Like the literacy program, SHCPS’s three-tiered mathematics curriculum is designed to ensure that students develop confidence and capability in each of the Standards of Mathematical Practice:

 

·        making sense of problems and perservering in solving them

·        reasoning abstractly and quantitatively

·        constructing viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others

·        modeling with mathematics

·        using appropriate tools strategically

·        attending to precision

·        looking for and making use of structure

·        looking for and expressing regularity in repeated reasoning. 

 

 

To achieve these goals, the curriculum stresses not only computation but also the full range of mathematics including data collection and analysis, probability and statistics, geometry, and algebra. The required core instructional programs are Singapore Math (K-5) and Math in Focus (6-8).   These programs are designed to support mathematical discovery through experiences that move gradually from concrete to pictorial and then abstract representations, such as standard algorithms.  Similar to the reading and writing workshops, the math block is broken down into a mini-lesson for direct instruction followed by independent or small group “real life” problem solving or project based learning and then a reflection and sharing time where students can articulate their processes, theories and solutions.  In addition, mental math exercises are regularly incorporated to build number sense, automatically, and flexible thinking.  Supplementary programming is available through the use of various enrichment materials, including Drexel Math,  Study Island and Dreambox, an adaptive online learning tool.

 

In our Early Learning Academy and Primary Academy students learn math facts and how to compute with speed and accuracy. They also learn to apply addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to real-world problems and situations. Through hands-on activities with manipulative's and projects, students apply and test their mathematical ideas and understandings. They work in pairs and in groups to make mathematical discoveries, develop mental math skills, explore mathematical relationships, and strengthen their thinking. This introduction helps ensure that they go through life confident in mathematics and capable of applying it to their daily lives.

 

In Elementary Academy, the mathematics curriculum continues to balance concept instruction with meaningful application. Students apply their more advanced mathematical tools and techniques to a rich variety of UbD-based cross-curricular projects and activities. They explore concepts such as decimals and percent; mean, median, and mode; ratio and proportion; and functions. They participate in wide-ranging discussions about math, engage in a variety of cooperative-learning projects, explore simulations, and make increasingly more sophisticated mathematical observations. Calculators and computers play important roles in both the Primary and Elementary academies because they greatly expand the range of math problems and calculations that students can perform. Of course, students still use pencil and paper to complete some problems, but the math program emphasizes choosing from a range of problem-solving methods and tools, including mental arithmetic. Additionally, we often ask students to explain why their calculated or computed answers are reasonable, thereby calling on their understanding of operations and strengthening their ability to judge the validity of answers.

 

In Junior Academy, students move toward a higher level of abstraction, developing their understanding of variables, generalizations, and informal proofs. By the end of their Junior Academy experience, students have learned to apply their arithmetic skills in a variety of real-world situations, to delve into problems involving all sorts of numbers, to think through different wordings and problem presentations, and to confront new contexts with confidence and understanding. They have also received the background in algebra and geometry necessary for more advanced work. High-interest projects and investigations, conducted individually or in cooperative teams, help students learn that by drawing on the ideas, tools, and techniques of mathematics, they can strengthen their thinking, communicate with greater precision, make important connections across the curriculum, and find solutions to perplexing questions and challenging problems. The integration of the Math and Science core classes will strengthen these connections and provide opportunities for the expansion and compression of the curriculum.