Math Block Guidance

Imagine Learning's Illustrative Math estimates that each lesson will take approximately 45-75 minutes (not including centers). We know that in Year 1 of a new curriculum, that may take slightly longer as teachers and students are getting used to the new routines and tasks.

Lesson Design

Each lesson starts with a learning goal and a warm-up, followed by problem-based instructional activities facilitated by the teacher (including individual and small-group worktime), and concludes with a synthesis and cool-down to solidify and apply student learning.

A typical lesson has four phases:

a warm-up (5-10 minutes)
one or more instructional activities, including activity synthesis (30-50 minutes)
the lesson synthesis (5-10 minutes)
a cool-down (5 minutes)

In kindergarten, most lessons do not include cool-downs. During these lessons, checkpoints are used to formatively assess understanding of the lesson. Since activities are shorter, each lesson includes 15–25 minutes of time for centers.

In grade 1, some lessons do not have cool-downs. During these lessons, checkpoints are used to formatively assess understanding of the lesson.

Read more about IM's lesson design here.

Math Workshop

In grades K-5, Illustrative Math includes centers. These centers will be experienced as part of the Math Workshop Block; 30+ minutes following the core lesson.