Board games – Count spaces as you move.
Calendar talk – “Yesterday, today, tomorrow.”
Cooking math – 1 cup vs. ½ cup (talk about more/less).
Build & measure – “How many blocks tall?”
Graph favorites – Favorite fruit? Make a simple tally chart.
Nature math walks – Sort leaves by size or shape.
Story problems – “You have 3 bears. One walks away. How many left?”
Dice games – Roll and add two numbers.
Card games – War (Who has the bigger number?).
Skip counting practice – Count by 2s with pairs of socks.
Make 10 – “You have 7 grapes. How many more to make 10?”
Cooking fractions – Cut sandwiches into halves or quarters.
Money play – Identify coins and count small groups.
Measurement fun – Measure with nonstandard tools (How many shoes long is the couch?).
Simple scavenger hunt math – “Find something shaped like a rectangle and something shorter than your arm.”
The district’s math program in Kindergarten follows the Washington State Mathematics K–12 Learning Standards, which are aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. These standards outline what students should understand and be able to do by the end of kindergarten.
Instruction emphasizes both mathematical content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice — habits like problem solving, reasoning, communicating about math, and using tools effectively.
In Kindergarten, the district’s curriculum centers on two main content areas:
Whole Numbers (Counting & Operations)
• Representing and comparing quantities with numbers
• Counting objects and sets
• Understanding relationships between numbers
• Beginning addition and subtraction concepts using objects and simple expressions (e.g., modeling “5 + 2” with counters)
Shapes and Spatial Reasoning
• Describing shapes (circle, square, etc.)
• Talking about spatial relationships (above, beside, next to)
• Exploring how shapes fit together and their characteristics
Many schools in Northshore have adopted Developing Roots as a kindergarten math program, which is influenced by Singapore Math principles. This approach prioritizes deep conceptual understanding, hands-on experiences, and problem solving through visual models and manipulatives.
District-wide math materials for grades K–5 include other core programs aligned to the standards (e.g., Math Expressions), though Developing Roots plays a central role specifically in kindergarten.
In practice, kindergarten students in Northshore might experience math instruction that includes:
✔ Counting and comparing sets of objects
✔ Using manipulatives (counters, blocks) to explore addition and subtraction ideas
✔ Naming and discussing shapes and spatial relationships
✔ Engaging in problem solving and math talk with peers and teachers
✔ Exploring patterns and sorting objects based on attributes (size, color, shape) — foundational for future math learning