Webinars

Past Webinars:

MAKING CONNECTIONS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL USING BIG IDEAS

At the Center for Mathematics and Teaching, we know that connecting Big Ideas makes instruction more efficient for teachers, and the content more meaningful for students.

Join us as and experience an example from a lesson that brings some middle school Big Ideas alive. You’ll see what we mean by making connections and doing it efficiently, leaving more time for enrichment, intervention, practice, projects, and assessments.

Recording of MAKING CONNECTIONS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL USING BIG IDEAS (Click here)

 

MATH INTERVENTION IN THE MIDDLE GRADES

The team at the Center for Mathematics and Teaching has worked with districts for 15 years to address the needs of struggling learners. Now, more than ever, it seems that students are challenged to learn grade level content without the necessary prerequisite skills and support.

Join us as we discuss some of the basics about catching students up, what research and experiences have driven our work, and then some specific ideas of how you might do that, especially in intervention courses or summer programs.

Then learn about our MathLinks Essentials modules that have helped hundreds of teachers and thousands of students in addressing these issues.

Recording of MATH INTERVENTION IN THE MIDDLE GRADES (Click here)

 

GETTING TO KNOW MATHLINKS: CORE (2^nd Ed.)

MathLinks: Core (2^nd ed) is ready for piloting and purchase for Grades 6, 7, and 8. In these courses, students explore and practice ALL the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in about 100 class hours, leaving plenty of time for review, enrichment, tasks, projects, and assessments (all included with the program). Take a short tour of MathLinks: Core (2^nd ed), learn about some of the strategies that are built into it, and discover some of the ways we aim to bring joy and engagement into your mathematics classroom. A free puzzle book will be provided to everyone who attends.

Recording of GETTING TO KNOW MATHLINKS: CORE (2^nd Ed.) (Click here)

 

ENGAGE STUDENTS WITH ACTIVITY ROUTINES

In MathLinks: Core (2^nd ed), we include about ten activity routines per course that engage students in problem-solving or practice on a recurring basis. Learn about a few of our favorite routines that can be adapted to most curricula and grade levels. Poster Problems add variety to classwork as students get out of their seats for group review and problem-solving practice. Four in a Row provides skills practice with a game similar to Connect 4^®.  Match and Compare Sorts challenge students to make vocabulary connections through partner work and discussion. Big Square Puzzles provide engaging practice that can be done individually or collaboratively. Why Doesn’t It Belong offers entry-point opportunities for students to contribute ideas to meaningful mathematics discussions. After this session, participants may choose to create similar topic-appropriate activities for their students. Free examples will be provided to everyone who attends.

Recording of ENGAGE STUDENTS WITH ACTIVITY ROUTINES (Click here)

 

GEOMETRY IN GRADES 6-8

We share excerpts from our 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade geometry “units” guaranteed to engage students in several of the important grade level standards for these topics.

For all three grade level units, students are posed with an interesting and challenging geometry problem that they can attempt, but likely not finish without more knowledge and skills. After students are led to discover the relevant formulas, they practice using the formulas on a variety of problems, and then apply this new knowledge to solving the opening problem.

6^th grade students investigate areas of common polygons.

7^th grade students investigate area of a circle.

8^th grade students investigate volume of a cylinder.

Each grade level unit, in its entirety, is designed to take about 13 class hours.

Recording of GEOMETRY Webinar. (Click Here)

 

PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS IN GRADES 6-8

We share excerpts from our 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grade probability and statistics “units” guaranteed to engage students in several of the important grade level standards for these topics.

6^th grade students collect data and learn about measures of center and variability by creating a human number line and bar graph.

7^th grade students collect data from a dice experiment and make predictions based on their intuition. More experiments and practice lead to learning probability vocabulary, techniques for organizing data, and then going back to analyze and draw conclusions from the original experiment.

8^th grade students examine real data comparing years of education to income and unemployment rates as a vehicle to learn about creating scatter plots, investigating patterns of association, and estimating equations of lines of best fit.

Each grade level unit, in its entirety, is designed to take about 13 class hours.

Recording of PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS Webinar. (Click Here)

 

GRADE 6: INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

Connecting beginning algebra and proportional reasoning topics with multiple representations

We will use unit rates, tables, double number lines, graphs, and algebraic input-output rules (equations) to describe visual patterns, compare prices, and solve rate problems. In this set of lessons, which takes about 14 class hours to complete, students will dive into 6.EE.9 and make connections to 6.RP.3, 6.NS.3, 6.EE.2, 6.EE.6.

Recording of INPUTS AND OUTPUTS Webinar. (Click Here)

 

GRADE 7: MAKING PROPORTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS MEANINGFUL

Furthering algebra and proportional reasoning connections with multiple representations

We will use unit rates and unit prices, tables, double number lines, graphs, and equations to explore what it means for a relationship between quantities to be proportional, identify the constant of proportionality, and solve problems.  In this set of lessons, which takes about 13 class hours to complete, students will dive into all the 7^th grade Ratio and Proportional Relationship standards (7.RP.1, 2, 3) and make connections to 7.NS.3, 7.EE.3, and 7.G.1.

Recording of MAKING PROPORTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS MEANINGFUL Webinar. (Click Here)

 

GRADE 8: AN INTRODUCTION TO FUNCTIONS

Leveraging multiple representations to transition from proportional reasoning and beginning algebra to a more formal function concept

We will use words, pictures, tables of numbers, and graphs to represent, describe, and analyze situations involving area, money, and rates. We will explore the concept of a function, compare representations of functions, and look at examples of functions and non-functions. We will define function and graph of a function, and identify examples and non-examples of functions. In this set of lessons, which takes about 15 class periods to complete, students will tackle all the 8^th grade Functions standards (8.F.1, 2, 3,4, 5) and make connections to 8.EE.5.

Recording of AN INTRODUCTION TO FUNCTIONS Webinar. (Click Here)

 

MATHEMATICS INTERVENTION:

STRATEGIES TO CATCH STUDENTS UP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Catch-up Strategies: Whole Numbers Multiplication (recorded video)
By middle school, students should be computationally fluent in multiplication of whole numbers, but many are not. This session will focus on strategies to improve computational fluency involving multiplication in base 10. The session will be about 30 minutes, plus Q & A time.

 

 

Catching Up With MathLinks

Are you looking for ways to catch students up in grades 6-9 beginning in Summer or Fall? At the Center for Mathematics and Teaching, we’ve devised a sensible strategy and targeted resources that focus on the major work of middle school. The team at the Center for Mathematics and Teaching invites to view this recorded webinar that will focus on strategies and resources to help students catch up in math in middle school. This webinar is appropriate for you if you are anticipating students with knowledge gaps, or have already met them and know for sure.