Mathematical Practices at Sunrise Drive

Mathematical Practices

Mathematical Practices

The mathematical practices are integrated into the curriculum. For example, using appropriate tools strategically takes place in math as students learn to use a ruler, yardstick and tape measure. They then learn multiple contexts for using the tools in math lessons.  As students acquire the mathematical content and mathematical practices, they are able to transfer their knowledge to novel settings.  For example, in science a student may need to identify the proper tool to use when measuring the circumference of a pumpkin or the height of plants in the garden. 

Examples

Fourth Grade: Students may learn procedures for solving multi-digit multiplication and focus on attending to precision as they multiply, regroup and add to find the product. 

Second Grade: Students describe the attributes of three-dimensional shapes, using the vocabulary (e.g. faces, edges, vertices).  As they study the shape they are looking for and making use of the structure of the shapes. 

Kindergarten: Students may learn to count and write numbers.  As they are counting and writing they are looking for and expressing regularity in repeated reasoning.

Questions to Ask Your Child

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

·     What kind of a problem is it?

·     What do you know about the problem? What did you need to figure out?

·     Does your answer make sense? Does your strategy make sense?

·     What did you do if you were stuck?

2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

·     What quantity does the number represent?  For example, how many bagels in a dozen?  How many bagels in a baker’s dozen?

·     What is the relationship between ______and ______?

·     Could you have used another operation or property to solve this task? Why or why not?

3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

·       What mathematical evidence would support your solution?

·       How can you be sure that...? How could you prove that...?

·       How did you decide to try that strategy?

·       Does this argument make sense?

4. Model with mathematics.

·       What are some ways to represent the quantities?

·       What is an equation or expression that matches the diagram, number line.., chart..., table..?

·       How would it help to create a diagram, graph, table...?

·       What are some ways to visually represent...?

5. Use appropriate tools strategically.

·       What information do you have?

·       In this situation would it be helpful to use...a graph..., number line..., ruler..., diagram..., calculator..., scale?

·       Why was the tool helpful to use...?

6. Attend to precision.

·       What mathematical vocabulary did you use in this situation?

·       How did you know your solution was reasonable?

·       Explain how you might show that your solution answers the problem.

·       What would be a more efficient strategy?

·       What mathematical language..., definitions..., properties can you use to explain...?

7. Look for and make use of structure.

·       What observations do you make about...?

·       What do you notice when...?

·       What patterns do you find in...?

8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

·       Explain how this strategy works in other situations?

·       Is this always true, sometimes true, or never true?

·       What do you notice about...?

·       What patterns are evident?