Beginning Math

Curriculum
By: Kasey Jacobs
 Math in Focus
• One of the 15 national curricula examined by the Common Core committee
and had a particularly important impact on the Common Core writers and
contributors.

• Numbers and symbols can be confusing when you don't have a grasp of what
they actually mean. Singapore Math® teaches concepts using a concrete–
pictorial–abstract learning progression to anchor learning in real-world, hands-
on experiences.

• Math in Focus adapts instruction to the needs of individual learners through

scaffolding, the systematic sequencing of prompted content, and support to
optimize learning. The ultimate goal of scaffolding is to gradually remove the
supports as the learner masters the task.
• Provides seamless integration of technology with a range of online tools
including Interactive Whiteboard activities, online manipulatives, and a Bar
Modeling app.

• A key factor to Math in Focus mathematics success is how they approach

problem solving. Students learn to understand the "how" and the "why" so they
can tackle both routine and non-routine problems.
• The goal of a great math program is to provide world-class curriculum
resources and teacher training to ensure outstanding results. The Singapore
Math curriculum has shown excellent results in the United States and was a
key model for the Common Core State Standards. With Math in Focus®,
educators can confidently choose a program that builds teacher capacity and
delivers student results.
 Investigations
• it’s a focused, coherent, and rigorous K-5 mathematics curriculum. Fully aligned to
the content and practice standards of the Common Core State Standards

• Making sense of mathematics is the heart of the work, for students and teachers.

• The curriculum provides a clear, focused, and coherent mathematical agenda and
supports teachers in implementing in a way that accommodates the needs of their
particular students.
• There are also three kinds of formal assessment:
• checklists to track information about the Mathematical Practices and about Benchmarks that
can best be assessed via observation (K-5)
• brief Quizzes every 8-10 Sessions that familiarize students with a variety of test question
formats (1-5)
• embedded assessments that ask students to show and/or explain their work (1-5).

• Provides such support on several levels. Most Sessions have some combination of activity-
specific intervention, extension, and/or ELL suggestions. These are labeled with tags that
describe generalizable strategies for differentiation (e.g. suggest a tool, provide sentence
stems). An additional Intervention, Practice, and Extension activity is also included at the end of
each Investigation (1-5), and a Spanish Companion provides teacher dialogue in Spanish.
 Go Math!
• GO Math! is the first K–8 math program written to fully support new standards.

• GO Math! provides teachers with in-depth instructional support, embedded Professional

Development videos and tips, and a wealth of differentiated instruction resources to ensure the depth
of instruction required for student success.

• GO Math! at both the elementary and middle school levels combines 21st-century educational
technology with modern content, dynamic interactivities, and a variety of instructional videos to
engage today’s digital natives.

• Every student is supported through the universal access features of the program as they learn to
think critically and apply their math knowledge

• GO Math! supports teachers through every stage of their instruction, from planning and
implementation to assessment and remediation
• Perfect for print or blended instruction, whether you are working with elementary- or secondary-level
students

• With GO Math!, teachers can tailor a variety of formative and summative assessments to meet the
needs of all their students. These include Leveled Quizzes and Tests, Performance Tasks, and
Diagnostic and Quarterly Benchmark Tests. The program’s assessment resources allow for varied
and ongoing assessment of student learning and progress.

• Comprehensive RtI support improves learning, and GO Math! K–6 provides three options for
intervention at each tier:
• • Print support
• • Focused, hands-on activities
• • Comprehensive online support with the Personal Math Trainer