Fay Zenigami

NSights Math Games for Conceptual Understanding is a resource for teachers to use with any mathematics curriculum. The games in this book are developed to support students as they acquire a deeper understanding of number relationships and generalizations that lead to conceptual knowledge and robust procedural skills. These types of concepts and skills are foundational to accessing more sophisticated mathematical ideas. The learning outcomes for each game are closely aligned to late elementary through high school grades. In some games, there are different levels or versions that may range from simple to more complex mathematical ideas and are, therefore, appropriate for use in diverse classrooms. This will allow you to match the game's mathematical ideas and complexity to the levels of your students. Sometimes, you may want to review previously learned skills to focus on the number sense ideas. Or, you can use the level or version that more closely fits with the content you are teaching at grade level. Each game in this volume includes learning outcome(s), instructions, and a recording sheet or game board. Sometimes, suggestions about organizing your classroom (such as playing in pairs or teacher-led) are included to assist you in making the game a success with your students. The games in this volume are user-friendly and accessible for all students. They have been classroom tested by students and teachers, and their suggestions have contributed to creating games that are highly engaging while at the same time promoting robust mathematical learning.

This book, the eleventh in the Putting Essential Understanding into Practice Series, focuses on misconceptions about variables, expressions, equations, and functions that students often bring to grades 6–8. The authors present tasks given to middle-grades students and examine sample responses to them to show how teachers can bring misconceptions to the surface, where they and their students can inspect them, recognize errors and limitations, and replace faulty thinking with robust ideas.