What Have we Learned About Relationships? (MCATA): Full Schedule

9:00am MDT

Historical Connection be Seq, Patterns, Leading Diagonals , and Functions

There are patterns within the patterns, that junior high students are required to write rules for.
Hmmm…guess and check is not an efficient method for figuring out the descriptive function (rules)
for a given pattern. When Galileo worked with sequences, he noticed patterns within the patterns
and used these observations to find efficient methods (one dimensional matrices) to identify the
function (equation) that can model the sequence of numbers. During this session, participants will
explore number patterns the way Galileo did 400 years ago. Through a few explorations of the
various number patterns, participants will see the connections between junior high and senior
high mathematics outcomes regarding sequences, functions (linear, quadratic, cubic, other), and
introductory matrices. Please come prepared to do math and engage in logical conversations!
Bring your own pencil and paper or digital notepad.

Speakers

Rosalind Carson

Mathematics Education Consultant

Rosalind is a passionate mathematics educator and aspiring mathematician. She has been teaching students and teachers for 18 years. Rosalind continues to explore and share hands-on strategies for students to explore and develop their spatial sense of mathematical concepts. She loves... Read More →

Friday October 22, 2021 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Zoom Room 4

10-12

9:00am MDT

Teaching Math at a Distance

Making student thinking visible during distance learning is the first step in knowing what students
know. This session will showcase a variety of tools and templates that are geared for junior high
students in a variety of content areas. We will consider the special needs of student-to-teacher and
student-to-student communication, and how to set up accountability spaces for students to share
their thinking with you.

Speakers

Theresa Wills

Assistant Professor, George Mason University

Theresa Wills, PhD, is the author of Teaching Math at a Distance, K-12: A Practical Guide to Rich Remote Instruction. Theresa is an assistant professor of mathematics education at George Mason University and has taught synchronous online classes and webinars since 2010. As a former... Read More →

Friday October 22, 2021 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Zoom Room 2

6-9

9:00am MDT

Teaching Elementary Math with Minecraft

Come talk about how we can teach geometry, patterns, statistics, fractions, and even basic
number operations using Minecraft Education Edition. We'll also talk about how you can get your
students coding in Minecraft.

Speakers

David Hay

Elk Island Public Schools | Callysto

David Hay teaches computing science, robotics, and information technology in Elk Island Public Schools, and is the Learning and Development Manager for the Callysto project. He loves biking, rock climbing, VR/AR, and making things. Online he is usually found under the name Mister... Read More →

Teaching Elementary Math with Minecraft pptx

Friday October 22, 2021 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Zoom Room 6

K-5 6-9

9:00am MDT

The Search for Structure and Regularity: an essential element for deep learning

What is the difference between strategies and big ideas? What is a mathematical structure and how
is structure related to big ideas, generalization, and the development of deep understanding? In this
session we will explore these questions and examine how to notice important moments for inviting
generalization and the development of mathematical structures—places to take “unfinished learning”
to “deep” learning and how to do so.

Speakers

Cathy Fosnot

CEO and President, New Perspectives on Learning

Friday October 22, 2021 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Zoom Room 1

K-5 6-9 10-12

9:00am MDT

Deeper for Mathematical Understanding – Maximizing the Power of Dice and Dominos

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the speaker is unable to be here live.

She has pre-recorded her session here
Password is:
+e2+V..s
Here is the handout

Such great manipulatives with SO MUCH potential in math! Come and learn how to include these two
manipulatives to help support learning in your classroom. Activities to go along with the learning will
be provided that can be used the next day in class!

Speakers

Chris Zarski

Designer of Professional Learning (Teacher PD), CARC

Chris is supporting Alberta teachers as a Designer of Professional Learning with the Central Alberta Regional Learning Consortium. She has served as a Teacher, Administrator, Curriculum Director and Staff Development, Examiner with Alberta Education, and Author and Assessment & Pedagogical... Read More →

Friday October 22, 2021 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Zoom Room 5

K-5 6-9

9:00am MDT

Mathpickle - Picasso line puzzles: Multiplication & Division Practice

Mathematics that looks beautiful has a special place in the classroom because a significant fraction of
children will be turned on who otherwise would be left unengaged. Here you will be my grade 4
classroom and will learn and collaboratively play with a Picasso line puzzle or two. I will highlight
other puzzles that highlight the relationship between beauty and engagement.

Speakers

Gordon Hamilton

MathPickle

http://www.mathpickle.com

Friday October 22, 2021 9:00am - 10:15am MDT
Zoom Room 3

K-5 6-9 10-12

10:30am MDT

Meaningful Minecraft in Math

Technical Issues. This session will be available later as a recorded session.

Whether you are just getting started with Minecraft or are a master builder, this hands-on, interactive session will give you the opportunity to explore ways we can learn about mathematical concepts through the constructive world of Minecraft. You will have the opportunity to practice basic skills in Minecraft, learn how to access curated lessons and challenges, as well as explore ways worlds can become collaborative environments in which students can demonstrate their understanding.

Speakers

Darin Trufyn

Christine McKee

Friday October 22, 2021 10:30am - 11:30am MDT
Zoom Room 5

10-12

10:30am MDT

Roundtable with Theresa Wills-Teaching Math at a Distance

Making student thinking visible during distance learning is the first step in knowing what students know. This session will showcase a variety of tools and templates that are geared for junior high students in a variety of content areas. We will consider the special needs of student-to-teacher and student-to-student communication, and how to set up accountability spaces for students to share their thinking with you.

Speakers

Theresa Wills

Assistant Professor, George Mason University

Friday October 22, 2021 10:30am - 11:30am MDT
Zoom Room 2

6-9

10:30am MDT

Engaging Middle School and High School learners in Mathematics - Intrinsically

Come and discuss some interesting and engaging math problems and then engage in a pedagogical discussion around assessment.

1) Running a track twice and doubling the average speed of the first run - is it possible?
2) The table problem with a tortoise and a hare
3) and more...

After we will discuss moving away from unit exams, dealing with rewrites, and how to engage students beyond grading.

Oh it will be joyful!

Speakers

Dave Martin

Mathematics Council

Dave Martin has a Masters of Mathematics, a Degree in Education, and a love for prime numbers. He has been teaching for 12 years, during which time, he was nominated for Teacher of Excellence in Alberta, has spoken across North America, and has successfully removed grades in most... Read More →

Friday October 22, 2021 10:30am - 11:30am MDT
Zoom Room 3

6-9 10-12

10:30am MDT

Elementary Math with Coding and Robotics

At our elementary school we have been teaching some math concepts such as geometry and statistics with coding, robotics, and data science. Come hear about free resources and how you can implement this related to current and future curricular outcomes.

Speakers

David Hay

Elk Island Public Schools | Callysto

Friday October 22, 2021 10:30am - 11:30am MDT
Zoom Room 6

K-5 6-9

10:30am MDT

How the New Perspectives Online Platform Supports Teachers to Incorporate Deep Mathematics Learning into Their Teaching

Speakers

Maarten Dolk

Maarten Dolk is a Dutch designer and researcher of mathematics education. Over the past 25 years, he has been associated with the Freudenthal Institute in the Netherlands, where he has been involved in the development of in-service materials for teachers and of multimedia learning... Read More →

Cathy Fosnot

CEO and President, New Perspectives on Learning

Diana Gomez

Diana Gomez is a third grade teacher and teacher mentor at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. She is the co-author with Catherine Fosnot of the grade 4 place value unit, Puzzle Packing Companies, and a featured teacher on the New Perspectives Online platform. She has worked... Read More →

Friday October 22, 2021 10:30am - 11:30am MDT
Zoom Room 1

K-5 6-9 10-12

10:30am MDT

There is No Fact Mastery without Number Sense

Stop putting the cart before the horse. We must carefully and consistently TEACH number sense. The truth is, we can boil number sense down to 4 key concepts and infuse those concepts into our planning for teaching, learning and assessment at every grade level. If fact fluency or fact mastery is a goal, teachers must come to know how to teach number sense and THAT IS A FACT!!

Speakers

Geri Lorway

Friday October 22, 2021 10:30am - 11:30am MDT
Zoom Room 4

K-5 6-9 10-12

11:45am MDT

AGM

Come and join in the MCATA AGM (Annual General Meeting).

Speakers

Dave Martin

Mathematics Council

Friday October 22, 2021 11:45am - 12:15pm MDT
Zoom Room 1

AGM

12:30pm MDT

Mathematics for Flourishing

In this presentation, we take Su’s (2017) mathematics for human flourishing— for example, play, beauty, truth, justice, and love—as our starting point for better understanding how our students experience mathematics. We each teach an undergraduate course, one in Education and the other
in Mathematics, that tends to attract students who have little experience in post-secondary mathematics, and in many cases, troubled K to 12 math histories and identities. To adopt Su’s framework, few of them have had experiences in the mathematics classroom characterized by play and beauty, for example. This is significant because these two classes also tend to attract future teachers. In our presentation, we discuss how mathematics teacher identity (MTI) can be cultivated by orienting mathematics around the concept of flourishing. Forster and Adler (2019) define MTI as “a relationship with specific practices, where the process of identification involves an interaction between the person and the set of resources made available in the learning community and contexts of practice” (pp. 420-421). We describe how a more inclusive view of mathematics (embodied in Su’s work and how we take it up in our respective courses) manifests in our students’ identities as mathematics teachers and learners.

Speakers

Josh Markle

Sean Fitzpatrick

Friday October 22, 2021 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 3

6-9 10-12

12:30pm MDT

AAC - Opening doors for Indig. students: Examine impact of assess. Practices

What is it about the way we “do” assessment that might specifically support First Nations, Metis, and Inuit student learning? Are there some practices that potentially clash with the worldviews, cultural beliefs, and values of Indigenous students, families and communities? If we want to fully support First
Nations, Metis, and Inuit student learning, then it’s time to examine the impact of our assessment practices.

Speakers

Michele Jones

Executive Director, Alberta Assessment Consortium

Michele is the executive director of the Alberta Assessment Consortium (AAC). AAC is a recognized leader in the area of fair and equitable assessment in the province of Alberta. AAC operates under four assessment purposes as directed by Alberta School Jurisdictions across the province... Read More →

Friday October 22, 2021 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 2

K-5 6-9 10-12

12:30pm MDT

The Truth Behind the “Box Method”: Dispelling Multiplication Myths

Multiplication may be related to repeated addition, but multiplication is not “JUST” repeated addition. Multiplication requires dimensional thinking. That is what makes it different from addition. Unfortunately, my action research carried out over the past 10 years, with students, parents and Teacher Education candidates indicates that many of us lack this skill. Spatializing the teaching of multiplication is the answer. The progression
of tasks provided will illustrate how every teacher from Kindergarten to Grade 8 has a role to play in helping students become proficient with multiplication. (And yes, the links are there in our curriculums.)

Speakers

Geri Lorway

Friday October 22, 2021 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 4

K-5 6-9 10-12

12:30pm MDT

Digging Deeper for Mathematical Understanding – Maximizing the Power of Cuisenaire Rods

Due to unforseen circumstances the presenter had to prerecord her session.

You can access the link here
Passcode: X47Bve0@
Here is the PDF version of the slides with the embedded links.

These are sometimes called the “best kept secret” in a schools arsenal of manipulatives! They are often underused and misunderstood as to all they have to offer in deeper learning. Come find out how to use these tools whether you’re new to them or need a refresher! Activities to go along with
the learning will be provided that can be used the next day in class!

Speakers

Chris Zarski

Designer of Professional Learning (Teacher PD), CARC

Friday October 22, 2021 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT

K-5 6-9

12:30pm MDT

Engaging with First Nations and Métis Knowledge Systems in Mathematics Education

How might First Nations and Métis knowledge systems about teaching, learning, and mathematics inform the ways in which we think about, and teach, mathematics? In this session I will share with you what I’ve come to learn about Indigenous knowledge systems, their relationship to school mathematics, and ways in which those systems might inform school mathematics teaching practices.

Speakers

Florence Glanfield, PhD

Vice-Provost Indigenous Programming & Research, University of Alberta

Dr Glanfield currently serves the University of Alberta as the inaugural Vice-Provost Indigenous Programming & Research. Dr Glanfield came to the Vice-Provost position from her previous role as Professor and Chair of the Department of Secondary Education in the Faculty of Education... Read More →

GlanfieldMCATAoct22finalsharing pdf

Friday October 22, 2021 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 5

K-5 6-9 10-12

12:30pm MDT

Points of View: Building Wonder, Joy and Connection

Beyond teaching math skills, we have a role as teachers of mathematics to open students up to joy and wonder to be found in thinking well. One of the best ways that happens in mathematics are the mental connections made when grasping an idea from multiple perspectives. These aha! moments
provide opportunities for delight. They also point to larger lessons in teaching equitably. The virtue of taking up multiple points of view will serve our students well far beyond their math courses.

Speakers

Francis Su

Harvey Mudd College

Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a past president of the Mathematical Association of America. In 2013, he received the Haimo Award, a nationwide teaching prize for college math faculty. His work has been featured in Quanta magazine... Read More →

Friday October 22, 2021 12:30pm - 1:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 1

K-5 6-9 10-12

1:45pm MDT

Building Math Confidence with approp. Tech.

While teaching high school math we may encounter students who have developed misconceptions of math rules or notation that diminish their performance and confidence. How can teachers help students easily identify these misunderstandings during course instruction? With technology and
some simple commands, every student can be engaged in making sense of math and build confidence in foundational understandings.

Speakers

Stephanie MacKay

Friday October 22, 2021 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 3

10-12

1:45pm MDT

Teaching About Our World w/Math Models & Manipulatives

In this interdisciplinary workshop discover activities that bring current events and top global challenges into the math classroom. Explore trends in the environment, global population and more using models, manipulatives and lively group work that build middle school math skills while exciting students about math connections to their lives. Receive electronic lesson plans matched to provincial standards.

Speakers

Lindsey Bailey

Teacher Training Manager, Population Education

Lindsey Bailey is the Senior Teacher Training Manager at Population Connection. She is responsible for coordinating Population Education workshops in the Upper Midwest and West, as well as Canada. She has presented over 300 teacher education workshops nationwide, and has presented... Read More →

Christine Tippett

Friday October 22, 2021 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 4

6-9

1:45pm MDT

AAC - Assessment Meets the “New Normal”

What are the lasting impacts that Pandemic Teaching has had on our assessment practice? How do all these changes impact how we use assessment to support our students' learning today? Come to this session to take part in some thought-provoking discussion and gain insight into how to pivot in your assessment practice to support the current context in education.

Speakers

Michele Jones

Executive Director, Alberta Assessment Consortium

Friday October 22, 2021 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 2

K-5 6-9 10-12

1:45pm MDT

An Introduction to Resources for Engaging with Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Mathematics Education

This session will introduce you to resources that you can use to engage with Indigenous knowledge systems in your mathematics classes.

Speakers

Florence Glanfield, PhD

Vice-Provost Indigenous Programming & Research, University of Alberta

Friday October 22, 2021 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 5

K-5 6-9 10-12

1:45pm MDT

Mathematics for Multispecies Flourishing: Reflections on a Few Moments of Clarity

Why teach mathematics and why is it worth learning? Extending ideas around Mathematics for Human Flourishing (Su) and Rehumanizing Mathematics (Gutierrez) I wonder whether there might there be a larger purpose for teaching and learning mathematics in which we humans are not so self-
congratulating? I offer multispecies' flourishing as an end and ethics for mathematics education through some moments of clarity (and precision) over a 20 year career in education...so far.

Speakers

Steven Khan

Friday October 22, 2021 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 1

K-5 6-9 10-12

1:45pm MDT

Mathpickle - Lost in a Mini Mathematical Universe.

The best way to teach the scientific method is not by sending kids out into nature to get their hands dirty. That's because the rules governing the real world are too complex. Much better is to teleport kids into an alien universe with simple rules that are designed to be discovered... a mini mathematical
universe.
You'll all wake up in a universe with alien laws. As a group, you need to figure out what's going on. Ask questions; voice your opinion; suggest hypotheses.

Speakers

Gordon Hamilton

MathPickle

http://www.mathpickle.com

Friday October 22, 2021 1:45pm - 2:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 6

K-5 6-9 10-12

3:00pm MDT

Board Game Night

Pour your favorite adult beverage and join us for some online fun!

Speakers

Theresa Wills

Assistant Professor, George Mason University

Friday October 22, 2021 3:00pm - 4:00pm MDT
Zoom Room 1

9:00am MDT

Equity in a Thinking Classroom

My work on Building Thinking Classrooms has been around for a while now and some interesting by-products are emerging out of this work. In this talk I will look at the ways in which the Building Thinking Classroom practices help to create greater equity in the classroom. The practices discussed will intertwine with, and make extensive references to, the recently published book, Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics (Grades K-12): 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning.

Speakers

Peter Liljedahl

Faculty of Education, Building Thinking Classrooms

Dr. Peter Liljedahl is a Professor of Mathematics Education in the Faculty of Education and author of the recently published book, Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics (Grades K-12): 14 Teaching Practices for Enhancing Learning. Peter is a former high school mathematics teacher... Read More →

Saturday October 23, 2021 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Zoom Room 1

6-9 10-12

9:00am MDT

Tweaking Number Talks

Participants will explore the small tweak that makes a big difference through differentiating Number Talks. This tweak allows all students to engage in Number Talks, share their thinking daily, and showcase their growth throughout the year. The slight change provides pivotal information for teachers to better plan their lessons, accumulates student product for assessment and reporting, and allows teachers to nudge students in their number sense and understanding. Come find out the small tweak that makes a big impact!

Speakers

Chad Williams

Educator, Beyond the Algorithm

Chad Williams is a primary teacher from Saskatoon, he works with pre-service teachers at the University of Saskatchewan in the Department of Curriculum Studies, and is the creator of the math games Represent! Chad curates beyondthealgorithm.ca, which is a mathematics website for teachers... Read More →

Saturday October 23, 2021 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Zoom Room 4

K-5

9:00am MDT

Building Mastery of Math Facts

Are you looking for a new approach to teach basic facts or do you simply want to improve on your current approach? In this session we will cover key concepts that help students easily master basic facts, all part of the Thinking Strategies series. This includes “chunking” facts into groups for ease of learning, developing efficient thinking strategies for each chunk, and explaining John Van de Walle’s concept of mastery. Participants will work in groups to engage, examine, and explore these concepts.

Speakers

Roni Kraut

Math

Mathematic resources and sessions K - 6

Saturday October 23, 2021 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Zoom Room 2

K-5 6-9

9:00am MDT

Magic and Math K - 6

Who doesn’t like magic? Is there anybody who has never wondered: "and that’s how it’s done?"
In fact, this is the same question that mathematicians pose when faced with a problem. In this exploratory session we will see the connection between these two seemingly distant disciplines and how mathematics can be used to create genuine magical effects. Magic thus becomes a playful application of mathematics and yet another creative way to enjoy mathematics.

Speakers

Sergio Belmonte

Saturday October 23, 2021 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Zoom Room 3

K-5 6-9

9:00am MDT

Exploring Culturally Responsive Strategies for Engaging African Immigrant and Refugee Families in Their Children’s Mathematics Learning

Generally, immigrants from various cultures and linguistic backgrounds bring their lived experiences from their home countries. Although relevant, their experiences are mostly not aligned with the educational or schooling culture of the host country. In this interactive session, I will share an aspect of a broader research study that investigated African immigrant and refugee families' experiences and perspectives on their children's (10-15-year-old) mathematics learning in the home, community and school settings in the Greater Vancouver area. Drawing on the research findings, I will provide several examples of ways African immigrants and refugee families’ from Sub-Saharan Africa leverage their cultural capital, ways of knowing and other situated activities and practices in support of their young children’s mathematics learning in the Canadian context. By so doing, this interactive session will encourage attendees to reflect on and discuss with each other & the presenter ways to build culturally responsive mathematics education informed by African immigrant students and families’ funds of knowledge/cultural capital.

Speakers

Dr. Kwesi Yaro

Saturday October 23, 2021 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Zoom Room 6

K-5 6-9 10-12

9:00am MDT

The Tortoise & the Hare: How Math Class Missed the Moral and What We Can Do About It

When your colleagues think back to moments from their mathematical learning experience, what memories do you think come to their minds? Do memories of recalling facts, steps, and procedures come to mind or moments of problem solving, productive struggle and constructing understanding?
Why does it seem that so many educator experiences from math class tend to be a case of either/or?
When exploring new approaches to teaching and learning mathematics, educators are often confronted with very absolute views that pit one extreme against the other. Regardless of which pedagogical approach teachers wish to explore - direct instruction vs. inquiry lessons, grades vs. gradeless assessment practices, homework vs. no homework, or collaborative tasks vs. independent worksheets - it’s a sure bet that they’ll find someone out there who believes it is poor practice.
Join us as we explore the two systems for thinking in the brain and how mathematics education often only serves one. They’ll share practical approaches that can help your colleagues find the right balance in their mathematics program so all students can flourish.

Speakers

Kyle Pearce

Jon Orr

Saturday October 23, 2021 9:00am - 10:00am MDT
Zoom Room 5

K-5 6-9 10-12

10:15am MDT

Magic and Math 7 - 12

Speakers

Sergio Belmonte

Saturday October 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Zoom Room 3

6-9 10-12

10:15am MDT

Using Mathigon Virtual Manipulatives Grades 3-5

Mathigon is a new free math platform that allows you to observe, discover and/or practice various mathematical concepts in all 4 strands: number sense, shape and space, algebra, and statistics and probability. It can be used as a demonstrator but can also be a source of activities. Come see what it’s all about and how to use it.

Speakers

Renee Michaud

Saturday October 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Zoom Room 6

K-5

10:15am MDT

What are the Fundamentals?

Although our province sets out guidelines for mathematics learning, our interpretation of those guidelines makes all the difference. I believe our main focus must be to encourage students to understand the ideas they encounter and to support them in using those ideas to make sense of their world. We want students who find math meaningful and not just students who can do it. We will explore how this might look using specific curriculum topics at various grade levels.

Speakers

Marian Small

Author and International Professional Development Consultant for Improved Mathematics Education

Marian Small writes and speaks about K-12 math. Her focus is on teacher questioning to get at the important math, to include all students, and to focus on critical thinking and creativity. Some resources she has written include MathUp, Making Math Meaningful for Canadian Students... Read More →

Saturday October 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Zoom Room 1

K-5 6-9

10:15am MDT

Digging Deeper Into the Make Math Moments Framework

Excited to create a balanced mathematics program for your students to ensure you are developing both the fast and slow thinking parts of the brain? Join Jon and Kyle as they take a deeper dive into what your day-to-day math block might look like when leveraging problem -ased lessons, math talks and purposeful practice.

Speakers

Kyle Pearce

Saturday October 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Zoom Room 5

K-5 6-9 10-12

10:15am MDT

SUBITIZING sets the foundation for ALGEBRAIC THINKING

Hard to believe a skill so fundamental to success across the grades is not a generally recognized topic of conversation and planning at every grade. Join me in this interactive and engaging exploration of ten minute tasks that lead students from seeing & using sets of 2, 3 and 5 through building basic number fluency and on to a robust understanding of equality, how to preserve equality, the ability to balance equations, and an automaticity with recognizing and applying number properties to solving equations at multiple levels of complexity.
This presentation deals with the true BASIC FACTS!

Speakers

Geri Lorway

Saturday October 23, 2021 10:15am - 11:15am MDT
Zoom Room 4

K-5 6-9 10-12

11:30am MDT

There are Always More Big, Beautiful Math Problems!

Come explore big, beautiful problems in an online #thinking classroom. We will experience flow, collaboration, and fun as we engage in low-floor, high-ceiling problems. We will discuss Peter Liljedahl’s research as well as how to incorporate teaching through problem solving into your online or in-person classroom. I will share our collections of problems worth solving so you can spread the joy of problem solving in your own classrooms.

Speakers

Alicia Burdess

Math learner, teacher, leader

I am a grade 9 math teacher from Grande Prairie Alberta. I love learning and teaching math. I worked for 4 years as a math coach; I love being in classrooms helping teachers and students learn to love math! My passion is teaching through problem solving in a thinking classroom. I’m... Read More →

Saturday October 23, 2021 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 2

6-9

11:30am MDT

Experiences of Spatial Reason. Gr 12 Calculus Classroom

Jan Zwicky writes that “all understanding is a form of seeing-as: it is fundamentally spatial in organization” (Zwicky, 2003/2014, p. 3). It is perhaps no surprise then that the importance of spatial understanding—or spatial reasoning, as we call it in mathematics education—has long been recognized in the classroom (Mix & Cheng, 2012). Spatial reasoning is a complex phenomenon involving processes of sensating, interpreting, (de)constructing, altering, moving, and situating objects in space (Davis et al., 2015, p. 141). But less is known about how students actually experience spatial reasoning. In this presentation, I relate some of my work with a group of Math 31 International Baccalaureate students oriented around a series of visualization exercises. I relate their experiences (via student work, written reflection) and offer my own interpretations with the aim of opening the topic of spatial reasoning to question, in particular in the secondary classroom.

Speakers

Josh Markle

Saturday October 23, 2021 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 1

6-9 10-12

11:30am MDT

Making Math Stick: Applying Retrieval Practice to Support Instruction and Learning

Too often, learning is thought of as ‘getting information into the heads of students’. It is necessary to broaden the definition of learning and stress the importance of retrieval practice. I will share strategies that support students in retaining math concepts so they can apply them in novel situations down the road.

Speakers

David Costello

Saturday October 23, 2021 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 6

K-5 6-9

11:30am MDT

Spatial reasoning through projective geometry

Research findings show that developing spatial skills not only leads to improved performance in mathematics, but also predicts future school and career success. Yet, despite the evidence, there is a glaring absence of spatial skill development in curricula and limited attention to transformational geometries that support spatial thinking in mathematics. In this project we explored the spatial reasoning processes at play in projective geometry for elementary-aged children. Simply put, 'projective geometry' is the study of 2D representations of 3D objects. Being able to create or interpret perspective drawings of 3D objects and predict what shadows an object will cast on a surface are examples of tasks that involve projective geometry concepts. Although there was a large body of research on children's understanding of projective geometry in the 1950s to 1990s, this work has been largely forgotten. Despite its accessibility to children, projective geometry now exists primarily as a specialty course in post-secondary mathematics. In this presentation, we will share projective geometry tasks and student responses. Through the tasks and student responses, we'll describe the spatial reasoning processes children needed and used to engage in the tasks.

Speakers

Brynn Merkosky

Lynn McGarvey

Professor

Lynn is a mathematics education at the University of Alberta. She teaches elementary preservice teachers and K-12 teachers in graduate programs. Her research interests are in spatial and geometric reasoning.

MCATA 2021 Spatial Reasoning through Projective Geometry pdf

Saturday October 23, 2021 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 3

K-5 6-9

11:30am MDT

Understanding the Progression of Learning in Financial Literacy

With any draft curriculum that has been presented to date, we know that Financial Literacy will be included. Although you may not teach each grade, knowing a natural progression of learning for Financial Literacy would help to prepare teachers to adapt to outcomes for each grade. Come and join into the adventure!

Speakers

Chris Zarski

Designer of Professional Learning (Teacher PD), CARC

Saturday October 23, 2021 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 5

K-5 6-9

11:30am MDT

Puzzling with Place Value?

Maybe it’s time to change your position. A “place value” house or chart so many of us grew up with is not the answer to the struggle our students are experiencing with place value. It’s time to truly puzzle with place value. This set of tasks, built on a connected set of visual models that evolve with student success is meant to challenge your thinking about the importance of place value and the role it plays in computation from whole to decimal numbers. I will provide you puzzles to share with your students and invite them to share back with me their responses to thinking in numbers. This presentation contains knowledge and content that teachers from Grade 2 through high school can apply in their teaching.

Speakers

Geri Lorway

Saturday October 23, 2021 11:30am - 12:30pm MDT
Zoom Room 4

K-5 6-9 10-12

12:45pm MDT

Math 15- A pathway to success for Math 10C

For three years, W.H. Croxford High School has offered Math 15 to grade 10 students as a way of preparing them to succeed in Math 10C. It is offered in many other school boards in the province, such as Calgary Catholic School District and Calgary Board of Education. Math 15 has yielded very positive results at WHC, significantly improving success rates in Math 10C. Designed for students who struggled in Math 9 but want to take the 10C route, Math 15 helps students improve their foundational math knowledge and skills, problem-solving ability, mathematical confidence, and growth mindset. In this session, the presenters will explain the following: research completed while preparing to offer the course, successes and challenges while teaching the course, and the results for students who completed the course. Session participants will also be invited to participate in a discussion about grade 9-to-10 transition in mathematics.

Speakers

Scott Seland

Dale Block

Teacher, Rocky View Schools

I have 13 years of teaching experience - seven years at a private school in Nova Scotia and six years at W.H. Croxford in Airdrie where I am now. I teach math, mostly, and I seek to foster transformational experiences for students both inside and outside of the classroom. When not... Read More →

Saturday October 23, 2021 12:45pm - 1:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 5

10-12

12:45pm MDT

Using Mathigon Virtual Manipulatives Grades 6-8

Speakers

Renee Michaud

Saturday October 23, 2021 12:45pm - 1:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 4

6-9

12:45pm MDT

Developing Curious Math Learners K -3

The use of Learning Provocations in mathematics can spark interest, create wonder and inspire deeper thinking about important math concepts. Whether play or activity-based, Provocations encourage children to build understanding and share their learning with others. Equally, we need to carefully delve into students' thinking to further support their learning. Come and explore how to structure the learning environment to support effective Provocations, unpack misconceptions about play-based learning and explore the role of a Math Talk in developing problem-solving strategies.

Speakers

Chris Zarski

Designer of Professional Learning (Teacher PD), CARC

Saturday October 23, 2021 12:45pm - 1:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 1

K-5

12:45pm MDT

The Dragon Curve: A Magical Math Journey (Gr. K-9)

Explore a beautiful fractal with the help of a long skinny strip of paper and a story! Dive into the beauty and joy of math as you fold your way through the iterations of the Dragon Curve. Look for patterns, use your imagination, and experience math as a visual and aesthetically pleasing endeavour for all ages. Participants will leave with a digital copy of my new book to share the beauty and joy of math with their students.

Speakers

Alicia Burdess

Math learner, teacher, leader

Saturday October 23, 2021 12:45pm - 1:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 2

K-5 6-9

12:45pm MDT

Prioritizing Problem Solving: Supporting Students in Developing Strategies to Solve Problem

To support students as problem solvers, we need to support students in acquiring, understanding and applying problem solving strategies in novel situations. In this session, I will share meaningful and effective approaches to teaching about problem solving and learning through problem solving.

Speakers

David Costello

Saturday October 23, 2021 12:45pm - 1:45pm MDT
Zoom Room 6

K-5 6-9 10-12

2:00pm MDT

Game Night

Pour your favourite adult beverage and join us for some online fun!

We will be playing on the fantastic website board game arena: https://boardgamearena.com
If you have time to log in and play a game before game night - that would be great.
I'll be introducing people wanting a light fun game to King of Tokyo, and collaborative problem-solvers to The Crew: Quest for Planet Nine.

Speakers

Gordon Hamilton

MathPickle

http://www.mathpickle.com

Saturday October 23, 2021 2:00pm - 3:00pm MDT
Zoom Room 2

Game Night