Math
Below are the report card outcomes for Grade 1 Math.
Curriculum Overview
Curriculum Overview
Our math program is based on hands-on problem-solving using manipulatives. Through solving problems and manipulating concrete objects, the student learns various mathematical concepts. Once concepts have been learned concretely, the student can move on to more abstract applications of the concept, such as visual and numeric representations, and equations. The aim of our program is to create problem solvers who have a solid foundation of number sense. Students who have “number sense” can be said to have common sense as applied to math:
Our math program is based on hands-on problem-solving using manipulatives. Through solving problems and manipulating concrete objects, the student learns various mathematical concepts. Once concepts have been learned concretely, the student can move on to more abstract applications of the concept, such as visual and numeric representations, and equations. The aim of our program is to create problem solvers who have a solid foundation of number sense. Students who have “number sense” can be said to have common sense as applied to math:
· they know when an answer they have created makes sense or not (e.g., 100 + 1 cannot equal 1001, but 29 + 31 does equal 60, because 29 + 31 is like 30 + 30 -1 +1 …)
· they know when an answer they have created makes sense or not (e.g., 100 + 1 cannot equal 1001, but 29 + 31 does equal 60, because 29 + 31 is like 30 + 30 -1 +1 …)
· they understand place value (and thus how to put numbers together and take them apart in order to solve addition and subtraction problems)
· they understand place value (and thus how to put numbers together and take them apart in order to solve addition and subtraction problems)
· they grasp the relationship between operations ( e.g., they understand fact families, as applied to addition and subtraction. This means that for every addition fact, there is a related addition fact and two related subtraction facts…hence, a ‘fact family’. For example, if I know that 7+8= 15, I also know that 8+7=15, and that 15-7=8 and 15-8=7. Similarly, students with good number sense understand that skip counting forwards and backwards is the foundation of adding and subtracting, as well as of multiplication and division - two operations which will be formally introduced in Grade 3.)
· they grasp the relationship between operations ( e.g., they understand fact families, as applied to addition and subtraction. This means that for every addition fact, there is a related addition fact and two related subtraction facts…hence, a ‘fact family’. For example, if I know that 7+8= 15, I also know that 8+7=15, and that 15-7=8 and 15-8=7. Similarly, students with good number sense understand that skip counting forwards and backwards is the foundation of adding and subtracting, as well as of multiplication and division - two operations which will be formally introduced in Grade 3.)
This emphasis on developing a solid foundation of number sense means that sometimes the strategies students are taught to solve problems in our class may be different from the methods you learned in school as a child. Don’t worry—this is a good thing! It means that more children will “get” math; and if you as a parent feel a little lost with some of the new teaching methods, I am happy to give whatever support you feel you might need. (Honestly, I get it: I am in my early fifties and learned the “old school” methods as a child too!) Naturally, since you are such an important person in your child's life, your perspectives on math have a huge impact on your child's learning. The good news is that brain research shows there is no such thing as a 'math brain' - we are all capable of doing well in math given a growth mindset, good strategies, lots of encouragement... and lots of fun opportunities to practice! Remember, what we usually call 'mistakes' are, in fact, extremely powerful opportunities to learn.
This emphasis on developing a solid foundation of number sense means that sometimes the strategies students are taught to solve problems in our class may be different from the methods you learned in school as a child. Don’t worry—this is a good thing! It means that more children will “get” math; and if you as a parent feel a little lost with some of the new teaching methods, I am happy to give whatever support you feel you might need. (Honestly, I get it: I am in my early fifties and learned the “old school” methods as a child too!) Naturally, since you are such an important person in your child's life, your perspectives on math have a huge impact on your child's learning. The good news is that brain research shows there is no such thing as a 'math brain' - we are all capable of doing well in math given a growth mindset, good strategies, lots of encouragement... and lots of fun opportunities to practice! Remember, what we usually call 'mistakes' are, in fact, extremely powerful opportunities to learn.
If all of this sounds a little intimidating or dry, rest assured: I love teaching math because we have so much fun! My philosophy is to make learning as enjoyable as possible because … as the brain research shows … we learn best when we enjoy what we do. Accordingly, we use lots of manipulatives (dice, playing cards, egg cartons, bingo chips, place value materials such as tens rods and ones cubes, etc.), and play lots of math games to help introduce and solidify concepts.
If all of this sounds a little intimidating or dry, rest assured: I love teaching math because we have so much fun! My philosophy is to make learning as enjoyable as possible because … as the brain research shows … we learn best when we enjoy what we do. Accordingly, we use lots of manipulatives (dice, playing cards, egg cartons, bingo chips, place value materials such as tens rods and ones cubes, etc.), and play lots of math games to help introduce and solidify concepts.