Teaching Middle School Math

Welcome! This site has been designed to "assist you in your pursuit of increased mathematical understanding," or whatever sounds good to you. The subjects covered range from Pre-Algebra to Calculus. First, a little background. As we worked our way through various math classes throughout the years, we often became confused or lost. Instead of deciding that it might have something to do with all the sleeping and talking we did during class, the teaching style, the pace of the class, or something like that, we figured that it was probably because we were just morons. So for those of you who are "morons like us," here's a site that will try to help you understand math concepts better. This site will hopefully clarify some of those confusing math concepts. You know - the ones that have been waking you up in the middle of the night for so long!

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Although middle school students may have learned to identify basic place value in earlier grades, most are developmentally ready to delve into the deeper concepts of counting in other bases and the exponential growth of groupings within each increasing place. Just as students can more clearly understand the English language by studying a foreign language, math students can better understand our number system by studying other number systems and/or by creating a new one. Students who construct depth of understanding of place value through exploration will be more fully equipped to expand their mathematical thinking into the realm of decimals and scientific notation. I have chosen to use the term "number system" for this WebQuest rather than "numeration system," because I think it will more successfully link new ideas to the prior knowledge of the middle school students.

Although middle school students may have learned to identify basic place value in earlier grades, most are developmentally ready to delve into the deeper concepts of counting in other bases and the exponential growth of groupings within each increasing place. Just as students can more clearly understand the English language by studying a foreign language, math students can better understand our number system by studying other number systems and/or by creating a new one. Students who construct depth of understanding of place value through exploration will be more fully equipped to expand their mathematical thinking into the realm of decimals and scientific notation. I have chosen to use the term "number system" for this WebQuest rather than "numeration system," because I think it will more successfully link new ideas to the prior knowledge of the middle school students.