Research Ideas

 

Mathematics (funded by SSHRC + Fields)

  1. Infinity in my hand (gr. 3: fractions, infinity, limit)
  2. Making sums of 10 (gr. 3-4: patterning, linear functions)
  3. How to fence a pen (gr. 2-4: area, perimeter, optimization)
  4. Where parallel lines meet (gr. 2: geometry of a sphere)
  5. Probability race (gr. 2-4: probability with dice)
  6. Odds and evens (gr. 2, 7: growth patterns, odds, evens)
  7. Low floor, high ceiling (big ideas for young mathematicians)
  8. I don't like math anymore (I love it now! - math-for-teachers)
  9. Math performance (what did you do in math today?)
  10. Research performance (arts-informed research dissemination)
Mathematics (funded by KNAER)
  1. How much is a billion? (gr. 3: Fermi questions, social justice)
  2. Math pattern trains (gr. 1-4: growth patterns, slope, linear functions)
  3. Math waves around us (gr. 3-4: patterning, trigonometry)
Science
  1. Cough, cough (gr. 4: pollution, social justice)
  2. Eating plastic (gr. 3-4: the great plastic dump, social justice)
  3. Refraction action (gr. 2-3: refraction)
  4. Will it float, will it sink? (gr. 2-3: density, buoyancy)
  5. Gravity's pull (gr. 2-3: gravity, density)
Peter Jaffe on violence & abuse
  1. Never met a happy bully (bullying and breaking the silence)
  2. The lizard in your brain (violence in the media)

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Resources

Lesson plans

How to Fence a Pen ... area, perimeter and optimization in grades 2-4. Get the lesson plans: Part 1 (pdf) and Part 2 (pdf).

Math Waves ... trigonometry ideas in grades 3/4. Get the lesson plan (pdf) and activity handouts: clock bar graph (pdf), sunrise times bar graph (pdf), average monthly temperatures bar graph (pdf), and parent letter (pdf).

Math Trains ... linear functions in grades 1-4. Get the lesson plan (pdf).

Infinity in my hand ... fractions, infinity, limit. Get the lesson plan (pdf).

Probability Race ... probability with 2 dice (and more). Get the lesson plan (pdf).

How big is a billion? ... big numbers and social justice in grade 3. Get the lesson plan (pdf)

Making sums of 10 ... Get the lesson plan (pdf).

Odds and evens ... Get the lesson plan ... (pdf)

Parallel Lines ... Get the lesson plan ... (pdf)

 

Posters

Download and print 6 high resolution math posters (jpeg):

Children's literature

The children's literature listed below has been used in our research classrooms.

Schools may purchase most of these stories (in print and on CD for interactive whiteboards) from Spectrum Educational Supplies (in Canada) and NASCO (in the US and world-wide).

  • Infinity
    • To Infinity and Beyond ($2.99 from iTunes, Kobo or Amazon Kindle Store) ... fractions, infinity, limit
    • How Much is a Million? ($9.25 from Chapters) ... exploring the "size" of numbers
    • Anno's Magic Seeds ($9.50 from Chapters) ... exponential growth
  • Making 10
    • Making 10 - Stage 1 ($2.99 from iTunes, Kobo or Amazon Kindle Store) ... growth patterns with concrete materials, linear functions
    • The Straight Line Wonder ($6.50 from Chapters) ... lines as characters, identity, social justice
    • Making 10 - Stage 2 ($2.99 from iTunes, Kobo or Amazon Kindle Store) ... graphical growth patterns, linear functions
  • How to fence a pen
  • Where parallel lines meet
  • Probability race
    • The Tortoise and Hare Hop to the Pond ($2.99 from iTunes, Kobo or Amazon Kindle Store) ... probability with two dice
    • The Tortoise and the Hare ($8.95 from Chapters) ... Aesop fable
    • The Case of the Mismatched Socks ($2.99 from Amazon Kindle Store) ... probability with matching socks
    • A Very Improbable Story ($7.95 from Amazon) ... probabillity chalenges
  • Odds and evens
    • Something Odd ($2.99 from iTunes, Kobo or Amazon Kindle Store) ... growth patterns with concrete materials, odd and even numbers
    • Who's the Big Bad Wolf? ($2.99 from iTunes, Kobo or Amazon Kindle Store) ... negative parental attitudes towards math, physical growth patterns, odd and even numbers
  • How big is a billion?
    • How Big is a Billion? ($2.99 from iTunes or Amazon Kindle Store) ... big numbers around us; poverty; social justice
    • How Much is a Million? ($9.25 from Chapters) ... exploring the "size" of numbers
    • A Chance to Shine ($14.43 from Chapters) ... poverty; social justice
    • Counting on Frank ($27.50 from Chapters) ... Fermi questions
  • Math trains
    • Math Trains ($2.99 from iTunes or Amazon Kindle Store) ... growth patterns with concrete materials, bar graphing, constant and variable patterns, linear functions
    • The Straight Line Wonder ($6.50 from Chapters) ... lines as characters, identity, social justice
  • Math waves

Songs

New songs: Download 11 FREE math education research songs (mp3 format) ... click on the links below ... and pass them on!

  • Infinity in my hand
  • Pleasure of making 10 ... see the documentary
    • More homework like this (mp3) - Parent feedback from a grade 3/4 classroom.
    • Less than 10 (mp3) - How many solutions are there to __ + __ < 10? ... from a grade 2 classroom.
    • I'm from math (mp3) - And so are you! ... from a grade 3/4 classroom
  • How to fence a pen ... see the documentary
    • Fence a pen (mp3) - So you have 20 metres of fence to make a pen for your dog - what shape will you make it to have the biggest area? ... from a grade 4 classroom.
  • Where parallel lines meet ... see the documentary
    • Parallel lines (mp3) - They can meet! Really! ... from a grade 2 classroom
  • Probability race ... see the documentary
    • The rematch (mp3) - So Hare challenged Tortoise to a rematch ... who won? ... from a grade 3/4 classroom.
  • Odds and evens ... see the documentary ... do the math
    • Math surprise (mp3) - Did you know that odd numbers hide in squares? Where do even numbers hide?
  • I don't like math anymore
    • Big Bad Wolf (mp3) - Someone is scaring young children away from math - is it you?
  • Math performance
    • Imagine this (mp3) - What if there were cool stories you could share when asked "What did you do in math today?

Selected readings

  • Gadanidis, G. (2012). Trigonometry in grade 3? What Works? Research Into Practice, 42. 1-4.
  • Gadanidis, G. (2012). Why can't I be a mathematician? For the Learning of Mathematics, 32(2), 20-26.
  • Gadanidis, G. & Hughes, J. (2011). Performing big math ideas across the grades. Teaching Children Mathematics, 17(8), 486-496.
  • Gadanidis, G., Hughes, J. & Cordy, M. (2011). Mathematics for gifted students in an arts- and technology-rich setting.  Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 34(3), 397-433.
  • Gadanidis, G. (2011). What did you do in math today? Teaching and learning K-8 math with an audience in mind. BrainyDay.ca Publications. ($4.99 from Kobo or Amazon Kindle Store)
  • Gadanidis, G., Borba, M., Hughes, J., Scucuglia, R. (2010) “Tell me a good math story”: digital mathematical performance, drama, songs, and cell phones in the math classroom. In Pinto, M. F. & Kawasaki, T.F. Proceedings of the 34th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Vol. 3, pp. 17-24. Belo Horizonte, Brazil: PME. Gadanidis, G. & Geiger, V. (2010). A social perspective on technology enhanced mathematical learning - from collaboration to performance. The International Journal on Mathematics Education 42, 91-104.
  • Hughes, J. & Gadanidis, G. (2010). Learning as community service: Thinking with new media. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 19(3), 287-306.
  • Gadanidis, G. (2009) I Heard this Great Math Story the Other Day! Education Canada 49(5), 44-46.
  • Borba, M. & Gadanidis, G. (2008). Virtual communities and networks of practising mathematics teachers: The role of technology in collaboration. In T. Wood (Series Editor) & K. Krainer (Volume Editor), International handbook of mathematics teacher education: Vol. 3. Participants in mathematics teacher education: individuals, teams, communities, and networks (pp. 181-209). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
  • Gadanidis, G., Hughes, J. & Borba, M. (2008). Students as performance mathematicians. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 14(3), 168-175.
  • Gadanidis, G. & Borba, M. (2008). Our lives as performance mathematicians. For the Learning of Mathematics, 28(1), 42-49.