Cognitive Connections: Multiple Ways of Thinking about Math

"Cognitive Connections: Multiple Ways of Thinking About Math" by elementary school curriculum consultant Robert Myers is a compendium of 87 'teacher friendly' cross-curricular activities that will enhance a student's ability to do math problems through cross-curricular activities that go beyond a traditional math curriculum approach to demonstrate math is more than just numbers. Among these math skill enhancing activities are such projects as 'Kitchen Design' where students redesign their families' kitchens, employing geometry in real-world situations; 'Tom's Game' where students look for a mathematical solution to a play ground problem: how can every student be included in a game with a limited amount of equipment?; 'Sprouts', where students explore ratios of germinating seeds and use this information to advise a gardener on planting next year's crops for a maximum yield; 'It Figures' with children interviewing adult professionals about the math skills they use to perform their jobs; 'The Right Change' where students are asked to solve the mistake made by a store clerk, and suggest a solution that will keep the error from happening again. Fun, effective, and especially appropriate for students in grades 4 through 8, "Cognitive Connections" is a superbly organized and presented educational resource. It would also prove invaluable for a homeschooling parent's mathematics curriculum reference shelf as well!