Jointly funded by MDRI and DTPE, this two-year project will develop calculator-based instructional materials in mathematics for students in grades 4-6 and will prepare teachers to use those materials in their classrooms. These materials will stress the development of students' problem-solving skills and will facilitate the transition to algebra. A total of 50 to 75 lessons will be developed, along with accompanying teachers' manuals. During the first year of the project, a total of six teachers from three schools in the Chicago metropolitan area will pilot test the materials in their own classrooms. During the second year, the revised materials will be field tested by a total of 20 teachers from 10 schools, who will simultaneously participate in an academic-year course on their content and use. The evaluation will measure the project's effect on student learning of and attitudes towards mathematics. The University of Illinois at Chicago is contributing as cost-sharing an amount equal to 67% of the NSF award.
