Lower School Math
Program Overview
The Everyday Math Program is our core program throughout the school. Commercial and teacher- created support materials and manipulatives supplement the program. Everyday Math emphasizes maintaining a good balance between learning mathematical concepts, developing strong computational skills, and using the knowledge gained to solve problems. Manipulative materials are used to help develop the concepts that are presented. Every effort is made to integrate math into all subject areas and into every day life.
Junior Kindergarten
Philosophically, our junior kindergarten program covers many of the same topics as the kindergarten program, but not as in depth. There is more time given to play and the building of social skills.
In junior kindergarten, we use a variety of manipulative materials to reinforce the understanding of basic mathematical concepts. We review simple shapes and count the numbers 0-20. The concepts of "more than" and "less than" are introduced. We work with one-to-one correspondence, classification, patterning, and problem solving in order to produce a better understanding of the order and value of numbers through 20. Class activities include games, solving problems with manipulatives, work sheets, graphs, cut and paste projects, and oral and mental arithmetic. During the second term, we work with the concepts of addition and subtraction using manipulatives and oral word problems. We begin learning correct numeral writing. The ideas of "more than" and "less than" are further explored. We will introduce money and measurement concepts.
Kindergarten
In kindergarten, we use a variety of manipulative materials to reinforce the understanding of basic mathematical concepts. We review simple shapes and count the numbers 0-20. The concepts of "more than" and "less than" are introduced. We work with one-to-one correspondence, classification, patterning, and problem solving in order to produce a better understanding of the order and value of numbers through 20. Class activities include games, solving problems with manipulatives, work sheets, graphs, cut and paste projects, and oral and mental arithmetic. In addition, we count and celebrate the first 100 days of school. During the second term, we work with the concepts of addition and subtraction using manipulatives and oral word problems. We begin learning correct numeral writing, recognizing numerals greater than 20 and understanding math equations. The ideas of "more than" and "less than" are further explored. We will also study money, measurement and time.
First Grade
Math activities in the first grade continue to develop counting skills, number relationships and critical thinking about number patterns through 100. Concrete experiences and free exploration strengthen the understanding of the basic operations of addition and subtraction. The boys will be learning their addition and subtraction combinations through 20. (10+10) Problem solving strategies including using objects, choosing the correct operations, guessing and checking, drawing pictures, estimating, and making graphs and tables will be emphasized. Thinking stories will be used to develop mathematical reasoning and strengthen mental math ability. Many games will be played to reinforce mathematical skills and foster cooperative learning. The children will continue working with play money including quarters, in addition to dimes, nickels and pennies. We will practice telling time to the hour and half-hour.
Second Grade
In second grade we introduce or further explore problem solving, estimation, number sense and operations, geometry, measurement, fractions, patterns and probability. We continue to study, understand and memorize addition and subtraction facts from 0 to 20. During the second term, the math curriculum continues to allow for the development of number sense. Not only memorized algorithms, but also the reasonableness of the answer is stressed. Problem solving skills and life skills such as the use of calendar, time, measurement, money and geometry continue to be developed. Communicating mathematical ideas through reading, writing, discussing and listening in small and large cooperative learning groups is an important part of the daily program. Work with graphing, estimating, and memorizing math facts from the four basic operations is ongoing. The areas of study in second grade include:
- Addition and Subtraction Facts
- Place Value, Money, & Time
- Mental Arithmetic
- 3-D and 2-D shapes
- Whole-Number Operations
- Patterns and Rules
- Fractions
- Measurement
- Decimals and Place Value
- Whole-Number Operations Revisited
- Year End Reviews and Extensions
Third Grade
In the third grade, we continue to build upon the children’s prior knowledge of mathematics. The program emphasizes maintaining a good balance between, learning mathematical concepts, developing strong computational skills, and using the knowledge gained to solve multi-step problems. Manipulative materials are used to help develop the concepts that are presented. Every effort is made to integrate math into all subject areas and into every day life.
Areas of study include:
- Addition and Subtraction of whole numbers includes working with number families, extending addition and subtraction fact knowledge, discovering procedures for adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers, and adding with three or more addends.
- Linear measurement includes measuring with a ruler, using standard linear units, finding perimeters of polygons, constructing 3-dimensional straw shapes, and exploring area, diameter and circumference.
- Multiplication and division development includes working with arrays, establishing the relationship between division and multiplication, creating equal shares and groups, using a multiplication and division fact table and fact families to learn the basic facts, and playing games and using manipulative materials to explore multiplication and division concepts.
- Place-value instruction includes reviewing place value through ten thousands, reading writing and ordering numbers, extending place-value to millions, using base-ten blocks to explore decimals, and applying decimal knowledge in real world situations.
- Geometry experiences include reviewing 3-dimensional shapes, exploring segments, rays and lines, learning mathematical notation for points, segments, rays and lines, experimenting with angles and turns, and working with triangles and other polygons.
- Fraction work includes recognizing fractions as part of a whole or as part of a group, using fractions in number stories, comparing fractions and decimals, recognizing equivalent units of measure, constructing and collecting equivalent fractions and playing with fractional pieces in discovery and game formats.
- Multiplication and division extensions include working with square numbers, using multiplication number models with parentheses, and estimating with multiplication and division. The students learn to use multiples of 10, 100 and 1,000 to aid in multi-digit multiplication. Fact knowledge is developed during mental math activities, and by exploring multiplication and division concepts through the use of games. The standard algorithm for multi-digit multiplication is introduced.
- Probability concepts are taught using activities such as coin tossing, spinning a spinner, pulling blocks out of bag, and gathering and using data to predict outcomes.
Fourth Grade
In the fourth grade, we continue to build upon the children’s prior knowledge of mathematics. Naming and constructing geometric figures, which includes reviewing line segments, lines and rays, exploring angles, triangles, quadrilaterals, parallelograms and polygons, drawing circles with a compass and constructing regular hexagons.
- Using numbers and organizing data includes adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers, skip-counting review and practice, gathering, organizing and displaying data using bar graphs and finding the median.
- Multiplication and division includes exploring number sentences and their relationship to algebra, practicing multiplication facts, linking multiplication and division concepts, using parentheses in number sentences, solving word problems and discovering strategies for solving logic problems.
- Decimals and their uses includes exploration of tenths, hundredths and thousandths, extending place-value concepts to decimals, using barometric pressure and gasoline mileage to show everyday use of decimals and playing games that enhance decimal knowledge.
- Map and math related activities include, using coordinate grids for locating specific places on a map, working with both circular and half-circle protractors, learning to use the global grid system, and using a magnetic compass to find directions.
- Fractions and probability includes reviewing basic fraction concepts, working with pattern-block fractions, discovering many names for fractions, learning how to find equivalent fractions, comparing fractions and decimals, and playing games to develop probability awareness.
- Reflections and symmetry includes finding lines of reflection, discovering properties of reflections, exploring lines of symmetry and working with positive and negative numbers.
- Percentage activities include, discovering the relationship between fractions, decimals and percents, converting easy fractions to percents, using a calculator to convert fractions to decimals and fractions to percent and comparing the results of a survey.
- Perimeter and area includes making scale drawings, learning the formulas for finding the areas of a rectangle, parallelogram and triangle, finding the areas of every day objects, and arranging furniture to fit a specific space.
- The study of rates includes introducing the concept of rates, solving rate problems, converting between rates and comparing rates to determine the best buy when shopping.
- Three dimensional shapes and volumes includes recognizing and naming geometric solids, exploring and constructing geometric solids, using formulas to find the volume of 3-dimensional shapes and problem solving activities.