Key Curriculum EMPower Mathematics Series
An Alternative Curriculum for Adults, Alternative Education and GED Preparation
This series is designed for adult and
alternative students who have struggled with traditional math texts and have not
done well. This curriculum will motivate these students with engaging activities
that relate to their lives, build their understanding of mathematical concepts,
and accommodate their varying skill levels. It can be used as a complete
curriculum or books can be mixed and matched according to meet current needs. I
am just starting to list these, since they are new. I will list the titles for
now and add the details as I have time. Student books are $10.76-D and teacher
books are $26.96.
More about the series as a whole:
Rather than focusing on memorization of formulas, students develop useful
mathematics skills through engaging exercises that relate to their lives.
Classrooms are learning communities where participants share strategies and
discover multiple ways to solve problems.
The authors of the series are Mary Jane
Schmitt, Myriam Steinback, Tricia Donovan, and Martha Merson. It was developed
and field tested by the Education Research Collaborative at TERC with support
from the National Science Foundation.
EMPower's eight non-sequential units emphasize whole
numbers, fractions, decimals, percents, proportions, geometry and measurement,
algebra, and data and graphs. The Teacher Book for each unit thoroughly guides
the instructor with detailed support, including detailed mathematical
background, facilitating guidelines, assessments, and more.
Titles:
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Many Points Make a Point: Data and Graphs
Students collect, organize, and
represent data using frequency, bar, and circle graphs. They use line graphs
to describe change over time. They use benchmark fractions and the three
measures of central tendency—mode, median, and mean— to describe sets of
data. |
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Seeking Patterns, Building Rules: Algebraic Thinking
Students use a variety of
representational tools— diagrams, words, tables, graphs, and equations— to
understand linear patterns and functions. They connect the rate of change
with the slope of a line and compare linear with non-linear relationships.
They gain facility with and comprehension of basic algebraic notations. |
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Over, Around, and Within: Geometry and Measurement
Students explore the features and
measures of basic shapes. Perimeter and area of two-dimensional shapes and
volume of rectangular solids provide the focus. |
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Using Benchmarks:
Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
Students use the fractions 1/10,
1/2, 1/4, and 3/4; the decimals 0.1, 0.5, 0.25, and 0.75; and the percents
50%, 25%, 75%, 100%, and the multiples of 10% as benchmarks with which to
describe and compare all part-whole relationships. |
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Split It Up: More Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
Building upon their command of common benchmark
fractions, students add 1/3's, 1/8's, and 1/100's, and their decimal and
percent equivalents, to their repertoire of part-whole relationships. |
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Everyday Number Sense: Mental Math and Visual Models
Students solve problems with
whole numbers using mental math strategies with benchmarks of 1, 10, 100,
and 1000 to compute. Number lines, arrays, and diagrams support their
conceptual understanding of number relationships and the four operations. |
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Keeping Things in Proportion: Reasoning with Ratios
Students use various tools—objects, diagrams, tables,
graphs, and equations—to understand proportional and non-proportional
relationships. |
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Operation Sense: Even More Fractions, Decimals, and
Percents
Students extend their understanding of the four
operations with whole numbers as they puzzle over such questions as, "How is
it possible that two fractions multiplied might yield a smaller amount?" and
"What does it mean to divide one-half by six?" |
Very soon I will have links up to buy these on line, but
for now you can call or email to get shipping prices or use the information for
making your purchase orders.
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