"For the first time, scientists have identified the brain pathway that links a positive attitude toward maths to achievement in the subject.
In a study of elementary school students, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine found that having a positive attitude about maths was connected to the better function of the hippocampus, an important memory centre in the brain, during the performance of arithmetic problems.
The findings will be published online Jan. 24 in Psychological Science."
Great set of lessons for modeling, recursive functions, real-life application from NCTM Illuminations. The lessons include not only context, but applets that help students visualize the situation and mathematical model.