As the school year begins, we are reflecting on the Problems of the Week. If you've never tried the PoWs before, take them for a spin free for 21 days with a trial account:

http://mathforum.org/products/trial.html

The Math Forum is a community affair and some of our members are planning new projects and ways to involve their students in problem solving. As a result, we are considering possible innovations and also planning how to provide more effective service in the future.

Here's a chance to open some new opportunities for your students and help the community by completing a brief survey:

http://mathforum.org/pow/survey.html

Your quick response will help us with any changes for the upcoming school year, but we welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and questions at any time.

Since writing all-new software to power our PoWs two years ago, we've rolled out additional features every month. Many of these updates improve operations behind-the-scenes. For the most visible changes, check out

http://mathforum.org/pow/improvements.html

If your subscription has expired, please consider renewing:

http://mathforum.org/renewal.html

http://www.hpm-americas.org/?p=379

The Americas Section of History and Pedagogy of Mathematics (HPM) is having a West Coast meeting October 1-2, 2011, on the campus of Point Loma Nazarene University, in San Diego.

HPM seek a variety of talks on the relation between the history and pedagogy of mathematics. Talks directly relevant to the use of the history of mathematics in mathematics classrooms are especially welcome, as are reports of studies relating history and pedagogy.

Send the title and abstract of your talk proposal, along with contact information, to Kathy Clark by e-mailing drkclark@gmail.com

K-12 teachers and full-time graduate students may save $10 by registering before September 15, 2011.

http://www.sesameworkshop.org/newsandevents/pressreleases/
season_42_sesame_street_september_26_2011

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) recently announced that the new season of its popular television series for pre-schoolers, Sesame Street, will focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Eleven segments will star a new, inquisitive orange monster named Murray. To the refrain of "Let's find out," Murray poses a scientific question and sets up an experiment. With help from some friends, Murray observes, investigates and discovers the answers to his questions.

Street scenes, animations, and live-action films will also address science and math topics. The season premiere features a visit by Hubert the Human Cannonball, who repeatedly hurls across the yard and misses a bucket of blue gelatin — until Baby Bear engineers him a launcher. In a spoof of The Deadliest Catch, Captain Heartburn and his crew weigh each thing they catch. And in another episode, where Telly, Elmo, and Rosita play Shape-O-Bots, guest Andy Samberg rushes in to ask the group to transform into octagons, triangles, pentagons, and rhombuses.

Other celebrities and newsmakers with cameos in the new season range from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the Harlem Globetrotters; from actors Emma Stone and Seth Rogen to musicians Gustavo Dudamel and Jay Sean; and from late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O'Brien to dance company Ballet Hispanico.

Over the decades, Sesame Street has aired over 500 segments about numbers and counting. Browse or search the digital collection for short videos of Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Elmo, Count Von Count, and other beloved furry friends:

http://www.sesamestreet.org/browseallvideos?
p_p_id=browsegpv_WAR_browsegpvportlet&_browsegpv_WAR_
browsegpvportlet_subject=Numbers+%2F+Counting

The most widely viewed children's series in the world, Sesame Street begins its 42nd season on September 26. For your local PBS affiliate's broadcast times, visit

http://pbskids.org/tvschedules/index.html