NZAMT NEWSLETTER 1
2005
Editor’s Message
This Newsletter contains some essential information about US and AS which should be passed on to all teachers of Mathematics. The Level 2 AS have been revised and the revised standards are available on the NZQA website.
NZAMT Biennial Conference 2005, Christchurch
27th to 30th September
Registration should be made via the NZAMT website.
Keynote Speakers:
Claudi Asian (Spain), Mary Barnes (Australia), Douglas Butler (UK) , Helen Chick (Australia), David Clarke (Australia), Dr Clio Cresswell (Australia), Anthony Harradine (Australia) , Gillian Heald (New Zealand), Don Fraser (Canada), John Mason (Canada), Ian Stewart (UK).
New Zealand Statistical Association Conference
This conference will be held at the University of Otago, Dunedin, 4-6 July 2005. Details are available on the web page
http//:www.maths.otago.ac.nz/nzsa2005/home.php
Invited speakers include Emery Brown (Harvard Medical School), Satish Iyengar (Canterbury University), Mark Berman (CSIRO), Renate Meyer (Auckland University), Kerrie Mengerson (Queensland University of Technology) and David Baird (AgResearch).
NZAMT Writing Team
Jan Wallace led a team of teachers, moderators and advisors for three days in Christchurch at the end of January 2005. This team has written tasks for the new Unit Standards, amended old tasks where the standard has been revised, and the fruits of their labour will soon be available on the secure resource page of the NZAMT website. NZAMT tasks have been checked against the standard by members of the NZAMT writing team. Schools must pay the annual fee to NZAMT to access these resources from the NZAMT website. Old passwords are invalid and will not allow access to the site.
Tasks are now available for all the new Unit Standards.
Level 1
20659 Demonstrate basic algebra skills
20662 Make estimates of measurements with common units
20663 Use a strategy to estimate the solution to number problems
Level 3
20660 Use integral calculus to solve differential integration problems
20661 Sketch, describe and find equations of graphs
20905 Use calculus to solve problems in integration
The Level 3 tasks should be of significant use for Calculus courses in that they help break down the corresponding Achievement Standard into more manageable chunks for weaker pupils.
Many teachers are writing tasks each year and the team hope that teachers will be willing to share these with other teachers and schools. It is intended to have a minimum of three tasks for each standard on the website, and contributions are most welcome from anyone who has a task they are willing to share.
Tasks should be emailed to
They will be collated and considered for moderation and eventual posting on the web site.
Teachers are reminded that where new versions of a standard have been posted they are expected to use these for assessments, although old versions may remain valid for 2005, unless they have been removed as has been the case for one or two standards.
The new and revised standards can be accessed through the web:
www.nzqa.govt.ac.nz/ncea/
Specifications for External Achievement Standards
Specifications are developed for all externally assessed Achievement Standards. These provide further clarification and interpretation by the examiner for the year and should be consulted by all teachers preparing candidates for external assessments. An initial draft of the specification is posted on the NZQA website at the beginning of the writing process and these are reviewed in the final stages of the writing process. It is helpful therefore for teachers to check these specifications at the beginning of term 1 and 2. They can be accessed from the Search menu of the framework web page, by selecting “Specification” in the drop down menu.
maths week 2005
Ian Stevens led a team operating during the same week compiling puzzles for Maths Week 2005. Much of the work for this is now in hand, and it is clear that the team had an enjoyable and productive three days.
My goodness, we’ve made it, to Christchurch by air, swerving and swaying and giving us a scare.
At last we are met by Graham (with sign), explaining to all “Come along, in a line!”
To Rangiruru, we began at fair knots, diving round corners, through traffic lights,(and there’s lots!)
“Here we are!” he cried, as we arrived with a screech. So we climbed up the tower -32 steps, without speech.
Soon settled in finding some bedding for more, from other bedrooms – they can sleep on the floor.
Waking at dawn on a warm sunny day, following large quantities of food then “It’s work now, not play.”
Everyone’s laptops were soon ticking fast, as sets of activities for Maths Week went past
‘E’an’s critical eye for a ‘yes’ or ‘mmm no’. He yells “Keep working, keep thinking. We’ve one day to go!”
Kids will enjoy all the challenges set with fun games, activities on our web site I bet.
Canterbury’s weather has made it a dream place to think Maths and to set up our scheme.
And gave us the chance to meet great people as well, who are all lovers of number and problems – you can tell.
Meals a plenty, good company, laughter and fun. All these have helped get all the hard work done.
Perhaps as we head off and go our own ways we will ponder for ever, our Maths Week Camp days.
ANZ Maths Week 05
15th to 19th August 2005
The planning for ANZ Maths Week 05 is well under way. I am excited about the week already, it is going to be the biggest and best yet. Make sure you get your classes involved.
The activities and competitions from last year will be repeated with several improvements. The popular “Test the Nation, Maths IQ Test” Daily Challenge will be repeated, along with more challenging activities for older secondary students. The Survivor Series will be repeated with a forensic science based “Who done it?” and the “Hairy McClary” books have been suggested as a possible context for one of the series. New games and activities for numeracy classes are being developed, although a lot of the material this year will be geometry, measurement and statistics based.
Dates to pencil into your diary, reminding you to visit our website:
http://www.mathsweek.org.nz
· from 7th February enter your email address on the site and receive monthly updates
· from 13th June registrations for ANZ Maths Week 05 open. Information about all the activities for ANZ Maths Week 05 will be on the web site by this date, although the competitions and material will not be there until the start of Term 3. Around this date schools will receive an information pack, including a poster. Teachers who register will receive a poster for his or her classroom and information about the week.
· from 19th July everything is on the web site, all resources, activities and competitions. Teachers and students can start using the material from this date. This is the first week of Term 3.
· 15th to 19th August ANZ Maths Week 05.
Thanks to Natalie Booker, Carolyn Puett, Sandi Stevens and Jan Savell for their valuable help in the development of the material.
Ian Stevens
Maths Week Coordinator
Email:
Secondary Numeracy Pilot Project 2005
The Numeracy Project has been progressing well in primary schools since 2000. Year 8 students who have been taught using Numeracy Project philosophies are now attending secondary school and secondary teachers should be aware of the project and build on the results already achieved.
Informing secondary teachers about the intent and content of the project has been a priority during 2004 for maths advisors. Further information is available from the numeracy website http://www.nzmaths.co.nz and ‘reports’ (keyword) from the TKI site http://www.tki.org.nz Every year the project has been evaluated thoroughly and modified accordingly. These reports are very informative and provide essential reading.
The Secondary Numeracy Project aims to extend the Numeracy Project philosophies to more than 360 secondary mathematics teachers and their Year 9 students. Those on the Pilot Project training in schools will be coordinated by the in-school facilitator for one day per week and will undertake workshops, in-class modelling and observation. This pilot project will be evaluated carefully and, depending upon the outcomes, be adjusted for 2006 and beyond.
The Numeracy Project focuses on the professional development of mathematics teachers and “what happens in the classroom”. The project aims to improve the quality of the teaching of mathematics. This is not to say there is not good teaching currently in schools, but much has been learned from recent research and the experience of the Numeracy Project that should be made available and shared with teachers and put into practice.
Teachers involved in the project will be expected to assess where each student is on the numeracy stage scale, using a diagnostic test and an interview and thus set appropriate courses of instruction. Research shows nearly 80% of current Year 9 students still prefer addition strategies to solve problems. Clearly teaching fraction concepts which rely heavily on multiplicative ideas to these students is not appropriate, yet many schemes expect all students to be ready at the same time each year. The use of mathematical equipment to model ideas is expected and will be used with teaching different groups of students. This will present a challenge to teachers.
The other strands of the curriculum are not neglected but are approached through number. It is generally agreed that good number knowledge and skills and the development of algebraic thinking is essential for rapid progress in all areas of mathematics. Progress of the Secondary Numeracy Pilot Project will be reported at NZAMT Conference 2005.
Jim Hogan, Mathematics Advisor.
INTERNATIONAL MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD TRAINING CAMP
Twentythree high school pupils attended the week long residential camp in Christchurch in January. Arkadii Slinko and Simon Marshall provided training materials and practice problems, assisted by a team of students and lecturers from Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. The week finished with a 4 1/2 hour paper similar in nature to the IMO papers. On the basis of their performance throughout the week and in the training preceding the camp, a squad of students was selected for further training. They will compete in the Asian Pacific Mathematics Competition, after which the team of six and the non travelling reserve(s) will be selected by Anzac weekend.
This year’s competition takes place in Mexico, July 8th – 19th 2005. The Team Leader will be Arkadii Slinko, the Assistant Team Leader Simon Marshall and the Team Manager Shaun Harnett.
A documentary team followed the 2004 team throughout their training and in Athens, where the 45th IMO took place. This excellent programme will be shown on TV1 early in 2005.
It is hoped that this year’s team will build on the two Bronze Medals won by the 2004 team. Heather Macbeth, who won a Bronze Medal in 2004, hopes to have the opportunity to win a Silver Medal, or better, in 2005.
The squad for 2005 comprises
Emily Chai Epson Girl’s Grammar
Christopher Chambers Auckland Grammar School
Angela Gao Pakuranga College
Eric Kang St Bede’s College
James Liley Dunstan High School
Heather Macbeth Burnside High School
Rupert Nelson Auckland Grammar School
Albert Shih Burnside High School
Martin Spencer Kings College
Eve Waddington Craighead Diocesan
Tom Wang Macleans College
Throughout the week NZAMT had 11 different groups operating at different times during the camp at Rangi Ruru Girls school. This made for some hectic scheduling with transport and accommodation but it was well worth it, as teachers from around the country were able to meet and discuss mathematics at all levels with other like minded mathematicians. It was not all hard work and everyone enjoyed themselves. Thanks to the Christchurch group who organised these events.
Sites Worth a look
http://illumtest.nctm.org/mathlets/index.html
Various activities and learning experiences with java applets to add to the interest, including the two examples below, and much more.
Example 1
Bobbie Bear
Counting Strategies
Bobbie Bear is planning a vacation and wants to know how many outfits can be made using different colored shirts and pants. See the instructions for help.
Example 2
Isometric Drawing Tool
Use this interactive mathlet to create dynamic drawings on isometric dot paper. Draw figures using edges, faces, or cubes. You can shift, rotate, colour, decompose, and view in 3D or 2D.
http://www.ex.ac.uk/cimt/welcome.html
An excellent site for interesting maths enrichment material. Worksheets available are shown below.
Some of the puzzles and competitions available are
The site contains many more including links to other maths sites.
http://www.autograph-math.com/
This site is the home site for Autograph software, a very powerful tool for teaching Mathematics, which also provides access to resources for teaching with Autograph. The author of Autograph, Douglas Butler, will be at the NZAMT Conference 2005. A free trial download of Autograph is available.
http://www.tsm-resources.com/mlink.html
This is an associated website, linked to the Mathematics Department at Oundle School in the UK, where Douglas teaches. It is contains links to many useful and interesting sites.
NZAMT WEBSITE
This has expanded rapidly in the past year and is worth exploring thoroughly. Sections available include:
Secure Assessments: these are password protected, and provide assessment tasks for Unit Standards at Level 1,2,3 and 4. Resources are also available for teaching Level 3 Calculus and Statistics. 2004 passwords won’t work now. You need to subscribe to access the new 2005 material.
Maths Week: Archived resources for 1999 through 2004 and links to the 2005 project. Start planning to use it now.
Conference: Archived resources for 2003 and promotion of the 2005 conference. There is an online registration and a call for presenters. Put yourself forward.
Resources: Development Band resources, I Can Do sheets for Level 1 and 2 and 3 Achievement Standards, Year 9 and 10 Achievement Standards and appropriate I Can Do sheets.
Olympiad Section: archived problems from Olympiad training, and a secure website for current team members.
Junior Competition: a monthly competition, on line, for extending bright pupils. Feedback is given to all entrants, and prizes are awarded each month
Maths Applied: advice on linking Unit Standards to the MAP courses, and a download of the booklet for 2005.
Links: to Professional Organisations and sites of mathematical interest. There are thousands of sites here on all aspects of mathematics. It is all here. Have a browse
The website is undergoing restructuring at the moment and new sections and material is being added all the time.
This is your site so use it. If you have any suggestions, contact NZAMT and we may be able to implement it.