Books for teachers of mathematically gifted students in grades 6, 7 and 8

A summer program and resource for middle school students
showing high promise in mathematics

Teacher Resources

Books

The books listed below are of three types: (A) For understanding - "standing under" - mathematical concepts, for grasping the idea. (B) Resource or aid for training the gifted. (C) For inclusion in the school library for use by the gifted.
The classification of the book by its type is given after the listing of the authors.

The Art of Problem Solving by Richard Rusczyk and Sandor Lehoczky - Book Type A,B,C - Two volumes: Vol. I ISBN 1-885875-01-0 Vol II ISBN 1-885875-03-7: "The relaxed conversational style of these two volumes employs a holistic approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics. The lively, happy, and caring tone, coupled with explanation of ideas that might be hidden from full view, rigor of treatment, and comprehensive coverage of all the basic topics make these volumes, perhaps, the best non-calculus school mathematics text books. The volumes are ideal for both schools and home-schooling. Those schools offering semester or year-long math strands in subjects such as Number Theory, Combinatorics, Graph Theory, or Probability could either omit the relevant chapters from the second volume or incorporate them in the course materials. The work is most suitable for students preparing for national math contests. Middleschool students who are profoundly gifted in mathematics should find it fun to self-study the books in a leisurely way over a period of a couple of years starting as early as their fifth grade. The work is most valuable also for parents who are home-schooling their gifted children. Parents would find these volumes suitable teaching aids and almost a complete library for school math concepts including Limits." Review by George Rubin Thomas
Mathematical Thought From Ancient to Modern Times by Morris Kilne - Book Type A,B, & C - Three Volumes: ISBN 0-19-506135-7, ISBN 0-19-506136-5, ISBN 0-19-506137-3: "Telling a story holds attention. So why not do it while you introduce a new concept, formula or method? What stories? The history of mathematics is a treasure house of them. But telling a mathematics story is not just an attention-holding device. A story gives a view of the mathematical concepts or facts in which they are in the right relations - it is called perspective. A story also shows the struggles of the creative process and attunes the student's mind to undertake the easier struggle to perceive what the teacher is about to present. Morris Kline has compiled the story of mathematics from ancient times through the first decades of the twentieth century. Therefore, most of the mathematical concepts dealt with in middle school and high school are in this book. It is the best book of mathematical history. Teachers, busy as they are during the school year, would want to take Kline's three volumes along on their summer vacations and then refer to them during the school year." Review by George Rubin Thomas
Mathematics: Its Content, Methods and Meaning Edited by A.D. Alexsandrov, A.N. Kolmogorov and M.A. Laurent'ev - Type A: "A collection of discussions on many mathematical concepts enountered in a school curriculum, incorporating the history and role of the concept." Review by George Rubin Thomas
Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom: Strategies and Techniques Every Teacher Can Use to Meet the Academic Needs of the Gifted and Talented by Susan Winebrenner - Type B: "The definitive guide to meeting the learning needs of gifted students in the mixed-abilities classroom without losing control, causing resentment, or spending hours preparing extra materials." Excerpt from Editorial Reviews