Time Sessions
7:30 Check-in Tables Open
8:45 Keynote Address
10:00 50-minute session 100-minute session
11:00 50-minute session
12:00 Lunch
1:00 50-minute session 100-minute session
2:00 50-minute session
3:00 BCAMT Annual General Meeting @ Library
SSID: BCAMT
password: 20171016
𝑟 = 0.94𝜃 cos(cos(3.56𝜃)) + 0.15tan(5𝜃)
The years go by and our BCAMT conferences just keep getting better and better. Yes, I am biased but I have been lucky
enough to learn at many BCAMT conferences over the years. The program is exciting, diverse and full of promising new
directions in mathematics education.
My first thank you is to all of the presenters who have given up time and energy to share their wisdom and experiences.
What better way to develop professionally than to learn from colleagues teaching and living in our own province? At
present, these same people are working with curriculum change and shifting practices along with you, the attendees.
Equally important is to thank the organizers of this event. Without the volunteering of many hours, we would never be
able to group together the amazing experiences awaiting you. The Conference Committee begins planning years in
advance and it shows. Mike Pruner, Colin McLellan, Debbie Loo, Josh Giesbrecht, Darien Allen, and Deanna Lightbody
have outdone themselves! Feel free to stop and chat to any of us running around the conference’s hallways!
Special thanks to the administration at Burnaby Central Secondary School for ensuring this conference’s successful
location. In particular, thank you to Hans Bauck and Maria Nicolidakis for being our site coordinators! And lastly, thank
you to all the teachers who prepare their classrooms for our use!
Enjoy the conference, the networking with mathematics teachers and the feeling of being involved in a great professional
development experience! Take home new ideas, big or small, and make them realities in your classrooms!
Deanna Brajcich
Greetings,
On behalf of the conference committee and my co-chair, Colin McLellan, I would like to welcome all of you to BCAMT’s
Fall Conference 2017. I feel very fortunate to be able to work with such an excellent group of teachers in preparations for
this year’s conference. We have had the tireless support of no less than three site coordinators to help put this event
together. Maria Nicolidakis, Hans Bauck and Suzanne Wuolle are the three Burnaby Central teachers that have carried
the lion’s share of volunteer responsibilities. They have coordinated all the presenter rooms, student volunteers, lunches
and snacks and much more. Debbie Loo, Darien Allan, Deanna Brajcich, Jen Carter, Josh Giesbrecht and Deanna
Lightbody are the BCAMT Executive committee member who have also helped put this day together. Everything that goes
into putting this conference together is organized by these teacher volunteers, so I would like to extend my thanks and
gratitude for everything that they have done. I hope you enjoy this conference and learn something special and practical
for your mathematics classrooms.
Michael Pruner
Conference Co-Chair
BC Numeracy Network presents “A Framework for Balanced Numeracy”
Jess Willows K–3, 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room A206
Facing the challenges and opportunities of a new mathematics curriculum, this cooperative presentation by B.C. educators will share the journey and current outcomes of a collective professional inquiry question: How might a framework of balanced numeracy lead to increased capacity and confidence in mathematics teaching, ultimately resulting in deeper learning for our students? Members of the BCNN will share the site, structure, and opportunities for professional learning to increase confidence, understanding and joy in math education. Participants will engage with aspects of the resource, identify inquiry questions and supporting documentation that would support professional learning, and discuss what balanced numeracy looks like currently in their own context.
Transitioning from high school to Calculus I
Neena Bauck 11–12 10:00am Room B212
This presentation summarizes student and lecturer interview results from my master’s thesis. Skills and habits students brought with them from high school, and what they said the expectations were of them in their first-year calculus course will be presented, as well as lecturer responses about how they engage students in a large lecture format, problem solving expectations, and how they monitor homework. In many cases, the data is organized to compare and contrast student and lecturer responses to reveal the characteristics of university level problem solving, mindset, and the ways in which mathematics is approached by successful students.
Hexagonal Thinking for Mathematics - Zooming Out Into the Big Picture
Alexandra Bella 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room B213
Visualizing mathematical thinking is an essential skill in mathematics but can be a struggle for many students, especially those with weak algebraic skills. Hexagonal thinking is a tactile approach that uses hexagons (either student or teacher generated, paper or digital) in order to show non-linear thinking and relationships between concepts. They are a great study tool to start a unit or review concepts, and their use is adaptable for various subject areas and age groups.
Math 10 - A woven/spiralled approach to teaching the content
Carley Brockway 8–10 10:00am Room B216
There are many connections within the content of Ma10 Precalculus and Foundations. I have been developing a systemic approach that spirals around the 4 main areas: Measurement, Algebra and Numbers, Relations, and Systems. Through planned problem solving and pairing of big ideas, the students begin with abstract concepts and add depth as we weave our way through the curriculum.
EXHIBITOR: PBL Approach to Financial Literacy 9
Jason Elder, Amanda Trenholm 8–10 10:00am Room B218
This all-inclusive Project-Based Learning unit will expose students to some of the basic financial concepts and obligations that they will be facing in the near and distant future. The individualized portion of this unit is as real life as possible in order to allow the students to relate the curriculum directly back to their daily lives and see the relevance of learning about personal financing. Teachers can tailor the topics covered to their individual classroom needs, and the depth to which the material is covered. This session highlights the PBL approach and customizable nature of this unit, while demonstrating the alignment with the Core and Curricular Competencies.
Intermediate Enrichment Math Clubs Fred Harwood 4–7 10:00am Room B219
This will be a presentation and exploration of ideas for using with students interested in being stretched in mathematics, problem solving and math reasoning.
How Students Do Money Mary Connolly, Cynthia Nicol 4–7, 8–10 10:00am Room B308
What factors do students consider when making spending and saving decisions? What influence do their parents and peers have? Which money decisions are they happy about? Which do they regret? What kind of a budget would they create for a 25-year-old future self? What math challenges do they encounter when making decisions around money? This presentation will share preliminary findings and personal stories from 30 individual middle/high school student interviews during a UBC study that examined their perspectives on setting goals, making spending and saving decisions, and allocating finite resources.
Project Based Learning: Building an Architectural Masterpiece
Elysia Dubland 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room B309
Ever since reading Jo Boaler’s book, Experiencing School Mathematics, I have been intrigued by the idea of project-based learning. I have tried it with math 8, 9, and 10 and the results were fantastic. In addition to content, students developed MANY of the curricular competencies and were able to reflect on their progress at the end. In this presentation I will share how my students worked collaboratively to build a scale model of an original piece of architecture; calculated costs for paint and roofing; calculated total volume of their building; defended their project to senior mathematics students; self-assessed their understanding against content learning outcomes and curricular competencies; and participated in a one-on-one conferences with me.
Graduation Numeracy Assessment Allison Chapman, Val Edgell 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room B313
What is numeracy and how is it being assessed on the Graduation Numeracy Assessment? Come to this session to learn more about the design of this new assessment and instructional resources.
Computing Science as a Math Credit Cam Joyce 11–12 10:00am Room B314
Confused about the difference between Computer Programming and Computer Science? How is Computer Science
going to be taught as a math credit? This workshop aims to answer these questions with instructional activities and first
hand experience at problem solving with strategies from Computing Science. No experience is necessary and I
promise not to make you write any code. :)
Numeracy Tasks - Our Experience Richard DeMerchant, Julie Harris K–3, 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room B317
Over the past 5 years Middle School teachers at St Michaels have been using Numeracy Tasks from Dr Peter Lilijedahl’s website (http://www.peterliljedahl.com/teachers/numeracy-tasks) to help promote curricular competencies in mathematics. During the 2017-2018 school year educators from several schools will be working with Dr. Liljedahl to develop additional numeracy tasks and document their journey in this process. This session will provide an overview of the numeracy tasks, provide an update on our progress and give participants an opportunity to help develop and refine additional tasks.
Desmos In-Depth Josh Giesbrecht 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room B319
Heard of Desmos but haven't gone beyond doing some simple graphs? In this session we will be doing a hands-on tour, starting with the basics and working our way up to mathematical structures such as number lines, parametric and polar functions, and how to develop animations and mathematical art. BYOD!
A Framework for SBG Phil Stringer 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room C231
What is Standards-based grading? How can it be implemented? What are the benefits and challenges? A sharing (and working) session to explore how SBG might fit in your classroom.
Social Justice as Context for Learning Mathematics
Kathryne Wakeman, Tanya Noble, Sean Chorney, Emily Macalister
4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room C232
In this session we will share our approaches, experiences and resources in using social justice contexts in our teachings of mathematics. Aligning with the revised curriculum, we will suggest a social justice lens is essential in challenging the privileged position of mathematics in education and believe, instead, that the teaching of mathematics can illuminate issues of poverty, discrimination and other inequities. In this session, we will present examples of what we have done in our classrooms, share resources, and work to build a community of teachers who are interested in re-framing mathematics to be inclusive and accessible for all.
Visual Patterns in the Middle School Mathematics Classroom
Melissa Herman 4–7, 8–10 10:00am Room C233
Visual patterns offer students opportunities to generalize and communicate these generalizations using algebraic expressions. Participants will collaboratively explore a series of visual pattern tasks . They will take away a suggested progression of tasks ranging in level from "low floor" to "high ceiling." No doubt, they will also take away an infectious love of visual patterns to share with their students!
Building a Problem Solving Culture in Your school
Danny Young, Jerry Chien 8–10, 11–12
10:00am Room C328
We would like to share ideas and resources on how we encourage our students to be involved in various math competitions throughout the year. Our goal is to help you build a strong math culture in your school where students are engaged in their learning through problem solving activities
EXHIBITOR: Developing Probabilistic Mindsets
Richard Hoshino 8–10, 11–12
11:00am Room A206
In this interactive workshop, we will unpack several probability puzzles that are both engaging and accessible to Grade 8-12 students, where the seemingly-obvious answer is not the actual answer. In the process, we'll discover surprising connections between numerous mathematical topics that demonstrate the core goals in the new BC curriculum: developing mathematical understanding and fluency, logical reasoning, analytical thought, and creative thinking. We then explain how this idea of thinking "probabilistically" is the key to so many core 21st century technologies, including self-driving cars, poker-playing algorithms, and Google Translate.
Mathematics 10-12 Curriculum Feedback Roundtable
Nicole Arklie 8–10, 11–12
11:00am Room B212
Drafts of the Grades 10-12 redesigned curricula are available for optional use in classrooms. The curriculum is intended to support both disciplinary and interdisciplinary learning, encourage locally developed curriculum, and enable a variety of learning environments. Throughout the school year, the writing team will be revising and editing the curriculum and feedback from the field is a critical component of the process. Teachers and administrators are invited to attend this roundtable discussion to ask questions and provide constructive feedback. A set of guiding questions will be provided. The discussion will be moderated by the Mathematics Curriculum Coordinator and curriculum development team members.
Problem Solving for your Inner Mathematician
Peter Liljedahl 8–10, 11–12
11:00am Room B213
Many of us became mathematics teachers because we love mathematics. In this session we will explore several mathematics problems purely for our own amusement. Application to the classroom is secondary – but possible – and will be discussed.
How can we Indigenize mathematics?
Sean Chorney, Sandy Bakos K–12 11:00am Room B216
There is a call for teachers to incorporate Indigenous world views and perspectives while making connections to mathematical concepts throughout the revised curriculum. Suggestions in the curriculum include: connect to place; use story; use cultural practices. But what does this mean? With the non-indigenous student and teacher in mind, I will address challenges and things to avoid, while also suggesting concrete ways that teachers can use to respectfully address this curricular requirement in ways that strengthen student mathematical understanding. Approaches that educators have been using to successfully implement indigenous pedagogy will also be shared and specific activities will be discussed. Disclaimer: I have no indigenous heritage.
Skill-building through engaging activities
Hwie Lie Johns 4–7,8–10 11:00am Room B219
Come learn some new games and puzzles that will have your students practicing important basic math skills, while highly engaged. (Skills covered include multiplication tables, factors, multiples, divisibility rules, and more).
Blended Learnning Max Sterelyukhin 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
11:00am Room B307
How many weeks do we need to take in the summer to be able to teach Pre-Calculus 12? This was the question I was asked in the spring of 2016 as we have started to plan our Summer Session at my school. We have never run any classes in the summer, so this would have been a completely new experience for us within our walls. Two courses were chosen: Foundations and Pre-Calculus 10 and Pre-Calculus 12. These classes were selected for the Summer Session because of student interest, as we had more signed up for them. My colleague and I were faced with a challenge to structure and run these classes in the span of summer holidays. In this session I will present the approach of blended learning we created.
Flipped class = extra time in class to learn
Becca Flora 4–7 11:00am Room B308
What are the benefits of flipping your class? What can you do with the extra time in the classroom when you flip your instruction to be done at home? How do you interact differently with your students? How do you structure collaborative in-depth activities?
Desmos - Using In-Class Activities Josh Giesbrecht 8-10,11-12 11:00am Room B319
You've seen Desmos the graphing calculator, but did you know that Desmos has a whole range of classroom-centered activities? In this session we'll try out some examples of Desmos Activities from middle school to secondary, learn our way around the Activity Dashboard, and (time permitting) get a glimpse at how to even create our own. BYOD!
How is 0.999...=1? Exploring references to Infinity in Mathematics
Sandra Hughes, Alfred Ojelel 8–10, 11–12
11:00am Room C231
The concept of infinity is very central to the understanding of mathematics and yet not much space in the curriculum is devoted to its exploration. With the help of a questionnaire, participants in this session shall explore their own conceptions of infinity. And through various activities, illustrations of where infinity may be emphasized in the secondary school curriculums will be presented and discussed. Classroom ready worksheets and a list of resources will be shared after the session.
In Search for the Thinking Classroom: Essential Skills
Daniel Muller 8–10, 11–12
11:00am Room C232
In the search for the thinking classroom - and with a unique perspective teaching mathematics in both high school and The University of the Fraser Valley - I made a discovery involving assessment, essential skills, and curricular competencies that radically shaped my classroom.
Strategies for Teaching Math for Social Justice
Cynthia Nicol, Leicha Bragg, Vanessa Radzimski, Kwesi Yaro
4–7, 8–10, 11–12
11:00am Room C233
Complex global issues such as addressing climate change, providing education to displaced youth, accessing safe drinking water; and local issues such as implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) 94 Calls to Action and understanding debates on the Site-C Dam project require critical mathematical thinking and problem solving. In this session we explore problems, contexts, and strategies for teaching math for social justice – supporting students in understanding and transforming the world with mathematics.
Math Routines to Build Number Sense
Joshua Angiola K–3, 4–7 11:00am Room C328
Build number sense through quick 5-15 minute routines you can work into your existing math program. Looking to reduce your dependence on textbooks? This will help with that too! In this very practical session, you will engage in a variety of math routines through peer discussion, hands on materials, and technology. You will walk away with a bank of routines you can easily implement the next school day.
Read a Story: Explore the Math Sandra Ball K–3 10:00am-11:40am
Room B312
Everyone loves a good story. Teachers love reading them and students love listening and interacting with them. What better way to set the stage for a math lesson. The teaching of important math concepts through the exploration of picture books can be powerful for students. There are so many books that have the potential for students to engage in math and provide opportunities to explore in meaningful ways. This session will provide ideas for possibilities to pair stories with mathematical investigations that will inspire rich mathematical thinking in your students.
Multi sensory, historical, cultural mathematical tools Susan Gerofsky
4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am-11:40am
Room B318
This hands-on workshop will introduce you to some of the many tools that have been used to do mathematics from a range of historical eras and worldwide cultures. In our 100-minute session, we will consider how cultures interact with tools, then experiment with different multi-sensory, historical and cultural mathematical tools that you may incorporate in your middle school or secondary math class!
Solving Word Problems - Lessons from Singapore Kathleen Jalalpour
4–7 10:00am-11:40am
Room C234
Singapore math is about students solving problems by drawing, talking, thinking -- and then revising their thinking. One component of their math education illustrates these skills thoroughly: solving word problems. Come ready to use bar models to solve word problems the same way Singaporean children solve every math problem: with number sense, visualization and problem-solving skills.
The "MathTwitterBlogoSphere": Creating Your Professional Learning Community
Chris Hunter K–3, 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am-11:40am
Room C320
Come learn how to navigate the "MathTwitterBlogoSphere," a community of passionate, supportive Kindergarten to calculus math educators who connect through twitter and blogs. While the "MTBoS" is a space to find engaging problems and rich tasks, more importantly, it is a place to find thoughtful conversations about topics of importance to math teachers.
EXHIBITOR: Blending our Way to Mastery Richard Bitgood
4–7, 8–10, 11–12
10:00am-11:40am
Room C329
Traditionally, time has been constant, and student mastery has been variable, but what if we could flip that? What if we could make time the variable and student mastery the constant? What would it take? In this session I will be outlining different blended models where math teachers are using engaging digital curriculum to personalize students timelines and increase their mastery.
Guided Math - A Framework for Math Instruction Kim Cline K–3, 4–7 10:00am-11:40am
Room C331
We all know that differentiation and small group instruction can support students with different abilities in math. Yet planning for the different levels of understanding can be difficult or overwhelming. In this workshop, Kim will provide a practical instructional approach to help meet the needs of all students. Guided Math incorporates the same teaching philosophies used with guided reading. Participants will learn how to effectively utilize small group instruction, manipulatives, Math Workshop/Daily Math, and conferences while engaging their students in their own learning. This session will include discussion of practical and user-friendly strategies for implementing your own version of Guided Math in the classroom. Participants will receive handouts and a digital link to additional supportive materials.
STAT 12: A New Beginning for Statistical Education in BC
Bruce Dunham
11–12 10:00am-11:40am
Room C332
The revised curriculum for grades K-12 introduces a new STAT 12 elective course. While this development is welcome, there are perceived difficulties with the proposed curriculum and practical issues with the implementation of STAT 12. The demand for STAT 12 from both students and parents may be high, reflecting current trends in the USA and BC higher education. This workshop will highlight key aspects in statistical thinking that should be core to STAT 12 and proposes ways in which statistics educators in the province and the Statistical Society of Canada may help support teachers in British Columbia in their teaching of the new course.
Mathematics for All: Keys to Designing a Mathematics Fair
Vanessa Radzimski K–3, 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
1:00pm Room A206
Mathematics fairs serve as wonderful opportunities to bring parents, students, and teachers together to discuss and learn about mathematics in a recreational setting. This presentation focuses on my experience working at a mathematics fair. We will discuss what sorts of problems and games might be appropriate for such events. In particular, I will discuss my the problem of the hexaflexagon; a problem that is relevant for students in early elementary, all the way to students in upper-year, university mathematics!
Mindfulness in the Math Classroom Max Sterelyukhin K–3, 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
1:00pm Room B212
I have been looking at changing the environment in my classroom by introducing sounds of nature and smells of essential oils via a diffuser. I will share my findings from the research project of videotaping senior mathematics classes before and during treatment. Discussion to follow.
EXHIBITOR: 5 ways to allow devices and not lose your students engagement.
Richard Bitgood 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
1:00pm Room B213
Let's face it, 1:1 personal devices in the classroom are inevitable. Within the next 5 years 80% of students in the classroom will be expected to have their device with them at all times. How do we make those devices profitable in the classroom? In this session Richard will be highlighting 5 different models in which Math and Science teachers are leveraging StudyForge's digital curriculum to create opportunities for personalized learning, free up time for inquiry, and move to mastery-based assessment.
Applying math to global water issues: when will Bolivia's Chacaltaya Glacier Disappear?
Alice Tosic, Darryl Lee
4–7 1:00pm Room B216
We are grade six math teachers who have experimented with how math can be used to explore various water-related issues. We will share examples of student assignments, including our Chacaltaya Glacier Assignment wherein students used a variety of grade six math skills to make a prediction about when the glacier will be fully melted.
Mathematics Learning within a socio-cultural context: The case of Rural Parents and their Children in Ghana
Kwesi Yaro K-7, 8-10 1:00pm Room B218
This presentation is an excerpt from my MA thesis that explored how parents with no/low formal education support their children’s mathematics learning in a rural community in Ghana. Specifically, the presentation will provide data driven examples of mathematically embedded informal activities, conversations, and local games in which rural parents from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds, who are neither mathematics educators nor literates, engage their young children (8-9 years). The presentation will also engender attendees to reflect on and discuss informal activities parents engage or may engage their children at home in enhancing children’s mathematics learning, irrespective of parents’ formal education or mathematics competencies.
It's All About Flipped Classroom Nazam Kokhar 8–10, 11–12
1:00pm Room B219
Flipped classroom is an instructional strategy and a type of blended learning that reverses the traditional learning environment by delivering instructional content, often online, outside of the classroom. It moves activities, including those that may have traditionally been considered homework, into the classroom.
EXHIBITOR: Meeting Students’ where they are at on the Math Pathway, Grades 1-6
Christine Henzell K–3, 4–7 1:00pm Room B307
Research has shown that one of the greatest impacts teachers can have on students is to teach them starting with what they already know. This session will provide teachers the tools needed to understand where students are in their math journey and the impact of meeting and teaching them from where they are. Based on research on how students learn developmentally, teachers will be able to pinpoint where students are on the trajectory, identify gaps and “high fliers”, and explore strategies to meet and teach all students from where they are.
Financial Literacy: Beyond the Numbers Lisa Rogers 8-10, 11-12 1:00pm Room B308
Financial literacy is a life skill that everyone needs to have and is also an immensely broad topic. This session will focus on how to better prepare students by focusing on core skills that everyone needs to be financially fit and how it connects with the addition of financial literacy to the math curriculum.
Graduation Numeracy Assessment Allison Chapman, Val Edgell
8–10, 11–12
1:00pm Room B313
What is numeracy and how is it being assessed on the Graduation Numeracy Assessment? Come to this session to learn more about the design of this new assessment and instructional resources.
How is 0.999...=1? Exploring references to Infinity in Mathematics
Sandra Hughes, Alfred Ojelel
4–7 1:00pm Room C231
The concept of infinity is very central to the understanding of mathematics and yet not much space in the curriculum is devoted to its exploration. With the help of a questionnaire, participants in this session shall explore their own conceptions of infinity. And through various activities, illustrations of where infinity may be emphasized in the elementary school curriculums will be presented and discussed. Classroom ready worksheets and a list of resources will be shared after the session.
A Hike Through the History of Mathematics Wayne Loutet 8–10, 11–12
1:00pm Room C232
From the megalithic builders through the ancient Greek, Egyptian, Persian, Indian, and Chinese mathematicians into the western European and American mathematics from the last 1 000 years, we will hit all the highlights. With two of my favorite studies, history and mathematics, combined I will leave you with many questions for you to take with you. We'll go from megalithic yards, to computers and fractals, with many stops in between.
Exploring the dualism of the cube and octahedron through hands on activities
Petra Menz 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
1:00pm Room C233
By investigating the reflection and rotation symmetries of the cube through active, social, hands-on, engaging, and student-owned explorations, we will make conjectures about the reflection and rotation symmetries of the octahedron. This activity offers a deeper understanding how vertices, edges and faces relate to each other within one geometric object, and perhaps allows us to visualize the connection to the vertices, edges and faces of the dual geometric object.
EXHIBITOR: Teaching the “New” Mathematics 10 Curriculum
Bruce McAskill 8–10 2:00pm Room A206
Join Dr. Bruce McAskill to help you plan your implementation of the new grade 10 mathematics curriculum. We will look at how the new curriculum differs from the old and how different resources can be used to address changes in the course including assessing core and curricular competencies. We will also give a preview of some of the new resources developed specifically to address BC’s curriculum changes.
Assessment without grades? Yes, it's possible!
Susan Robinson 11–12 2:00pm Room B212
Would you like to move away from a dependence on number/letter grades in your classes? This session will share the story of one teacher’s journey to change the focus from marks to learning in her Calculus class, and provide the opportunity for a professional conversation about assessment without grades.
Problems for the Elementary Classroom Peter Liljedahl 4–7 2:00pm Room B213
In this session we will explore several mathematics problems purely for our own amusement. Application to the classroom is secondary – but possible – and will be discussed. Participants will leave with a set of problems that they can use in their elementary classroom.
EXHIBITOR: PBL Approach to Financial Literacy 9
Jason Elder, Amanda Trenholm
8–10 2:00pm Room B216
This all-inclusive Project-Based Learning unit will expose students to some of the basic financial concepts and obligations that they will be facing in the near and distant future. The individualized portion of this unit is as real life as possible in order to allow the students to relate the curriculum directly back to their daily lives and see the relevance of learning about personal financing. Teachers can tailor the topics covered to their individual classroom needs, and the depth to which the material is covered. This session highlights the PBL approach and customizable nature of this unit, while demonstrating the alignment with the Core and Curricular Competencies.
The World of Make Believe and Mathematics
Elysia Dubland 8–10, 11–12
2:00pm Room B218
The words "imagination" and "mathematics" are rarely used in the same sentence. Yet, why do we tend to stress that mathematics must ALWAYS be useful and applicable to real life? Much like creative writing requires imagination and is done for pleasure, I will present mathematics problems requiring much imagination, which students solve purely for enjoyment. While these problems could never actually occur in real life, they are simply fascinating to ponder. I have tried all of them with my students, with fabulous results. And, all of the problems cover PLO's. This hands-on workshop will consist of problem solving and discussion.
Calculus Readiness Test: design, analysis and results
Kseniya Garaschuk 11–12 2:00pm Room B219
The largest first-year university courses contain the most diverse audiences. Regardless of how universities filter incoming students into their respective calculus courses (based on their high school grades, their intended major, etc), each course still contains a wide variety of students in terms on their level of preparation. Yet, the students enrolled in the same calculus course will all be given the same materials and same resources, independently of what their precalculus knowledge might be. One thing we can do is provide students with an opportunity to self-assess their
precalculus skills and, if possible, address holes in their knowledge. In this session, I will describe the process of creation, implementation and analysis of a Calculus Readiness Test. We will focus on discussing the topics that this assessment covers as well as the resources that we can provide to students seeking additional help with precalculus review. I will share the results of running this assessment in two different post-secondary institutions. Finally, I will demonstrate how this tool can be used to identify groups of students at high risk of failing their respective calculus course.
Simulating the Economy Beth Warner, Erica Cameron
8–10 2:00pm Room B307
A look at some activities to use for the Finance topics in Math 8 and 9. The activities will include creating a virtual store using percentages to calculate discounts and taxes, a budget game and creating a classroom economy.
The Professional Learning of Non-Mathematics Specialists
Christine Younghusband 8–10, 11–12
2:00pm Room B308
This session will reveal the findings and recommendations from Christine Younghusband's dissertation on "The Professional Learning Experiences of Non-Mathematics Subject Specialist Teachers: A Descriptive Study."
Making Money Fun in the Classroom Lisa Rogers 4–7 2:00pm Room B309
Do you want to help your students learn about money but aren't sure what to do or what resources to use? Join us for a fun and interactive, rapid-fire idea session on how to teach students various concepts like saving, spending, and giving.
Grasping Order of Operations & Algebra into equations solving
Fred Harwood 4–7, 8–10
2:00pm Room C231
This session will lead you into how to have students 'see' arithmetic operations in a powerful, visual way that gives them a strong grasp of order of operations, algebraic thinking and equation solving. This is a mostly hands on, experience it session so you can see the power for yourself.
Solving Word Problems Using Singapore Bar Models
Kathleen Jalalpour 4–7 1:00pm-2:40pm
Room B318
Word problems are a traditionally difficult topic for math learners. Yet they are increasingly important as a component of critical thinking and problem solving. By learning to use bar models, students can more easily make sense of word problems, and solve them logically. Come learn how to solve problems you thought would need algebra, but are actually quite approachable for 4th- 7th graders!
EXHIBITOR: Not a Traditional Math Assignment Patty Low 4–7 1:00pm-2:40pm
Room B319
Combine technology tools to develop depth of knowledge focused on fractions, ratios, and percents. Discover ways to allow students to illustrate math concepts using technology productivity tools, flip books for student created notes, and the online simulations Gizmos for exploration.
Basic Math Fact Skills That Last a Lifetime Holger Rode K–3, 4–7
1:00pm-2:40pm
Room C320
It takes an entire school to develop fluency with the basic math facts. School Wide Shared Assessment + Shared Focus = Shared Success. In this workshop, you will be introduced to a teaching paradigm that helps students develop automaticity with the basic math facts. We will investigate efficient subtraction and multiplication strategies to master the basic facts and then develop flexible thinking by applying these strategies to very small and large numbers. Flexible
thinking highlights the consistencies in math and builds confidence. Finally, we will examine what it would take to get an entire school on board to help students master the basic math facts.
Math Investigations Joshua Angiola K–3, 4–7
1:00pm-2:40pm
Room C328
Come explore a variety of math investigations suitable at many grade levels. These will include problems, games, and puzzles which lend themselves to deeper exploration and generalizability. Connections to the curricular competencies and content areas will be emphasized, as well as how to assess math investigations. You will walk away with activities you can easily try out in your own classroom the next school day!
Making the Most out of ExamView Amory Wong 4–7, 8–10, 11–12
1:00pm-2:40pm
Room C330
Tired of using the same old test bank? Don't think the questions are good enough? Are students cheating? Don't want to have multiple choice questions? Do you need IB Tests? Most of us use ExamView, but are we getting the most out of it? Come to this session to learn about generating multiple versions of the test, converting multiple choice to short answers, creating dynamic questions (with numbers, variables, lists), creating graphs, and making IB tests. We can also generate an email list to share our new wonderful test banks. Think of some questions you want to put/change into your test bank; and bring your laptop and test bank.
C² - Celebrating Change in Mathematics Pamela Hagen K–3, 4–7
1:00pm-2:40pm
Room C331
Curriculum change can be celebrated, not feared! This session will highlight some of the changes in the elementary math curriculum and provide a lens to look at the learning and teaching of mathematics that can be enjoyed for both teachers and students. Resources will be provided to assist the teacher in planning lessons for core competency development and engagement.
Teaching Geometry 12 Nathalie Sinclair 11–12 1:00pm-2:40pm
Room C332
In this talk, I will provide examples of tasks and resources that have been developed for the new Geometry 12 course. I will use them to illustrate the big ideas associated with the course, which include diagramming, focusing on variance and invariance, working with definitions and the proving process. These big ideas can also be extended into other courses and grade levels where geometry is at play.
Making Mathematics Responsive for Diverse Students through Formative Assessment Strategies
Latika Raisinghani
K-12 1:00 -2:40pm
Room B312
Drawing on research in mathematics education and teaching for diversity, in this interactive collaborative session, I will share examples of formative assessment strategies that could help teachers in making mathematics responsive for diverse students. Participants will be invited to reflect on their experiences and teaching practices of mathematics, and engage in a dialogic conversation to tell their stories of integrating formative assessments in their mathematics classrooms.
