Math Alliance Project
Exam 1 Study Guide
The exam will be given on May 11, 2010
You will be expected to demonstrate your fluency in using or identifying alternative computational strategies for addition and subtraction, make proof drawings of base ten blocks and the empty number line, describe how and why these strategies work, and discuss computational fluency goals for students. We may give you a problem and ask you to solve it in two or three different ways, or give you student work to analyze and describe in regards to the strategies.
The computational strategies are those we studied from analyzing the video in class and reading the article on subtraction strategies, and connecting our work to Expressions and Everyday Math. Use these problems to review the strategies listed below, remember that many of them are the same strategy but given different names:
38 + 44535 + 29753 – 27 435 – 252
Video and ArticleExpressionsEveryday Math
Add Each Place from Left to RightShow All TotalsPartial Sums
Add On the Other Number in PartsNew Groups Below Column Addition
Use a Nice Number then CompensateExpanded Form (Addition)Opposite-Change Rule
Change to an Easier Equivalent ProblemExpanded Form (Subtraction)Trade-First Subtraction
Add up from the Subtracted NumberUngroup First SubtractionCounting Up
Subtract Each PlaceLeft-to-Right Subtraction
Subtract the Number in PartsSame-Change Rule
Use a Nice Number and CompensatePartial-Differences Subtraction
Change to an Easier Equivalent Problem
The exam will also include 2-3 questions that address characteristics of students with disabilities that may interfere with learning math, considerations for selecting vocabulary, and examples of differentiation. The questions will have you apply the information. For example, we may give you a math problem and a description of a student and then ask you to describe difficulties this student may have with the problem. We may also ask you to identify some vocabulary that may be difficult for him and whether it is content or context related. We may ask you to describe ways you may alter given tasks for a particular student.
To prepare, look over the article on vocabulary (Bay-Williams and Livers), the reading on characteristics of students with learning disabilities (Sliva), and chapter 3 in your text. Also review
the vocabulary activities we did with the CABs and the activity to plan a task for the student you read about in class.
Math Alliance Web Page: