Initially adapted from Van de Walle's market-leading textbook, Elementary and Middle School Mathematics, the Van de Walle Professional Mathematics Series are practical guides for developmentally appropriate, student-centered mathematics instruction from best selling mathematics methods authors John Van de Walle, Jennifer Bay-Williams, Karen Karp, and LouAnn Lovin. Specially designed for in-service teachers, each volume of the series focuses on the content relevant to a specific grade band and provides additional information on creating an effective classroom environment, engaging families, and aligning teaching to the Common Core State Standards. Additional activities and expanded lessons are also included. The series has three objectives: 1. To illustrate what it means to teach student-centered, problem-based mathematics 2. To serve as a reference for the mathematics content and research-based instructional strategies suggested for pre-kindergarten to grade two, grades three to five, and grades six to eight 3. To present a large collection of high quality tasks and activities that can engage students in the mathematics that is important for them to learn Volume III is tailored specifically to grades 6-8, allowing teachers to quickly and easily locate information to implement in their classes. The student-centered approach will result in students who are successful in learning mathematics, making these books indispensable for 6-8 classroom teachers!