paznokas, Lynda

2006-01-01

Sixty-five preservice elementary teachers' math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach elementary mathematics and science were measured. The confidence scores of subjects in different math anxiety groups were compared and the relationships between their math anxiety levels and confidence levels to teach mathematics and science were…

Profile formation of academic self-concept in elementary school students in grades 1 to 4.

PubMed

Schmidt, Isabelle; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Lena; Scherrer, Vsevolod; Wollschläger, Rachel; Baudson, Tanja Gabriele; Preckel, Franzis

2017-01-01

Academic self-concept (ASC) is comprised of individual perceptions of one's own academic ability. In a cross-sectional quasi-representative sample of 3,779 German elementary school children in grades 1 to 4, we investigated (a) the structure of ASC, (b) ASC profile formation, an aspect of differentiation that is reflected in lower correlations between domain-specific ASCs with increasing grade level, (c) the impact of (internal) dimensional comparisons of one's own ability in different school subjects for profile formation of ASC, and (d) the role played by differences in school grades between subjects for these dimensional comparisons. The nested Marsh/Shavelson model, with general ASC at the apex and math, writing, and reading ASC as specific factors nested under general ASC fitted the data at all grade levels. A first-order factor model with math, writing, reading, and general ASCs as correlated factors provided a good fit, too. ASC profile formation became apparent during the first two to three years of school. Dimensional comparisons across subjects contributed to ASC profile formation. School grades enhanced these comparisons, especially when achievement profiles were uneven. In part, findings depended on the assumed structural model of ASCs. Implications for further research are discussed with special regard to factors influencing and moderating dimensional comparisons.

Profile formation of academic self-concept in elementary school students in grades 1 to 4

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Isabelle; Brunner, Martin; Keller, Lena; Scherrer, Vsevolod; Wollschläger, Rachel; Baudson, Tanja Gabriele; Preckel, Franzis

2017-01-01

Academic self-concept (ASC) is comprised of individual perceptions of one’s own academic ability. In a cross-sectional quasi-representative sample of 3,779 German elementary school children in grades 1 to 4, we investigated (a) the structure of ASC, (b) ASC profile formation, an aspect of differentiation that is reflected in lower correlations between domain-specific ASCs with increasing grade level, (c) the impact of (internal) dimensional comparisons of one’s own ability in different school subjects for profile formation of ASC, and (d) the role played by differences in school grades between subjects for these dimensional comparisons. The nested Marsh/Shavelson model, with general ASC at the apex and math, writing, and reading ASC as specific factors nested under general ASC fitted the data at all grade levels. A first-order factor model with math, writing, reading, and general ASCs as correlated factors provided a good fit, too. ASC profile formation became apparent during the first two to three years of school. Dimensional comparisons across subjects contributed to ASC profile formation. School grades enhanced these comparisons, especially when achievement profiles were uneven. In part, findings depended on the assumed structural model of ASCs. Implications for further research are discussed with special regard to factors influencing and moderating dimensional comparisons. PMID:28542384

Mathematical Graphic Organizers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zollman, Alan

2009-01-01

As part of a math-science partnership, a university mathematics educator and ten elementary school teachers developed a novel approach to mathematical problem solving derived from research on reading and writing pedagogy. Specifically, research indicates that students who use graphic organizers to arrange their ideas improve their comprehension…

Mothers, Intrinsic Math Motivation, Arithmetic Skills, and Math Anxiety in Elementary School

PubMed Central

Daches Cohen, Lital; Rubinsten, Orly

2017-01-01

Math anxiety is influenced by environmental, cognitive, and personal factors. Yet, the concurrent relationships between these factors have not been examined. To this end, the current study investigated how the math anxiety of 30 sixth graders is affected by: (a) mother’s math anxiety and maternal behaviors (environmental factors); (b) children’s arithmetic skills (cognitive factors); and (c) intrinsic math motivation (personal factor). A rigorous assessment of children’s math anxiety was made by using both explicit and implicit measures. The results indicated that accessible self-representations of math anxiety, as reflected by the explicit self-report questionnaire, were strongly affected by arithmetic skills. However, unconscious cognitive constructs of math anxiety, as reflected by the numerical dot-probe task, were strongly affected by environmental factors, such as maternal behaviors and mothers’ attitudes toward math. Furthermore, the present study provided preliminary evidence of intergenerational transmission of math anxiety. The conclusions are that in order to better understand the etiology of math anxiety, multiple facets of parenting and children’s skills should be taken into consideration. Implications for researchers, parents, and educators are discussed. PMID:29180973

Mothers, Intrinsic Math Motivation, Arithmetic Skills, and Math Anxiety in Elementary School.

PubMed

Daches Cohen, Lital; Rubinsten, Orly

2017-01-01

Math anxiety is influenced by environmental, cognitive, and personal factors. Yet, the concurrent relationships between these factors have not been examined. To this end, the current study investigated how the math anxiety of 30 sixth graders is affected by: (a) mother's math anxiety and maternal behaviors (environmental factors); (b) children's arithmetic skills (cognitive factors); and (c) intrinsic math motivation (personal factor). A rigorous assessment of children's math anxiety was made by using both explicit and implicit measures. The results indicated that accessible self-representations of math anxiety, as reflected by the explicit self-report questionnaire, were strongly affected by arithmetic skills. However, unconscious cognitive constructs of math anxiety, as reflected by the numerical dot-probe task, were strongly affected by environmental factors, such as maternal behaviors and mothers' attitudes toward math. Furthermore, the present study provided preliminary evidence of intergenerational transmission of math anxiety. The conclusions are that in order to better understand the etiology of math anxiety, multiple facets of parenting and children's skills should be taken into consideration. Implications for researchers, parents, and educators are discussed.

STEM Education: Introduction of Quantitative Math and Science Content into Elementary Education, STEM Enrichment Effort in Title One Elementary and Middle Schools in Bay County, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

inside pages STINFO COPY AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING DIRECTORATE WRIGHT PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OH 45433-7750...Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Air Force Research Laboratory Air Force Research Laboratory This... Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Wright Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433-7750 Air Force Materiel Command United States

Challenges in Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Elementary Settings with Math Instruction Using Learning Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ganesh, Tirupalavanam G.; Middleton, James A.

2006-01-01

This research effort reports the findings of an empirical study focusing on the ways in which technological tools are implemented specifically in mathematics education in a Title I school. The purpose was to identify the perspectives and actions of the school's mathematics specialist and the multi-graded (grades 2-3) classroom teacher as they…

Journeys, Adventures, Bridges and Puzzles: A Case Study Approach to Understanding Teachers' Conceptions of STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenney, Meghan

2013-01-01

Legislative changes and discussions about the United States falling further and further behind other nations in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) achievement are growing. As they grow, STEM instruction in elementary school has earned its place as a national area of interest in education. In the case of Ivory School District,…

The Effects of Quarter of Birth on Academic Outcomes at the Elementary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Erin

2011-01-01

This paper uses public schools data to examine the effects of age on student academic achievement in light of recent trends to delay children's entry into kindergarten. To avoid problems of endogeneity, students' quarters of birth is employed as an instrument for age at entry. In particular, the effects of students' quarters of birth on math and…

Designing Personalized Spaces that Impact Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fielding, Randy

2009-01-01

"Yes we can!" Those famous three words of the Obama campaign could serve as the theme for the culture of hope and excellence at the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Many of the students arrive in the 9th grade with reading and math skills at an early elementary school level. Others lack the basic life skills to…

Achievement of Elementary School Students and Attendance in Preschool Programs in Johnson County, Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South, Emogene

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if a difference in achievement scores exist between students who attended the Johnson County School System preschool program and those who did not as measured by standardized TCAP achievement test Reading/Language Arts and Math scores of students in the third and fourth grades. The variables of grade…

Moderating effects of executive functions and the teacher-child relationship on the development of mathematics ability in kindergarten.

PubMed

Blair, Clancy; McKinnon, Rachel D

2016-02-01

Academic preparedness, executive function abilities, and positive relationships with teachers have each been shown to be uniquely important for school readiness and success in the early elementary grades. Few studies, however, have examined the joint influence of these readiness variables on early school outcomes. Using data from a prospective longitudinal sample of 1292 children and families in predominantly low-income and rural communities, we found that executive function at child age 48 months and a higher quality relationship with the kindergarten teacher each uniquely moderated the effect of math ability in preschool on math ability at the end of kindergarten. This effect was seen for math ability as measured by the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K) mathematics assessment battery but not the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Applied Problems subtest. For children with lower math ability in preschool as assessed by the ECLS-K Math battery, higher executive function abilities and a more positive relationship with the kindergarten teacher were each associated with a higher than expected level of math ability in kindergarten. Conversely, lowest levels of math ability in kindergarten were observed among children with low math ability in preschool and poor executive function or a less positive relationship with the kindergarten teacher.

Moderating effects of executive functions and the teacher–child relationship on the development of mathematics ability in kindergarten

PubMed Central

Blair, Clancy; McKinnon, Rachel D.

2017-01-01

Academic preparedness, executive function abilities, and positive relationships with teachers have each been shown to be uniquely important for school readiness and success in the early elementary grades. Few studies, however, have examined the joint influence of these readiness variables on early school outcomes. Using data from a prospective longitudinal sample of 1292 children and families in predominantly low-income and rural communities, we found that executive function at child age 48 months and a higher quality relationship with the kindergarten teacher each uniquely moderated the effect of math ability in preschool on math ability at the end of kindergarten. This effect was seen for math ability as measured by the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K) mathematics assessment battery but not the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement Applied Problems subtest. For children with lower math ability in preschool as assessed by the ECLS-K Math battery, higher executive function abilities and a more positive relationship with the kindergarten teacher were each associated with a higher than expected level of math ability in kindergarten. Conversely, lowest levels of math ability in kindergarten were observed among children with low math ability in preschool and poor executive function or a less positive relationship with the kindergarten teacher. PMID:28154471

Intrinsic, identified, and controlled types of motivation for school subjects in young elementary school children.

PubMed

Guay, Frédéric; Chanal, Julien; Ratelle, Catherine F; Marsh, Herbert W; Larose, Simon; Boivin, Michel

2010-12-01

There are two approaches to the differential examination of school motivation. The first is to examine motivation towards specific school subjects (between school subject differentiation). The second is to examine school motivation as a multidimensional concept that varies in terms of not only intensity but also quality (within school subject differentiation). These two differential approaches have led to important discoveries and provided a better understanding of student motivational dynamics. However, little research has combined these two approaches. This study examines young elementary students' motivations across school subjects (writing, reading, and maths) from the stance of self-determination theory. First, we tested whether children self-report different levels of intrinsic, identified, and controlled motivation towards specific school subjects. Second, we verified whether children self-report differentiated types of motivation across school subjects. Participants were 425 French-Canadian children (225 girls, 200 boys) from three elementary schools. Children were in Grades 1 (N=121), 2 (N=126), and 3 (N=178). Results show that, for a given school subject, young elementary students self-report different levels of intrinsic, identified, and controlled motivation. Results also indicate that children self-report different levels of motivation types across school subjects. Our findings also show that most differentiation effects increase across grades. Some gender effects were also observed. These results highlight the importance of distinguishing among types of school motivation towards specific school subjects in the early elementary years.

Gifted and Talented Students' Perceptions on Their Schooling: A Survey Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahveci, Nihat Gürel; Akgül, Savas

2014-01-01

This study provides elementary gifted and talented students: Social Studies, Math, Turkish, Science, and Foreign Language courses in terms of differentiation, challenging activities and classroom climate. Research studies contend the significance of differentiation, challenging curriculum and instruction, suitable classroom climate to provide…

Screencasting to Support Effective Teaching Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Amanda

2017-01-01

Increasing availability of digital devices in elementary school classrooms presents exciting new opportunities for teachers to support the teaching and learning of mathematics. Although many of the math applications available for these devices focus on drill and practice of mathematical procedures, screencasting apps can help support effective…

Cost-Effectiveness of Four Educational Interventions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Henry M.; And Others

This study employs meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness instruments to evaluate and compare cross-age tutoring, computer assistance, class size reductions, and instructional time increases for their utility in improving elementary school reading and math scores. Using intervention effect studies as replication models, researchers first estimate…

Development of Mathematical Skills Developing Game Software.

PubMed

Hajdics, Gyula; Guzsvinecz, Tibor; Szucs, Veronika; Sik Lanyi, Cecilia

2017-01-01

Using basic mathematical operations is not easy for everyone. The AndMaths game for Android devices was developed to help elementary school students to learn these basic mathematical skills in the number ranges of twenties, fifties, hundreds and thousands. The user can freely select the number ranges.

IQ and Neuropsychological Predictors of Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayes, Susan Dickerson; Calhoun, Susan L.; Bixler, Edward O.; Zimmerman, Dennis N.

2009-01-01

Word reading and math computation scores were predicted from Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence Full Scale IQ, 10 neuropsychological tests, and parent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ratings in 214 general population elementary school children. IQ was the best single predictor of achievement. In addition, Digit Span…

The Effects of Direct Instruction Flashcards and Rewards with Math Facts at School and in the Home: Acquisition and Maintenance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Zennetta; McLaughlin, T. F.; Williams, Randy Lee; Derby, K. Mark; Everson, Mary

2012-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Direct Instruction (DI) flashcard procedure, combined with strategies and rewards on multiplication fact accuracy of two elementary school-age students. A single subject replication design across three and four sets of multiplication facts was used to evaluate outcomes. The results…

Predicting Urban Elementary Student Success and Passage on Ohio's High-Stakes Achievement Measures Using DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency and Informal Math Concepts and Applications: An Exploratory Study Employing Hierarchical Linear Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merkle, Erich Robert

2011-01-01

Contemporary education is experiencing substantial reform across legislative, pedagogical, and assessment dimensions. The increase in school-based accountability systems has brought forth a culture where states, school districts, teachers, and individual students are required to demonstrate their efficacy towards improvement of the educational…

The Effects of Mentored Problem-Based STEM Teaching on Pre-Service Elementary Teachers: Scientific Reasoning and Attitudes Toward STEM Subjects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caliendo, Julia C.

Problem-based learning in clinical practice has become an integral part of many professional preparation programs. This quasi-experimental study compared the effect of a specialized 90-hour field placement on elementary pre-service teachers' scientific reasoning and attitudes towards teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects. A cohort of 53 undergraduate elementary education majors, concurrent to their enrollment in science and math methods classes, were placed into one of two clinical practice experiences: (a) a university-based, problem-based learning (PBL), STEM classroom, or (b) a traditional public school classroom. Group gain scores on the Classroom Test of Scientific Reasoning (CTSR) and the Teacher Efficacy and Attitudes Toward STEM Survey-Elementary Teachers (T-STEM) survey were calculated. A MANCOVA revealed that there was a significant difference in gain scores between the treatment and comparison groups' scientific reasoning (p = .011) and attitudes towards teaching STEM subjects (p = .004). The results support the hypothesis that the pre-service elementary teachers who experienced STEM mentoring in a PBL setting will have an increase in their scientific reasoning and produce positive attitudes towards teaching STEM subjects. In addition, the results add to the existing research suggesting that elementary pre-service teachers require significant academic preparation and mentored support in STEM content.

Executive Functioning and School Adjustment: The Mediational Role of Pre-kindergarten Learning-related Behaviors

PubMed Central

Sasser, Tyler R.; Bierman, Karen L.; Heinrichs, Brenda

2016-01-01

164 four-year-old children (14% Latino American, 30% African American, 56% European American; 57% girls) in 22 Head Start classrooms were followed through third grade. Growth curve models were used to estimate the predictive associations between pre-kindergarten executive function (EF) skills and trajectories of academic skill development (math, literacy, overall academic functioning) and social-emotional adjustment at school (social competence, aggression), controlling for child sex, race, verbal IQ, and pre-kindergarten baseline scores. Direct developmental pathways were examined, along with indirect pathways, in which the association between preschool EF and elementary school adjustment was mediated by classroom learning behaviors. Preschool EF significantly predicted later math skills, academic functioning, and social competence, and marginally predicted later literacy skills. Preschool learning behaviors fully mediated the association between EF and later literacy skills and social competence, but did not mediate associations between EF and later math skills or academic functioning. Implications for developmental theory and early education are discussed. PMID:27231409

ScienceFEST: Preservice Teachers link Math and Science in Astronomy Lessons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMuth, N. H.; Kasabian, J.

2005-05-01

Funded by the National Science Foundation, Science FEST (Science for Future Elementary School Teachers) aims to develop the science content and pedagogy for project participants by connecting their college coursework to the science they will eventually teach. Working individually and in pairs, future elementary and middle school teachers design a comprehensive module in astronomy that is inquiry-based and reflects the national and state science standards. Project participants then teach their modules in local elementary or middle school classrooms. Science FEST project participants report gaining a deep understanding of the science they are teaching, learning to engage all students to explore science concepts, and reflecting on their teaching and how it can be improved. The session presenters will share some of the instructional materials developed by the college students and how their experiences in Science FEST have enhanced their pre-professional development. The project's website can be found at www.science-fest.org.

The Effect of Instructional Strategies on Math Anxiety and Achievement: A Mixed Methods Study of Preservice Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzen, Janelle K.

2017-01-01

This study addressed how different instructional strategies affected preservice elementary teachers' levels of math anxiety and their achievement in a math content course while considering descriptions of their experiences in the course in relation to their math anxiety and achievement. The instructional strategies used were traditional teaching…

The Power of Math Dictionaries in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patterson, Lynn Gannon; Young, Ashlee Futrell

2013-01-01

This article investigates the value of a math dictionary in the elementary classroom and if elementary students prefer using a traditional math dictionary or a dictionary on an iPad. In each child's journey to reading with understanding, the dictionary can be a comforting and valuable resource. Would students find a math dictionary to be a…

Taking risks with a growth mindset: long-term influence of an elementary pre-service after school science practicum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartwright, T. J.; Hallar, B.

2018-02-01

In this study, we present the long-term influence of an after school science practicum associated with an elementary science methods course. The practicum or field experience could be considered a community-based service learning programme as it is situated both within and for the community. Study participants included eight third- and fifth-grade teachers who had participated in elementary science methods courses; four of these teachers participated in the after school teaching practicum while four participants experienced a more traditional observation-based elementary science practicum. All of these teachers were in their second or third year teaching which was 3-4 years after taking the methods course. Investigation methods included questionnaires, field observations and semi-structured, individual interviews. Teachers more regularly utilised reform-based teaching strategies and cited the after school teaching practicum as preparing them to use these strategies in their own classrooms. All teachers exhibited a growth mindset to some degree, but the after school practicum participants did demonstrate a wider use of reformed-based teaching strategies and a higher growth mindset. Elementary teachers perceive risk associated with these key aspects of instruction: (1) managing instruction and classroom management, (2) teaching science through guided inquiry, and (3) overcoming adoptions in other 'mandated' curriculum like math and reading.

Physically Active Math and Language Lessons Improve Academic Achievement: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Mullender-Wijnsma, Marijke J; Hartman, Esther; de Greeff, Johannes W; Doolaard, Simone; Bosker, Roel J; Visscher, Chris

2016-03-01

Using physical activity in the teaching of academic lessons is a new way of learning. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an innovative physically active academic intervention ("Fit & Vaardig op School" [F&V]) on academic achievement of children. Using physical activity to teach math and spelling lessons was studied in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Participants were 499 children (mean age 8.1 years) from second- and third-grade classes of 12 elementary schools. At each school, a second- and third-grade class were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention group participated in F&V lessons for 2 years, 22 weeks per year, 3 times a week. The control group participated in regular classroom lessons. Children's academic achievement was measured before the intervention started and after the first and second intervention years. Academic achievement was measured by 2 mathematics tests (speed and general math skills) and 2 language tests (reading and spelling). After 2 years, multilevel analysis showed that children in the intervention group had significantly greater gains in mathematics speed test (P < .001; effect size [ES] 0.51), general mathematics (P < .001; ES 0.42), and spelling (P < .001; ES 0.45) scores. This equates to 4 months more learning gains in comparison with the control group. No differences were found on the reading test. Physically active academic lessons significantly improved mathematics and spelling performance of elementary school children and are therefore a promising new way of teaching. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Co-Teaching to Reach Every Learner

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murdock, Linda; Finneran, David; Theve, Kristin

2016-01-01

When an elementary school learns that its upcoming 4th grade class will include 10 students with special needs, six of whom have significant disabilities, it decides to include these students in a large team-taught classroom. There, everyone belongs--students with disabilities, English language learners, gifted math students, and avid and…

Children Learn Spurious Associations in Their Math Textbooks: Examples from Fraction Arithmetic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braithwaite, David W.; Siegler, Robert S.

2018-01-01

Fraction arithmetic is among the most important and difficult topics children encounter in elementary and middle school mathematics. Braithwaite, Pyke, and Siegler (2017) hypothesized that difficulties learning fraction arithmetic often reflect reliance on associative knowledge--rather than understanding of mathematical concepts and procedures--to…

Oral Storytelling and Teaching Mathematics: Pedagogical and Multicultural Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schiro, Michael Stephen

2004-01-01

This book contains two case studies of teachers telling epic oral stories to teach math to elementary and middle school students. The book also includes theoretical discussions of essential elements of oral storytelling, multicultural education, how oral storytelling can help children who have difficulty learning mathematics, and mathematical…

Program Objectives for Mathematics. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dayoub, Iris; And Others

The manual lists program objectives for the math curriculum at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School for hearing impaired students, objectives are grouped by age (preschool: grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6). Objectives are organized into eight strands: relations (likenesses and differences among sets and numbers and on the order of sets and…

Math Organization Attempts to Bring Focus to Subject

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cavanagh, Sean

2006-01-01

More than 15 years after its publication of influential national standards in mathematics, a leading professional organization has unveiled new and more focused guidelines that describe the crucial skills and content students should master in that subject in elementary and middle school. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics released…

Engaging Students--Teaching Scholar Partnerships. AACC Project Brief.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Felice, Faith; Barnett, Lynn

This is a project brief on the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Teaching Scholar Partnerships (TSP) project, which is designed to reduce the shortage of qualified science and math educators in elementary, middle, and secondary schools. The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) also…

Moving beyond Brownies and Pizza

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Daniel W.; Jorgensen, Theresa A.

2015-01-01

A lack of fractional understanding is a well-documented obstacle to student achievement in upper elementary and middle school math (National Center for Educational Statistics [NCES] 1999; Lamon 1999; National Research Council [NRC] 2001). Lamon (1999) notes that one major conceptual hurdle that students must overcome is the idea that fractions are…

When Venn Diagrams Intersect Art & Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bush, Sarah B.; Karp, Karen S.; Lentz, Tova; Nadler, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Many elementary schools across the nation are scaling back or cutting arts curriculum altogether. This article presents classroom teachers with an activity for integrating art with mathematics. Through a three-phase exploration of reasoning with shapes and their attributes, students will get to know a classmate better, work with defining and…

Indigenous Learning Preferences and Interactive Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchenham, Andrew

2017-01-01

This three-year research study examined the influence of interactive technologies on the math achievement of Indigenous students in Years 4, 5, 6 and 7 technology-equipped classrooms in a rural elementary school in British Columbia, Canada. Using a mixed-methods approach, the researcher conducted semistructured interviews and collected math…

Enriching K-12 Science and Mathematics Education Using LEGOs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Keeshan; Igel, Irina; Poveda, Ronald; Kapila, Vikram; Iskander, Magued

2012-01-01

This paper presents a series of illustrative LEGO Mindstorms-based science and math activities, developed under an NSF GK-12 Fellows project, for elementary, middle, and high school grades. The activities, developed by engineering and science graduate Fellows in partnership with K-12 teachers, are grade appropriate, address pertinent learning…

Looking beyond One's Self through SKILL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winds of Change, 1996

1996-01-01

Scientific Knowledge for Indian Learning and Leadership (SKILL) was implemented by South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in 1990 to improve the college readiness of American Indian students in math and science. Over 2,000 Indian students have participated in SKILL's academic-year programs, elementary summer programs, 4-week residential…

Examining the Relationship between Math Scores and English Language Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henry, Denfield L.

2013-01-01

English language learners (ELLs) at a south Florida elementary school have consistently struggled with the mathematics segment of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. Examining the relationship between ELLs' mathematics scores and English proficiency might provide local educators with ideas for reversing a downward trend in ELLs' mathematics…

CREATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR EVERY SCHOOL.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

WALSH, ROSALIA

SUGGESTIONS FOR CREATIVE ACTIVITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES ARE PRESENTED. THE SUBJECTS OUTLINED ARE CREATIVE ART, CREATIVE DRAMA, CREATIVE THINKING, CREATIVE WRITING AND CREATIVE MATH. UNDER EACH HEADING ACTIVITIES AND THE MATERIALS NEEDED WERE LISTED. AN EXAMPLE OF AN ACTIVITY IN CREATIVE ART IS BOX SCULPTURE, THE MATERIALS NEEDED WERE AN…

Grooming Great Urban Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Michele; Lewis, Jeffrey; Onafowora, Laura

2005-01-01

Master teachers working in real urban classrooms have shared their exemplary teaching practices in an After-School Pedagogical Laboratory (L-TAPL), a program for elementary students that aims to improve the achievement of urban students and the competence of their teachers. The L-TAPL enrichment program curriculum includes language arts, math,…

Finding science is fun in a 'Magic Show of Light' from Optical Demonstrations on an Overhead Projector for elementary school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lones, Joe J.; Maltseva, Nadezhda K.; Peterson, Kurt N.

2007-09-01

We seek methods of stimulating young school children to develop an interest in science and engineering through a natural curiosity for the reaction of light. Science learning now begins fully at middle school. Reading skills develop with activity at home and progress through the elementary school curriculum, and in a like manner, a curious interest in science also should begin at that stage of life. Within the ranks of educators, knowledge of optical science needs to be presented to elementary school students in an entertaining manner. One such program used by the authors is Doug Goodman's Optics Demonstrations With the Overhead Projector, co-published by and available from OSA (Optical Society of America) and SPIE-The International Society of Optical Engineering. These demonstrations have been presented in middle and high schools; however, as a special approach, the authors have developed selected Goodman demonstrations as a "Magic Show of Light" for elementary schools. Teachers in the U.S. are overloaded with classroom instruction specifically targeted at improving reading and math scores on the Standard Achievement Test (SAT); therefore, science is getting "short changed" in the education system. For the sake of our future, industry volunteers must come forward to promote interest in science beginning with K-6.

National Geographic Society Kids Network: Report on 1994 teacher participants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

In 1994, National Geographic Society Kids Network, a computer/telecommunications-based science curriculum, was presented to elementary and middle school teachers through summer programs sponsored by NGS and US DOE. The network program assists teachers in understanding the process of doing science; understanding the role of computers and telecommunications in the study of science, math, and engineering; and utilizing computers and telecommunications appropriately in the classroom. The program enables teacher to integrate science, math, and technology with other subjects with the ultimate goal of encouraging students of all abilities to pursue careers in science/math/engineering. This report assesses the impact of the networkmore » program on participating teachers.« less

Simple arithmetic: not so simple for highly math anxious individuals.

PubMed

Chang, Hyesang; Sprute, Lisa; Maloney, Erin A; Beilock, Sian L; Berman, Marc G

2017-12-01

Fluency with simple arithmetic, typically achieved in early elementary school, is thought to be one of the building blocks of mathematical competence. Behavioral studies with adults indicate that math anxiety (feelings of tension or apprehension about math) is associated with poor performance on cognitively demanding math problems. However, it remains unclear whether there are fundamental differences in how high and low math anxious individuals approach overlearned simple arithmetic problems that are less reliant on cognitive control. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural correlates of simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals. We implemented a partial least squares analysis, a data-driven, multivariate analysis method to measure distributed patterns of whole-brain activity associated with performance. Despite overall high simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals, performance was differentially dependent on the fronto-parietal attentional network as a function of math anxiety. Specifically, low-compared to high-math anxious individuals perform better when they activate this network less-a potential indication of more automatic problem-solving. These findings suggest that low and high math anxious individuals approach even the most fundamental math problems differently. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Simple arithmetic: not so simple for highly math anxious individuals

PubMed Central

Sprute, Lisa; Maloney, Erin A; Beilock, Sian L; Berman, Marc G

2017-01-01

Abstract Fluency with simple arithmetic, typically achieved in early elementary school, is thought to be one of the building blocks of mathematical competence. Behavioral studies with adults indicate that math anxiety (feelings of tension or apprehension about math) is associated with poor performance on cognitively demanding math problems. However, it remains unclear whether there are fundamental differences in how high and low math anxious individuals approach overlearned simple arithmetic problems that are less reliant on cognitive control. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural correlates of simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals. We implemented a partial least squares analysis, a data-driven, multivariate analysis method to measure distributed patterns of whole-brain activity associated with performance. Despite overall high simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals, performance was differentially dependent on the fronto-parietal attentional network as a function of math anxiety. Specifically, low—compared to high—math anxious individuals perform better when they activate this network less—a potential indication of more automatic problem-solving. These findings suggest that low and high math anxious individuals approach even the most fundamental math problems differently. PMID:29140499

Extreme value problems without calculus: a good link with geometry and elementary maths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganci, Salvatore

2016-11-01

Some classical examples of problem solving, where an extreme value condition is required, are here considered and/or revisited. The search for non-calculus solutions appears pedagogically useful and intriguing as shown through a rich literature. A teacher, who teaches both maths and physics, (as happens in Italian High schools) can find in these kinds of problems a mind stimulating exercise compared with the standard solution obtained by the differential calculus. A good link between the geometric and analytical explanations is so established.

Rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial examining the effect of classroom-based physical activity on math achievement.

PubMed

Have, Mona; Nielsen, Jacob Have; Gejl, Anne Kær; Thomsen Ernst, Martin; Fredens, Kjeld; Støckel, Jan Toftegaard; Wedderkopp, Niels; Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Gudex, Claire; Grøntved, Anders; Kristensen, Peter Lund

2016-04-11

Integration of physical activity (PA) into the classroom may be an effective way of promoting the learning and academic achievement of children at elementary school. This paper describes the research design and methodology of an intervention study examining the effect of classroom-based PA on mathematical achievement, creativity, executive function, body mass index and aerobic fitness. The study was designed as a school-based cluster-randomized controlled trial targeting schoolchildren in 1st grade, and was carried out between August 2012 and June 2013. Eligible schools in two municipalities in the Region of Southern Denmark were invited to participate in the study. After stratification by municipality, twelve schools were randomized to either an intervention group or a control group, comprising a total of 505 children with mean age 7.2 ± 0.3 years. The intervention was a 9-month classroom-based PA program that involved integration of PA into the math lessons delivered by the schools' math teachers. The primary study outcome was change in math achievement, measured by a 45-minute standardized math test. Secondary outcomes were change in executive function (using a modified Eriksen flanker task and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) questionnaire filled out by the parents), creativity (using the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking, TTCT), aerobic fitness (by the Andersen intermittent shuttle-run test) and body mass index. PA during math lessons and total PA (including time spent outside school) were assessed using accelerometry. Math teachers used Short Message Service (SMS)-tracking to report on compliance with the PA intervention and on their motivation for implementing PA in math lessons. Parents used SMS-tracking to register their children's PA behavior in leisure time. The results of this randomized controlled trial are expected to provide schools and policy-makers with significant new insights into the potential of classroom-based PA to improve cognition and academic achievement in children. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02488460 (06/29/2015).

Careers in STEM Begin with Elementary Student Interest in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brimmer, Linda Ertrachter

2017-01-01

I investigated why math capable students are not entering science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. To research the problem, I explored how highly effective elementary math teachers (HEMT) create student interest in mathematics using the self- efficacy (SE) theory and information and communication technology (ICT). The purpose of…

Physical activity and academic achievement across the curriculum: Results from a 3-year cluster-randomized trial.

PubMed

Donnelly, Joseph E; Hillman, Charles H; Greene, Jerry L; Hansen, David M; Gibson, Cheryl A; Sullivan, Debra K; Poggio, John; Mayo, Matthew S; Lambourne, Kate; Szabo-Reed, Amanda N; Herrmann, Stephen D; Honas, Jeffery J; Scudder, Mark R; Betts, Jessica L; Henley, Katherine; Hunt, Suzanne L; Washburn, Richard A

2017-06-01

We compared changes in academic achievement across 3years between children in elementary schools receiving the Academic Achievement and Physical Activity Across the Curriculum intervention (A+PAAC), in which classroom teachers were trained to deliver academic lessons using moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) compared to a non-intervention control. Elementary schools in eastern Kansas (n=17) were cluster randomized to A+PAAC (N=9, target ≥100min/week) or control (N=8). Academic achievement (math, reading, spelling) was assessed using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-Third Edition (WIAT-III) in a sample of children (A+PAAC=316, Control=268) in grades 2 and 3 at baseline (Fall 2011) and repeated each spring across 3years. On average 55min/week of A+PACC lessons were delivered each week across the intervention. Baseline WIAT-III scores (math, reading, spelling) were significantly higher in students in A+PAAC compared with control schools and improved in both groups across 3years. However, linear mixed modeling, accounting for baseline between group differences in WIAT-III scores, ethnicity, family income, and cardiovascular fitness, found no significant impact of A+PAAC on any of the academic achievement outcomes as determined by non-significant group by time interactions. A+PAAC neither diminished or improved academic achievement across 3-years in elementary school children compared with controls. Our target of 100min/week of active lessons was not achieved; however, students attending A+PAAC schools received an additional 55min/week of MVPA which may be associated with both physical and mental health benefits, without a reduction in time devoted to academic instruction. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Impact of Providing Vision Screening and Free Eyeglasses on Academic Outcomes: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Title I Elementary Schools in Florida

PubMed Central

West, Kristine L.; Lee, Jongwook

2018-01-01

More than 20 percent of all school-aged children in the United States have vision problems, and low-income and minority children are disproportionately likely to have unmet vision care needs. Vision screening is common in U.S. schools, but it remains an open question whether screening alone is sufficient to improve student outcomes. We implemented a multi-armed randomized controlled trial to evaluate the impact of vision screening, and of vision screening accompanied by eye exams and eyeglasses, provided by a non-profit organization to Title I elementary schools in three large central Florida school districts. We find that providing additional/enhanced screening alone is generally insufficient to improve student achievement in math and reading. In contrast, providing screening along with free eye exams and free eyeglasses to students with vision problems improved student achievement as measured by standardized test scores. We find, averaging over all students (including those without vision problems), that this more comprehensive intervention increased the probability of passing the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Tests (FCAT) in reading and math by approximately 2.0 percentage points. We also present evidence that indicates that this impact fades out over time, indicating that follow-up actions after the intervention may be necessary to sustain these estimated achievement gains. PMID:29693366

Poverty, Race, and Parental Involvement during the Transition to Elementary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Carey E.; Crosnoe, Robert; Suizzo, Marie-Anne; Pituch, Keenan A.

2010-01-01

Using multilevel models of data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (N = 20,356), the authors find that parental involvement in education partially mediates the association between family poverty and children's math and reading achievement in kindergarten, but differences exist across race. In Asian families, poor and…

Oral Language Needs: Making Math Meaningful

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pace, Michelle H.; Ortiz, Enrique

2015-01-01

As a Title I kindergarten teacher, Michelle Pace, second grade teacher at Lake Mary Elementary School in Florida, has seen firsthand how oral language can create roadblocks for students in all areas of the curriculum, both academically and socially. At the time this article was written, the state of Florida had recently adopted the Common Core…

Teacher Support and Math Engagement: Roles of Academic Self-Efficacy and Positive Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ru-De; Zhen, Rui; Ding, Yi; Liu, Ying; Wang, Jia; Jiang, Ronghuan; Xu, Le

2018-01-01

The current study assessed 869 elementary school students in China using self-report questionnaires, to examine the multiple mediating effects of academic self-efficacy and positive academic emotions (enjoyment and relief) in the relations between teacher support and academic engagement (cognitive, behavioural and emotional aspects) within a math…

Children's Implicit and Explicit Gender Stereotypes about Mathematics and Reading Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nowicki, Elizabeth A.; Lopata, Joel

2017-01-01

Study objectives were to clarify children's gender-based implicit and explicit mathematics and reading stereotypes, and to determine if implicit and explicit measures were related or represented distinct constructs. One hundred and fifty-six boys and girls (mean age 11.3 years) from six elementary schools completed math or reading stereotype…

A Subject Classification of Math Lab Activities from School Science and Mathematics 1974-1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grinstein, Louise S.

1982-01-01

Presented here is an index which indicates the title and location of each activity by volume and page numbers. The majority of items relate to arithmetic, elementary algebra, and plane geometry, but material also covers such topics as statistics, probability, trigonometry set theory, topology, and modern algebra. (MP)

Variations in Both-Addends-Unknown Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Champagne, Zachary M.; Schoen, Robert; Riddell, Claire M.

2014-01-01

Early elementary school students are expected to solve twelve distinct types of word problems. A math researcher and two teachers pose a structure for thinking about one problem type that has not been studied as closely as the other eleven. In this article, the authors share some of their discoveries with regard to the variety of…

Elementary School Students with AD/HD: Predictors of Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuPaul, G.J.; Volpe, R. J.; Jitendra, A. K.; Lutz, J. G.; Lorah, K. S.; Gruber, R.

2004-01-01

Academic underachievement frequently is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD); however, the role of variables beyond AD/HD symptoms and cognitive mediators is unknown. Further, whether prediction models vary (a) relative to non-AD/HD students, (b) between math and reading, and (c) based on how achievement is defined has…

Blogging across the Curriculum: An Action Research Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Andrea

2012-01-01

"Blogging across the curriculum: Integrating blogging in the elementary classroom" is an Action Research Project that sought to explore the level of engagement in the writing process by students in grades 3, 4 & 5 while blogging across the curriculum. Blogging took place in homeroom classrooms as well as in the school's math, science and…

THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES POOL SEMINAR DESCRIPTIONS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

SATURDAY MORNING SEMINARS FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE CONDUCTED WITH PROFESSIONAL RESOURCE PERSONS AS TEACHERS. THE PROGRAM WAS VOLUNTARY. THREE 9-WEEK SEMINARS WERE CONDUCTED IN THE FALL. SUBJECTS STUDIED WERE MICROBIOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY (6TH GRADE), COMPUTER MATH (7TH AND 8TH GRADE), AND CHEMISTRY (GRADES 9-12). DURING THE…

Organizational Factors Affecting the Continuation of an Instructional Innovation for Heterogeneous Populations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dahl, Rene Fukuhara

This paper investigates the elementary school principal's role in helping to sustain implementation of a complex math and science program designed to foster the development of higher order thinking skills, particularly for language minority students. The study predicted a positive relationship between coordination and program continuation; if the…

An Analysis of Grade 4 Teachers' Mathematical Instructional Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson-Patrick, Dedra

2016-01-01

The standardized math test scores of approximately 48 African American and Hispanic students from 4 different classes at a rural Title I elementary school located in the southern United States decreased by 10 points on the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards Test. For this qualitative case study, purposive sampling was used to recruit four…

Engineering Encounters: From STEM to STEAM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Kristin; Bush, Sarah; Cox, Richard

2017-01-01

Teaching STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) in elementary school could be even more promising than teaching STEM. This is due to its ability to cross multiple subject areas and its appeal to multiple types of learners. Intentional integration of the arts in science and engineering lessons has the potential to more deeply…

Cosmos: The Integrated Day Comes to College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutz, Ronald E.; And Others

Four full days of classroom instruction, devoted to the modeling of effective curriculum integration, were designed for preservice elementary school teachers. The unit was the result of a conviction on the part of teacher educators that children learn best when learning is not separated into forty-minute periods of math, social studies, language…

Yes You Can: Meeting Individual Needs in a Diverse Primary Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LoGuidice, Tom; Anderson, Pam; Darden, Mary Anne; Gorgen, Denise; Kelm, Susan; Martin, Katherine; Molle, Debra; Roberts, Marcia; Wiegel, Penny

Mineral Point Elementary School in Wisconsin initiated an instruction and internship program among its first-grade teaching team. The program aimed to assure that first- and second-graders developed reading and language arts competencies, math readiness, and social and work habits that will lead to outstanding literacy abilities. A key factor in…

Harvard Education Letter. Volume 23, Number 2, March-April 2007

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauncey, Caroline, Ed.

2007-01-01

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) More Than "Making Nice": Getting Teachers to (Truly) Collaborate (Laura Pappano); (2) "Doing the Critical Things First": An Aligned Approach to PreK and Early Elementary Math;…

Peer Influence on Academic Performance: A Social Network Analysis of Social-Emotional Intervention Effects.

PubMed

DeLay, Dawn; Zhang, Linlin; Hanish, Laura D; Miller, Cindy F; Fabes, Richard A; Martin, Carol Lynn; Kochel, Karen P; Updegraff, Kimberly A

2016-11-01

Longitudinal social network analysis (SNA) was used to examine how a social-emotional learning (SEL) intervention may be associated with peer socialization on academic performance. Fifth graders (N = 631; 48 % girls; 9 to 12 years) were recruited from six elementary schools. Intervention classrooms (14) received a relationship building intervention (RBI) and control classrooms (8) received elementary school as usual. At pre- and post-test, students nominated their friends, and teachers completed assessments of students' writing and math performance. The results of longitudinal SNA suggested that the RBI was associated with friend selection and peer influence within the classroom peer network. Friendship choices were significantly more diverse (i.e., less evidence of social segregation as a function of ethnicity and academic ability) in intervention compared to control classrooms, and peer influence on improved writing and math performance was observed in RBI but not control classrooms. The current findings provide initial evidence that SEL interventions may change social processes in a classroom peer network and may break down barriers of social segregation and improve academic performance.

Executive Function Buffers the Association between Early Math and Later Academic Skills.

PubMed

Ribner, Andrew D; Willoughby, Michael T; Blair, Clancy B

2017-01-01

Extensive evidence has suggested that early academic skills are a robust indicator of later academic achievement; however, there is mixed evidence of the effectiveness of intervention on academic skills in early years to improve later outcomes. As such, it is clear there are other contributing factors to the development of academic skills. The present study tests the role of executive function (EF) (a construct made up of skills complicit in the achievement of goal-directed tasks) in predicting 5th grade math and reading ability above and beyond math and reading ability prior to school entry, and net of other cognitive covariates including processing speed, vocabulary, and IQ. Using a longitudinal dataset of N = 1292 participants representative of rural areas in two distinctive geographical parts of the United States, the present investigation finds EF at age 5 strongly predicts 5th grade academic skills, as do cognitive covariates. Additionally, investigation of an interaction between early math ability and EF reveals the magnitude of the association between early math and later math varies as a function of early EF, such that participants who have high levels of EF can "catch up" to peers who perform better on assessments of early math ability. These results suggest EF is pivotal to the development of academic skills throughout elementary school. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

NASA, Engineering, and Swarming Robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leucht, Kurt

2015-01-01

This presentation is an introduction to NASA, to science and engineering, to biologically inspired robotics, and to the Swarmie ant-inspired robot project at KSC. This presentation is geared towards elementary school students, middle school students, and also high school students. This presentation is suitable for use in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) outreach events. The first use of this presentation will be on Oct 28, 2015 at Madison Middle School in Titusville, Florida where the author has been asked by the NASA-KSC Speakers Bureau to speak to the students about the Swarmie robots.

Teacher-student relationship quality and academic achievement in elementary school: A longitudinal examination of gender differences.

PubMed

Hajovsky, Daniel B; Mason, Benjamin A; McCune, Luke A

2017-08-01

Multiple group longitudinal cross-lagged panel models were implemented to understand the directional influences between teacher-student closeness and conflict and measured math and reading achievement across elementary grades and gender groups using the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development longitudinal sample (N=1133). Specifically, after testing multiple group longitudinal measurement invariance to ensure consistent measurement across genders and time, and tests of equivalence of the latent parameters, we were interested in whether longitudinal changes in teacher-rated closeness and conflict explained longitudinal changes in achievement, and vice versa, and whether those longitudinal influences varied by gender. Latent teacher-student closeness decreased for both genders over time (Cohen's d=-0.15 to -0.32), but latent conflict increased for males (Cohen's d=0.16). There was also increased heterogeneity in teacher-student relationship quality for males relative to females. Math and reading achievement had medium reciprocal effects (β=0.12 to 0.23), and previous math achievement had small to medium effects on subsequent teacher-student closeness (β=0.08 to 0.11) and conflict (β=-0.07 to -0.09). Teacher-student conflict and closeness did not influence subsequent levels of math or reading achievement once previous levels were controlled. Further, these influences were consistent across gender groups despite latent differences in teacher-student closeness and conflict with teachers reporting closer relationships with female students and more conflictual relationships with male students. Copyright © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determining significant material properties: A discovery approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karplus, Alan K.

1992-01-01

The following is a laboratory experiment designed to further understanding of materials science. The experiment itself can be informative for persons of any age past elementary school, and even for some in elementary school. The preparation of the plastic samples is readily accomplished by persons with resonable dexterity in the cutting of paper designs. The completion of the statistical Design of Experiments, which uses Yates' Method, requires basic math (addition and subtraction). Interpretive work requires plotting of data and making observations. Knowledge of statistical methods would be helpful. The purpose of this experiment is to acquaint students with the seven classes of recyclable plastics, and provide hands-on learning about the response of these plastics to mechanical tensile loading.

Summer of Innovation Kick Off

NASA Image and Video Library

2010-06-09

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Manager of Elementary and Secondary Education David Seidel motivates teachers and middle school students during the kick off of NASA's Summer of Innovation program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday, June 10, 2010. Through the program, NASA will engage thousands of middle school students and teachers in stimulating math and science-based education programs with the goal of increasing the number of future scientists, mathematicians, and engineers. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Co-Teaching Math Content and Math Pedagogy for Elementary Pre-Service Teachers: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Pari; Strawhecker, Jane

2011-01-01

With a national need to improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (STEM), elementary pre-service teachers must be provided with ample opportunities to increase their own knowledge and confidence in STEM disciplines. This article describes a Math Block experience developed for a special population of non-traditional…

Integrative Pre-Service Elementary Teacher Training: The Role of Interdisciplinary Collaborative Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiatula, Victoria Oliaku

2015-01-01

This primer summarizes interdisciplinary collaborative mathematics as an integrative approach to train pre-service elementary teachers to teach math utilizing Junior Achievement USA (JA) educational programs within an elementary Math Methods course. The primer provides a JA historical background/program overview, summarizes the interdisciplinary…

Efficacy development in science: Investigating the effects of the Teacher-to-Teacher (T2T) professional development model in Hilo elementary schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinner, Pascale Creek

Conderman and Sheldon Woods (2008) suggest that although science plays a central role in our world today, science instruction seems to be minimized particularly at the elementary grade levels. Research has investigated the construct of efficacy (Bandura, 1977, 2006a; Riggs & Enochs, 1990; Ramey-Gassert, Shroyer & Staver, 1996; Tschannen-Moran, Hoy & Hoy, 1998, 2001). Professional and conceptual development in teachers has also been explored (Gordon, 1990; Sheerer, 1997; Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2007). The purpose of this research was to describe the changes in efficacy elementary teachers experience as they participated in science professional development. Data from a Math/Science Partnership (MSP) grant sample suggested significant changes in science self-efficacy and improved pedagogy. Mixed methods revealed connections resulting in a multi-faceted Progression of Efficacy Growth flowchart. The results suggest that utilizing the Teacher-to-Teacher (T2T) professional development model has created a pathway for more science teaching across the Hilo elementary schools.

Reliability and Validity of the Math Essential Skill Screener Elementary Version (MESS-E).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erford, Bradley T.; Bagley, Donna L.; Hopper, James A.; Lee, Ramona M.; Panagopulos, Kathleen A.; Preller, Denise B.

1998-01-01

The Math Essential Skill Screener Elementary Version (MESS-E) is a screener devised to identify primary grade students at risk for math difficulties. Item analysis, interitem consistency, test-retest reliability, decision efficiency, and construct validity of the MESS-E were studied using four independent samples of boys and girls grades 1-3. The…

A Comparison of American and Taiwanese Students: Their Math Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsao, Yea-Ling

2004-01-01

The major purpose of this study was to attempt to understand some of the reasons for Mathematics perception of Taiwanese children compared to American children. The study was conducted with elementary schools in the Denver metropolitan area and Taipei, Taiwan in which fifth graders in each city (21 and 37 respectively) were selected as target…

Ky. Road-Tests Common Core

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ujifusa, Andrew

2012-01-01

Results from new state tests in Kentucky--the first in the nation explicitly tied to the Common Core State Standards--show that the share of students scoring "proficient" or better in reading and math dropped by roughly a third or more in both elementary and middle school the first year the tests were given. Kentucky in 2010 was the…

Sitting at the Back: Noticing "Math Noticing"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparrow, Len

2004-01-01

Recently, the author has been fortunate to be a visitor in a number of classrooms in the United States, England and Europe. On one such visit to an Elementary School in Columbia, Missouri, the teachers accepted him into their normal classrooms for their normal lessons. He moved between three classes: Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 4. A snapshot…

Flight Training for a Pilot Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunter, Mary

1995-01-01

A computer-based curriculum program called Computers Helping Instruction and Learning Development (Project CHILD) has been tested in 82 classrooms in 10 elementary schools in Okaloosa County, Florida. As part of a sixth-grade follow-up study, students in Project CHILD had a B average in math and language arts versus a C average for students in a…

The Effect of Performance Pay in Little Rock, Arkansas on Student Achievement. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winters, Marcus; Greene, Jay; Ritter, Gary; Marsh, Ryan

2008-01-01

This paper examines evidence from a performance-pay program implemented in five Little Rock, Arkansas elementary schools between 2004 and 2007. Using a differences-in-differences approach, the evidence shows that students whose teachers were eligible for performance pay made substantially larger test score gains in math, reading, and language than…

Adapting Reading and Math Materials for the Inclusive Classroom. Volume 2: Kindergarten through Grade Five. ERIC/OSEP Mini-Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shumm, Jeanne Shay

This book offers guidelines for elementary school teachers for making adaptations in reading and mathematics instruction for students with mild disabilities in the general education classroom. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter 1 presents eight principles for materials adaption organized according to the acronym FLEXIBLE: F-feasible…

The Longitudinal Effects of Residential Mobility on the Academic Achievement of Urban Elementary and Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voight, Adam; Shinn, Marybeth; Nation, Maury

2012-01-01

Residential stability matters to a young person's educational development, and the present housing crisis has disrupted the residential stability of many families. This study uses latent growth-curve modeling to examine how changing residences affects math and reading achievement from third through eighth grade among a sample of urban elementary…

Intellectual Growth in Children as a Function of Domain Specific and Domain General Working Memory Subgroups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, H. Lee

2011-01-01

This study examined whether children's growth on measures of fluid (Raven Colored Progressive Matrices) and crystallized (reading and math achievement) intelligence was attributable to domain-specific or domain-general functions of working memory (WM). A sample of 290 elementary school children was tested on measures of intelligence across three…

The Trajectory of Mathematics Skills and Working Memory Thresholds in Girls with Fragile X Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Melissa M.; Mazzocco, Michele M. M.

2009-01-01

Fragile X syndrome is a common genetic disorder associated with executive function deficits and poor mathematics achievement. In the present study, we examined changes in math performance during the elementary and middle school years in girls with fragile X syndrome, changes in the working memory loads under which children could complete a…

Exploring Gender Differences across Elementary, Middle, and High School Students' Science and Math Attitudes and Interest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeGrand, Julie

2013-01-01

The issue of female underrespresentation in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology careers and courses has been well researched over the last several decades. However, as gender gaps in achievement close and representation becomes more equitable in certain academic domains, research has turned to social and cultural factors to explain…

How Much Does the 24 Game Increase the Recall of Arithmetic Facts?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eley, Jonquille

2009-01-01

Sixth grade students come to MS 331 with strong mathematics backgrounds from elementary school. Nevertheless, students often come with a dearth of skills when performing basic math computations. The focus of this study is to investigate the use of the 24 Game in quickening the ability of sixth graders to perform basic computations. The game…

Report: States See Test-Score Gains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viadero, Debra

2004-01-01

This article discusses a report from Education Trust, a Washington-based research and advocacy group. The report says almost half the states have seen rising math scores on their state exams for elementary school pupils since the federal No Child Left Behind law was enacted. It also states that reading scores have improved among 4th and 5th…

The Use of Video Self-Modeling to Increase On-Task Behavior in Children with High-Functioning Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schatz, Rochelle B.; Peterson, Rachel K.; Bellini, Scott

2016-01-01

In the present study, the researchers implemented a video self-modeling intervention for increasing on-task classroom behavior for three elementary school students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. The researchers observed the students' on-task engagement three times a week during their respective math classes. A multiple baseline design…

Understanding the Relationships between Interest in Online Math Games and Academic Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, M.

2015-01-01

Although the Internet is widely used by students in both formal and informal environments, little is known about how and where youth spend their time online. Using Internet search and Web analytics data, this study discovered a large-scale phenomenon associated with the poor performance of elementary school students in the USA that has been…

Aviation. Fifth Grade. Anchorage School District Elementary Science Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defendorf, Jean, Ed.

This unit of study is designed to teach the science of flight to students in the intermediate grades. Included are a list of materials for the unit, a discussion of the use of process skills, a list of unit objectives, vocabulary, teacher background information, 12 lessons, 5 quizzes, math problems, and a unit test. Lessons are oriented toward…

Building Kindergartners' Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, Nancy C.; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2012-01-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small-group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups (n = 44 in each…

The Impact of Music on Student Achievement in the Third and Fifth Grade Math Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albright, Ruth E.

2012-01-01

Research indicates students who engage in music exhibit improved cognitive development. The quantitative study was conducted in a large suburban school district in Southeast Georgia. This study investigated the impact of music on student achievement when music is incorporated with the core academic subject of mathematics at the elementary level.…

In Brief: Improving science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2010-09-01

Over the course of the next decade, 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers should be recruited in the United States, and 1000 new STEM-focused schools should be created, according to a 16 September report, “Prepare and inspire: K-12 education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for America's future.” Noting that the United States lags behind other nations in STEM education at the elementary and secondary levels, the report, prepared by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, also recommends improving federal coordination and leadership on STEM education and supporting a state-led movement for shared standards in math and science. The release of the report coincides with President Barack Obama's announcement of the launch of Change the Equation, an organization that aims to help with math and science education. More information is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ostp and http://www.changetheequation.org/.

Videoconferencing in Math and Science Preservice Elementary Teachers' Field Placements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plonczak, Irene

2010-03-01

This study was designed to examine benefits and challenges of teaching through videoconferencing in the context of students’ field placement experiences, particularly as it relates to an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning math and science. In the context of mathematics and science methods courses, preservice teachers, with the supervision of professors, field placement supervisors and cooperating teachers, taught a series of math and science lessons via video conferencing to 5th grade classes in a major urban public school. Two major results of this study indicate that: (1) teaching through videoconferencing highlights strengths and weaknesses in questioning skill techniques that are at the heart of an inquiry-based approach; (2) teaching through videoconferencing raises the intellectual challenge of teaching and allows preservice teachers to look face to face into their limited understanding of the content matter in math and science.

Identifying controlling variables for math computation fluency through experimental analysis: the interaction of stimulus control and reinforcing consequences.

PubMed

Hofstadter-Duke, Kristi L; Daly, Edward J

2015-03-01

This study investigated a method for conducting experimental analyses of academic responding. In the experimental analyses, academic responding (math computation), rather than problem behavior, was reinforced across conditions. Two separate experimental analyses (one with fluent math computation problems and one with non-fluent math computation problems) were conducted with three elementary school children using identical contingencies while math computation rate was measured. Results indicate that the experimental analysis with non-fluent problems produced undifferentiated responding across participants; however, differentiated responding was achieved for all participants in the experimental analysis with fluent problems. A subsequent comparison of the single-most effective condition from the experimental analyses replicated the findings with novel computation problems. Results are discussed in terms of the critical role of stimulus control in identifying controlling consequences for academic deficits, and recommendations for future research refining and extending experimental analysis to academic responding are made. © The Author(s) 2014.

SKyTeach: Addressing the need for Science and Math Teachers in Kentucky

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonham, Scott

2008-10-01

The shortage of good science and math teachers is a chronic problem that threatens to undermine the future of our profession and economy. While our world is becoming increasingly dependent on technology, many high schools do not even offer physics, in part due to of the unavailability of a qualified teacher. The entire state of Kentucky typically produces 0-2 new physics teachers per year, compared to 200+ elementary teachers per year from WKU alone. The picture is not much better in math and other sciences. SKyTeach is a new program at WKU to address this great need and is part of a national effort to replicate the successful UTeach program. The University of Texas UTeach program graduates 70-90 new math and science teachers a year, in the process providing them with a strong preparation based on current research on how people learn science and math, experience teaching in real classrooms from the start, and strong mentoring and support. UTeach graduates stay in the classroom at rates above the national average, and some fairly quickly move into leadership positions within their schools. A key element is good collaboration between the college of science, that of education, local P-12 schools, and others. Last year thirteen universities across the nation were selected as part of an effort to replicate the UTeach program nation-wide. This effort is supported by the National Science and Math Initiative in a partnership with the UTeach Institute. Our first cohort of students has started this fall, and we have had many successes and challenges as we move forward.

The Impact of an Elementary Algebra Course on Success in a College-Level Liberal Arts Math Course and Persistence in College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Lori Ann

2017-01-01

Many students enter community college underprepared for college-level math and are placed into developmental elementary algebra without consideration if the algebra will provide a foundation for their needed college-level math course. Large percentages of those students are unable to succeed in the developmental course and, therefore, are unable…

After Two Years, Three Elementary Math Curricula Outperform a Fourth. NCEE Evaluation Brief. NCEE 2013-4019

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agodini, Roberto; Harris, Barbara; Seftor, Neil; Remillard, Janine; Thomas, Melissa

2013-01-01

This brief aims to help educators understand the implications of math curriculum choice in the early elementary grades by presenting new findings from a study that examined how four math curricula affect students' achievement across two years--from 1st through 2nd grades. The four curricula were (1) Investigations in Number, Data, and Space…

Implementing College and Career Standards in Math Methods Course for Early Childhood and Elementary Education Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Joohi

2016-01-01

This study is purposed to measure the efficacy of implementing College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) math standards into math methods courses for early childhood and elementary education teacher candidates at an urban university located in the Dallas and Fort Worth metroplex area. A total of 161 college seniors (teacher candidates)…

Common Mistakes in Teaching Elementary Math--And How to Avoid Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Fuchang

2017-01-01

Learn the most effective ways to teach elementary math, no matter how much experience you have with the subject. In this book, Fuchang Liu takes you through many common mistakes in math instruction and explains the misunderstandings behind them. He points out practices that should be avoided, helping you to adjust your lessons so that all students…

An investigation of factors affecting elementary female student teachers' choice of science as a major at college level in Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mlenga, Francis Howard

The purpose of the study was to determine factors affecting elementary female student teachers' choice of science as a major at college level in Zimbabwe. The study was conducted at one of the Primary School Teachers' Colleges in Zimbabwe. A sample of two hundred and thirty-eight female student teachers was used in the study. Of these one hundred and forty-two were non-science majors who had been randomly selected, forty-one were science majors and forty-five were math majors. Both science and math majors were a convenient sample because the total enrollment of the two groups was small. All the subjects completed a survey questionnaire that had sixty-eight items. Ten students from the non-science majors were selected for individual interviews and the same was done for the science majors. A further eighteen were selected from the non-science majors and divided into three groups of six each for focus group interviews. The same was done for the science majors. The interviews were audio taped and transcribed. Data from the survey questionnaires were analyzed using Binary Logistic Regression which predicted factors that affected students' choice of science as a major. The transcribed interview data were analyzed used using domain, taxonomic and componential analyses. Results of the study indicated that elementary female students' choice of science as a major at college level is affected by students' attitudes toward science, teacher behavior, out-of-school experiences, role models, gender stereotyping, parental influence, peer influence, in-school experiences, and societal expectations, namely cultural and social expectations.

School accountability and the black-white test score gap.

PubMed

Gaddis, S Michael; Lauen, Douglas Lee

2014-03-01

Since at least the 1960s, researchers have closely examined the respective roles of families, neighborhoods, and schools in producing the black-white achievement gap. Although many researchers minimize the ability of schools to eliminate achievement gaps, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) increased pressure on schools to do so by 2014. In this study, we examine the effects of NCLB's subgroup-specific accountability pressure on changes in black-white math and reading test score gaps using a school-level panel dataset on all North Carolina public elementary and middle schools between 2001 and 2009. Using difference-in-difference models with school fixed effects, we find that accountability pressure reduces black-white achievement gaps by raising mean black achievement without harming mean white achievement. We find no differential effects of accountability pressure based on the racial composition of schools, but schools with more affluent populations are the most successful at reducing the black-white math achievement gap. Thus, our findings suggest that school-based interventions have the potential to close test score gaps, but differences in school composition and resources play a significant role in the ability of schools to reduce racial inequality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elementary Teachers' Past Experiences: A Narrative Study of the Past Personal and Professional Experiences of Elementary Teachers Who Use Science to Teach Math and Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acre, Andrea M.

2014-01-01

This qualitative study investigated the experiences of four elementary teachers who have elected to use science to teach math and reading/language arts in an attempt to identify what motivates them to do so. Identifying what experiences have motivated these teachers to go against the gain and teach elementary science in this current era of…

Designing Studies to Test Causal Questions About Early Math: The Development of Making Pre-K Count.

PubMed

Mattera, Shira K; Morris, Pamela A; Jacob, Robin; Maier, Michelle; Rojas, Natalia

2017-01-01

A growing literature has demonstrated that early math skills are associated with later outcomes for children. This research has generated interest in improving children's early math competencies as a pathway to improved outcomes for children in elementary school. The Making Pre-K Count study was designed to test the effects of an early math intervention for preschoolers. Its design was unique in that, in addition to causally testing the effects of early math skills, it also allowed for the examination of a number of additional questions about scale-up, the influence of contextual factors and the counterfactual environment, the mechanism of long-term fade-out, and the role of measurement in early childhood intervention findings. This chapter outlines some of the design considerations and decisions put in place to create a rigorous test of the causal effects of early math skills that is also able to answer these questions in early childhood mathematics and intervention. The study serves as a potential model for how to advance science in the fields of preschool intervention and early mathematics. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Principals in Partnership with Math Coaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Catherine Miles; Davenport, Linda Ruiz

2009-01-01

One of the most promising developments in math education is the fact that many districts are hiring math coaches--also called math resource teachers, math facilitators, math lead teachers, or math specialists--to assist elementary-level teachers with math instruction. What must not be lost, however, is that principals play an essential role in…

The Relationship between Elementary Teachers' Background in Mathematics, Teaching Self-Efficacy, and Teaching Outcome Expectancy When Implementing the Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuart, Jennifer Lynn

2017-01-01

The purpose of this correlation study was to identify a possible relationship between elementary teacher background in mathematics as measured by completed college math credit hours, district-provided professional development hours of training in Common Core math standards, and years of teaching experience, and teacher efficacy in math as measured…

Integrating Financial Education into School Curricula: Giving America's Youth the Educational Foundation for Making Effective Financial Decisions throughout Their Lives by Teaching Financial Concepts as Part of Math and Reading Curricula in Elementary, Middle, and High Schools. A White Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Financial Education (Dept. of Treasury), Washington, DC.

This report presents a distinguished panel's findings on financial education in the U.S. In May 2002, the Secretaries of the Departments of Treasury and Education invited representatives from national youth education groups to consider the opportunities and challenges that arise when financial education is integrated into core curricula.…

WWC Quick Review of the Report "An Evaluation of Teachers Trained through Different Routes to Certification"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2009

2009-01-01

This study examined whether having a teacher who chose an alternate route to certification (AC) rather than a teacher who chose a traditional certification route (TC) affects the reading and math achievement of elementary school students. The study included about 2,600 kindergarten through fifth-grade students and their 174 teachers. These…

Helping Students Who Struggle with Math and Science: A Collaborative Approach for Elementary and Middle Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Dennis; Hamm, Mary

2008-01-01

This book builds on the social nature of learning to provide useful suggestions for reaching reluctant learners. It is based on the assumption that instruction that focuses on students' interests and builds on collaborative and differentiated learning will allow students to move from believing they "can't do mathematics or science" to a feeling of…

Katrina's Children: Evidence on the Structure of Peer Effects from Hurricane Evacuees. NBER Working Paper No. 15291

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Imberman, Scott; Kugler, Adriana D.; Sacerdote, Bruce

2009-01-01

In 2005, hurricanes Katrina and Rita forced many children to relocate across the Southeast. While schools quickly enrolled evacuees, receiving families worried about the impact of evacuees on non-evacuee students. Data from Houston and Louisiana show that, on average, the influx of evacuees moderately reduced elementary math test scores in…

Symmetrical Measuring: An Approach to Teaching Elementary School Mathematics Informed by Yup'ik Elders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Monica; Lipka, Jerry; Andrew-Ihrke, Dora

2014-01-01

What would the curriculum look like if it were developed from the perspective of measuring? Without formal tools, the Yup'ik Eskimos of Alaska used their body as a measuring device and employed ratios extensively in their daily practices. "Math in a Cultural Context" is developing curriculum materials based on Yup'ik Elders use of…

Evaluating Math Recovery: Assessing the Causal Impact of a Diagnostic Tutoring Program on Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Thomas M.; Cobb, Paul; Farran, Dale C.; Cordray, David S.; Munter, Charles

2013-01-01

Mathematics Recovery (MR) is designed to identify first graders who are struggling in mathematics and provide them with intensive one-to-one tutoring. We report findings from a 2-year evaluation of MR conducted in 20 elementary schools across five districts in two states. The design allowed for the estimation of the counterfactual growth…

Productive Communication in an Afterschool Engineering Club with Girls Who Are English Language Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McVee, Mary; Silvestri, Katarina; Shanahan, Lynn; English, Ken

2017-01-01

This article [explores] the learning of girls who were in a co-ed after school engineering club related to the project: Designing Vital Engineering and Literacy Practices for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math for Elementary Teachers and Children (DeVELOP STEM ETC). While few girls grow up to become engineers in the US, recently more…

Probing the Nature of Deficits in the "Approximate Number System" in Children with Persistent Developmental Dyscalculia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bugden, Stephanie; Ansari, Daniel

2016-01-01

In the present study we examined whether children with Developmental Dyscalculia (DD) exhibit a deficit in the so-called "Approximate Number System" (ANS). To do so, we examined a group of elementary school children who demonstrated persistent low math achievement over 4 years and compared them to typically developing (TD), aged-matched…

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Montessori Reading and Math Instruction for Third Grade African American Students in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Katherine Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Improving academic achievement for students of color has long been the subject of debate among advocates of education reform (Anyon, 2013; Breitborde & Swiniarski, 2006; Payne, 2008). Some scholars have advocated for the Montessori method as an alternative educational approach to address some chronic problems in public education (Lillard,…

EdTrAc Teacher Education Program: First-Year Implementation Evaluation (2005-2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittman, Brian; Shelton, Ellen

2006-01-01

The Educational Training Academy (EdTrAc) is an NSF-funded project of Normandale Community College to increase the number, diversity, and skills of students preparing to be elementary and middle school teachers with a specialty in math and science. Overall, this evaluation indicates that the EdTrAc implementation is on track after its first year…

Effects of Cognitive Strategy Interventions and Cognitive Moderators on Word Problem Solving in Children at Risk for Problem Solving Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, H. Lee; Lussier, Cathy; Orosco, Michael

2013-01-01

This study investigated the role of strategy instruction and cognitive abilities on word problem solving accuracy in children with math difficulties (MD). Elementary school children (N = 120) with and without MD were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: general-heuristic (e.g., underline question sentence), visual-schematic presentation…

Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School (PASS) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coleman, Clarence D.; Hathaway, Roger (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project (PASS) Project was granted a one-year no cost extension for 2001-2002. In year three of the project, objectives and strategies were modified based on the previous year-end evaluation. The recommendations were incorporated and the program was replicated within most of the remaining elementary schools in Portsmouth, Virginia and continued in the four middle schools. The Portsmouth Atmospheric Science School Project is a partnership, which includes Norfolk State University, Cooperating Hampton Roads Organizations for Minorities in Engineering (CHROME), NASA Langley Research Center, and the City of Portsmouth, Virginia Public Schools. The project seeks to strengthen the knowledge of Portsmouth Public Schools students in the field of atmospheric sciences and enhance teacher awareness of hands on activities in the atmospheric sciences. The project specifically seeks to: 1) increase the interest and participation of elementary and middle school students in science and mathematics; 2) strengthen existing science programs; and 3) facilitate greater achievement in core subjects, which are necessary for math, science, and technical careers. Emphasis was placed on providing training activities, materials and resources for elementary students (grades 3 - 5) and middle school students (grades 6 - 8), and teachers through a CHROME club structure. The first year of the project focused on introducing elementary students to concepts and activities in atmospheric science. Year two of the project built on the first year's activities and utilizes advanced topics and activities appropriate for middle school students. During the third year of the project, in addition to the approaches used in years one and two, emphasis was placed on activities that enhanced the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL).

Project VISION (Very Intensive Scientific Intercurricular On-Site Education

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roig, Gustavo A.

1999-01-01

Project VISION (Very Intensive Scientific Intercurricular On-Site Education) is a joint effort among NASA/John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida International University, Universidad del Turabo, Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Caguas/Gurabo Public Schools in Puerto Rico. The project's main mission is to institutionalize change among the elementary and middle school science and math teachers at participating schools so that their students receive continuously enriched instruction in the principles of science and math through the use of hands-on and minds-on experiments called learning modules. These leaming modules incorporate the national science and math education standards provided by the National Committee on Science Education Standards and Assessments and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, respectively. The use of learning modules that require hands-on and minds-on activities in a classroom setting garners great enthusiasm and motivation on the part of the target students for the understanding of the lesson's underlying math and science principles. With this enthusiasm and motivation, comes acceptance, attention, participation, discipline, acquiescence, and collaboration. Additionally, the use of hands-on activities may also require learning through a gamut of senses. Not only can the student use his/her eyes and ears during these activities, but most times, they can also use their senses of touch, smell, and taste, as well as intuition. Learning is, therefore, achieved using most or all the human senses. The combination of motivation/enthusiasm and the use of multiple senses creates an ideal environment conducive to leaming at a profound level.

Qualitative research study of high-achieving females' life experiences impacting success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butcher, Ann Patrice

2003-07-01

This qualitative study investigated the life experiences of five academically gifted female students in math and science in reflection of their elementary learning prior to enrollment at a prestigious science and mathematics high school. The elite high school limits admission to the state of Illinois' top students. The purpose of this study is to unfold the story of five academically gifted females in attendance at the elite high school reflecting on their life experiences in elementary school that contributed to their current academic success. Twelve female students, who at the time of this study were currently in their senior year (12th grade) of high school, were solicited from the top academic groups who are regarded by their teachers as highly successful in class. Students were selected as part of the study based on academic status, survey completion and interest in study, Caucasian and Asian ethnicity, locale of elementary school with preference given to the variety of school demographics---urban, suburban, and rural---further defined the group to the core group of five. All female participants were personally interviewed and communicated via Internet with the researcher. Parents and teachers completing surveys as well met the methodological requirements of triangulation. An emergent theme of paternal influence came from the research. Implications supported in the research drawn from this study to increase achievement of academically gifted females include: (a) proper early identification of learner strengths plays a role; (b) learning with appropriate intellectual peers is more important than learning with their age group; (c) teachers are the greatest force for excellent instruction; (d) effective teaching strategies include cooperative learning, multi-sensory learning, problem-based learning, and hands-on science; (e) rigor in math is important; (f) gender and stereotypes need not be barriers; (g) outside interests and activities are important for self-concept; (h) high parental expectations and the parental role, especially the father's role, are imperative; and (i) reading avidly was preferred over watching television. Further research is needed to verify all components and interactions of the same with a greater sample of gifted students, by extending the study to include the male counterpart and by providing additional validity to elementary instruction and the success of academically gifted students.

The Sound of Steam: Acoustics as the Integrator Between Arts and STEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goates, Caleb; Whiting, Jenny; Berardi, Mark; Gee, Kent L.; Neilsen, Tracianne B.

2016-03-01

This paper describes the development and presentation of a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) workshop for elementary school teachers designed to provide ideas and tools for using acoustics in the classroom. The abundant hands-on activities and concepts in acoustics naturally link science and music in an intuitive way that can assist teachers moving forward on the STEAM initiative. Our workshop gave teachers an introduction to acoustics principles and demonstrations that can be used to tie STEAM techniques with Utah State Education Core standards. These hands-on demonstrations and real-world applications provide an avenue to engage students and support learning outcomes. Feedback indicated that the participants learned from and enjoyed the initial implementation of this workshop, though many elementary school teachers did not immediately see how they could integrate it into their curriculum. While additional efforts might be made to better focus the training workshop for the K-6 level, curriculum developers need to appreciate how acoustics could be used more broadly at the elementary school level if the emphasis changes from STEM to STEAM. ?

The Relation between 1st Grade Grey Matter Volume and 2nd Grade Math Competence

PubMed Central

Price, Gavin R.; Wilkey, Eric D.; Yeo, Darren J.; Cutting, Laurie E.

2015-01-01

Mathematical and numerical competence is a critical foundation for individual success in modern society yet the neurobiological sources of individual differences in math competence are poorly understood. Neuroimaging research over the last decade suggests that neural mechanisms in the parietal lobe, particularly the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) are structurally aberrant in individuals with mathematical learning disabilities. However, whether those same brain regions underlie individual differences in math performance across the full range of math abilities is unknown. Furthermore, previous studies have been exclusively cross-sectional, making it unclear whether variations in the structure of the IPS are caused by or consequences of the development of math skills. The present study investigates the relation between grey matter volume across the whole brain and math competence longitudinally in a representative sample of 50 elementary school children. Results show that grey matter volume in the left IPS at the end of 1st grade relates to math competence a year later at the end of 2nd grade. Grey matter volume in this region did not change over that year, and was still correlated with math competence at the end of 2nd grade. These findings support the hypothesis that the IPS and its associated functions represent a critical foundation for the acquisition of mathematical competence. PMID:26334946

Mathematical intelligence developed in math learning with classical backsound music of the classical era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karlimah

2018-05-01

This study examines the application of classical music backsound in mathematics learning. The method used is quasi experimental design nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group in elementary school students in Tasikmalaya city, Indonesia. The results showed that classical music contributed significantly to the mathematical intelligence of elementary school students. The mathematical intelligence shown is in the cognitive ability ranging from the level of knowledge to evaluation. High level mathematical intelligence is shown by students in reading and writing integers with words and numbers. The low level of mathematical intelligence exists in projecting the story into a mathematical problem. The implication of this research is the use of classical music backsound on learning mathematics should pay attention to the level of difficulty of mathematics material being studied.

Strengthening STEM Education through Community Partnerships

PubMed Central

Lopez, Colleen A.; Rocha, Jon; Chapman, Matthew; Rocha, Kathleen; Wallace, Stephanie; Baum, Steven; Lawler, Brian R.; Mothé, Bianca R.

2017-01-01

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and San Marcos Elementary Schools have established a partnership to offer a large-scale community service learning opportunity to enrich science curriculum for K-5 students. It provides an opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors to give back to the community, allowing them to experience teaching in an elementary classroom setting, in schools that lack the resources and science instructor specialization needed to instill consistent science curricula. CSUSM responded to this need for more STEM education by mobilizing its large STEM student body to design hands-on, interactive science lessons based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Since 2012, the program has reached out to over four thousand K-5 students, and assessment data have indicated an increase in STEM academic performance and interest. PMID:28725512

Strengthening STEM Education through Community Partnerships.

PubMed

Lopez, Colleen A; Rocha, Jon; Chapman, Matthew; Rocha, Kathleen; Wallace, Stephanie; Baum, Steven; Lawler, Brian R; Mothé, Bianca R

2016-01-01

California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) and San Marcos Elementary Schools have established a partnership to offer a large-scale community service learning opportunity to enrich science curriculum for K-5 students. It provides an opportunity for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors to give back to the community, allowing them to experience teaching in an elementary classroom setting, in schools that lack the resources and science instructor specialization needed to instill consistent science curricula. CSUSM responded to this need for more STEM education by mobilizing its large STEM student body to design hands-on, interactive science lessons based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Since 2012, the program has reached out to over four thousand K-5 students, and assessment data have indicated an increase in STEM academic performance and interest.

Building Kindergartners' Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PubMed

Jordan, Nancy C; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2012-08-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups ( n = 44 in each group): a number sense intervention group, a language intervention group, or a business as usual control group. Accounting for initial skill level in mathematical knowledge, children who received the number sense intervention performed better than controls at immediate post test, with meaningful effects on measures of number competencies and general math achievement. Many of the effects held eight weeks after the intervention was completed, suggesting that children internalized what they had learned. There were no differences between the language and control groups on any math-related measures.

Multiple Aspects of Self-Regulation Uniquely Predict Mathematics but Not Letter-Word Knowledge in the Early Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blair, Clancy; Ursache, Alexandra; Vernon-Feagans, Lynne

2015-01-01

The relation of self-regulation measured prior to school entry to developing math and reading ability in prekindergarten through the second grade was examined in a prospective longitudinal sample of 1,292 children and families in predominantly rural and low-income communities in 2 regions of high poverty in the United States. Direct assessments of…

The Effect of Elementary Principals' Self-Perceived Instructional Leadership Behaviors on Reading and Math Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Ricardo Rodrequiez

2011-01-01

As the nation endeavors to leave no child behind, more than 12 million of the U.S. children who live in poverty continue to be at risk of school failure. Having significant learning deficiencies, many of these children are substantially behind their more affluent peers and historically never catch up (Barr & Parrett, 2007), creating a daunting…

(How) Does Obesity Harm Academic Performance? Stratification at the Intersection of Race, Sex, and Body Size in Elementary and High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Branigan, Amelia R.

2017-01-01

In this study I hypothesize a larger penalty of obesity on teacher-assessed academic performance for white girls in English, where femininity is privileged, than in math, where stereotypical femininity is perceived to be a detriment. This pattern of associations would be expected if obesity largely influences academic performance through social…

The Development of Gender Achievement Gaps in Mathematics and Reading during Elementary and Middle School: Examining Direct Cognitive Assessments and Teacher Ratings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Joseph Paul; Lubienski, Sarah Theule

2011-01-01

Using K-8 national longitudinal data, the authors investigate males' and females' achievement in math and reading, including when gender gaps first appear, whether the appearance of gaps depends on the metric used, and where on the achievement distribution gaps are most prevalent. Additionally, teachers' assessments of males and females are…

Eighth Grade Students Conceptions of How Engineers Use Math and Science in the Field of Engineering: A Comparison of Two Cohorts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farland-Smith, Donna; Tiarani, Vinta

2016-01-01

Over the last fifteen years, engineering has made its way into science curriculum at all levels, elementary, middle, and high school. A need to analyze students' perception the field of engineering is warranted. Previous techniques for studying representations of scientists and build on what researchers in the science field have learned from…

Examining the Differences between the Responses of the Students to a Digital Game and Its Active Version According to Their Mathematics Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Inan, Mehmet; Dervent, Fatih; Özden, Bülent; Arslantas, Bülent

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine students' responses to the digital and the active version of Angry Birds™ according to students' mathematics grades. The relational screening model was used to reveal the relationship between the students' responses and their math grades. The participants were 26 elementary and secondary school students…

The perceived impact of No Child Left Behind on third- through fifth-grade elementary science classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinsler, Angela V.

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceived impact of No Child Left Behind on elementary science classrooms in 3 Northeast Tennessee school districts. Quantitative descriptive methodology was used to document how No Child Left Behind impacts instructional methodology, professional development, administrative support, materials and resources, and assessment in 3rd through 5th grades. Data were collected using a survey developed by the researcher. The survey consisted of a demographic section, 28 statements, and 2 open-ended questions. The 51 participants included elementary-school science teachers in 8 schools in 3 upper East Tennessee school districts. Data analysis was based on the following demographics: differing levels of teaching experience, No Child Left Behind school status, and small and large schools. Findings included: The 3 greatest concerns of the impact of the No Child Left Behind Act were the pressures felt by teachers to increase test scores, the manner in which it impacted at-risk or disadvantaged students, and the lack of inservice, specifically for science. Findings also revealed that low-scoring schools or grades were receiving extra assistance and teachers reported they feel that their school or district fosters and supports change. An analysis of the open-ended questions emphasized the stress teachers reported feeling along with the loss of science instruction time to math and language arts.

Are schools shortchanging boys or girls? The answer rests on methods and assumptions: reply to Card (2014) and Penner (2014).

PubMed

Robinson-Cimpian, Joseph P; Lubienski, Sarah Theule; Ganley, Colleen M; Copur-Gencturk, Yasemin

2014-06-01

Our target article (Robinson-Cimpian, Lubienski, Ganley, & Copur-Gencturk, 2014) used nationally representative data to examine the development of gender gaps in math achievement. We found that when boys and girls demonstrate equivalent math test performance and are perceived by their teachers to be equally well behaved and engaged with the material, teachers tend to rate girls as less proficient in math than boys (Study 1). Moreover, this underrating of girls' proficiency appeared to contribute substantially to a widening gender gap in early elementary school (Study 2). In this response, we use the thoughtful comments of Card (2014) and Penner (2014) as a springboard for discussing the methodologies and assumptions of some of the most recent research using nationally representative data to explore gender inequities. In the process, we shed light on how recent works using the same data reach different conclusions. We also make recommendations regarding the use of such data for understanding the development of the gender gap and for designing effective interventions. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report. Updated

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2013

2013-01-01

"Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics" is a core mathematics curriculum for students in prekindergarten through grade 6. The program aims to improve students' understanding of key math concepts through problem-solving instruction, hands-on activities, and math problems that involve reading and writing. The curriculum…

Teacher-child relationships and academic achievement: a multilevel propensity score model approach.

PubMed

McCormick, Meghan P; O'Connor, Erin E; Cappella, Elise; McClowry, Sandee G

2013-10-01

A robust body of research finds positive cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between teacher-child relationships and children's academic achievement in elementary school. Estimating the causal effect of teacher-child relationships on children's academic achievement, however, is challenged by selection bias at the individual and school level. To address these issues, we used two multilevel propensity score matching approaches to estimate the effect of high-quality teacher-child relationships in kindergarten on math and reading achievement during children's transition to first grade. Multi-informant data were collected on 324 low-income, Black and Hispanic students, and 112 kindergarten and first-grade teachers. Results revealed significant effects of high-quality teacher-child relationships in kindergarten on math achievement in first grade. No significant effects of teacher-child relationships were detected for reading achievement. Implications for intervention development and public policy are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Two-year impacts of a universal school-based social-emotional and literacy intervention: an experiment in translational developmental research.

PubMed

Jones, Stephanie M; Brown, Joshua L; Lawrence Aber, J

2011-01-01

This study contributes to ongoing scholarship at the nexus of translational research, education reform, and the developmental and prevention sciences. It reports 2-year experimental impacts of a universal, integrated school-based intervention in social-emotional learning and literacy development on children's social-emotional, behavioral, and academic functioning. The study employed a school-randomized, experimental design with 1,184 children in 18 elementary schools. Children in the intervention schools showed improvements across several domains: self-reports of hostile attributional bias, aggressive interpersonal negotiation strategies, and depression, and teacher reports of attention skills, and aggressive and socially competent behavior. In addition, there were effects of the intervention on children's math and reading achievement for those identified by teachers at baseline at highest behavioral risk. These findings are interpreted in light of developmental cascades theory and lend support to the value of universal, integrated interventions in the elementary school period for promoting children's social-emotional and academic skills. © 2011 The Authors. Child Development © 2011 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Examining the Challenges Facing Native American Schools. Hearing before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, First Session (April 22, 2015). Serial Number 114-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US House of Representatives, 2016

2016-01-01

This document records testimony from a hearing held on April 22, 2015 on the topic of challenges that are faced by Native American schools. Nearly a century ago the Federal Government made a promise to deliver to Native American children a quality education that just doesn't teach math and science, but preserves their customs and culture.…

How does high stakes testing influence teachers' classroom instruction?: Institutional pressures and classroom instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamashita, Mika Yoder

2011-12-01

This study examined how a total of eight math and science elementary school teachers changed their classroom instruction in response to high stakes and low stakes testing in one school district. The district introduced new assessment in the school year of 2005--06 to meet the requirement set forth by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)---that the assessment should be aligned with the state academic standards. I conducted interviews with teachers and school administrators at two elementary schools, district officials, and a representative of a non-profit organization during the school year 2007--08 to examine how the new assessment introduced in 2005--06 had shaped classroom instruction. Concepts from New Institutional Theory and cognitive approaches to policy implementation guided the design of this study. This study focused on how materials and activities associated with high stakes testing promoted ideas about good instruction, and how these ideas were carried to teachers. The study examined how teachers received messages about instruction and how they responded to the messages. The study found that high stakes testing influenced teachers' classroom instruction more than low stakes testing; however, the instructional changes teachers made in response to state testing was at the content level. The teachers' instructional strategies did not change. The teachers' instructional changes varied with the degree of implementation of existing math curriculum and with the degree of support they received in understanding the meaning of assessment results. The study concluded that, among the six teachers I studied, high stakes testing was not a sufficient intervention for changing teachers' instructional strategies. The study also addressed the challenges of aligning instructional messages across assessment, standards, and curriculum.

What Is the Long-Run Impact of Learning Mathematics During Preschool?

PubMed

Watts, Tyler W; Duncan, Greg J; Clements, Douglas H; Sarama, Julie

2018-03-01

The current study estimated the causal links between preschool mathematics learning and late elementary school mathematics achievement using variation in treatment assignment to an early mathematics intervention as an instrument for preschool mathematics change. Estimates indicate (n = 410) that a standard deviation of intervention-produced change at age 4 is associated with a 0.24-SD gain in achievement in late elementary school. This impact is approximately half the size of the association produced by correlational models relating later achievement to preschool math change, and is approximately 35% smaller than the effect reported by highly controlled ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models (Claessens et al., 2009; Watts et al., ) using national data sets. Implications for developmental theory and practice are discussed. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Developing a Multi-Dimensional Early Elementary Mathematics Screener and Diagnostic Tool: The Primary Mathematics Assessment.

PubMed

Brendefur, Jonathan L; Johnson, Evelyn S; Thiede, Keith W; Strother, Sam; Severson, Herb H

2018-01-01

There is a critical need to identify primary level students experiencing difficulties in mathematics to provide immediate and targeted instruction that remediates their deficits. However, most early math screening instruments focus only on the concept of number, resulting in inadequate and incomplete information for teachers to design intervention efforts. We propose a mathematics assessment that screens and provides diagnostic information in six domains that are important to building a strong foundation in mathematics. This article describes the conceptual framework and psychometric qualities of a web-based assessment tool, the Primary Math Assessment (PMA). The PMA includes a screener to identify students at risk for poor math outcomes and a diagnostic tool to provide a more in-depth profile of children's specific strengths and weaknesses in mathematics. The PMA allows teachers and school personnel to make better instructional decisions by providing more targeted analyses.

Building Kindergartners’ Number Sense: A Randomized Controlled Study

PubMed Central

Jordan, Nancy C.; Glutting, Joseph; Dyson, Nancy; Hassinger-Das, Brenna; Irwin, Casey

2015-01-01

Math achievement in elementary school is mediated by performance and growth in number sense during kindergarten. The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a targeted small group number sense intervention for high-risk kindergartners from low-income communities. Children were randomly assigned to one of three groups (n = 44 in each group): a number sense intervention group, a language intervention group, or a business as usual control group. Accounting for initial skill level in mathematical knowledge, children who received the number sense intervention performed better than controls at immediate post test, with meaningful effects on measures of number competencies and general math achievement. Many of the effects held eight weeks after the intervention was completed, suggesting that children internalized what they had learned. There were no differences between the language and control groups on any math-related measures. PMID:25866417

Impact of a social-emotional and character development program on school-level indicators of academic achievement, absenteeism, and disciplinary outcomes: A matched-pair, cluster randomized, controlled trial.

PubMed

Snyder, Frank; Flay, Brian; Vuchinich, Samuel; Acock, Alan; Washburn, Isaac; Beets, Michael; Li, Kin-Kit

2010-01-01

This paper reports the effects of a comprehensive elementary school-based social-emotional and character education program on school-level achievement, absenteeism, and disciplinary outcomes utilizing a matched-pair, cluster randomized, controlled design. The Positive Action Hawai'i trial included 20 racially/ethnically diverse schools (mean enrollment = 544) and was conducted from the 2002-03 through the 2005-06 academic years. Using school-level archival data, analyses comparing change from baseline (2002) to one-year post trial (2007) revealed that intervention schools scored 9.8% better on the TerraNova (2 nd ed.) test for reading and 8.8% on math; 20.7% better in Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards scores for reading and 51.4% better in math; and that intervention schools reported 15.2% lower absenteeism and fewer suspensions (72.6%) and retentions (72.7%). Overall, effect sizes were moderate to large (range 0.5-1.1) for all of the examined outcomes. Sensitivity analyses using permutation models and random-intercept growth curve models substantiated results. The results provide evidence that a comprehensive school-based program, specifically developed to target student behavior and character, can positively influence school-level achievement, attendance, and disciplinary outcomes concurrently.

Web Sitings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lo, Erika

2001-01-01

Presents seven mathematics games, located on the World Wide Web, for elementary students, including: Absurd Math: Pre-Algebra from Another Dimension; The Little Animals Activity Centre; MathDork Game Room (classic video games focusing on algebra); Lemonade Stand (students practice math and business skills); Math Cats (teaches the artistic beauty…

Two-year colleges, Physics, and Teacher Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, Keith

2002-05-01

In the midst of a teacher shortage no field suffers more than physics. Half of our secondary physics teachers have less than a minor in physics. Meanwhile half of our future teachers start out at two-year colleges with physicists on staff. The opportunity for community colleges to have an impact on K-12 teaching is tremendous. Project TEACH has been honored as an outstanding teacher preparation program. It is a collaboration of colleges and K-12 schools dedicated to the improvement of teacher preparation, especially in science and math. Based at Green River Community College, Project TEACH unites certification institutions, community colleges, and K-12 school districts in the pre-service and in-service training of teachers. Activities of Project TEACH include recruitment and advising of future teachers, field experience for education students, creation of pre-teaching and para-educator degrees, tutoring from elementary school through college, in-service courses for current teachers, and special math and science courses aimed at future teachers. The yearlong interdisciplinary science sequence blends chemistry, physics, geology, and biology in a hands-on inquiry-based environment. The yearlong math sequence covers arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and probability with inquiry-based pedagogy. The programs developed by Project TEACH are being disseminated to colleges across Washington State and beyond.

Effects of Course Experiences on Self-Efficacy in Teaching Math: A Case Study of Preservice Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogden, Michele A.

2012-01-01

Elementary students' math achievement in the United States is mediocre in comparison to that of students in other countries. Students in California perform below the national average on standardized tests. Reform efforts in mathematics education aim at proficiency in fact fluency, procedural knowledge, conceptual knowledge, and application of…

What Is Math? Exploring the Perception of Elementary Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burton, Megan

2012-01-01

Sixty-two elementary pre-service teachers enrolled in a mathematics methods course were asked to "draw math" at the beginning and end of the semester. These drawings were used to examine the initial perceptions and how these changed by the end of the semester of methods and field experiences. Findings describe the various drawings and…

Math Talk and Representations in Elementary Classrooms of Beginning Teachers: A MLM Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alnizami, Reema

2017-01-01

This study examined the math talk and the use of multiple representations in elementary classrooms of 134 beginning teachers, all in their second year of teaching. A quantitative correlational research design was employed to investigate the research questions. The data were collected using a log instrument, the Instructional Practices Log in…

Think Scientifically: The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory's Elementary Science Literacy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Norden, Wendy; Wawro, Martha

2013-03-01

The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solid solar science, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions and assessment questions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences.

Think Scientifically: The Solar Dynamics Observatory's Elementary Science Literacy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Norden, Wendy; Wawro; Martha

2012-03-01

The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solid solar science, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions and assessment questions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences.

Theoretical Frameworks for Math Fact Fluency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Katherine

2012-01-01

Recent education statistics indicate persistent low math scores for our nation's students. This drop in math proficiency includes deficits in basic number sense and automaticity of math facts. The decrease has been recorded across all grade levels with the elementary levels showing the greatest loss (National Center for Education Statistics,…

Teacher Judgment of Student Mastery of Math Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentz, Johnell L.; Fuchs, Lynn S.

1993-01-01

Information on students' math skill mastery based on curriculum-based measurement was provided to nine special and general education elementary teachers. Teachers were asked to identify the specific math skills their students had mastered. Results indicated that most teachers were not accurate at judging math skill mastery despite having specific…

Ten Years of TAKE 10!(®): Integrating physical activity with academic concepts in elementary school classrooms.

PubMed

Kibbe, Debra L; Hackett, Jacqueline; Hurley, Melissa; McFarland, Allen; Schubert, Kathryn Godburn; Schultz, Amy; Harris, Suzanne

2011-06-01

Current literature supports the link between physical activity (PA) or fitness and a child's ability to achieve academically; however, little structured activity time is incorporated into elementary school classrooms. This paper explores the impact of a classroom-based PA program, TAKE 10!, and health-academic integration through existing state and federal policy and programming. Evidence from journal articles, published abstracts, and reports were examined to summarize the impact of TAKE 10! on student health and other outcomes. This paper reviews 10 years of TAKE 10! studies and makes recommendations for future research. Teachers are willing and able to implement classroom-based PA integrated with grade-specific lessons (4.2 days/wk). Children participating in the TAKE 10! program experience higher PA levels (13%>), reduced time-off-task (20.5%), and improved reading, math, spelling and composite scores (p<0.01). Furthermore, students achieved moderate energy expenditure levels (6.16 to 6.42 METs) and studies suggest that BMI may be positively impacted (decreases in BMI z score over 2 years [P<0.01]). TAKE 10! demonstrates that integrating movement with academics in elementary school classrooms is feasible, helps students focus on learning, and enables them to realize improved PA levels while also helping schools achieve wellness policies. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Math Essential Skills Screener--Upper Elementary Version (MESS-U): Studies of Reliability and Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erford, Bradley T.; Biddison, Amanda R.

2006-01-01

The Math Essential Skills Screener--Upper Elementary Version (MESS-U) is part of a series of screening tests designed to help identify students ages 9-11 who are at risk for mathematics failure. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, item analysis, decision efficiency, convergent validity and factorial validity of the MESS-U were studied…

A Study of Selected Test-Taking Strategies and Demographic Factors on the Math Performance of At-Risk Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Olive

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was three-fold. First, the study determined the effects of mathematics teaching strategies on the performance of elementary students on a state-standardized test. More specifically, this study was concerned with the influence of the Everyday Math teaching strategies versus the Sharon Wells' teaching strategies on the…

Teaching Early Mathematics with PLATO[R] Software: An Overview of the New PLATO Elementary Mathematics Curricula and How To Use Them. Technical Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quinn, Bill; Foshay, Rob; Morris, Barbara

The "PLATO[R] Math Expeditions" and "PLATO[R] Projects for the Real World" curricula are designed to implement effective, research-based instructional practices. "Math Expeditions" is designed to give elementary grade users the mathematics skills and practice needed to solve real-life problems. Across the eight…

A Case Study in Elementary Statistics: The Florida Panther Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazowski, Andrew; Stopper, Geffrey

2013-01-01

We describe a case study that was created to intertwine the fields of biology and mathematics. This project is given in an elementary probability and statistics course for non-math majors. Some goals of this case study include: to expose students to biology in a math course, to apply probability to real-life situations, and to display how far a…

The Receipt of Special Education Services Following Elementary School Grade Retention

PubMed Central

Silverstein, Michael; Guppy, Nicole; Young, Robin; Augustyn, Marilyn

2009-01-01

Objective To estimate the proportion of children who receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) following grade retention in elementary school. Design/setting Descriptive analysis of a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort. Participants Children retained in K/1 and 3rd grade for presumed academic reasons, followed through fifth grade. Outcome measure Presence or absence of an IEP. Results 300 children retained for presumed academic reasons in K/1, and 80 in 3rd grade were included in the study. Of the K/1 retainees, 68% never received an IEP over the subsequent four to five years; of the 3rd grade retainees, 73% never received an IEP. K/1 retainees in the highest SES quintile and suburban K/1 retainees were less likely to receive an IEP than retained children in all other SES quintiles (aOR 0.17; 95% CI 0.05-0.62) and in rural communities (aOR 0.16; 95% CI 0.06-0.44), respectively. Among K/1 retainees with persistent low academic achievement in reading and math (as assessed by standardized testing), 37% and 28%, respectively, never received an IEP. Conclusions The majority of children retained in K/1 or 3rd grade for academic reasons, including a many of those who demonstrate sustained academic difficulties, never receive an IEP during elementary school. Further studies are important to elucidate whether retained elementary school children are being denied their rights to special education services. In the meantime, early grade retention may provide an opportunity for pediatricians to help families advocate for appropriate special education evaluations for children experiencing school difficulties. PMID:19487611

Connecting Scientists, College Students, Middle School Students & Elementary Students through Intergenerational Afterschool STEM Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, N. A.; Paglierani, R.; Raftery, C. L.; Romero, V.; Harper, M. R.; Chilcott, C.; Peticolas, L. M.; Hauck, K.; Yan, D.; Ruderman, I.; Frappier, R.

2015-12-01

The Multiverse education group at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Lab created the NASA-funded "Five Stars Pathway" model in which five "generations" of girls and women engage in science together in an afterschool setting, with each generation representing one stage in the pathway of pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). The five stages are: elementary-age students, middle-school-age students, undergraduate-level college students, graduate-level college students and professional scientists. This model was field-tested at two Girls Inc. afterschool locations in the San Francisco Bay Area and distributed to Girls Inc. affiliates and other afterschool program coordinators nationwide. This presentation will explore some of the challenges and success of implementing a multigenerational STEM model as well as distributing the free curriculum for interested scientists and college students to use with afterschool programs.

Integrating Music into Math in a Virtual Reality Game: Learning Fractions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Taehyeong; Lee, Sungwoong; Ke, Fengfeng

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate future teachers' experiences and perceptions of using a virtual reality game for elementary math education. The virtual reality game was designed and developed to integrate a musical activity (beat-making) into the math learning of fractions. Five math education major students participated in this…

Preliminary Success and Retention Rates in Selected Math Courses. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuesta Coll., San Luis Obispo, CA. Matriculation and Research Services.

This report presents findings of exploratory research on success, retention, and persistence in math courses at Cuesta College. The following research questions were addressed: (1) How do success rates in Math 23 (elementary algebra) and Math 27 (intermediate algebra) compare with traditional and computer-assisted formats? (2) What are the…

Inhibitory Control of Spanish-Speaking Language-Minority Preschool Children: Measurement and Association With Language, Literacy, and Math Skills.

PubMed

Lonigan, Christopher J; Allan, Darcey M; Goodrich, J Marc; Farrington, Amber L; Phillips, Beth M

Children's self-regulation, including components of executive function such as inhibitory control, is related concurrently and longitudinally with elementary school children's reading and math abilities. Although several recent studies have examined links between preschool children's self-regulation or executive function and their academic skill development, few included large numbers of Spanish-speaking language-minority children. Among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. school-age population, many of these children are at significant risk of academic difficulties. We examined the relations between inhibitory control and academic skills in a sample containing a large number of Spanish-speaking preschoolers. Overall, the children demonstrated substantial academic risk based on preschool-entry vocabulary scores in the below-average range. Children completed assessments of language, literacy, and math skills in English and Spanish, when appropriate, at the start and end of their preschool year, along with a measure of inhibitory control, the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task, which was administered at the start of the preschool year in the child's dominant conversational language. Scores on this last measure were lower for children for whom it was administered in Spanish. For both English and Spanish outcomes, those scores were significantly and uniquely associated with higher scores on measures of phonological awareness and math skills but not vocabulary or print knowledge skills.

Think Scientifically: The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory's Elementary Science Literacy Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Norden, Wendy M.

2013-07-01

The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solar science concepts, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences, and are available free at http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/epo/educators/thinkscientifically.php.

STEM after school programming: The effect on student achievement and attitude

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashford, Vanessa Dale

Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum has become a major component in to 21st century teaching and learning. STEM skills and STEM careers are in demand globally. Disadvantaged and minority students continue to have an achievement gap in STEM classes. They do not perform well in elementary and middle school and frequently do not pursue STEM-based studies in high school or careers in the field. One innovation in STEM education is after-school programming to increase student interest, attitudes, and achievement. This mixed-methods study examines the Discovery Place After-School STEM Program to compare the achievement levels of participants to non-participants in the program and provides recommendations for STEM after-school programming across the district. As part of the study, teachers were interviewed to examine attitudes and perceptions about the program. This study was conducted at an elementary school in a large urban school district in the southeastern United States which has a unique STEM-based after-school program. Student performance data indicated a significant difference in achievement between participants and non-participants in the program as measured by fifth grade science End-of-Grade test. Data from the seven units of study in the program showed significant achievement for three of the seven units.

Does the KABC-II Display Ethnic Bias in the Prediction of Reading, Math, and Writing in Elementary School Through High School?

PubMed

Scheiber, Caroline

2017-09-01

This study explored whether the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children-Second Edition (KABC-II) predicted academic achievement outcomes of the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement-Second Edition (KTEA-II) equally well across a representative sample of African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian school-aged children ( N = 2,001) in three grade groups (1-4, 5-8, 9-12). It was of interest to study possible prediction bias in the slope and intercept of the five underlying Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) cognitive factors of the KABC-II-Sequential/Gsm (Short-Term Memory), Learning/Glr (Long-Term Storage and Retrieval), Simultaneous/Gv (Visual Processing), Planning/Gf (Fluid Reasoning), and Knowledge/Gc (Crystallized Ability)-in estimating reading, writing, and math. Structural equation modeling techniques demonstrated a lack of bias in the slopes; however, four of the five CHC indexes showed a persistent overprediction of the minority groups' achievement in the intercept. The overprediction is likely attributable to institutional or societal contributions, which limit the students' ability to achieve to their fullest potential.

Primary Place. Math Projects That Count.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buschman, Larry; And Others

1993-01-01

Offers elementary math-centered recycling activities and ideas on transforming throwaways into valuable classroom resources. The math activities teach estimating, counting, measuring, weighing, graphing, patterning, thinking, comparing, proportion, and dimensions. The recycling ideas present ways to use pieces of trash to create educational games.…

Do classroom ventilation rates in California elementary schools influence standardized test scores? Results from a prospective study.

PubMed

Mendell, M J; Eliseeva, E A; Davies, M M; Lobscheid, A

2016-08-01

Limited evidence has associated lower ventilation rates (VRs) in schools with reduced student learning or achievement. We analyzed longitudinal data collected over two school years from 150 classrooms in 28 schools within three California school districts. We estimated daily classroom VRs from real-time indoor carbon dioxide measured by web-connected sensors. School districts provided individual-level scores on standard tests in Math and English, and classroom-level demographic data. Analyses assessing learning effects used two VR metrics: average VRs for 30 days prior to tests, and proportion of prior daily VRs above specified thresholds during the year. We estimated relationships between scores and VR metrics in multivariate models with generalized estimating equations. All school districts had median school-year VRs below the California VR standard. Most models showed some positive associations of VRs with test scores; however, estimates varied in magnitude and few 95% confidence intervals excluded the null. Combined-district models estimated statistically significant increases of 0.6 points (P = 0.01) on English tests for each 10% increase in prior 30-day VRs. Estimated increases in Math were of similar magnitude but not statistically significant. Findings suggest potential small positive associations between classroom VRs and learning. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Cluster-randomized trial demonstrating impact on academic achievement of elementary social-emotional learning.

PubMed

Schonfeld, David J; Adams, Ryan E; Fredstrom, Bridget K; Weissberg, Roger P; Gilman, Richard; Voyce, Charlene; Tomlin, Ricarda; Speese-Linehan, Dee

2015-09-01

This study evaluated the results of a social and emotional learning (SEL) program on academic achievement among students attending a large, urban, high-risk school district. Using a cluster-randomized design, 24 elementary schools were assigned to receive either the intervention curriculum (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies, or PATHS) or a curriculum that delivered few if any SEL topics (i.e., the control group). In addition to state mastery test scores, demographic data, school attendance, and dosage information were obtained from 705 students who remained in the same group from the 3rd to the 6th grade. Analyses of odds ratios revealed that students enrolled in the intervention schools demonstrated higher levels of basic proficiency in reading, writing, and math at some grade levels. Although these between-groups differences held for race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, significant within-group differences also were noted across these variables. Collectively, these findings indicated that social development instruction may be a promising approach to promote acquisition of academic proficiency, especially among youth attending high-risk school settings. Implications of these findings with respect to SEL programs conclude the article. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Persistent Genetic and Family-Wide Environmental Contributions to Early Number Knowledge and Later Achievement in Mathematics.

PubMed

Garon-Carrier, Gabrielle; Boivin, Michel; Kovas, Yulia; Feng, Bei; Brendgen, Mara; Vitaro, Frank; Séguin, Jean R; Tremblay, Richard E; Dionne, Ginette

2017-12-01

This study investigated the stable and transient genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences in number knowledge in the transition from preschool (age 5) to Grade 1 (age 7) and to the predictive association between early number knowledge and later math achievement (age 10-12). We conducted genetic simplex modeling across these three time points. Genetic variance was transmitted from preschool number knowledge to late-elementary math achievement; in addition, significant genetic innovation (i.e., new influence) occurred at ages 10 through 12 years. The shared and nonshared environmental contributions decreased during the transition from preschool to school entry, but shared and nonshared environment contributed to the continuity across time from preschool number knowledge to subsequent number knowledge and math achievement. There was no new environmental contribution at time points subsequent to preschool. Results are discussed in light of their practical implications for children who have difficulties with mathematics, as well as for preventive intervention.

Instant Math Storymats with Hands-on Activities for Building Essential Primary Math Skills, Grades K-2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spann, Mary Beth

This book contains 18 reproducible Math Storymats which can be a refreshing addition to any early elementary math program. Each storymat is accompanied by two separate read-aloud story selections that guide children in using plastic disk-shaped markers to interact with the mats in specific and open-ended ways. Together the mats and the…

Number of Repetitions Required to Retain Single-Digit Multiplication Math Facts for Elementary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burns, Matthew K.; Ysseldyke, Jim; Nelson, Peter M.; Kanive, Rebecca

2015-01-01

Computational fluency is an important aspect of math proficiency. Despite widely held beliefs about the differential difficulty of single-digit multiplication math facts, little empirical work has examined this issue. The current study analyzed the number of repetitions needed to master multiplication math facts. Data from 15,402 3rd, 4th, and 5th…

Receipt of special education services following elementary school grade retention.

PubMed

Silverstein, Michael; Guppy, Nicole; Young, Robin; Augustyn, Marilyn

2009-06-01

To estimate the proportion of children who receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP) following grade retention in elementary school. Longitudinal cohort study. Children retained in kindergarten or first (K/1) grade and third grade, presumably for academic reasons, were followed up through fifth grade. Presence or absence of an IEP. A total of 300 children retained in K/1 and 80 retained in third grade were included in the study. Of the K/1 retainees, 68.9% never received an IEP during the subsequent 4 to 5 years; of the third-grade retainees, 72.3% never received an IEP. Kindergarten/first-grade retainees in the highest quintile for socioeconomic status and those with suburban residence were less likely to receive an IEP than retained children in all other socioeconomic status quintiles (adjusted odds ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.62) and in rural communities (0.16; 0.06-0.44). Among K/1 retainees with persistently low academic achievement in math and reading, as assessed by standardized testing, 38.2% and 29.7%, respectively, never received an IEP. Most children retained in K/1 or third grade for academic reasons, including many of those who demonstrated sustained academic difficulties, never received an IEP during elementary school. Further studies are important to elucidate whether retained elementary schoolchildren are being denied their rights to special education services. In the meantime, early-grade retention may provide an opportunity for pediatricians to help families advocate for appropriate special education evaluations for children experiencing school difficulties.

Un Marco Abierto: Un Manual de Matematicas y Ciencas Utilizando Inteligencias Multiples Disenado para Estudiantes Bilingues de Educacion General y Especial (An Open Framework: A Math and Science Manual Utilizing Multiple Intelligences Designed for Bilingual Students in General and Special Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Office of Bilingual Education.

This manual incorporates a Multiple Intelligences perspective into its presentation of themes and lesson ideas for Spanish-English bilingual elementary school students in grades 4-8 and is designed for both gifted and special education uses. Each unit includes practice activities, semantic maps to illustrate and help organize ideas as well as…

Math in Action. Number-Sense Fun: Solving Riddles, Making Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bresser, Rusty; Sheffield, Stephanie; Burns, Marilyn, Ed.

1997-01-01

Presents two activities for teaching elementary level mathematics by immersing students in worthwhile literature (the Hello Math Reader series) while introducing them to real-life mathematics. The primary level activity teaches students to use number relationships to solve math riddles. The intermediate level activity has students explore…

Conversations with Family Members about Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mistretta, Regina M.

2017-01-01

This article focuses readers' attention on how teachers communicate with families about math, what teachers specifically communicate about, and why the need to communicate with families exists in the first place. Findings from conversations about math facilitated by 72 teachers with 225 families of public and nonpublic elementary, middle, and high…

Why Understanding 1-3/4 divided by 1/2 Matters to Math Reform: ABE Teachers Learn the Math They Teach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brover, Charles; Deagan, Denise; Farina, Solange

This paper explains the investigative attempts of The New York City Math Exchange Group (MEG) on elementary mathematics teachers' content knowledge in Adult Basic Education (ABE). The study is comparative in nature and took place in a workshop at the Adults Learning Maths Conference in Boston. The new members of the MEG professional development…

Early developmental trajectories of number knowledge and math achievement from 4 to 10 years: Low-persistent profile and early-life predictors.

PubMed

Garon-Carrier, Gabrielle; Boivin, Michel; Lemelin, Jean-Pascal; Kovas, Yulia; Parent, Sophie; Séguin, Jean R; Vitaro, Frank; Tremblay, Richard E; Dionne, Ginette

2018-06-01

Little is known about the development of number knowledge (NK) and the antecedents of low-persistent NK profiles in early childhood. We documented the developmental trajectories of NK across the transition from preschool to elementary school, their predictive validity with respect to later math achievement, and the child and family early-life factors associated with low NK profiles. Children's NK was assessed four times at regular intervals between the ages 4 and 7 years in a large, representative population-based sample. Developmental trajectories of NK were established for 1597 children. These children were also assessed with respect to several features of their family environment at 5, 17, and 29 months, as well as their cognitive skills at age 41 months. Analyses revealed a best-fitting 4-trajectory model, characterized by Low-Increasing (10% of the children), Moderate-Increasing (39%), Moderate-Fast Increasing (32%) and High-Increasing (19%) groups. Children of these trajectory groups differed significantly with respect to math achievement at ages 8 and 10 years, with the Low-Increasing group persistently scoring lower than the other groups throughout these years. Children of Low-Increasing NK group were from household of lower income and father with low educational background, poorer early cognitive development, and more importantly, reduced visual-spatial skills and memory-span. Children displaying reduced cognitive abilities and impoverished living conditions early in life are at greater risk of low NK throughout late preschool and school entry, with ensuing difficulties in math achievement. They deserve early preventive attention to help alleviate later mathematic difficulties. Copyright © 2018 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homework Involvement and Academic Achievement of Native and Immigrant Students

PubMed Central

Suárez, Natalia; Regueiro, Bibiana; Epstein, Joyce L.; Piñeiro, Isabel; Díaz, Sara M.; Valle, Antonio

2016-01-01

Homework is a debated issue in society and its relationship with academic achievement has been deeply studied in the last years. Nowadays, schools are multicultural stages in which students from different cultures and ethnicities work together. In this sense, the present study aims to compare homework involvement and academic achievement in a sample of native and immigrant students, as well as to study immigrant students’ relationship between homework involvement and Math achievement. The sample included 1328 students, 10–16 years old from Spanish families (85.6%) or immigrant students or students of immigrant origin (14.4%) from South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The study was developed considering three informants: elementary and secondary students, their parents and their teachers. Results showed higher involvement in homework in native students than in immigrant. Between immigrants students, those who are more involved in homework have better academic achievement in Math at secondary grades. There weren’t found gender differences on homework involvement, but age differences were reported. Immigrant students are less involved in homework at secondary grades that students in elementary grades. The study highlights the relevance of homework involvement in academic achievement in immigrant students. PMID:27757097

Homework Involvement and Academic Achievement of Native and Immigrant Students.

PubMed

Suárez, Natalia; Regueiro, Bibiana; Epstein, Joyce L; Piñeiro, Isabel; Díaz, Sara M; Valle, Antonio

2016-01-01

Homework is a debated issue in society and its relationship with academic achievement has been deeply studied in the last years. Nowadays, schools are multicultural stages in which students from different cultures and ethnicities work together. In this sense, the present study aims to compare homework involvement and academic achievement in a sample of native and immigrant students, as well as to study immigrant students' relationship between homework involvement and Math achievement. The sample included 1328 students, 10-16 years old from Spanish families (85.6%) or immigrant students or students of immigrant origin (14.4%) from South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The study was developed considering three informants: elementary and secondary students, their parents and their teachers. Results showed higher involvement in homework in native students than in immigrant. Between immigrants students, those who are more involved in homework have better academic achievement in Math at secondary grades. There weren't found gender differences on homework involvement, but age differences were reported. Immigrant students are less involved in homework at secondary grades that students in elementary grades. The study highlights the relevance of homework involvement in academic achievement in immigrant students.

Effectiveness of a Class-Wide Peer-Mediated Elementary Math Differentiation Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Jason D.

2017-01-01

Approximately 60% of classroom students have insufficient math skills. Within a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework, teachers can implement core differentiation strategies targeted at improving math skills of an entire class of students. Differentiation programs are developed in order to target academic skills of groups of students…

An Examination of Elementary Math Anxiety, Self-Efficacy, and Academic Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMillian, Kimberley Suzanne

2017-01-01

The study aims to explore the level of suburban 5th grade students' mathematics self-efficacy, math anxiety, and academic achievement, to discover the possible interconnections between these parameters. The measures used to evaluate each included the Math Anxiety Rating Scale, the Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and the North Carolina End of Grade…

Why the Common Core Changes Math Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faulkner, Valerie N.

2013-01-01

The Common Core math standards promote several important differences in how math concepts are taught and should be talked about. These changes will make it easier for younger students to comprehend and adapt to more complex concepts in the later grades. This guide should help elementary teachers make changes and adaptations that are in line the…

Math Is Like a Lion Hunting a Sleeping Gazelle: Preservice Elementary Teachers' Metaphors of Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Latterell, Carmen M.; Wilson, Janelle L.

2016-01-01

Preservice elementary teachers hold a variety of beliefs about mathematics and mathematics learning, which influence their teaching. Previous research has shown that preservice elementary teachers believe that mathematics is doing arithmetic. However, it is unclear if preservice elementary teachers truly believe that mathematics is only…

Assessment, Autonomy, and Elementary Social Studies Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitchett, Paul G.; Heafner, Tina L.; Lambert, Richard

2014-01-01

Background/context: In an era of accountability and standardization, elementary social studies is consistently losing its curricular foothold to English/language arts, math, and science instruction. Purpose: This article examines the relationship between elementary teachers' perceptions of instructional autonomy, teaching context, state testing…

Analyzing the attributes of Indiana's STEM schools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eltz, Jeremy

"Primary and secondary schools do not seem able to produce enough students with the interest, motivation, knowledge, and skills they will need to compete and prosper in the emerging world" (National Academy of Sciences [NAS], 2007a, p. 94). This quote indicated that there are changing expectations for today's students which have ultimately led to new models of education, such as charters, online and blended programs, career and technical centers, and for the purposes of this research, STEM schools. STEM education as defined in this study is a non-traditional model of teaching and learning intended to "equip them [students] with critical thinking, problem solving, creative and collaborative skills, and ultimately establishes connections between the school, work place, community and the global economy" (Science Foundation Arizona, 2014, p. 1). Focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education is believed by many educational stakeholders to be the solution for the deficits many students hold as they move on to college and careers. The National Governors Association (NGA; 2011) believes that building STEM skills in the nation's students will lead to the ability to compete globally with a new workforce that has the capacity to innovate and will in turn spur economic growth. In order to accomplish the STEM model of education, a group of educators and business leaders from Indiana developed a comprehensive plan for STEM education as an option for schools to use in order to close this gap. This plan has been promoted by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE, 2014a) with the goal of increasing STEM schools throughout Indiana. To determine what Indiana's elementary STEM schools are doing, this study analyzed two of the elementary schools that were certified STEM by the IDOE. This qualitative case study described the findings and themes from two elementary STEM schools. Specifically, the research looked at the vital components to accomplish STEM education in an elementary school setting. Through use of the interviews, observations, and document analysis, information was gained about the characteristics of each of these two distinct schools. Analysis of all this evidence emerged eight distinct themes common to both STEM schools.

Advancing participation of blind students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck-Winchatz, Bernhard; Riccobono, Mark A.

2008-12-01

Like their sighted peers, many blind students in elementary, middle, and high school are naturally interested in space. This interest can motivate them to learn fundamental scientific, quantitative, and critical thinking skills, and sometimes even lead to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. However, these students are often at a disadvantage in science because of the ubiquity of important graphical information that is generally not available in accessible formats, the unfamiliarity of teachers with non-visual teaching methods, lack of access to blind role models, and the low expectations of their teachers and parents. We discuss joint efforts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Federation of the Blind’s (NFB) National Center for Blind Youth in Science (NCBYS) to develop and implement strategies to promote opportunities for blind youth in science. These include the development of tactile space science books and curriculum materials, science academies for blind middle school and high school students, and college-level internship and mentoring programs. The partnership with the NFB exemplifies the effectiveness of collaborations between NASA and consumer-directed organizations to improve opportunities for underserved and underrepresented individuals.

Think Scientifically: Hiding Science in a Storybook

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Norden, W. M.; Wawro, M.

2013-12-01

The pressure to focus on math and reading at the elementary level has increased in recent years. As a result, science education has taken a back seat in elementary classrooms. The Think Scientifically book series provides a way for science to easily integrate with existing math and reading curriculum. This story-based science literature program integrates a classic storybook format with solid solar science, to make an educational product that meets state literacy standards. Each story is accompanied by hands-on labs and activities that teachers can easily conduct in their classrooms with minimal training and materials, as well as math and language arts extensions and assessment questions. These books are being distributed through teacher workshops and conferences.

White House Science Fair

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-05-27

Girl Scout troop 2612 members from Tulsa, OK take photos of one another with Google Glass at the White House Science Fair Tuesday, May 27, 2014. Avery Dodson, 6; Natalie Hurley, 8; Miriam Schaffer, 8; Claire Winton, 8; and Lucy Claire Sharp, 8 participated in the Junior FIRST Lego League's Disaster Blaster Challenge, which invites elementary-school-aged students from across the country to explore how simple machines, engineering, and math can help solve problems posed by natural disasters. The girls invented the "Flood Proof Bridge" and built a model mechanizing the bridge using motors and developing a computer program to automatically retract the bridge when flood conditions are detected. The fourth White House Science Fair was held at the White House and included 100 students from more than 30 different states who competed in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competitions. (Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Adapting Math Instruction to Support Prospective Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeSage, Ann

2012-01-01

Purpose: Elementary teachers' understanding of mathematics is a significant contributor to student success with mathematics. Consequently, teacher educators are frequently charged with the responsibility of supporting the development of prospective elementary teachers' mathematics content knowledge as they re-learn concepts in ways they are…

Development and Psychometric Properties of the Math and Me Survey: Measuring Third through Sixth Graders' Attitudes toward Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adelson, Jill L.; McCoach, D. Betsy

2011-01-01

The Math and Me Survey was designed to measure elementary students' attitudes toward mathematics. The authors conducted content validation, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory, reliability, and external validity analyses to improve it and to test its psychometric properties. The final Math and Me Survey…

Putting Math Into Family Life: What's Possible for Working Parents?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kliman, Marlene; Mokros, Jan; Parkes, Alana

A set of parent-child math activities designed to help busy, working parents do math with their children as part of everyday situations such as cleaning up and making dinner included basic steps, variations, and information on working with children were developed for families with elementary grades children aged approximately 5 to 11 and…

Enhancing cognitive and social-emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A; Oberle, Eva; Lawlor, Molly Stewart; Abbott, David; Thomson, Kimberly; Oberlander, Tim F; Diamond, Adele

2015-01-01

The authors hypothesized that a social and emotional learning (SEL) program involving mindfulness and caring for others, designed for elementary school students, would enhance cognitive control, reduce stress, promote well-being and prosociality, and produce positive school outcomes. To test this hypothesis, 4 classes of combined 4th and 5th graders (N = 99) were randomly assigned to receive the SEL with mindfulness program versus a regular social responsibility program. Measures assessed executive functions (EFs), stress physiology via salivary cortisol, well-being (self-reports), prosociality and peer acceptance (peer reports), and math grades. Relative to children in the social responsibility program, children who received the SEL program with mindfulness (a) improved more in their cognitive control and stress physiology; (b) reported greater empathy, perspective-taking, emotional control, optimism, school self-concept, and mindfulness, (c) showed greater decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and peer-rated aggression, (d) were rated by peers as more prosocial, and (e) increased in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity). The results of this investigation suggest the promise of this SEL intervention and address a lacuna in the scientific literature-identifying strategies not only to ameliorate children's problems but also to cultivate their well-being and thriving. Directions for future research are discussed.

Symptoms of sleep disorders and objective academic performance.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Luciane Bizari Coin; do Prado, Lucila Bizari Fernandes; Ferrreira, Vanessa Ruotolo; da Rocha Figueiredo, Mariana Bezerra; Jung, Aline; de Morais, José Fausto; do Prado, Gilmar Fernandes

2013-09-01

We aimed to compare the academic performance of children with and without symptoms of sleep disorders (SSD). We distributed 5400 questionnaires (Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children [SDSC], Brazilian version) to 7- to 10-year-old children at public elementary schools in São Paulo, Brazil. We analyzed the academic grades of Portuguese (Port) and Mathematics (Math) in 2384 children (1224 girls; 51%). Grades were assigned on a scale of 0-10 and five was considered a passing grade. Children with symptoms of sleep disorders (SSD) and symptoms of sleep-breathing disorders (SSBD) were compared to children with no symptoms of SSD (no-SSD). Mean Port (6.6±2.2) and Math (6.3±2.2) grades were lower in children with SSD or sleep-breathing disorders (SBD) than those among children with no-SSD (Port, 7.1±2.1 and Math, 7.1±2.1; P<.05). Boys with SSD or SSBD had lower grades (Port, 6.4±2.2 and Math, 6.1±2.2) than girls (Port, 6.9±2.2 and Math, 6.5±2.2; P<.05). There were more children with failing Port grades with SSD or SSBD (13%) than those among children with no-SSD (9%; P<.05). Regarding Math, 25.4% of SSD or SSBD children had failing grades vs. 8.4% of children with no-SSD (P<.05). In our sample, children with SSD particularly SBD were at increased risk for poor academic performance in Math and Port. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The analysis of probability task completion; Taxonomy of probabilistic thinking-based across gender in elementary school students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, Dwi Ivayana; Budayasa, I. Ketut; Juniati, Dwi

2017-08-01

Formulation of mathematical learning goals now is not only oriented on cognitive product, but also leads to cognitive process, which is probabilistic thinking. Probabilistic thinking is needed by students to make a decision. Elementary school students are required to develop probabilistic thinking as foundation to learn probability at higher level. A framework of probabilistic thinking of students had been developed by using SOLO taxonomy, which consists of prestructural probabilistic thinking, unistructural probabilistic thinking, multistructural probabilistic thinking and relational probabilistic thinking. This study aimed to analyze of probability task completion based on taxonomy of probabilistic thinking. The subjects were two students of fifth grade; boy and girl. Subjects were selected by giving test of mathematical ability and then based on high math ability. Subjects were given probability tasks consisting of sample space, probability of an event and probability comparison. The data analysis consisted of categorization, reduction, interpretation and conclusion. Credibility of data used time triangulation. The results was level of boy's probabilistic thinking in completing probability tasks indicated multistructural probabilistic thinking, while level of girl's probabilistic thinking in completing probability tasks indicated unistructural probabilistic thinking. The results indicated that level of boy's probabilistic thinking was higher than level of girl's probabilistic thinking. The results could contribute to curriculum developer in developing probability learning goals for elementary school students. Indeed, teachers could teach probability with regarding gender difference.

Word Problem Wizardry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassidy, Jack

1991-01-01

Presents suggestions for teaching math word problems to elementary students. The strategies take into consideration differences between reading in math and reading in other areas. A problem-prediction game and four self-checking activities are included along with a magic password challenge. (SM)

Assessing Elementary Prospective Teachers' Mathematical Explanations after Engagement in Online Mentoring Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Jennifer; Selmer, Sarah; Bingham Brown, Amy

2016-01-01

Prospective elementary teachers at three universities engaged in online modules called the Virtual Field Experience, created by the Math Forum. The prospective teachers learned about problem solving and mentoring elementary students in composing solutions and explanations to nonroutine challenge problems. Finally, through an asynchronous online…

A Longitudinal Analysis of Sex Differences in Math and Spatial Skills in Primary School Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lachance, Jennifer A.; Mazzocco, Michele M. M.

2006-01-01

We report on a longitudinal study designed to assess possible sex differences in math achievement, math ability, and math-related tasks during the primary school age years. Participants included over 200 children from one public school district. Annual assessments included measures of math ability, math calculation achievement scores, rapid naming…

Effect of Retention in Elementary Grades on Transition to Middle School

PubMed Central

Im, Myung Hee; Hughes, Jan H.; Kwok, Oi-man; Puckett, Stevie; Cerdia, Carissa Analise

2013-01-01

The authors investigated the effects of retention in grades 1 to 5 on students’ reading and math achievement, teacher-rated engagement, and student-reported school belonging in middle school. From a multiethnic sample (N = 784) of children who scored below the median on a test of literacy in grade 1, an average of 75 students subsequently retained in grades 1 to 5 were matched with an average of 299 continuously promoted students on the basis of propensity to be retained in the elementary grades. A total of 20 imputed datasets were analyzed, all of which showed good balance across the 67 baseline covariates used to calculate propensity scores. The hypothesis that retained students, who are “old for grade” when they make the transition to middle school, would have a more difficult transition to middle school than promoted peers was tested with 3-level, piecewise growth modeling. Piece 1 included assessments prior to the transition to middle school, and piece 2 included assessments after the transition. Retained and continuously promoted students did not differ on any of the outcome measures during the year prior to transition, nor did they differ in their post-transition trajectories. Discrepancies between these results and results of prior research are discussed in terms of demographic and generational differences as well as differences in methodological rigor. PMID:23816229

Indirect Effects of Child Reports of Teacher-Student Relationship on Achievement

PubMed Central

Hughes, Jan N.; Wu, Jiun-Yu; Kwok, Oi-man; Villarreal, Victor; Johnson, Audrea Y.

2012-01-01

The effect of student-reported teacher-student relationship quality (TSRQ) on academic motivation and achievement was investigated among a sample of 690 academically at risk elementary students (52.8% male). Measures of TSRQ, achievement, and motivation were collected annually for 3 consecutive years, beginning when participants were in grade 2 (24.8%) or grade 3 (74.6%). Child-reported conflict was stable across the 3 years, whereas warmth declined. Boys and African American students reported greater conflict than did girls and Caucasian and Hispanic students. Girls and African American students reported higher warmth than boys and non-African American students. Using path analysis, the authors tested the hypothesis that measures of student motivation in Year 2 mediated the effects of conflict and warmth in Year 1 on reading and math achievement in Year 3. Child-perceived conflict predicted cross-year changes in teacher-rated behavioral engagement, which, in turn, predicted cross-year changes in reading and math achievement. Math competence beliefs also mediated the effect of child- perceived warmth on math achievement. Effects controlled for stability of measures across time, the within-wave association between measures, and baseline measures of IQ and economic adversity. Implications of findings for improving the academic achievement of students at-risk for school failure are discussed. PMID:23226873

Indirect Effects of Child Reports of Teacher-Student Relationship on Achievement.

PubMed

Hughes, Jan N; Wu, Jiun-Yu; Kwok, Oi-Man; Villarreal, Victor; Johnson, Audrea Y

2012-01-01

The effect of student-reported teacher-student relationship quality (TSRQ) on academic motivation and achievement was investigated among a sample of 690 academically at risk elementary students (52.8% male). Measures of TSRQ, achievement, and motivation were collected annually for 3 consecutive years, beginning when participants were in grade 2 (24.8%) or grade 3 (74.6%). Child-reported conflict was stable across the 3 years, whereas warmth declined. Boys and African American students reported greater conflict than did girls and Caucasian and Hispanic students. Girls and African American students reported higher warmth than boys and non-African American students. Using path analysis, the authors tested the hypothesis that measures of student motivation in Year 2 mediated the effects of conflict and warmth in Year 1 on reading and math achievement in Year 3. Child-perceived conflict predicted cross-year changes in teacher-rated behavioral engagement, which, in turn, predicted cross-year changes in reading and math achievement. Math competence beliefs also mediated the effect of child- perceived warmth on math achievement. Effects controlled for stability of measures across time, the within-wave association between measures, and baseline measures of IQ and economic adversity. Implications of findings for improving the academic achievement of students at-risk for school failure are discussed.

Effects of phonological awareness and naming speed on mathematics skills in children with mild intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Foster, Matthew E; Sevcik, Rose A; Romski, Maryann; Morris, Robin D

2015-01-01

Both phonological awareness (PA) and naming speed have been identified as two skills related to the development of mathematics skills for children with and without learning disabilities. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationships between PA and colour naming speed for 265 elementary school students with mild intellectual disabilities (MID). Participants were assessed using the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processes and the KeyMath Revised Diagnostic Inventory of Essential Mathematics. Hierarchical regression analyses accounting for the effects of age indicated that children with MID rely on both PA and naming speed when solving mathematics problems, although PA was the more robust indicator of the two. As a whole, these results suggest that children with intellectual disabilities evidence the same types of reading and math relationships as shown for other populations of children.

Evaluating and Comparing Interventions Designed to Enhance Math Fact Accuracy and Fluency: Cover, Copy, and Compare versus Taped Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poncy, Brian C.; Skinner, Christopher H.; Jaspers, Kathryn E.

2007-01-01

An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate and compare the effects of two procedures designed to enhance math fact accuracy and fluency in an elementary student with low cognitive functioning. Results showed that although the cover, copy, compare (CCC) and the taped problems (TP) procedures both increased the student's math fact…

The Effectiveness of Using STAR Math to Improve PSSA Math Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holub, Sherry L.

2017-01-01

This is a quantitative study examining whether STAR Math, a student monitoring system, can improve PSSA Math scores. The experimental school used STAR Math during the 2015-2016 school year in grouping students for remediation and intervention. The control school used traditional curriculum measures to group students for remediation and…

The unrealized potential of everyday technology as a context for learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benenson, Gary

2001-09-01

This four-part article argues that technology education should play a far more substantial role in the schools. In the first section the article broadly defines the term technology to include the artifacts of everyday life as well as environments and systems. Second is a description of the City Technology Curriculum Guides project, of which most of the thinking in this article is a product. The third section presents a comprehensive set of goals for elementary technology education, using classroom examples from City Technology. Many of these goals coincide with the goals of other school subjects, including math, science, English language arts and social studies. The concluding section suggests a broad role for technology education in providing a context for learning in these areas.

Math CAMMP: A Constructivist Summer Camp for Teachers and Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Michael; Piel, John A.

2012-01-01

A summer session, math methods course for elementary teachers incorporates 30 hours of instruction that emphasizes (1) developmentally appropriate instructional strategies, (2) hierarchical levels of increasingly abstract manipulatives, (3) ongoing assessment of student learning, (4) integrated thematic instructional modules, (5) team planning and…

Enhancing Parent Involvement in NC-CCSS for K-2 Mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, D.

2014-12-01

Key Terms:Parent Involvement, Common Core State Standards, Homework, K - 2 Mathematics In this study, the 2014 REU math team developed and provided a workshop that assisted parents in understanding the North Carolina Common Core State Standards for K-2 Mathematics to assist with student homework assignments. Parent involvement is defined as parent participating in the educational processes and experiences of their children. A chi-square analysis was used to analyze data collected from the pre survey and the post survey administered to participants in the workshop. The study revealed all of the individual components of parent involvement were positively and significantly related to educational goals. The study identified various aspects of parent involvement that yielded statistically significant results in affirming that parent involvement attributed to urban student achievement. These findings were particularly helpful for indicating which kinds of parent involvement influenced academic success. Most notably, parent expectations and styles demonstrated a strong relationship with scholastic outcomes. Parent expectations and styles created an educationally oriented ambience that established an understanding of the certain level of support the child needed to succeed academically. The REU mathematics team focused on three essential questions in this study: (1) What practices will increase parent awareness of K-2 NC-CCSS for mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (2) What methods can be used to strengthen parent skills in assisting with mathematics homework assignments at P. W. Moore Elementary School? (3) What actions can be taken to motivate parent involvement in the school improvement process focusing on mathematics at P. W. Moore Elementary School?

Intergenerational Effects of Parents' Math Anxiety on Children's Math Achievement and Anxiety.

PubMed

Maloney, Erin A; Ramirez, Gerardo; Gunderson, Elizabeth A; Levine, Susan C; Beilock, Sian L

2015-09-01

A large field study of children in first and second grade explored how parents' anxiety about math relates to their children's math achievement. The goal of the study was to better understand why some students perform worse in math than others. We tested whether parents' math anxiety predicts their children's math achievement across the school year. We found that when parents are more math anxious, their children learn significantly less math over the school year and have more math anxiety by the school year's end-but only if math-anxious parents report providing frequent help with math homework. Notably, when parents reported helping with math homework less often, children's math achievement and attitudes were not related to parents' math anxiety. Parents' math anxiety did not predict children's reading achievement, which suggests that the effects of parents' math anxiety are specific to children's math achievement. These findings provide evidence of a mechanism for intergenerational transmission of low math achievement and high math anxiety. © The Author(s) 2015.

Enhancing Cognitive and Social–Emotional Development Through a Simple-to-Administer Mindfulness-Based School Program for Elementary School Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Schonert-Reichl, Kimberly A.; Oberle, Eva; Lawlor, Molly Stewart; Abbott, David; Thomson, Kimberly; Oberlander, Tim F.; Diamond, Adele

2015-01-01

The authors hypothesized that a social and emotional learning (SEL) program involving mindfulness and caring for others, designed for elementary school students, would enhance cognitive control, reduce stress, promote well-being and prosociality, and produce positive school outcomes. To test this hypothesis, 4 classes of combined 4th and 5th graders (N = 99) were randomly assigned to receive the SEL with mindfulness program versus a regular social responsibility program. Measures assessed executive functions (EFs), stress physiology via salivary cortisol, well-being (self-reports), prosociality and peer acceptance (peer reports), and math grades. Relative to children in the social responsibility program, children who received the SEL program with mindfulness (a) improved more in their cognitive control and stress physiology; (b) reported greater empathy, perspective-taking, emotional control, optimism, school self-concept, and mindfulness, (c) showed greater decreases in self-reported symptoms of depression and peer-rated aggression, (d) were rated by peers as more prosocial, and (e) increased in peer acceptance (or sociometric popularity). The results of this investigation suggest the promise of this SEL intervention and address a lacuna in the scientific literature—identifying strategies not only to ameliorate children's problems but also to cultivate their well-being and thriving. Directions for future research are discussed. PMID:25546595

Curriculum Boosters. Social Studies, Math, Language Arts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reissman, Rose; And Others

1994-01-01

Presents three curriculum boosting activities for elementary classes. A social studies activity builds bridges to other cultures via literature. A math activity teaches students about percentages using baseball card statistics. A language arts activity helps students learn to appreciate the language of Shakespeare. A student page presents a…

Math Process Standards Series, Grades 3-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connell, Susan, Ed.

2008-01-01

NCTM's Process Standards support teaching that helps upper elementary level children develop independent, effective mathematical thinking. The books in the Heinemann Math Process Standards Series give every intermediate-grades teacher the opportunity to explore each standard in depth. With language and examples that don't require prior math…

Math Anxiety and Math Ability in Early Primary School Years.

PubMed

Krinzinger, Helga; Kaufmann, Liane; Willmes, Klaus

2009-06-01

Mathematical learning disabilities (MLDs) are often associated with math anxiety, yet until now, very little is known about the causal relations between calculation ability and math anxiety during early primary school years. The main aim of this study was to longitudinally investigate the relationship between calculation ability, self-reported evaluation of mathematics, and math anxiety in 140 primary school children between the end of first grade and the middle of third grade. Structural equation modeling revealed a strong influence of calculation ability and math anxiety on the evaluation of mathematics but no effect of math anxiety on calculation ability or vice versa-contrasting with the frequent clinical reports of math anxiety even in very young MLD children. To summarize, our study is a first step toward a better understanding of the link between math anxiety and math performance in early primary school years performance during typical and atypical courses of development.

Math Anxiety and Math Ability in Early Primary School Years

PubMed Central

Krinzinger, Helga; Kaufmann, Liane; Willmes, Klaus

2010-01-01

Mathematical learning disabilities (MLDs) are often associated with math anxiety, yet until now, very little is known about the causal relations between calculation ability and math anxiety during early primary school years. The main aim of this study was to longitudinally investigate the relationship between calculation ability, self-reported evaluation of mathematics, and math anxiety in 140 primary school children between the end of first grade and the middle of third grade. Structural equation modeling revealed a strong influence of calculation ability and math anxiety on the evaluation of mathematics but no effect of math anxiety on calculation ability or vice versa—contrasting with the frequent clinical reports of math anxiety even in very young MLD children. To summarize, our study is a first step toward a better understanding of the link between math anxiety and math performance in early primary school years performance during typical and atypical courses of development. PMID:20401159

Is There a Causal Effect of High School Math on Labor Market Outcomes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joensen, Juanna Schroter; Nielsen, Helena Skyt

2009-01-01

In this paper, we exploit a high school pilot scheme to identify the causal effect of advanced high school math on labor market outcomes. The pilot scheme reduced the costs of choosing advanced math because it allowed for a more flexible combination of math with other courses. We find clear evidence of a causal relationship between math and…

Partnership Teaching: Success for All Children Using Math as a Vehicle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adeeb, Patty; Bosnick, Janet; Terrell, Sue

1998-01-01

Using a constructivist and multicultural approach, math skills were taught in urban elementary classrooms. Acceptance of self and others, teamwork, problem solving, and critical thinking were emphasized. Game-formatted activities with hand-size wooden basketball goals and race cars were used to teach fractions and metrics. (MMU)

Matching Extension and Connectivity in Graphs. 1. Introduction and Terminology,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

minimal elementary bipartite graphs, J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 23, 1977, 127-138. 1986. Matching Theory, Ann. Discrete Math ., North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1986...to appear). M. D. PLUMMER 1980. On n-extendable graphs, Discrete Math . 31, 1980, 201-210. 1985. A theorem on matchings in the plane, Conference in...memory of Gabriel Dirac, Ann. Discrete Math ., North-Holland, Amsterdam, to appear. 1986a. Matching extension in bipartite graphs, preprint, 1986. 1986b

Increasing Participation in the Earth Sciences A 35 year Journey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blueford, J. R.

2006-12-01

In the 1970's the fact that woman and ethnic minorities men made up approximately10% of the workforce in the geosciences created concern. Determining ways to increase the participation became a topic of discussion amongst many of the geosciences agencies in the United States. Many created scholarships and work opportunities for students. One of the most successful projects was the MPES (Minority Participation in the Earth Science) Program implemented by the U.S. Geological Survey. A key factor in its success was its outreach programs which used employees to work in elementary schools to get children excited about earth sciences. Successive years added teacher workshops and developing career day presentations to help school districts increase the awareness of the earth sciences. However, cutbacks prevented the continuation of these programs, but from the ashes a new non-profit organization of scientists, the Math Science Nucleus, developed curriculum and implementation strategies that used Earth Sciences as a core content area. Using the power of the internet, it provided teachers and parents around the world content driven curriculum. The Integrating Science, Math, and Technology Reference Curriculum is used around the world to help teachers understand how children learn science content.

Elementary Students' Acquisition of Academic Vocabulary Through Engineering Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kugelmass, Rachel

This study examines how STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) inquiry-based learning through a hands-on engineering design can be beneficial in helping students acquire academic vocabulary. This research took place in a second grade dual- language classroom in a public, suburban elementary school. English language learners, students who speak Spanish at home, and native English speakers were evaluated in this study. Each day, students were presented with a general academic vocabulary focus word during an engineering design challenge. Vocabulary pre-tests and post-tests as well as observation field notes were used to evaluate the student's growth in reading and defining the focus academic vocabulary words. A quiz and KSB (knowledge and skill builder) packet were used to evaluate students' knowledge of science and math content and engineering design. The results of this study indicate that engineering design is an effective means for teaching academic vocabulary to students with varying levels of English proficiency.

Early Academic Achievement Among American Low-Income Black Students from Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Families

PubMed Central

Calzada, Esther; Barajas-Gonzalez, R. Gabriela; Dawson-McClure, Spring; Huang, Keng-Yen; Palamar, Joseph; Kamboukos, Dimitra

2015-01-01

At least half of the well-documented achievement gap for low-income Black children is already present in kindergarten, due in part to limited opportunities for acquiring foundational skills necessary for school success. There is some evidence that low-income minority children from immigrant families have more positive outcomes than their non-immigrant counterparts, although little is known about how the immigrant paradox may manifest in young children. This study examines foundational school readiness skills (academic and social-emotional learning) at entry into pre-kindergarten (pre-k) and achievement in kindergarten and second grade among Black children from low-income immigrant and non-immigrant families (N=299). Immigrant and non-immigrant children entered pre-k with comparable readiness scores; in both groups, reading scores decreased significantly from kindergarten to second grade and math scores decreased significantly for non-immigrant children and marginally for immigrant children. Regardless of immigrant status, pre-k school readiness and pre-k classroom quality were associated with elementary school achievement. However, declines in achievement scores were not as steep for immigrant children and several predictive associations were moderated by immigrant status, such that among those with lower pre-k school readiness or in lower quality classrooms, immigrant children had higher achievement test scores than children from non-immigrant families. Findings suggest that immigrant status provides young Black students with some protection against individual- and classroom-level risk factors for early underachievement in elementary school. PMID:26048254

The relationship between twelve-month home stimulation and school achievement.

PubMed

van Doorninck, W J; Caldwell, B M; Wright, C; Frankenburg, W K

1981-09-01

Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) was designed to reflect parental support of early cognitive and socioemotional development. 12-month HOME scores were correlated with elementary school achievement, 5--9 years later. 50 low-income children were rank ordered by a weighted average of centile estimates of achievement test scores, letter grades, and curriculum levels in reading and math. 24 children were classified as having significant school achievement problems. The HOME total score correlated significantly, r = .37, with school centile scores among the low-income families. The statistically more appropriate contingency table analysis revealed a 68% correct classification rate and a significantly reduced error rate over random or blanket prediction. The results supported the predictive value of the 12-month HOME for school achievement among low-income families. In an additional sample of 21 middle-income families, there was insufficient variability among HOME scores to allow prediction. The HOME total scores were highly correlated, r = .86, among siblings tested at least 10 months apart.

Children's exposure to sustainability practices during the transition from preschool into school and their learning and socioemotional development.

PubMed

Benner, Aprile D; Thornton, Anna; Crosnoe, Robert

2017-01-01

Evidence that the learning gains of preschool fade as children transition into elementary school has led to increased efforts to sustain preschool advantages during this key transitional period. This study explores whether the observed benefits of sustainability practices for a range of child outcomes are explained and/or moderated by family and school mechanisms selecting children into experiencing these practices. Analyses of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort revealed that both family and school factors predicted children's exposure to several PK-3 sustainability practices. PK-3 sustainability practices were associated with reading (but not math) gains and better interpersonal skills (but not fewer externalizing behaviors) following the transition into kindergarten. These links were not conditioned by the selection mechanisms. The findings highlight who is more likely to seek out (at the family level) or offer (at the school level) sustainability practices and how relevant they are to fighting preschool fadeout.

Children’s exposure to sustainability practices during the transition from preschool into school and their learning and socioemotional development

PubMed Central

Benner, Aprile D.; Thornton, Anna; Crosnoe, Robert

2017-01-01

Evidence that the learning gains of preschool fade as children transition into elementary school has led to increased efforts to sustain preschool advantages during this key transitional period. This study explores whether the observed benefits of sustainability practices for a range of child outcomes are explained and/or moderated by family and school mechanisms selecting children into experiencing these practices. Analyses of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort revealed that both family and school factors predicted children’s exposure to several PK-3 sustainability practices. PK-3 sustainability practices were associated with reading (but not math) gains and better interpersonal skills (but not fewer externalizing behaviors) following the transition into kindergarten. These links were not conditioned by the selection mechanisms. The findings highlight who is more likely to seek out (at the family level) or offer (at the school level) sustainability practices and how relevant they are to fighting preschool fadeout. PMID:28794610

Fostering science literacy, environmental stewardship, and collaboration: Assessing a garden-based approach to teaching life science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher-Maltese, Carley B.

Recently, schools nationwide have expressed a renewed interest in school gardens (California School Garden Network, 2010), viewing them as innovative educational tools. Most of the scant studies on these settings investigate the health/nutritional impacts, environmental attitudes, or emotional dispositions of students. However, few studies examine the science learning potential of a school garden from an informal learning perspective. Those studies that do examine learning emphasize individual learning of traditional school content (math, science, etc.) (Blaire, 2009; Dirks & Orvis, 2005; Klemmer, Waliczek & Zajicek, 2005a & b; Smith & Mostenbocker, 2005). My study sought to demonstrate the value of school garden learning through a focus on measures of learning typically associated with traditional learning environments, as well as informal learning environments. Grounded in situated, experiential, and contextual model of learning theories, the purpose of this case study was to examine the impacts of a school garden program at a K-3 elementary school. Results from pre/post tests, pre/post surveys, interviews, recorded student conversations, and student work reveal a number of affordances, including science learning, cross-curricular lessons in an authentic setting, a sense of school community, and positive shifts in attitude toward nature and working collaboratively with other students. I also analyzed this garden-based unit as a type curriculum reform in one school in an effort to explore issues of implementing effective practices in schools. Facilitators and barriers to implementing a garden-based science curriculum at a K-3 elementary school are discussed. Participants reported a number of implementation processes necessary for success: leadership, vision, and material, human, and social resources. However, in spite of facilitators, teachers reported barriers to implementing the garden-based curriculum, specifically lack of time and content knowledge.

The Sum of All Fears: The Effects of Math Anxiety on Math Achievement in Fifth Grade Students and the Implications for School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruff, Sarah E.; Boes, Susan R.

2014-01-01

Low math achievement is a recurring weakness in many students. Math anxiety is a persistent and significant theme to math avoidance and low achievement. Causes for math anxiety include social, cognitive, and academic factors. Interventions to reduce math anxiety are limited as they exclude the expert skills of professional school counselors to…

A longitudinal analysis of sex differences in math and spatial skills in primary school age children☆

PubMed Central

Lachance, Jennifer A.; Mazzocco, Michèle M.M.

2009-01-01

We report on a longitudinal study designed to assess possible sex differences in math achievement, math ability, and math-related tasks during the primary school age years. Participants included over 200 children from one public school district. Annual assessments included measures of math ability, math calculation achievement scores, rapid naming and decoding tasks, visual perception tests, visual motor tasks, and reading skills. During select years of the study we also administered tests of counting and math facts skills. We examined whether girls or boys were overrepresented among the bottom or top performers on any of these tasks, relative to their peers, and whether growth rates or predictors of math-related skills differed for boys and girls. Our findings support the notion that sex differences in math are minimal or nonexistent on standardized psychometric tests routinely given in assessments of primary school age children. There was no persistent finding suggesting a male or female advantage in math performance overall, during any single year of the study, or in any one area of math or spatial skills. Growth rates for all skills, and early correlates of later math performance, were comparable for boys and girls. The findings fail to support either persistent or emerging sex differences on non-specialized math ability measures during the primary school age years. PMID:20463851

Not Just Numbers: Creating a Partnership Climate to Improve Math Proficiency in Schools

PubMed Central

Sheldon, Steven B.; Epstein, Joyce L.; Galindo, Claudia L.

2009-01-01

Although we know that family involvement is associated with stronger math performance, little is known about what educators are doing to effectively involve families and community members, and whether this measurably improves math achievement at their schools. This study used data from 39 schools to assess the effects of family and community involvement activities on school levels of math achievement. The study found that better implementation of math-related practices of family and community involvement predicted stronger support from parents for schools’ partnership programs, which, in turn, helped estimate the percentage of students scoring proficient on math achievement tests. PMID:20200592

Math at home adds up to achievement in school.

PubMed

Berkowitz, Talia; Schaeffer, Marjorie W; Maloney, Erin A; Peterson, Lori; Gregor, Courtney; Levine, Susan C; Beilock, Sian L

2015-10-09

With a randomized field experiment of 587 first-graders, we tested an educational intervention designed to promote interactions between children and parents relating to math. We predicted that increasing math activities at home would increase children's math achievement at school. We tested this prediction by having children engage in math story time with their parents. The intervention, short numerical story problems delivered through an iPad app, significantly increased children's math achievement across the school year compared to a reading (control) group, especially for children whose parents are habitually anxious about math. Brief, high-quality parent-child interactions about math at home help break the intergenerational cycle of low math achievement. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Connecting Teacher Professional Development and Student Mathematics Achievement: Mediating Belonging With Multimodal Explorations in Language, Identity, and Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutaka, Traci Shizu; Smith, Wendy M.; Albano, Anthony D.; Edwards, Carolyn Pope; Ren, Lixin; Beattie, Heidi Lynn; Lewis, W. James; Heaton, Ruth M.; Stroup, Walter W.

2017-01-01

The present study investigated the effects of "Primarily Math", an inservice elementary mathematics specialist program. "Primarily Math" sought to augment the mathematical knowledge for teaching of kindergarten through third-grade teachers using a longitudinal multiple cohort design. Two sets of analyses were conducted. The…

District Finds the Right Equation to Improve Math Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmstrom, Annette

2010-01-01

The math problem is common to most U.S. school districts, and education leaders are well aware that U.S. math achievement lags far behind many other countries in the world. University Place (Washington) School District Superintendent Patti Banks found the conspicuous income gap for math scores even more disturbing. In her school district, only 23%…

Helping Students Get Past Math Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarpello, Gary

2007-01-01

Math anxiety can begin as early as the fourth grade and peaks in middle school and high school. It can be caused by past classroom experiences, parental influences, and remembering poor past math performance. Math anxiety can cause students to avoid challenging math courses and may limit their career choices. It is important for teachers, parents…

Trajectories of Self-Perceived Math Ability, Utility Value and Interest across Middle School as Predictors of High School Math Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petersen, Jennifer Lee; Hyde, Janet Shibley

2017-01-01

Although many studies have documented developmental change in mathematics motivation, little is known about how these trends predict math performance. A sample of 288 participants from the United States reported their perceived math ability, math utility value and math interest in 5th, 7th and 9th grades. Latent growth curve models estimated…

Bibliografia Especializada: Educacion Basica (Specialized Bibliography: Basic Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boletin del Centro Nacional de Documentacion e Informacion Educativa, 1971

1971-01-01

This specialized international bibliography on basic education lists almost 50 documents written between 1969 and 1971 in Spanish, French, and Italian on the topic of elementary education. Annotations are provided for nine of the articles. Specific topics range from elementary reading and math education to curriculum planning. (VM)

AIDS Elementary/Intermediate Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellogg, Nancy Rader

This Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Curriculum was developed for intermediate elementary (5th, 6th, and 7th grade) students. It is an integrated unit that encompasses health, science, social studies, math, and language arts. The curriculum is comprised of nine class activities designed to meet the following objectives: (1) to determine…

Architecture: A Nexus of Creativity, Math, and Spatial Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senne, Jessica; Coxon, Steve V.

2016-01-01

The United States is dependent on innovations in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields for the growth of its economy and improvements to quality of life, but too few students are prepared for them. To help meet the challenges in filling the STEM pipeline, teachers of gifted elementary students can nurture important talents,…

"Change My Thinking Patterns towards Maths": A Bibliotherapy Workshop for Pre-Service Teachers' Mathematics Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Sue; Raven, Monica

2014-01-01

In small-group workshops, a joint initiative of the researcher and the student counsellor, primary (elementary) pre-service teachers (PSTs) wrote about critical incidents in their mathematics learning, and shared them with the group. Then, PSTs read extracts about mathematics anxiety (maths anxiety), and wrote and shared their reflections…

The Relationship between Mathematical Knowledge of Numbers and Operations and Mathematics Beliefs of Prospective Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stiegelmeyer, Cindy

2012-01-01

This study surveyed 82 preservice elementary teachers using items from an instrument designed to predict student achievement based on a teacher's mathematics knowledge for teaching (MKT) in numbers and operations concepts. Additional mathematics beliefs items asked participants to rate their level of agreement with math myths and math anxiety…

The Utility of Brief Experimental Analysis and Extended Intervention Analysis in Selecting Effective Mathematics Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mong, Michael D.; Mong, Kristi W.

2012-01-01

The present study evaluated the utility of brief experimental analysis (BEA) in predicting effective interventions for increasing the math fluency of 3 elementary students identified as having math skill deficits. Baseline data were collected followed by implementation of a BEA consisting of the following interventions: cover, copy, and compare,…

Tablet-Based Math Assessment: What Can We Learn from Math Apps?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cayton-Hodges, Gabrielle A.; Feng, Gary; Pan, Xingyu

2015-01-01

In this report, we describe a survey of mathematics education apps in the Apple App Store, conducted as part of a research project to develop a tablet-based assessment prototype for elementary mathematics. This survey was performed with the goal of understanding the design principles and techniques used in mathematics apps designed for tablets. We…

Reducing "Math Anxiety" in College Algebra Courses Including Comparisons with Elementary Statistics Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bankhead, Mike

The high levels of anxiety, apprehension, and apathy of students in college algebra courses caused the instructor to create and test a variety of math teaching techniques designed to boost student confidence and enthusiasm in the subject. Overall, this proposal covers several different techniques, which have been evaluated by both students and the…

Elementary Girls' Attitudes toward Mathematics in Mixed-Gender and Single-Gender Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tichenor, Mercedes; Welsh, Alyssa; Corcoran, Carol; Piechura, Kathy; Heins, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

By the time girls are second graders, they may be exhibiting negative attitudes toward math (Cvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald, 2011). McFarland, Benson and McFarland (2011) examined girls' math achievement in single-gender and mixed-gender classrooms and suggest that single-gendered formats can help females. In this study, we compare the math…

Influence of a Mathematics Teachers' Circle on Elementary Teachers' Use of Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Mary L.; Watson, Virginia; Rogers, Beth; Head, Catherine

2017-01-01

Math teachers' circles are a form of professional development that is recommended by the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences in their publication Mathematical Education of Teachers II (2012). However, little research has been published on how effective math teachers' circles are in advancing the mathematical knowledge of teachers and…

Developing Science and Mathematics Teacher Leaders through a Math, Science & Technology Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, André M.; Kent, Andrea M.

2016-01-01

This study explores the effects of a professional development teacher leadership training program on the pedagogical and content development of math and science teacher leaders at the elementary level. The study is qualitative in nature, and the authors collected data using the online survey instrument Survey Monkey. The major implications of the…

Examining Change in K-3 Teachers' Mathematical Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs: The Case of Primarily Math

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kutaka, T. S.; Ren, L.; Smith, W. M.; Beattie, H. L.; Edwards, C. P.; Green, J. L.; Chernyavskiy, P.; Stroup, W.; Heaton, R. M.; Lewis, W. J.

2018-01-01

This study examines the impact of the Primarily Math Elementary Mathematics Specialist program on K-3 teachers' mathematical content knowledge for teaching, attitudes toward learning mathematics, and beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning. Three cohorts of teachers participating in the program were compared to a similar group of…

Using Brief Assessments to Select Math Fluency and On-Task Behavior Interventions: An Investigation of Treatment Utility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbertson, Donna; Witt, Joseph C.; Duhon, Gary; Dufrene, Brad

2008-01-01

This study examined the utility of a brief assessment approach for identifying a potentially effective intervention to improve math performance and on-task behavior. Participants included four elementary students referred for intervention services in the general education classroom. A brief individual assessment was conducted with each participant…

Preparing Graduate Students to Teach Math: Engaging with Activities and Viewing Teaching Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mongillo, Maria Boeke

2016-01-01

Teacher self-efficacy is the belief a teacher holds that he or she can make a difference in student achievement, even when the student is difficult or unmotivated (Guskey & Passaro, 1994). It has been linked to positive teacher practices and student outcomes. This mixed methods study of preservice elementary and early childhood math teachers…

Effects of Self-Monitoring on Math Competency of an Elementary Student with Cerebral Palsy in an Inclusive Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheehey, Patricia H.; Wells, Jenny C.; Rowe, Mary

2017-01-01

Students with cerebral palsy (CP) without severe intellectual impairments often experience difficulties in mathematics performance. Given the high prevalence of learning difficulties in students with CP, few studies have examined interventions to improve the math competency of these students (Jenks et al., 2009). A single-subject reversal design…

Elementary teachers past experiences: A narrative study of the past personal and professional experiences of elementary teachers who use science to teach math and reading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acre, Andrea M.

This qualitative study investigated the experiences of four elementary teachers who have elected to use science to teach math and reading/language arts in an attempt to identify what motivates them to do so. Identifying what experiences have motivated these teachers to go against the gain and teach elementary science in this current era of high-stakes tests is of the upmost importance given that science is being eliminated from the elementary curriculum and it is during the elementary years that students' nurture and develop their interest in science. Additionally, the United States is failing to produce enough college graduates in STEM areas to fill the thousands of STEM jobs each year. Through a review of the literature, the past trends and current trends of elementary science education were explored as well as teacher training. Furthermore, the literature reviewed inquiry teaching which is considered to be the most effective teaching method when teaching science at any level. Using John Dewey's Interest and Effort Relationship Theory and the Self-Determination Motivation Theory to guide this study, there were five prominent themes which emerged from the reconstructed stories of the four teachers: positive experiences with science, neutral/negative experiences with science, seeks meaningful professional development, influence and support from others, and regret/wants to do more.

Teachers and Counselors: Building Math Confidence in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furner, Joseph M.

2017-01-01

Mathematics teachers need to take on the role of counselors in addressing the math anxious in today's math classrooms. This paper looks at the impact math anxiety has on the future of young adults in our high-tech society. Teachers and professional school counselors are encouraged to work together to prevent and reduce math anxiety. It is…

Mathematics for the Eighties: A Study of Two Effective Math Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Patrick J.

1985-01-01

This bulletin describes two exemplary mathematics programs in Oregon: the Math Lab at Mountain View Junior High School in Beaverton and the Academy Math Program at Jefferson High School in northeastern Portland. The Math Lab at Mountain View is a weekly supplemental unit that is integrated into general math and pre-algebra courses for seventh and…

Grade-Aligned Math Instruction for Secondary Students with Moderate Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browder, Diane M.; Jimenez, Bree A.; Trela, Katherine

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of grade-aligned math instruction on math skill acquisition of four middle schools with moderate intellectual disability. Teachers were trained to follow a task analysis to teach grade-aligned math to middle school students using adapted math problem stories and graphic organizers. The teacher…

Let Me Count the Ways: Teaching Math in the Library May Seem Like a Stretch. But It's Easier Than You Think

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleming, Dan

2004-01-01

Based on his personal experience as vice principal of Fuller Middle School and a former school librarian, and participating in a school-wide initiative that focuses on strengthening students' math skills, the author of this article provides suggestions of various ways librarians can integrate math skills into their library lessons. Math is…

New Evidence on Causal Relationship between Approximate Number System (ANS) Acuity and Arithmetic Ability in Elementary-School Students: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis.

PubMed

He, Yunfeng; Zhou, Xinlin; Shi, Dexin; Song, Hairong; Zhang, Hui; Shi, Jiannong

2016-01-01

Approximate number system (ANS) acuity and mathematical ability have been found to be closely associated in recent studies. However, whether and how these two measures are causally related still remain less addressed. There are two hypotheses about the possible causal relationship: ANS acuity influences mathematical performances, or access to math education sharpens ANS acuity. Evidences in support of both hypotheses have been reported, but these two hypotheses have never been tested simultaneously. Therefore, questions still remain whether only one-direction or reciprocal causal relationships existed in the association. In this work, we provided a new evidence on the causal relationship between ANS acuity and arithmetic ability. ANS acuity and mathematical ability of elementary-school students were measured sequentially at three time points within one year, and all possible causal directions were evaluated simultaneously using cross-lagged regression analysis. The results show that ANS acuity influences later arithmetic ability while the reverse causal direction was not supported. Our finding adds a strong evidence to the causal association between ANS acuity and mathematical ability, and also has important implications for educational intervention designed to train ANS acuity and thereby promote mathematical ability.

New Evidence on Causal Relationship between Approximate Number System (ANS) Acuity and Arithmetic Ability in Elementary-School Students: A Longitudinal Cross-Lagged Analysis

PubMed Central

He, Yunfeng; Zhou, Xinlin; Shi, Dexin; Song, Hairong; Zhang, Hui; Shi, Jiannong

2016-01-01

Approximate number system (ANS) acuity and mathematical ability have been found to be closely associated in recent studies. However, whether and how these two measures are causally related still remain less addressed. There are two hypotheses about the possible causal relationship: ANS acuity influences mathematical performances, or access to math education sharpens ANS acuity. Evidences in support of both hypotheses have been reported, but these two hypotheses have never been tested simultaneously. Therefore, questions still remain whether only one-direction or reciprocal causal relationships existed in the association. In this work, we provided a new evidence on the causal relationship between ANS acuity and arithmetic ability. ANS acuity and mathematical ability of elementary-school students were measured sequentially at three time points within one year, and all possible causal directions were evaluated simultaneously using cross-lagged regression analysis. The results show that ANS acuity influences later arithmetic ability while the reverse causal direction was not supported. Our finding adds a strong evidence to the causal association between ANS acuity and mathematical ability, and also has important implications for educational intervention designed to train ANS acuity and thereby promote mathematical ability. PMID:27462291

Eratosthenes Made Easy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romani, P.; Hackett, K.; Kaplan, T.

1996-09-01

In May of this year 5th grade students at Glenarden Woods Elementary School in Glenarden, Maryland and 4th grade students at Wildwood Elementary School in Amherst, Massachusetts worked together to duplicate Eratosthenes's measurement of the circumference of the Earth. Eratosthenes was a Greek who lived and experimented in Egypt in the Ptolemaic era. His determination of the Earth's circumference was within 15% of the modern day value. The original purpose for the project was to add math and science into a thematic study of ancient Egypt that already involved language arts, social studies, and art. The experiment can also be used for discussions about what information was available to early explorers, e. g. Columbus's reasoning that it was feasible to sail from Europe to Japan was based upon a value of the Earth's circumference much smaller than what Eratosthenes had calculated. Besides these connections it was a great activity by itself for the students to learn and apply science process skills. The final error in the students' determination of the circumference of the Earth was on the order of Eratosthenes's error. We will present how we did the project, the worksheets the students used, and lessons learned.

Mathematics/Arithmetic Knowledge-Based Way of Thinking and Its Maintenance Needed for Engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harada, Shoji

Examining curriculum among universities revealed that no significant difference in math class or related subjects can be seen. However, amount and depth of those studies, in general, differed depending on content of curriculum and the level of achievement at entrance to individual university. Universalization of higher education shows that students have many problems in learning higher level of traditional math and that the memory of math they learned quickly fades away after passing in exam. It means that further development of higher math knowledgebased engineer after graduation from universities. Under these circumstances, the present author, as one of fun of math, propose how to maintain way of thinking generated by math knowledge. What necessary for engineer is to pay attention to common books, dealing with elementary mathematics or arithmetic- related matters. This surely leads engineer to nourish math/arithmetic knowledge-based way of thinking.

The Common Core Learning Standards and Elementary Teachers' Math Instructional Practices, Receptivity to Change, Instructional Leadership and Academic Optimism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Dennis D.

2016-01-01

This study sought to identify the relationships among elementary teachers instructional practices in mathematics pre- and post-CCLS implementation in relation to technological and pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), formative assessment, reflective practice, receptivity to change, academic optimism, and instructional leadership across age,…

Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2010

2010-01-01

"Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley Elementary Mathematics" is a core curriculum for students at all ability levels in prekindergarten through grade 6. The program supports students' understanding of key math concepts and skills and covers a range of mathematical content across grades. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) reviewed 12 studies on…

Asthma Education: An Integrated Approach. Ideas for Elementary Classrooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Dept. of Health, St. Paul.

This manual contains lesson plans for teaching all children how to monitor their own health and for teaching children with asthma how to play a role in the management of their condition. Each lesson plan is compatible with existing traditional elementary curricula for math, science, health, or language arts. After an introduction that discusses…

Mentoring Mathematical Minds: An Innovative Program to Develop Math Talent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gavin, M. Katherine; Casa, Tutita M.; Adelson, Jill L.

2006-01-01

Meeting the needs of mathematically talented elementary students has always been a real challenge due to the lack of appropriate curricular resources and training for teachers. Mathematics is not generally a strength area for elementary or gifted/talented teachers; rather, their talents and interests often lie in the language arts realm. This is…

Neuroanatomical correlates of performance in a state-wide test of math achievement.

PubMed

Wilkey, Eric D; Cutting, Laurie E; Price, Gavin R

2018-03-01

The development of math skills is a critical component of early education and a strong indicator of later school and economic success. Recent research utilizing population-normed, standardized measures of math achievement suggest that structural and functional integrity of parietal regions, especially the intraparietal sulcus, are closely related to the development of math skills. However, it is unknown how these findings relate to in-school math learning. The present study is the first to address this issue by investigating the relationship between regional differences in grey matter (GM) volume and performance in grade-level mathematics as measured by a state-wide, school-based test of math achievement (TCAP math) in children from 3rd to 8th grade. Results show that increased GM volume in the bilateral hippocampal formation and the right inferior frontal gyrus, regions associated with learning and memory, is associated with higher TCAP math scores. Secondary analyses revealed that GM volume in the left angular gyrus had a stronger relationship to TCAP math in grades 3-4 than in grades 5-8 while the relationship between GM volume in the left inferior frontal gyrus and TCAP math was stronger for grades 5-8. These results suggest that the neuroanatomical architecture related to in-school math achievement differs from that related to math achievement measured by standardized tests, and that the most related neural structures differ as a function of grade level. We suggest, therefore, that the use of school-relevant outcome measures is critical if neuroscience is to bridge the gap to education. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Football to Improve Math and Reading Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Klaveren, Chris; De Witte, Kristof

2015-01-01

Schools frequently increase the instructional time to improve primary school children's math and reading skills. There is, however, little evidence that math and reading skills are effectively improved by these instruction-time increases. This study evaluates "Playing for Success" (PfS), an extended school day program for underachieving…

The Effect of Stimulating Immigrant and National Pupils' Helping Behaviour during Cooperative Learning in Classrooms on Their Maths-Related Talk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oortwijn, Michiel Bastiaan; Boekaerts, Monique; Vedder, Paul

2008-01-01

This study examined whether stimulation of immigrant and national pupils' use of high-quality helping behaviour (experimental condition) during cooperative learning (CL) in classrooms boosts their maths-related talk more than in an educational situation in which such stimulation is largely absent (control condition). A total of 59 elementary-age…

The Uncomplicated Elementary Career Education System for the "Real" Classroom. Career Corners--Math for 7-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Office of Education, Springfield. Div. of Adult Vocational and Technical Education.

Prepared by classroom teachers for the infusion of career education into existing curriculum, this notebook contains career-related student worksheets in a number of math skills. The activities are suitable for use with a variety of ability levels and learning styles. These worksheets for grades 7 and 8 are divided into seven major mathematics…

Math Anxiety and Math Ability in Early Primary School Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krinzinger, Helga; Kaufmann, Liane; Willmes, Klaus

2009-01-01

Mathematical learning disabilities (MLDs) are often associated with math anxiety, yet until now, very little is known about the causal relations between calculation ability and math anxiety during early primary school years. The main aim of this study was to longitudinally investigate the relationship between calculation ability, self-reported…

Linking student performance in Massachusetts elementary schools with the "greenness" of school surroundings using remote sensing.

PubMed

Wu, Chih-Da; McNeely, Eileen; Cedeño-Laurent, J G; Pan, Wen-Chi; Adamkiewicz, Gary; Dominici, Francesca; Lung, Shih-Chun Candice; Su, Huey-Jen; Spengler, John D

2014-01-01

Various studies have reported the physical and mental health benefits from exposure to "green" neighborhoods, such as proximity to neighborhoods with trees and vegetation. However, no studies have explicitly assessed the association between exposure to "green" surroundings and cognitive function in terms of student academic performance. This study investigated the association between the "greenness" of the area surrounding a Massachusetts public elementary school and the academic achievement of the school's student body based on standardized tests with an ecological setting. Researchers used the composite school-based performance scores generated by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) to measure the percentage of 3rd-grade students (the first year of standardized testing for 8-9 years-old children in public school), who scored "Above Proficient" (AP) in English and Mathematics tests (Note: Individual student scores are not publically available). The MCAS results are comparable year to year thanks to an equating process. Researchers included test results from 2006 through 2012 in 905 public schools and adjusted for differences between schools in the final analysis according to race, gender, English as a second language (proxy for ethnicity and language facility), parent income, student-teacher ratio, and school attendance. Surrounding greenness of each school was measured using satellite images converted into the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in March, July and October of each year according to a 250-meter, 500-meter, 1,000-meter, and 2000-meter circular buffer around each school. Spatial Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) estimated the impacts of surrounding greenness on school-based performance. Overall the study results supported a relationship between the "greenness" of the school area and the school-wide academic performance. Interestingly, the results showed a consistently positive significant association between the greenness of the school in the Spring (when most Massachusetts students take the MCAS tests) and school-wide performance on both English and Math tests, even after adjustment for socio-economic factors and urban residency.

Maximizing Gender Equality by Minimizing Course Choice Options? Effects of Obligatory Coursework in Math on Gender Differences in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hübner, Nicolas; Wille, Eike; Cambria, Jenna; Oschatz, Kerstin; Nagengast, Benjamin; Trautwein, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Math achievement, math self-concept, and vocational interests are critical predictors of STEM careers and are closely linked to high school coursework. Young women are less likely to choose advanced math courses in high school, and encouraging young women to enroll in advanced math courses may therefore bring more women into STEM careers. We…

A quantitative analysis of whether elementary teachers' science kit usage and beliefs can predict state science assessment scores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rice, Tony E.

The purpose of this survey was to describe and analyze the perceptions of elementary school teachers' in a Midwestern state concerning their use of a science kit program, including to what extent a school's state science assessment scores can be predicated from the level of science kit usage. Prior research indicates that elementary school teachers lack the confidence in teaching science primarily because of their weak undergraduate training in inquiry-based instruction and the lack of a strong science background. Authors such as Dickerson et al. (2006) and Riggs and Enochs (2006) argued that science kits and the materials included in them are valuable in increasing teacher confidence. The teacher perceptions I collected matched the literature quite closely as far as what the teachers found to be of the most value and use. Teachers perceptions of the science kits were positive including: (a) student engagement in using the science kits, (b) use of most of the instructional items included in the kits, (c) the amount of teacher confidence in using them, (d) the support from the math and science center for using them, (e) and the professional development provided. Teachers liked using many components of the kits, especially the experiments. Their main complaint concerned time: time to teach science and time to complete the kit lessons. I used multiple regression to understand the components of the kit program that had a significant correlation to the state test scores. The following variables could explain a high proportion of the variance (.796): (a) teacher confidence, (b) student science learning success, (c) teacher beliefs about science education and (d) the percentage of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program. These findings might lead to school principals and teachers increasing their 5th grade state science exam scores by using the findings to identify which components of the kit program are most important in this endeavor.

Analysis of Math and Reading Achievement Scores of Students Attending Year-Round Calendar Schools and Traditional Calendar Schools in Tennessee

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abakwue, Chimaeze Ikechi

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were a significant difference in math and reading academic achievement scores between eighth-grade students attending year-round calendar schools and eighth-grade students attending traditional calendar schools based on the TCAP. In addition, this study investigated math and reading achievement…

Examining the association between implementation and outcomes : state-wide scale-up of school-wide positive behavior intervention and supports.

PubMed

Pas, Elise T; Bradshaw, Catherine P

2012-10-01

Although there is an established literature supporting the efficacy of a variety of prevention programs, there has been less empirical work on the translation of such research to everyday practice or when scaled-up state-wide. There is a considerable need for more research on factors that enhance implementation of programs and optimize outcomes, particularly in school settings. The current paper examines how the implementation fidelity of an increasingly popular and widely disseminated prevention model called, School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS), relates to student outcomes within the context of a state-wide scale-up effort. Data come from a scale-up effort of SW-PBIS in Maryland; the sample included 421 elementary and middle schools trained in SW-PBIS. SW-PBIS fidelity, as measured by one of three fidelity measures, was found to be associated with higher math achievement, higher reading achievement, and lower truancy. School contextual factors were related to implementation levels and outcomes. Implications for scale-up efforts of behavioral and mental health interventions and measurement considerations are discussed.

Saxon Middle School Math. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2007

2007-01-01

"Saxon Math" curricula and materials are available for grades K through 12, with the content and skills designed to meet National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards and various state standards. This WWC report focuses on middle school math curricula, defined as all Saxon Math curricula for grades 6 through 9. The…

After-School Math PLUS (ASM+) Final Evaluation Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academy for Educational Development, 2007

2007-01-01

This report summarizes findings from the Academy for Educational Development's (AED's) evaluation of After-School Math PLUS (ASM+). This program was designed to help students find the math in everyday experiences and create awareness about the importance of math skills for future career options. The evaluation was conducted by AED's Center for…

An Exploration of Teachers' Attitudes and Beliefs about the Reform of an Eighth Grade Math Curriculum from an Integrated Math Curriculum to a Core Math Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marion, Carol

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to obtain the attitudes and beliefs of mathematics teachers in the School District of Philadelphia regarding an eighth grade middle school mathematics core curriculum. This study explored the attitudes and beliefs of teachers in the reform of an eighth grade math "Core Curriculum, Math In Context" (School…