Syllabus
Course Title: Mathematics for Teaching - Rational Numbers and Proportional Reasoning
Course Number: MTHE 6720
Course Credit Hours: 3 credit hours
Prerequisites: Elementary teaching experience
Catalog Description:
Provides practicing teachers a deeper understanding of rational numbers, operations with rational numbers, and proportionality, and instructional strategies to facilitate the instruction of this content for elementary students.
Objectives:
During this course teachers will:
· Develop and apply concepts of rational numbers using various models and representations including: area, linear, sets, numbers, and division.
· Analyze, compare, and order rational numbers using multiple representations.
· Understand, communicate, perform, and reflect on the basic operations with rational numbers.
· Use proportional reasoning and strategies to solve a variety of real world problems using multiple representations.
· Develop problem solving skills using rational numbers and proportion. Reason, justify, and analyze using rational numbers and ideas of proportionality.
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Suggested Texts:
Parker, T. H. & Baldridge, S. J. (2004). Elementary mathematics for teachers. USA: Sefton-Ash Publishing. Chapters 1-5.
Ministry of Education, Singapore (1981). Primary Mathematics 1A-6A,Marshall Cavendish Education, 2003.
References:
Course Coverage:
1. Concepts of Rational Numbers: definitions, different representations (set model, parts of a whole, division, area), vocabulary, big ideas ( ), notation, counting, decimals
2. Comparison and Equivalency: equivalent fractions, decimals, and percents, comparing fractions, decimals, and percents (using benchmarks, same numerator, same denominator, etc.), ordering fractions, decimals and percents and location on a number line
3. Operations of Rational Numbers: concrete, representational, and abstract representations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, properties and algorithms for each operation, estimate the results of rational number computations, applications and problem solving, mental math, work flexibly with fractions, decimals and percents
4. Proportional Reasoning: ratios, proportions, problem solving with ratio, scale, algebraic proportions, percents, rates and speeds