A Creative Encounter of the Numerical Kind

Type of Resource: WebQuest
Free or Fee: Free
Computer Needs: None Apparent
Link: Visit the Site!

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Recommendation:

While the topic of place value of this WebQuest is not necessarily new to middle school students, the process of creating a new base four number system and explaining it is an excellent exercise to create an in-depth understanding of number systems. Students will undoubtedly be challenged and learn about their own understanding and learning style in the process.

Description:

From the website: "Although middle school students may have learned to identify basic place value in earlier grades, most are developmentally ready to delve into the deeper concepts of counting in other bases and the exponential growth of groupings within each increasing place. Just as students can more clearly understand the English language by studying a foreign language, math students can better understand our number system by studying other number systems and/or by creating a new one. Students who construct depth of understanding of place value through exploration will be more fully equipped to expand their mathematical thinking into the realm of decimals and scientific notation."

Possible uses:

After a review of place value (links to resources provided on the teacher page), small groups of students can embark on this challenge to create a base four number system.

Related Resources:

6-8

Math : Number Sense

WebQuest