STREAM consists of two basic components-the video materials and the unit materials. The video materials can be used in a variety of settings. The introductory video could be used in a 1-2 hour informational meeting. The other videos, along with their accompanying written materials, could be used in a series of 2-3 hour inservice meetings. The second component, the unit materials, is designed for use in an extended inservice setting or as a reference document.

Videos

There are six videos. The first is an introduction to STREAM including some Frequently Asked Questions about mathematics reform. Most of these FAQs pertain to all projects. Each of the other five videos show one of the specific NSF-funded projects "in action" in real classrooms. To create the video materials, each project identified schools and classes that were using their curriculum. A film crew went to those schools and filmed the curriculum in action as well as interviews with teachers, students, administrators, and parents at these sites.

Facilitator Materials

This section includes extended discussion of each project, excerpts from each project's published text related to what students are working on in the video (also provided in the participant package), suggested ways to approach both the video and other activities within the participant materials, and any overhead transparencies or other additional materials that might be used to generate discussion. These materials also include answers to all student activities.

Participant Materials

This section begins with an introduction to the specific project and video. Along with relevant excerpts from the published text, this section also includes additional materials designed to encourage discussion and aid understanding.

Facilitator Materials

These consist of suggested ways to use the materials as well as background on the projects, answers to the activities, and accompanying overheads. It is important to note that suggestions for use are just that. It is anticipated that different facilitators, in different settings, will certainly use these materials differently.

Participant Materials

This section consists of an introduction to each project and a large part of one preliminary unit selected and supplied by each project. The STREAM authors then selected parts of each unit to use. This selection was made with two considerations in mind: 1) the approximate time that this part of the unit would take to complete; and 2) the need to supply the participants with a unit that was representative of each project and conveyed a sense of the flow and character of the curriculum. (Although the STREAM authors realize that part of one unit cannot do justice to any of these curricula, given the time constraints and reality of inservice, it was felt that the best way to give the teachers a sense of the projects was to have them become the students and give them an opportunity to work through at least some of the materials.)