Middle School Mathematics Courses
MSM 701 Patterns, Relations, and Algebra for Middle School
Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the Master
of Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics coordinator.
Not available for degree credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
Topics include the expression of approximate relationships in data
using tables and graphs, linear, polynomial, and exponential
relationships, sequences, especially recursive sequences. The
course emphasizes multiple approaches to analyzing mathematical
relationships (e.g. graphical, tabular, algebraic, numerical,
etc.) and will develop a facility with manipulating the
mathematical symbolism.
MSM 703 Precalculus for Middle School Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisites: MSM 701: Patterns, Relations and Algebra for
Middle School Teachers. Acceptance into the Master of Arts in
Teaching Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the
Master of Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics coordinator.
Not available for degree credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
This course is intended to bridge the gap between algebra and
calculus. It will develop a firm understanding of the concept
of function, how to graphically represent various functions,
analyze their behavior and create new functions from old.
The course will look closely at various function classes
including polynomials, exponential, logarithmic and trigonometric.
Functions will be used to model real-life situations.
MSM 705 Geometry and Measurement for Middle School
Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the Master
of Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics coordinator. Not
available for degree credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
A comprehensive coverage of measurement concepts including
perimeter, area, surface area, volume, and the Pythagorean
theorem. Topics include properties of plane and 3-dimensional
geometric figures, the concepts of congruence, similarity,
symmetry, transformations and tessellations. An understanding
of the nature and techniques of establishing geometric proofs
is also central to the course.
MSM 707 Number Systems for Middle School Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the Master of
Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics coordinator. Not
available for degree credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
This course gives the middle-school teacher a deeper understanding
of number systems (integers, rational numbers, real numbers,
complex numbers). Topics include divisibility, factorization,
Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, equivalence relations,
congruence, Chinese Remainder Theorem, decimal representation,
axioms for number systems, and geometric representation of
numbers.
MSM 709 Data, Statistics and Probability for Middle School
Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the Master of
Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics coordinator. Not
available for degree credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
Teachers are introduced to methods of graphically displaying,
collecting and analyzing data. Techniques involved in computing
probability and counting principles will also be introduced.
Topics will include measures of central tendency and dispersion,
histograms, stem-leaf graph, box plots, binomial probabilities,
normally distributed variables, as well as linear and non-linear
regression.
MSM 711 Linear Systems for Middle School Teachers
(3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisites: MSM 701: Patterns, Relations and Algebra for Middle
School Teachers. Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the Master of
Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics coordinator. Not
available for degree credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
This course gives the middle-school teacher a deeper understanding
of systems of linear equations and matrices. Topics include
operations on matrices, solving linear systems, inverses and
determinants of matrices, and applications of matrices.
Particular emphasis will be placed on using matrices in
transformational geometry.
MSM 713 Calculus for Middle School Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: MSM 703: Precalculus for Middle School Teachers.
Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching Middle School
Mathematics program or permission of the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics coordinator. Not available for degree
credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
This course will provide teachers with a conceptual basis for
understanding how calculus provides a powerful tool for
analyzing change in our world. Topics include limits, slopes
and tangent lines, differentiation rules, the chain rule,
approximations, Newton's method, extreme values and curve
sketching, an introduction to integration with applications to
area between curves, the Fundamental Theorems of Integral
Calculus and the basic integration techniques.
MSM 715 Discrete Mathematics for Middle School
Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisite: MSM 701 Patterns, Relations and Algebra for Middle
School Teachers Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the Master
of Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics coordinator.
Not available for degree credit towards the MAT or MS programs.
This course gives the middle-school teacher a deeper understanding
of topics from discrete mathematics taught in middle school.
These include combinatorics, graph theory, trees, networks,
Pascal's triangle, the binomial theorem, sequences, set theory,
and recursion. Students will study logic and methods of proof
in order to construct their own proofs. Problem-solving heuristics
will also be discussed.
MSM 717 History of Mathematics for Middle School
Teachers (3 Credit Hours)
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Teaching
Middle School Mathematics program or permission of the
Master of Arts in Teaching Middle School Mathematics
coordinator. Not available for degree credit towards the
MAT or MS programs.
This course is a survey of the history of mathematics,
with emphasis placed on the development of topics
encountered by students in elementary through middle school.
Topics include numeration systems of ancient cultures,
Euclidean geometry and number theory, origins of algebra,
calculating devices throughout history, mathematics of
non-western cultures, classical probability and modern topics
such as graph theory and fractals.
Last Reviewed: January 10, 2006