Judith A. Muschla taught mathematics in South River, New Jersey, for over twenty-five years. Along with teaching and writing, she has been a member of the State Standards Review Panel for the Mathematics Core Curriculum Content Standards in New Jersey.Gary Robert Muschla taught at Appleby School in Spotswood, New Jersey, for more than twenty-five years. His specialties include mathematics at the middle school level, reading, and writing. Judith and Gary have coauthored several very successful math activity books, including The Algebra Teacher's Activities Kit, Hands-On Math Projects with Real-Life Applications, and The Math Teacher's Book of Lists.Erin Muschla-Berry teaches eighth grade math at Monroe Township Middle School in Monroe, New Jersey, and has collaborated with Judith and Gary on four previous math books, including Teaching the Common Core Math Standards with Hands-On Activities, Grades 6-8.

• About the Authors xxvAcknowledgments xxviiAbout This Book xxixStandards and Problems Chart xxxiPart 1: Making Math Starters Part of Your Program 1The Value of Math Starters 3Starting Class with a Math Starter 3Purpose and Value of a Math-Starter Notebook 4The Value of Written Explanations 7Cooperative Problem Solving Using Math Starters 7Organizing Groups for Problem Solving 7The Value of Sharing and Discussion 11Using Problem-Solving Strategies 11Evaluation 14Checklists 14Point Systems 14Quizzes That Include Math Starters 15Review of Math-Starter Notebooks 15Student Participation 15Portfolios 15A Final Word 15Part 2: Math Starters 17Section 1: Whole Numbers and Integers: Theory and Operations 19Section 2: Rational Numbers: Fractions, Decimals, and Percents 51Section 3: Algebra and Beyond 101Section 4: Functions 163Section 5: Geometry 185Section 6: Statistics, Probability, and Data Analysis 281Section 7: Number and Quantity 319Section 8: Potpourri 335Answer Key 363