Grades K-6: An Math Activity
The purpose of this exercise is to allow you to become
more familiar with the arithmetic topics
required by the State Office of Education to be taught in Grades K-6 and the
grade level of
each.
EXERCISE 1: Imagine someone asking you: “So,
do they teach children in elementary school anything in
mathematics besides adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing? I mean, what
else is there anyway?”
The list of items below shows only a few of the many
arithmetic topics taught in Grades K6,
according to the Utah
State Core Curriculum designed by the State Office of Education. Topics in
geometry, statistics, and probability are
omitted since they are discussed in MATH 4020. Complete this exercise and
explore the mathematics curriculum at
the elementary school level:
(a) Indicate in the blank space the grade level(s) you think you might like to teach: ________
(b) Look over the list of 32 items below and guess
the grade level for 6 of the items according to the State Core
Curriculum. Simply write your guess to the left of the 6 items in the list.
Getting these correct isnt’ necessarily
easy, but this is just for fun. It simply gives you an opportunity to
think about the material we discuss in this
course and decide whats’ relevant to the various grade levels. Of course, its’
also important that a teacher have a
clear understanding of what comes before/after the grade level of that he/she is
teaching.
(c) Then, go to the Utah Education Network website and click on either “K, 1, 2
Core” or Mathematics” to find a complete list of the core curriculum for each
grade. Iv’ e copied the items
below directly from the website, so you should be able to find each item there.
Simply write the correct grade
level to the right of your guess so that you can see how well you've done.
(d) How many did you get correct? ___________
Your success here is not too important. I merely want you
to have an opportunity to reflect on the many topics
outlined in the Utah State Core Curriculum.
Then, be sure to go on to Exercise 2 at the end of the list:
A Sampling of Items from the Utah State Core Curriculum for Mathematics:
1. Order a set of up to ten objects and use ordinal
numbers from first to tenth to identify the position
of the object in the chosen order.
2. Identify and describe simple repeating patterns with numbers and shapes.
3. Demonstrate the joining and separating of sets with objects to solve
problems.
4. Estimate quantities in a set of objects using multiples of 10 as benchmark
numbers.
5. Use properties of addition (commutative, associative, identity element) and
the mathematical
relationship between addition and subtraction to solve problems.
6. Recognize that “+” indicates joining to two sets and that -
indicates the separation of two sets.
7. Write and solve number sentences from problem situations involving addition
and subtraction, using
symbolic notation for the missing value (e.g.,∆ +4 =7 ).
8. Sort and classify objects using more than one attribute.
9. Represent the unit fractions 1/2 , 1/3 , and 1/4 with objects, pictures,
words (e.g., ___ out of ___
equal parts), and symbols.
10. Write a story problem that relates to a given addition or subtraction
equation, and write a
number sentence to solve a story problem that is related to the environment.
11. Represent division as fair shares using concrete objects or pictures.
12. Demonstrate quick recall of addition facts (up to 10+10) and related
subtraction facts.
13. Order and compare whole numbers on a number line and use the inequality
symbols <, >, ≠, and = when
comparing whole numbers.
14. Identify factors and multiples of whole numbers.
15. Demonstrate the meaning of multiplication and division of whole numbers
through the use of a
variety of representations (e.g., equalsized groups, arrays, area models, and
equal jumps on the
number line for multiplication, partitioning and sharing for division).
16. Find the sum or difference of numbers, including monetary amounts, using
models and strategies
such as expanded form, compensation, partial sums, and the standard algorithm.
17. Identify and number that is between two given numbers (e.g., 3.2 is between
3 and 4; find a number
between 0.1 and 0.2).
18. Select and write a multiplication or division sentence to solve a problem
related to the students ’
environment and write a story problem that relates to a given sentence.
19. Represent division of a threedigit dividend by a onedigit divisor, including
whole number
remainders,using a variety of methods (e.g., rectangular arrays, manipulatives,
pictures), and
connect the representations to an algorithm.
20. Add and subtract decimals and simple fractions where one singledigit
denominator is 1,2,3 times
the other (e.g., 2/4 +1/4 =3/4 ; 1/3 -1/6 =1/6 ).
21. Represent repeated factors using exponents.
22. Rewrite mixed numbers and improper fractions from one form to the other and
represent each
using regions, sets of objects, or line segments..
23. Find common multiples and factors, and apply to adding and subtracting
fractions.
24. Divide multidigit
dividends by a onedigit
divisor with fluency, using efficient procedures.
25. Add and subtract fractions with fluency.
26. Use patterns, models, and relationships as contexts for writing and solving
simple equations and
inequalities with whole number solutions (e.g.,6ζ =54; ζ +3 =7 ).
27. Represent repeated factors using exponents.
28. Find the prime factorization of composite numbers to 100.
29. Give mixed number and decimal solutions to division problems with whole
numbers.
30. Relate percents less than 1% or greater than 100% to equivalent fractions,
decimals, whole and
mixed numbers.
31. Draw a graph and write an equation from a table of values.
32. Solve single variable linear equations using a variety of strategies.
EXERCISE 2: Find 6 additional mathematicsrelated
items from the website for the grade level(s) that youd’ like to
teach. Based on your own experiences, write down which of these items you may
not understand or feel the most in
need of review.
(1)
__________________________________________________________________________________
(2)
__________________________________________________________________________________
(3)
__________________________________________________________________________________
(4)
__________________________________________________________________________________
(5)
__________________________________________________________________________________
(6)
__________________________________________________________________________________