This book is designed for a mathematics for elementary school teachers course where instructors choose to focus on and/or take an activities approach to learning. It provides inductive activities for prospective elementary school teachers and incorporates the use of physical models, manipulatives, and visual images to develop concepts and encourage higher-level thinking. This text contains an activity set that corresponds to each section of the companion text, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: A Conceptual Approach which is also by Bennett/Nelson. The Activities Approach text can be used independently or along with its companion volume. The authors are pleased to welcome Laurie Burton, PhD, Western Oregon University to this edition of Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: An Activity Approach.

The tenth edition of Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: A Conceptual Approach continues the innovative time-tested approach of the previous editions: an emphasis on learning via specific, realistic examples and the extensive use of visual aids, hands-on activities, problem-solving strategies and active classroom participation. Features of the text focus on ensuring that prospective teachers will gain not only a deeper understanding of the mathematical concepts, but also a better sense of the connections between their college math courses and their future teaching experiences, along with helpful ideas for presenting math to their students in a way that will generate interest and enthusiasm. The text draws heavily on Common Core Standards and contains many pedagogical elements designed to foster reasoning, problem-solving and communication skills. Additionally, this text can be packaged with an activity set that corresponds to each section of the companion text, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: An Activity Approach, also by the Bennett, Burton, and Nelson team. Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: An Activity Approach can be used independently or along with its companion, Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: A Conceptual Approach.

Overview: Albert B. Bennett, Jr. and L. Ted Nelson have presented hundreds of workshops on how to give future teachers the conceptual understanding and procedural fluency they will need in order to successfully teach elementary-school mathematics. The Eighth Edition of Mathematics for Elementary Teachers: A Conceptual Approach continues their innovative, time-tested approach: an emphasis on learning via specific, realistic examples and the extensive use of visual aids, hands-on activities, problem-solving strategies and active classroom participation. Special features in the text ensure that prospective teachers will gain not only a deeper understanding of the mathematical concepts, but also a better sense of the connections between their college math courses and their future teaching experiences, along with helpful ideas for presenting math to their students in a way that will generate interest and enthusiasm. The text draws heavily on NCTM Standards and contains many pedagogical elements designed to foster reasoning, problem-solving and communication skills. The text also incorporates references to the virtual manipulative kit and other online resources that enhance the authors’ explanations and examples.