2007 Program

2006 Abstracts

2007 Sharing Sessions

2006 Schedule
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2007 Registration Form

Salama Ahmed – PANTHER Academy , Paterson
salamamath@yahoo.com
Applying Trig to Measure Real-Life Depths and Heights

Apply trigonometric ratios (sine, cosine, tangent) to real-life situations by allowing students to measure depth and determine height of various objects, using a type of hypsometer (an instrument used to measure land elevation). Students will understand problems that are relevant to geometry and other HSPA problems.

Siham Alfred – Raritan Valley Community College
salfred@raritanval.edu
Calculus Problems that Provide Teachable Moments

There are some problems that provide better teachable moments in Calculus than others.  A handful of these problems are selected and discussed.  These problems open students' eyes and provide a better grasp of important topics in calculus such as instantaneous and average rates of change, The Mean Value Theorem applied in the real world, understanding graphs, and much more. 

Siham Alfred – Raritan Valley Community College
Joseph G. Rosenstein – Rutgers University
Jay Schiffman – Rowan University , Camden
salfred@raritanval.edu , joer@dimacs.rutgers.edu , schiffman@rowan.edu
Preparing High School Students for College Math (panel)

This panel discussion will present three perspectives on how high school teachers can better prepare students for success in college mathematics courses.

Mani Arguelles – Columbia High School , Maplewood
marguell@comcast.net
Non-AP Calculus: Teaching Kids Who Don't Think They're Smart in Math
(previously presented at 2005 conference)

This session looks at the challenges associated with teaching Calculus to students who, though bright and capable, aren't necessarily confident in math, let alone interested in pursuing math-related careers such as science or engineering. A variety of approaches aimed at making Calculus less intimidating, more engaging and more relevant to the non-AP Calculus student are presented and discussed.

Agnes Azzolino -- www.mathnstuff.com
rutgers06@mathnstuff.com
Games & Stuff in Precalculus, Calculus, and Basic Math

Come try some manipulatives and games for Precalc, Calc, and basic math, such as fraction strips, the signed numbers board, group bingo, WHO HAS, and a Game for Two, Three, or Four. Material will be linked in the high school area of – www.mathnstuff.com/cheat.htm . Come play and learn! (Note: This is NOT Exploring Functions with Manipulatives nor Term Tiles .)

Eric Berkowitz – Parsippany Hills High School
eberkowitz@pthsd.k12.nj.us
Teaching Difficult Topics from a Different Angle

Some topics are just difficult to teach, and some are difficult for students to learn. I have had some success teaching a variety of topics by taking a non-traditional approach. This presentation will explore some of those ideas. Topics covered range from algebra through calculus.

L. Charles (Chuck) Biehl – The Charter School of Wilmington (DE)
Patrick Carney – DePaul Catholic High School ( Wayne )
cbiehl@charterschool.org , pcarney@dimacs.rutgers.edu
NUMB3RS in Your Classroom

The presenters are authors for a project called "We All Use Math Every Day", a joint project with Texas Instruments, NCTM, and CBS television. They and other authors develop classroom materials to introduce high school students to the mathematics used on the highly successful CBS crime drama NUMB3RS.  Topics cover a wide range, especially discrete mathematics and mathematical modeling. The session will include samples of these activities, along with connections that show how mathematics is used in the REAL real world. A wide variety of materials and resources will be distributed.

Ihor Charischak – Stevens Institute of Technology
icharisc@stevens.edu
The Dynamic Classroom: Teaching & Learning Math with Technology

Come and experience a series of unique & compelling activities that incorporate significant software environments (Spreadsheets, Microworlds, Sketchpad and Web Applets) that will help a teacher to engage students in gaining a deeper understanding of powerful mathematical ideas. See http://www.stevens.org/ciese/conference/precalc06

Neil Cooperman – Millburn High School
cooperman@millburn.org
What's the Big Idea with Transformations?

This presentation will show how geometric transformations lead to algebraic transformations, and how analyzing functions through a transformational approach improves understanding and connects the many varied topics of precalculus through a unified theme.

Neil Cooperman – Millburn High School
Bill Crombie – Relearning by Design (The College of New Jersey )
Angelo DeMattia – Consultant ( Columbia High School , retired)
cooperman@millburn.org , bcrombie@aol.com , adema@comcast.net
What's the Big Idea, Anyway? (panel)

This session is a panel discussion focusing on the role of Big Ideas in organizing the mathematics curriculum and a follow-up to the earlier individual Big Ideas presentations of the three presenters. Why Big Ideas? Big Ideas help students make sense of the mathematics they learn. Big Ideas organize the skills and competencies required for mathematical proficiency around a core set of essential mathematical concepts. A national discussion is now underway around this notion of Big Ideas in mathematics instruction. Come join a small part of that discussion.

Suzanne Cranwell and Matt Hanas – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
scranwell@rfhrhs.org , mhanas@rfhrhs.org
There is More to Sketchpad than Geometry

(Abstract Available Soon)

Bill Crombie – Relearning by Design (The College of New Jersey )
bcrombie@aol.com
Making Sense of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

Theorems separate what is true in mathematics from what is false. Theorems can also provide deep insights into relationships that are not at all obvious. This is clearly the case with the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus. In this session we will prove the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus, an advanced topic in secondary mathematics, from an elementary standpoint using only the Big Ideas of area and slope as developed in a beginning Algebra course.

Fred Decovsky – T3 National Instructor
fdecovsky@aol.com
There Really is a Use for Why We Do That!

Square root functions, reciprocal functions, trig functions and rational functions – “Why do we need to know this?” In this workshop we will explore a variety of problems that connect the mathematics that is taught to the real world. There really is a use for why we do that! The examples will span Algebra I to Precalculus. Be prepared to use your graphing calculator to help make the connections.

Stacy Del Vecchio – Chatham High School
sdelvecchio@chatham-nj.org
Project Ideas for Algebra and Geometry
(previously presented at 2005 conference)

Come hear about creative ideas for alternative assessments for students in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Examples and sample rubrics will be provided. These projects include daily, multiple day, and marking period projects. These ideas can be adapted to specific levels and some are appropriate for Precalculus.

Angelo DeMattia – Consultant ( Columbia High School , retired)
adema@comcast.net
Big Ideas in Probability and Statistics

Do you need a bank of fun activities that get at the Big Ideas of Probability and Data Analysis as well as create unforgettable connections within and outside the traditional math content? This session will help you to build that bank. Since Standard 4 has increased in worldwide relevance [It now represents 30% of the score value on the HSPA], more connections to all math topics have become "standardized" in curricula materials. In addition to the use of hands-on materials, participants will also experience graphing calculators to help solidify that understanding of the Big Ideas and the related connections.

Kelly Gaffney and Carrie Baker – Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
kgaffney@rfhrhs.org , cbaker@rfhrhs.org
How Geometer's Sketchpad Has Changed Our Classrooms

Revolutionize and energize your geometry classroom with the integration of this dynamic and exciting teaching tool. From the simple (one teacher work station) to the more adventurous (a work station for each student), see how the Geometer's Sketchpad can enliven the way you teach geometry. A variety of demonstrations and projects will be presented to heighten your appreciation of this software's potential.

LeeAnn Gennett – West Milford High School
gennettl@yahoo.com
Using Geometer's Sketchpad to Teach about Fractal Geometry

An instructional block about fractal geometry can be introduced during or after a “Similarity” chapter or during HSPA preparation. The lessons are intended for middle and high school students and are fully independent of each other. Depending on your class the students can work independently or as a lesson with the teacher. Possible fractals that will be discussed: Dragon Fractal, Koch Curve on a triangle and a square, and the Sierpinski Triangle and Carpet.

Debra Gulick – East Brunswick Public Schools
dgulick@ebnet.org
Assessment Activities that Promote Learning
(previously presented at 2005 conference)

Alternative assessments can be valuable tools in any precalculus or calculus course. Activities that can be used to reform instruction will be discussed. Examples of activities that require student reflection will be shared. Grading techniques which minimize the time required to grade will be explored. Discussion will also focus on how, why and when they should be implemented.

Linda Heath, Jeff Killion, and William Semus – Cherry Hill High School East
lheath@chclc.org , jkillion@chclc.org , wsemus@chclc.org
Fluids, Force, and Pressure: A CBL Lab

We present a CBL lab that can be used anywhere from an Algebra II curriculum through Calculus. From a precalculus perspective, the “Fluids, Force, and Pressure” lab will give students the opportunity to reinforce the mechanics of modeling data with an exponential function and to connect the coefficients of the model to the quantities of the experiment. From a calculus perspective, the same lab was modified to allow the students to discover the relationship between an accumulation function with an initial condition and the function of which it was the derivative.

Iftikhar Husain – University High School , Newark
husains4ever@aol.com
Explore Algebra with WinPlot (Free Software) and Create Colorful Designs

Do you know that colorful designs like Mickey Mouse, 3D Stars, Polyhedrons and much more can be created using WinPlot, a free computer software? This presentation provides educators with techniques for making Algebra, Precalculus, and Calculus concepts interesting and visual. You will see how the shape of a graph changes with changing parameters, like a secant line becoming a tangent line. Most importantly the program is free .

David Hyman – Livingston High School
dhyman@livingston.org
A Personal Finance Project: A Journey through the High Finances of Life

A project-based journey through the world of high finance.  Where to live, what kind of job to take, income tax, what kind of house to buy, property tax, what type of car to buy, how much to save for retirement. Does this sound familiar?  Students are guided through all of these topics via Internet research, exponential growth/decay models, and their imaginations.

Robert Kiessling – Haddonfield High School
kiess.run@erols.com
Using PowerPoint to Teach Precalculus (Part I)
(previously presented at 2005 conference)

Putting lessons on PowerPoint will save you time in presentations and help keep your students focused. Think of the “down” time just spent erasing the board. That is also the time when student lose focus. Once set-up, the lessons are good forever.

 

Using PowerPoint to Teach Precalculus (Part II) 

Bring your laptop and follow along, creating a sample lesson in PowerPoint.

Lynne Kowski – Raritan Valley Community College
lkowski@raritanval.edu
Developing and Teaching Cyberspace Precalculus
(Computer Lab Session – Space limited to first 20 participants)

This session covers the necessary and optional components to develop an effective and motivating cyberspace Precalculus course. I will also discuss comparisons between the terrestrial and cyberspace versions of the same course and what type of student is most effective in the cyberspace course and why; along with methods for motivating cyberspace students in order to increase their probability of success in the course. Lastly, I will end with a brief discussion on what a “hybrid” version of Precalculus might entail and its pros and cons.

James Landwehr – Avaya, Inc.
jml@avaya.com
A Preview of the 2006 NCTM Yearbook on Statistics

It's been 25 years since the NCTM Yearbook has focused on statistics and probability, but the 2006 Yearbook, titled "Thinking and Reasoning with Data and Chance”, will be released in April and provides useful new materials for teachers and the opportunity to reflect on how these topics are treated in the schools today. The speaker is a member of the Yearbook Editorial Panel and will highlight a few of the articles related to high school topics. These include: Statistics and mathematics – on making a happy marriage; Using data to motivate functions – data analysis in the precalculus curriculum; and Why variances add – and why it matters.

Kevin Merges – Rutgers Preparatory School
merges@rutgersprep.org
Chaos in the Classroom

We will use the Sequence function of the TI-83 or TI-84 to explore iterated systems. A general introduction to the calculator will be followed by discussion of chaos. The basic function will be used to show population growth. Derivatives will be used to find attracting and repelling points. The Web plot (in calculator) will be used to graphically display the points. Other functions will be used to show similar examples and bifurcation. The calculator skills can be used in any class that studies sequences and series. The more advanced skills can supplement upper level courses.

Robin O'Callaghan and Mary Morley – The College Board
rocallaghan@collegeboard.org , mmorley@collegeboard.org
The SAT Mathematics Tests

How are students responding to the expanded content of the SAT one year after the changes have been introduced? What is the future direction of this important national assessment? How does the SAT reasoning test compare with the SAT Mathematics Subject Tests? Come hear answers to these questions and more.

Mark Richman – Columbia High School , Maplewood
srich39661@aol.com
Managing and Motivating Students with Brain-Based Study Strategies

Included are charismatic brain-based study strategies featuring an “index card study method”, the famous math dance manual, “shtick”, and a unique and varied combination of games, puzzles, and incentives. You will learn how to motivate your students so that they will look forward to coming to your class.

Robert Riehs – New Jersey Department of Education
robert.riehs@doe.state.nj.us
Common Student Misconceptions in Mathematics and How to Prevent Them

What we have learned about common student misconceptions in mathematics from their performance on New Jersey Statewide Assessments. The session will include opportunities to discuss possible causes for these misconceptions and instructional strategies or curricular decisions that could have prevented them.

Joseph G. Rosenstein – Rutgers University
joer@dimacs.rutgers.edu
The Rush to Calculus and the Rush to Algebra

We have speeded up the math curriculum so that an increasing number of students are taking calculus in high school.  Some states are considering proposals that all students take algebra 1 in the 8th grade; an important implication and rationale for such proposals is that this would make it possible for all students to take calculus in high school. Is there indeed evidence that more students taking calculus is a desirable goal?  The presenter will report on the patterns of course-taking that emerge from his recent study of high school and college transcripts of Rutgers University students, and will reveal the percentage of students who continue their high school math acceleration in their first year at Rutgers.

Jay Schiffman – Rowan University , Camden
schiffman@rowan.edu
Nifty Applications of Pascal's Triangle

Pascal's triangle generates the binomial coefficients in the expansion of (x+y) n where n is a positive integer. In this presentation, these binomial coefficients will serve to furnish nifty applications including the number of subsets of a set with a prescribed number of elements, the number of elements in the union of a finite number of sets, figurative and other special numbers as well as partitions. Please join us to view a configuration (Pascal's Triangle) that has fascinated mathematicians for nearly one millennium and serves as an indispensable tool in discrete mathematics.

Peter Schuenzel – Morris Hills High School
pschuenzel@mhrd.k12.nj.us
The Smarts on the SMART Board
(Computer Lab Session – Space limited to first 20 participants)

Learn how to get the most out of using a SMART Board (an interactive whiteboard connected to a computer). Come and discover some of the possibilities of how this technology can enhance students' interest and understanding. Basic set-up, presenting a lesson, using a variety of programs and the Internet in a mathematics class will be covered. Some of the programs utilized will be Fathom, the Geometer Sketchpad, Graphmatica, Word and PowerPoint.

Charles Schwartz – Rider University
schwartz@rider.edu
Building Conway's Pencil Models

John H. Conway invented a class of models built of hexagonal prisms. Participants will learn to build these models out of pencils and rubber bands, and will explore the symmetries of these models and the relationship between this model and models made of cubes. (Pencils will be ordered to accommodate first 30 participants.)

Kathleen Shay – Middlesex County College
kathleen_shay@middlesexcc.edu
Exploring Data with Fathom
(Computer Lab Session – Space limited to first 20 participants)
(previously presented at 2005 conference)

This hands-on session will provide an introduction to Fathom, the dynamic software that helps students use data to gain a better understanding of mathematics, statistics, and science. We will focus on applications in statistics: graphical displays of data, descriptive statistics, and data analysis.

Doug Smith – Arthur P. Schalick High School , Pittsgrove
smithd@pittsgrove.k12.nj.us
Creating a Top Ten List for Calculus and Precalculus Teachers

A stream of consciousness lecture leading you to making a top ten list of what should be required to enter precalculus or calculus.
Rambling from my college days of yesteryear to an old curmudgeonly teacher of today, we will create the top ten list for calculus and precalculus teachers while listening to the rantings from me of what we do wrong as teachers!! Come vent with me for a while . . .

Keith Weber – Rutgers University
khweber@rci.rutgers.edu
Teaching and Understanding Trigonometric Functions
(previously presented at 2005 conference)

This presentation will consist of three parts. First, I will discuss what it means to conceptually understand trigonometric functions and why it is so difficult for students to do so. Second, I will describe a method for teaching trigonometry that can develop students' understanding of trigonometric functions. Third, I will present the results of a study that show how students in a traditional class had little conceptual understanding of the sine and cosine functions, while students who received the novel instruction described in this presentation achieved a sophisticated understanding of these functions.

Andrew Zweig – Texas Instruments
azweig@ti.com
Introduction to the T.I.-Navigator Collaborative Learning System

Use real-time feedback to instantly assess student understanding with the TI-Navigator System. Designed to work with TI graphing calculators already in widespread use, the TI-Navigator System provides wireless communication between students' TI graphing calculators and the teacher's PC. This hands-on workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to explore the use of this very exciting technology across all curriculum areas. Sample activities will focus on the use of this tool to prepare students for the New Jersey GEPA and HSPA Exams. Demonstration software will be provided for every attendee.