Parallel Curriculum Units for Mathematics, Grades 6–12

"Parallel Curriculum Units for Mathematics, Grades 6–12 combines four essential models for improving student understanding and growth in mathematics. The lessons provided in the textbook build on students′ abilities, so they can see all parts of a math problem and are able to tackle and understand it at various levels." —Elizabeth Alvarez, Assistant Principal John C. Dore Elementary, Chicago, IL Maximize your mathematics curriculum to challenge all students This collection of lessons, building on material presented in the best-selling The Parallel Curriculum, is written by experienced teachers who provide innovative and challenging learning opportunities for students in Grades 6–12. The four sample units focus on fractions, linear programming, geometry, and quadratic relationships. The authors provide user-friendly methods for creating high-quality lessons and demonstrate how to differentiate these lessons for the benefit of all students. Included are field-tested and standards-based strategies that guide students through: Understanding secondary-level mathematics concepts Discovering connections between mathematics and other subjects Developing critical thinking skills Connecting mathematics learning to society through the study of real-world data, proportional reasoning, and problem solving Each unit includes subject matter background, a content framework, study components, teacher reflections, and sample lessons. Learn from the experts and enhance your mathematics curriculum with these proven strategies.

Table of Contents:
List of Resources About the Editors About the Contributors Introduction to the Parallel Curriculum Model 1. Equivalent Fractions and Partitioning Sets: Keys to Success in Higher-Level Mathematics, Grades 6–7 - Helen Weingart 2. Linear Programming: A Key to Decision Making, Grades 9–10 - Marianne Cavanaugh 3. Similarity: A Study in Relationships, Grade 10 - Amy J. Germundson 4. Quadratic Relationships: A Middle School Unit in Algebra, Grade 8 - Carrie Heaney Index

About the Author :
Jann Leppien served as a gifted and talented coordinator in Montana prior to attending the University of Connecticut, where she earned her doctorate in gifted education and worked as a research assistant at the National Research Center for the Gifted and Talented. She has been a teacher for 24 years, spending 14 of those years working as a classroom teacher, enrichment specialist, and coordinator of the Schoolwide Enrichment Model in Montana. She is past president of the Montana Association for Gifted and Tal­ented Education. Currently, she is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of Great Falls in Montana. Leppien teaches graduate and under­graduate courses in gifted education, educational research, curriculum and assess­ment, creativity, and methods courses in math, science, and social studies. Her research interests include teacher collaboration, curriculum design, underachievement, and planning instruction for advanced learners. Leppien works as a consultant to teachers in the field of gifted education and as a national trainer for the Talents Unlimited Program. She is coauthor of The Multiple Menu Model: A Par­allel Guide for Developing Differentiated Curriculum. She is active in the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), serving as a board member and newsletter editor of the Curriculum Division, and a board member of the Association for the Education of Gifted Underachieving Students. Jeanne H. Purcell is the consultant to the Connecticut State Depart­ment of Education for gifted and talented education. She is also director of UConn Mentor Connection, a nationally recognized summer mentorship program for talented teenagers that is part of the NEAG Center for Talent Development at the University of Con­necticut. Prior to her work at the State Department of Connecticut, she was an administrator for Rocky Hill Public Schools (CT); a pro­gram specialist with the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, where she worked collaboratively with other researchers on national issues related to high-achieving young people; an instructor of Teaching the Talented, a graduate-level program in gifted education; and a staff developer to school districts across the country and Canada. She has been an En­glish teacher, community service coordinator, and teacher of the gifted, K-12, for 18 years in Connecticut school districts and has published many articles that have appeared in Educational Leadership, Gifted Child Quarterly, Roeper Review, Educa­tional and Psychological Measurement, National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Bulletin, Our Children: The National PTA Magazine, Parenting for High Potential, and Journal for the Education of the Gifted. She is active in the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and serves on the Awards Committee and the Curriculum Committee of NAGC, for which she is the co-chair for the annual Curriculum Awards Competition.

Review :
"Parallel Curriculum Units for Mathematics, Grades 6–12 combines four essential models for improving student understanding and growth in mathematics. The lessons provided in the textbook build on students′ abilities, so they can see all parts of a math problem and are able to tackle and understand it at various levels." "Parallel Curriculum Units for Math, Grades 6-12 is a refreshing resource that gets to the heart of what quality math instruction should look like. The lessons included in this book provide teachers with an explicit path to guide students in their understanding of the ′whole concept′. The authors have carefully crafted pre-assessments, post-assessments and rubrics that help help teachers create the situations for students to make vital connections between the mathematics they are learning and the world in which they live." "This book is a great resource for teachers looking for ways to improve their practice and existing curriculum. Teachers can easily fall into the trap of doing the same thing year after year, but this book gives us all the opportunity to reexamine our course curriculum and find more effective ways of delivering the material to our students. This book makes outstanding connections between content topics and encourages higher level thinking." "Teachers will find this a treasure trove of proven strategies, including: study components, critical thinking skills, problem solving and much more."