The video lessons consist of eight episodes that should be watched in the classroom and serves as an introduction to each lesson of the MathTek curriculum.  Cooperative problem solving and multiple strands of the math model are integrated into each episode.  The video episodes are designed to be used in a monthly sequence throughout the school year as part a complete curriculum that includes the other elements of the MathTek project.

The materials in the video vignettes are presented using dramatization involving five children who meet at the library after school as part of a weekly program.  The library program is designed to interest children in nature and the world around them.  The facilitator of the group is the children’s librarian who devotes time each week assisting them with their creative group projects by introducing them to available resources and technology.   Throughout the series, the children and librarian will help the MathTek students uncover and unravel aspects of nature by applying basic mathematical concepts.  The link between math and science becomes evident as the students work in meaningful contexts relating to their personal experiences and interests.

The children involved in the library program use discussion, anecdotes, and collaborative problem solving techniques to explore and illustrate the use of mathematical concepts in the world around them.  A connecting theme of the video lessons evolves from the natural interests of children in insects and rainforests.

MathTek’s goals are achieved by engaging students in the classroom in various activities modeled by the characters in the video lessons.  Sample activities include:  exploring sequential and repetitive patterns in a phrase of music, calculating the number of cookies that need to be sold to earn $15, estimating the number of ants in an ant farm, discovering the shape of a honeycomb, or measuring the size of an acre.

The characters in the vignettes  consist of a heterogeneous group of mixed age, race, gender, culture, and ability level with each character having a particular interest and unique family situation.

Each episode takes place in a library resource room that is furnished with computers that have CD-ROM drives and Internet access, books, manipulatives, and games.  In addition, the librarian will utilize resources from visiting exhibits on display at the library such as the Silicon Graphics Magic Bus and a bug exhibit from the local zoo.