UW COLLEGES

                                              DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

                                                         COURSE GUIDELINES

Course Title: _Mathematics for Elementary Teachers_____

Course No. __MAT 130 No. of Credits _4____  Associate Degree Designation: MS

Contact hrs/wk: Lecture __4 or (3) __Lecture/Discussion_________Lab_0 or (2)_

Course Prerequisites: A Grade of C or better in MAT 105 or MAT 108, or two years of high school algebra and one year of high school geometry, or Consent of Instructor.

Catalog description:

A mathematics content course for prospective elementary teachers. Emphasis is on the development of properties of arithmetic. Topics also may include elementary concepts of algebra, probability and statistics. Four hours of lecture (no lab) or three hours lecture and two hours laboratory per week

Course content (list of topics normally covered):

Exposure to and Discussion of NCTM curriculum and evaluation standards.

1. Problem solving techniques

Inductive reasoning

Deductive reasoning

Numerical and geometric patterns

2. Sets, relations, functions graphs, and logic

3. Number Systems

From whole numbers to real number systems

Other numeration systems from antiquity and from other cultures

Bases – 10 and others

Algorithms from antiquity and from other cultures for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division

Models for these algorithms -

Uses of manipulatives

Common error patterns

Decimals

4. Basic Number Theory

Primes

Divisibility tests

Greatest common factor and Least common multiple

Proofs, proof by contradiction

 5. Optional Topics –

Further number theory (modular arithmetic, finite fields), probability, statistics,

further geometry (beyond that used in the problems solving techniques).

Content-based department proficiencies:

            1)...to be able to do basic arithmetic with all the number systems.

            2)…to be able to understand the basic principles and logic behind standard and

non standard algorithms for the four operations (addition, subtraction,

multiplication, and division).

            3)…to be able to understand different representation of fractions.

            4)…to develop a number sense and be able to do metal arithmetic.

            5)…to develop problem solving skills

Colleges-wide proficiencies assigned to course:

Students should be able to demonstrate the following:

A. Analytical skills Performance Indicators: Students should be able to:

1. Interpret and synthesize information and ideas.

4. Select and apply scientific and other appropriate methodologies.

B. Quantitative skills Performance Indicators: Students should be able to:

1. Solve quantitative and mathematical problems.

2. Interpret graphs, tables, and diagrams.

Representative textbooks used for the courses:

Mathematics for Elementary Teachers, Volume 1, Numbers and Operations by Sybilla Beckmann

Mathematics for Elementary Teachers, by Musser, Burger and Peterson

Mathematics for Elementary Teachers, by Sonnabend, Saunders

Approved April 22, 2006