Priority academic student skills, 2011 Mathematics overview grades 1-5

              Priority Academic Student Skills
School Improvement 133 Mathematics
OVERVIEW MATHEMATICS Grades 1 - 5 Developmentally appropriate mathematics curriculum for Grades 1 - 5 must encourage the exploration of a wide variety of mathematical ideas and promote in-depth levels of understanding by focusing on the key concepts and processes. Programs should fit the needs of the learner. Student success depends largely on the quality of the foundation that is established during the first years of school. The mathematics curriculum for Grades 1 - 5 must: Help children develop conceptual understanding of number, space, and situational problems by designing explorations and investigations that make use of everyday objects and specially designed materials (e.g., base-10 blocks). Actively involve children in doing mathematics with extensive and thoughtful use of manipulatives (concrete materials) in an environment that encourages children to develop, discuss, test, and apply ideas. Develop newly introduced mathematics concepts by beginning instruction with concrete experiences, progressing to pictorial representations and culminating with abstract symbols. Require appropriate reasoning and problem-solving experiences from the outset, instilling in students a sense of confidence in their ability to think and communicate mathematically, to detect patterns, and to analyze data. Emphasize the power of mathematics in helping children understand and interpret their world and solve problems that occur in it. Include a broad range of content by incorporating an informal approach to measurement, geometry, data analysis, and patterns (algebra). This helps students see the usefulness of mathematics and establishes a foundation for further study. Provide appropriate and ongoing use of technology by enabling children to explore number ideas and patterns, to focus on problem-solving processes, and to investigate realistic applications. Calculators do not replace the need for students to be fluent with basic facts, have efficient computation strategies, be able to compute mentally, and do paper-and-pencil computation. NOTE: Asterisks (*) have been used to identify standards and objectives that must be assessed by the local school district. All other skills may be assessed by the Oklahoma School Testing Program (OSTP).