2023 Spring Course Syllabus - Mathematics 1015.001

Course: Mathematics 1015.001.

Course Title: Introduction to Numbers and Figures.

Credits: 4.

How this course will be taught: In person.

Time: MWF 12 - 1:10pm.

Place: SERC 108B.

Instructor: Meredith M. Hegg.

Instructor Office: Wachman 628.

Instructor Email: meredith.hegg@temple.edu

Instructor Phone: 215-313-6016.

Office Hours: MW 1:30 - 2:30pm, or Fridays by appointment 9:30 - 10:30am, or virtually by appointment Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Prerequisites: Minimum grade of C- in any MATH course numbered 0701 to 0702 or MATH 1021 (may be taken concurrently) or equivalent coursework.

Course Materials: Beckmann, Sybilla. Mathematics for Elementary Teachers with Activities, 5th edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 2018. You do NOT need to purchase MyLabMath access.

Course Goals: You will be able to: Evaluate a variety of methods by which a problem may be addressed and solve problems using appropriate methods. Identify correct and incorrect mathematical thinking, and provide valid explanations of these analyses. Explain the reasoning behind commonly-used mathematical algorithms. Effectively communicate mathematical ideas both orally and in writing. Demonstrate mastery of foundational mathematical principles, and apply these to the instruction of future students.

Topics Covered: From your own schooling, you've learned how to complete math problems in ways that (hopefully!) make sense to you. As a teacher, you'll need to understand how to complete problems in a variety of ways, make sense of student thinking, and help students see the logic in their own and others' work. In this course, we will take a deeper look at the algorithms you have previously learned, and will thoroughly examine the foundational concepts that allow for the creation of these procedures. Our main goal is that you will develop the tools to explain and discuss essential mathematical ideas with your students. Chapter 1: Numbers and the Base Ten System; Chapter 2: Fractions and Problem Solving; Chapter 3: Addition and Subtraction; Chapter 4: Multiplication; Chapter 5: Multiplication of Fractions, Decimals, and Negative Numbers; Chapter 6: Division; Chapter 7: Ratio and Proportional Relationships; Chapter 8: Select Topics in Number Theory.

Course Grading: Homework: 20%; Classwork 10%; Simulation of Practice Projects: 20%; Exams: 50%.

Exam Dates: We will have two in-class exams and one final exam. The dates for the in-class exams are tentatively set for Mondays, February 27th and April 3rd. Our final exam is scheduled for Monday, May 8th, from 10:30am - 12:30pm.

Attendance Policy: Learning math can be challenging at times and is best done in an interactive environment. Attendance in class is therefore required. You will be allowed 4 absences during the semester. You will be penalized 2 points from your final grade for each absence from that point forward. If there are extenuating circumstances, please contact me to discuss them.

Attendance and Your Health: To achieve course learning goals, students must attend and participate in classes, according to your instructors' requirements. However, if you feel unwell or if you are under quarantine or in isolation because you have been exposed to the virus or tested positive for it, you should not come to campus or attend in-person classes or activities. Students have the responsibility to contact their instructors to create a plan for participation and engagement in the course as soon as they are able to do so and to make a plan to complete all assignments in a timely fashion when illness delays their completion.

Note on Collaboration: You are encouraged to form study groups and to work with your classmates on your homework! An editable (wiki) page on Canvas has been set up to help you find a group. However, you must understand and write up your homework by yourself. If you receive help from anyone other than myself, please acknowledge that help on the assignment. Your homework score will not be affected by this. Of course, it is unacceptable to read, copy, or rephrase a solution from the internet, a solution manual, a fellow student, or any other source.

Class Group Work: Each day you will work in groups on various activities. For some activities, you will need to submit copies of your work on Canvas. Each person is responsible for submitting their own copy of the work during class time. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Simulation of Practice Projects: Three times during the semester you will practice the skills of a teacher by reading and responding to sample student work. These tasks will ask you to explain the students' thinking, including both ideas that the students have that are correct, as well as what led them to errors. You will need to generate questions that help the students finish their thoughts, prompt them to investigate errors, or help them move forward in their thinking, and to write anticipated responses that you think students might give to these questions. More details on these projects will come as they are assigned.

Calculator Policy: Remember that our goal is to understand why procedures work the way they do, and a calculator will rarely, if ever, help with this! Calculators are not permitted in this course, and should not be used on homework or other assignments.

Letter Grades: A: 93 and up; A-: 90 to 92; B+: 87 to 89; B: 83 to 86; B-: 80 to 82; C+: 77 to 79; C: 73 to 76; C-: 70 to 72; D+: 65 to 69; D: 55 to 64; D-: 50 to 54; F: 49 and below.

Statement of Inclusion: While it may be presented in a variety of ways, the language of math is universal. From a young age, mathematical curiosity is present in humans across the globe and the beauty of its absolute truth and the infinite doors it can open are accessible to all. This classroom aims to enhance this atmosphere of embracing mathematical curiosity and the advancement of mathematical knowledge for all students, from all backgrounds. As the instructor, it is my responsibility to foster an environment where all students feel supported in their efforts to learn and understand the content, and are encouraged to offer their own ideas and suggestions to create a deeper learning experience. My intention is that the mutual respect between students and myself will allow for open communication and, when necessary, a dialog may take place regarding ways in which this classroom can be made more inclusive for all. I firmly believe each student in this class has valuable contributions to be made to our collective learning environment, and I will do my best to maintain an atmosphere in which these contributions are highly regarded by all.

Basic Needs: Any student who has significant difficulty affording food, housing, or other basic needs and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the CARE Team, careteam.temple.edu (Links to an external site.), for support. Please also notify me if you are comfortable doing so.

Homework: You will have three types of homework (plus projects): Warm-up tasks and mini-quizzes: These will be submitted on Canvas prior to the start of most classes. They will typically be worth 1-4 points. Weekly textbook problems: These will be due on Fridays at the beginning of class. They may be typed, handwritten, or a combination of both. Any assignment containing multiple pages should be stapled. Each assignment will be posted on Canvas no later than the prior Monday, and will include 2 - 8 Practice Exercises and 2 - 4 Problems from the textbook. Math Mindset Activities: You will have three assignments over the course of the semester that address student, teacher, and parent mindsets about math and how they relate to your future teaching. These will give you an opportunity to respond to a podcast or reading with reflections on your own experiences.

Late Work and Make-up Policy: Late Submissions/Make Up Policy Pre-class Canvas Tasks: These are due 10 minutes before the start of the class in which they are required. No late work on these will be accepted after class starts. There will be occasional opportunities for extra credit. Classwork: In-class tasks will not be accepted late. One assignment grade will be dropped from your classwork grade. Weekly Homework and Projects: Textbook homework problems and projects will be accepted up to three days late with 10% of the possible points deducted for each day of lateness. Late work must be submitted electronically via Canvas. Exams: Exams may only be made up in the case of a documented emergency. Please contact me as soon as an issue arises.

Disability Statement: Any student who has a need for accommodations based on the impact of a documented disability or medical condition should contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) in Howard Gittis Student Center South, Rm 420 (drs@temple.edu; 215-204-1280) to request accommodations and learn more about the resources available to you. If you have a DRS accommodation letter to share with me, or you would like to discuss your accommodations, please contact me as soon as practical. I will work with you and with DRS to coordinate reasonable accommodations for all students with documented disabilities. All discussions related to your accommodations will be confidential.

Academic Freedom: Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed here (opens in new tab/window).

Add/Drop Policy: Students will be charged for a course unless dropped by the Drop/Add deadline date. Check the University calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates.

During the Drop/Add period, students may drop a course with no record of the class appearing on their transcript. Students are not financially responsible for any courses dropped during this period. In the following weeks prior to or on the withdrawal date students may withdraw from a course with the grade of "W" appearing on their transcript. After the withdrawal date students may not withdraw from courses. Check the University Calendar (opens in new tab/window) for exact dates. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

Incomplete Policy: The grade "I" (an "incomplete") is only given if students cannot complete the course work due to circumstances beyond their control. It is necessary for the student to have completed the majority of the course work with a passing average and to sign an incomplete contract which clearly states what is left for the student to do and the deadline by which the work must be completed. The incomplete contract must also include a default grade that will be used in case the "I" grade is not resolved by the agreed deadline. See the full policy by clicking here (opens in new tab/window).

Student Support Services: The following academic support services are available to students (all links open in a new tab/window):
    The Math Consulting Center
    Student Success Center
    University Libraries
    Undergraduate Research Support
    Career Center
    Tuttleman Counseling Services
    Disability Resources and Services
If you are experiencing food insecurity or financial struggles, Temple provides resources and support. Notably, the Temple University Cherry Pantry and the Temple University Emergency Student Aid Program are in operation as well as a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs.