Ample evidence is available to support the contention that, for learning to be meaningful, concepts must be connected and integrated within the experiences of the learner. In mathematics, at least three kinds of connections are particularly beneficial: connections within mathematics, across the curriculum, and with real world contexts. The authors' work with preservice and inservice teachers has convinced them that teachers possess both the willingness and the capability to help students make meaningful connections, given encouragement and support. This article focuses on making mathematical connections across the curriculum; activities which help teachers learn how to design their own are shared.

When was the last time that parents told you they enjoyed their children's homework assignment because it gave them a chance to communicate with their children? That is exactly what happened in one middle-grades classroom. Jane Hunt, a seventh-grade mathematics teacher, used a number-line activity based on students' individual timelines to help her students understand the concepts of integers and rational numbers. These personal lifelines connected mathematics with language arts and other subjects. The project allowed for concept development through real-life experiences, with the added bonus that many parents became enthusiastic about opportunities to share family history with their children.