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JOURNEY
TO
THE
OTHER SIDE
MATHEMATICS
THROUGH LITERATURE AND MUSIC
"A creative, challenging,
mind-stretching learning experience."
Students
learn a powerful repertoire of problem-solving strategies
as they help the characters in this spellbinding novel journey
around a planet on the other side of the universe. To move
forward they must solve the challenging math and logic problems
encountered in each chapter. Intriguing clues from sixteen
lively songs help them on their way. |
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"You sure knocked
my socks off! I loved the book."
The integrated
program for grades 4 to 6 addresses multiple intelligences.
It introduces highly effective problem-solving strategies
that will stand students in good stead into middle school
and beyond. |
The kit includes:
• 27-chapter read-aloud novel
• 16 songs on cassette
• Teacher's guide, with 107 reproducible pages
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"It has made a
big change in my daughter's attitude."
Reviews
"Journey to the Other Side provided my class
and me with a creative, challenging, mind-stretching learning experience."
— Jennifer Harriton, 4th Grade Teacher
"I really like the Journey songs alot. I sing them at school. At
home in the morning I bother my sister with them. I can never get the
songs out of my mind. They also helped me understand the questions and
I didn’t get so frostrated.” — Ellie, 5th Grade Student
"Reading the book and solving the children's problems
is by far my students' favorite part of the day. Thanks for helping
me reach these very bright students."
— Mary Sparks, Gifted Coordinator
"I rell like the promgram becus it was fun. I liket
the songs a lot. I love math now. I yous to hat math. now I love it."
— Chantha, 5th Grade Special Ed. Student
"My daughter has always been an all-A student, but
up until now, she hated math – she wouldn't try, even though she
was capable. But she didn't want to miss school while Mrs. S. was reading
the book. It has made a big change in my daughter's attitude."
— Donna Sellman, Parent
"I loved doing Jerney to the other side. . . I never
had so much fun in my life at school."
— Kristin, 5th Grade Student
"You sure knocked my socks off! I loved the book." —
Justin, 3rd Grade Gifted Student
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Journey
to the Other Side
at a Glance
The Lessons
Each lesson consists of:
• A story chapter, read aloud
• A problem-strategy song
• Problems for guided and independent practice
• Homework activities
The program typically takes 30 days to complete, including pre- and
posttests.
The unit may be shortened by combining lessons and omitting some of
the problems.
Mathematical Content
The problems are drawn from many strands of mathematics, including number,
measurement, geometry, functions, probability and statistics, logic
and language, and algebra.
Mathematical investigations and problems with multiple solutions are
included, as well as more traditional single-solution problems. Non-numerical
problems and riddles round out the practice component. In addition,
many of the problems provide practice with the basic math facts and
operations.
Piloting
The program has undergone three extensive revisions based on field testing
in 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-grade classrooms in nine schools. Data from the
pilot studies indicate that a majority of participating students internalize
and successfully apply many of the strategies introduced in the program.
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Table
of Contents
| Overview
Teaching The Unit
Extending and Adapting the Program
Questions Teachers Ask
The Lessons
1 The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Song: I Think I've Got a Problem
2 On the Other Side
List potential approaches (brainstorm)
Song: Make a List
3 Questions and Answers
Identify the problem/ask the right question
Song: What Is the Question?
Review: Make a list
4 The Difficult and the Impossible
Review: Make a list; identify the problem
5 Patterns
Look for a pattern
Song: Powerful Patterns
6 Abra-Ca-Dabra
Review: Look for a pattern
7 Downhill
Make a chart/table/graph/list
Song: Give Your Head a Helping Hand
Review: Look for a pattern
8 Downwind
Review: Make a chart/table/graph/list
9 A Strange Encounter
Create a diagram/model/experiment
Song: A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words
Review: Previous strategies/concept map
10 Pleasant Surprises—and Nasty Ones
Relax/focus/think success
Song: Count 2 Three
11 Out of the Frying Pan
Review: Create a diagram/model/experiment; relax/focus/think success
12 Into the Fire
Estimate before you calculate
Song: Estimation/Good Guess-timation
13 Company
Review: Relax/focus/think success
14 Moving Forward—Working Backwards
Work backwards
Song: Backwards Man
15 The Skeleton Tells His Tale
Review: Work backwards
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16 Bad to Worse
Guess and check
Song: Guess and Check
17 Winds and Currents
Problem solved before/a simpler problem
Song: The Problem Solved Before
Review: Guess and check
18 Dreams and Nightmares
Review: Look for a pattern,
problem solved before/simpler problem
19 Bahlooming Idiots
Solve it later/persevere
Song: Solve It Later, Alligator
Review: Problem solved before/simpler problem
20 Behind the Stone Door
Review: Look for a pattern; guess and check
21 Discoveries in the Dark
Review: Guess and check; work backwards;
solve it later
22 Piggottry
Song: The Taskavit Song
Review: Make a table/chart/graph/list;
create a diagram/model/experiment
23 Zara's Secret
Use logical reasoning
Song: Logic Rap/Silly Syllogisms
24 Downstream—and Uphill
Review: Use logical reasoning
25 Taskavits and Poppasits
Review: Use logic; solve it later
26 Walls, Revisited
Use positive inner language
Song: Walls
Review: Problem solved before;
guess and check; logic
27 Twelve Gates to the City
Song: Twelve Gates to the City
Review: All strategies
28 Aftermath
Review: Several key strategies
Appendix A
Musical Activities
Song Logos
Song Lyrics
Appendix B
Tests: Administration and Scoring
Pretest/Posttest
Appendix C
Overhead Transparency Masters
Materials List
Appendix D
Resources for Teaching Problem Solving |
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Author’s
Note
A basic premise of Journey to the Other Side
is that truly effective teaching must touch the hearts and stir the
imaginations of children—in addition to conveying concepts and
content. During thirty years in the classroom, I've found that some
of my most effective lessons have included one or more of the following
• A well-told story
•
A singable song
• An intriguing problem to solve |
Journey to the Other Side brings together
these three lesson components in a practical instructional program
based on a body of research relating to student cognition, mathematical
achievement, and integrated learning. |
The "journey" of Journey to the Other Side
is an odyssey through uncharted lands on a far-off planet, symbolizing
the mind's struggle to make sense of the unknowns of mathematics. Again
and again, the story characters encounter barriers which must be overcome
in order for them to proceed. Each time, realizing that a problem cannot
be solved immediately, the travelers—working together—explore
possible solution strategies, select a promising one, and try it out.
Often they succeed and move onward, but at times they fail and must
begin anew the search for a solution.
So this Journey to the Other Side is both an imagined physical
journey and a real inner journey, its goal being to increase students'
mastery of their own thinking processes and their willingness to grapple
with the difficult—and the unknown.
TO
ORDER
Online . . . Creative
Publications
(Wright Group/McGraw-Hill)
Phone . . . 1-888-205-0444
Journey
to the Other Side
ISBN# 1561073245 (Teacher's
Guide) / 1561073210 (Novel)
Complete 6-Week Program
Includes
Teacher's Guide, Novel, and Music Cassette
Cassette is currently
out-of-print. Contact
Us regarding availability.
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