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This report describes an intervention designed to assist students in creating and accepting divergent solutions to problems in mathematics. The targeted population consisted of fifth-grade students from a multicultural setting with varied economic backgrounds, and the sample included 171 fifth graders in two school districts. Underdeveloped critical thinking was documented by teacher observation, tests, and student surveys. Analysis of probable cause data revealed that students lacked adequate strategies for problem solving, lacked confidence in their math ability, and were unable to communicate their thinking. Reviews of curricular content and previous instructional methods revealed an overemphasis on basic skills and computation, with minimal attention to higher-order thinking and problem solving. One major intervention was selected, a change in the instructional approach with three essential characteristics: (1) Students were taught the steps to use when critically thinking about problem solving; (2) Manipulatives were used to enhance instruction; and (3) Metacognitive abilities were developed through writing about math skills. Results showed that students demonstrated improved attitudes about their mathematical ability and increased ability to write about their thinking. Appendices contain an autobiography sample, a problem solving pre-test, teacher survey, three-story intellect verbs, student activity samples, and a problem-solving post-test. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/MKR)

1Boy Crusoe

By Allan Eric

Also published as" A Yankee Crusoe" . A 15 year old hard working and studious farm boy finds the lure of adventure on the seas as a merchant seaman more than he can resist. This is his story. " I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the Civil War. My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more. Hard work on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my life full to over-flowing. " What he gets is enough excitement and adventure to overflow his wildest dreams. How he experiences disaster and uses his wits and knowledge to overcome every problem makes for a great read. - Summary by Phil Chenevert