Ignite Student Intellect and Imagination in Mathematics
Publication Type:
Web ArticleYear of Publication:
2006Abstract:
Francine
Plotycia, an NBCT in Maryland, describes how this book begins with activity
sheets aligned to Bloom’s taxonomy, shares ways to use real-life applications
for math lessons, and ends with a third section of more tools and techniques.
Plotycia calls the book “user friendly.”
Citation:
Lamorte, K.L. & Schurr, S.L. (2006). Ignite
student intellect and imagination in mathematics. Westerville, OH: National
Middle School Association.
Full Text:
By Sandra L. Schurr and Kathy L. LaMorte
2006 (122 pp., paperback)
National Middle School Association
ISBN: 978-1-56090-198-3
$18 ($14.40 for members)
Reviewed
by Francine Plotycia, NBCT
Mathematics Teacher
Abingdon Elementary School
Harford County, MD
This user-friendly resource book intended for middle school mathematics
teachers is divided into three sections. The first section,
titled "Discover Bloom's Taxonomy," consists of
over 70 activity sheets on a variety of topics that are aligned
with Bloom's Taxonomy. Each activity sheet relates to a specific
topic and includes a student task within each of Bloom's levels:
Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis,
and Evaluation.
To those who use the newly revised version of Bloom's Taxonomy,
simply adjust as follows:
Remembering equates with Knowledge
Understanding equates with Comprehension
Applying equates with Application
Analyzing equates with Analysis
Evaluating equates with Synthesis
Creating equates with Evaluation
Each activity is also aligned with the National Council of Teachers
of Mathematics (NCTM) standards.
The next section," Imaginative Assessment Options and Real
-Life Applications," is also tied to the NCTM standards
and includes a listing of authentic assessment characteristics
and implementation ideas for assessing student learning. The
authors' purpose for including real-life applications is to
ensure that students understand the relevance of the key mathematical
concepts under study.
The final section, "More Instructional Tools and Techniques,"
will assist teachers in engaging students through the use
of different modalities. Some of the topics included are:
general ways to use Bloom's in the classroom, ways to research
and write reports, ways to measure what students know and
can do, questioning tips, and creative questioning prompts.
Since the publication of this book, NCTM has expanded the NCTM standards
with its development of Curriculum Focal Points (PK-8). Although the Focal Points include less breadth and more depth than the NCTM's Principles
and Standards, to which this book is referenced, middle
school mathematics teachers will still find Ignite Student
Intellect and Imagination in Mathematics a useful source
for instruction and assessment.
