Mathematics
Knowledge of mathematics is essential to be a productive member of a technological society. It is the mission of South Windsor Public Schools to provide a mathematics curriculum that will encourage students to shape information into knowledge and experience into understanding. Our philosophy is that students learn mathematics best by doing mathematics. It is the role of the teacher to guide students in constructing their own mathematical understanding. Teachers will implement curriculum and plan activities that will guide and support students as they investigate, analyze and achieve. As a result of this guidance, students will develop an appreciation of the value of mathematics, gain confidence in their ability to use mathematics, and become mathematical problem solvers. Students will also develop their ability to communicate and reason mathematically. All students are expected to master mathematics according to their greatest potential.
The major goals of the South Windsor Public Schools mathematics curriculum are to:
Ensure high expectations and access to meaningful mathematics learning for every student.
Ensure implementation of the Standards for Mathematical Practice to develop the processes and proficiencies in mathematics.
Implement a curriculum that is aligned to national and state standards while incorporating 21st century skills and technologies, resulting in relevant and meaningful instruction and high student achievement.
Utilize data-driven decision making based on universal screens, benchmarks and formative assessments to inform instruction and improve student learning.
To ensure instructional equity among all students.
The Mathematics curriculum encourages the use of the following Mathematical Practices:
Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
Reason abstractly and quantitatively
Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
Model with mathematics
Use appropriate tools strategically
Attend to precision
Look for and make use of structure
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
Math Unit Overview
The district is using the San Francisco math curriculum as a core resource. A description of each of the units is provided below. These units tie to the skills and student outcomes outlined in the progress report overview.
Unit 1.1
Ten
as a Unit
Ten
as a Unit
In first grade, students will have many experiences with addition and subtraction of whole numbers. In this unit, students will be reviewing and building on addition and subtraction concepts learned in Kindergarten. Students will be using different visual models to gain a better understanding of addition and subtraction to 0. They will learn how addition and subtraction are connected to each other. Students will be familiar with using Ten Frames and Number Bonds from Kindergarten.
Unit 1.2
Attributes of
2-Dimensional Shapes
Attributes of
2-Dimensional Shapes
In this unit, students will be working with 2-dimensional (2-D) shapes, also referred to as flats. Two-dimensional shapes with or without curved surfaces can be described, classified, and analyzed by their attributes. Students determine which attributes define a shape, such as number of sides and vertices, and which attributes to not, such as color or size. Students may use informal language to describe these attributes.
Unit 1.3
Addition
within 20
Addition
within 20
In Unit 1.3, students will be working on different strategies for solving addition problems. Students will learn that knowing some facts like the Doubles and Double +1 facts makes it easier to solve addition problems.
Unit 1.4
Subtraction
within 20
Subtraction
within 20
Addition and subtraction are critical areas of focus for first graders, and will continue to be important all year. Unit 4 helps first graders start to make sense of subtraction, using what they have learned about addition.
Unit 1.5
Measuring Length
and Time
Measuring Length
and Time
First graders begin this unit by comparing the lengths of different items. They order the items from tallest (or longest) to shortest, and shortest to tallest (or longest). They also compare relative sizes by finding things that are taller, shorter, and about the same height as they are.
Unit 1.6
Problems with
Unknowns
Problems with
Unknowns
Students will spend much of 1st grade working with addition and subtraction. In this unit, first graders consider what operation works best for what situation and why. Is a problem an addition problem? Is it a subtraction problem? How are the two related?
Unit 1.7
Attributes of
3-Dimensional Shapes
Attributes of
3-Dimensional Shapes
Students have worked with shapes since pre-school and kindergarten. In Unit 1.2, Attributes of 2-D Shapes, first graders reasoned that a shape is defined by attributes such as the number of sides it has, and not other features such as color or size. First graders extend that work here with 3-D, or solid shapes.
Students also continue to build shapes, and to put shapes together to make new shapes. Composing, or putting things together, is a foundational idea for all of math.
Unit 1.8
Challenging
Problems
Challenging
Problems
Students will spend much of grade 1 working with addition and subtraction. In this unit, they continue to work with the different kinds of problems, using more complex situations and more difficult combinations of numbers. These more complex situations can include having three numbers to add, or needing to add and subtract with larger numbers. In second grade, students will revisit each of these types of situations, using numbers up to 100.
Unit 1.9
Numbers Greater than 20
Numbers Greater than 20
In this unit, students examine how two-digit numbers are composed of tens and ones. Throughout the unit, students will build numbers up to 100 using concrete models and many representations. They add and subtract numbers within 100. To form larger numbers they decompose, or pull numbers apart, or put numbers together. They compare numbers by looking at the number of tens and ones in each number.
Unit 1.10
Organizing Data
Organizing Data
First grades will begin to learn about three important ways to organize data: a table with tallies, a picture graph, and a bar graph. Data are facts or information. Sometimes students will generate the data themselves based on questions they have, and sometimes they will be given data to work with.
Unit 1.11
Picture Book Project
Picture Book Project
This short unit has a different structure than all of the other units in first grade. At the end of this five-day unit, students will have their own number story to share in the form of a book or special project. They will use models of the kinds of addition and subtraction problems from earlier units to make their stories. Each story will have two pages: (1) one page will have a number story with illustrations; and (2) one page will have the solution to the number story.
Supplemental Parent Letters
Click on one of the following links to access additional information regarding each of the Grade 1 math units listed above, including hints and examples for helping your child at home.
Additional Resources
Where to go for additional information and support
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