Have you ever wondered why some math concepts seem more difficult for students to grasp than others, or perhaps why students seem to have a great depth of background knowledge with some topics and not so much with others? The Utah Core Standards in mathematics were developed from documents describing the progressions of topics across a number of grade levels, informed both by research on children's cognitive development and by the logical structure of mathematics. Come learn how to use the progressions of elementary math content standards to intentionally activate background knowledge, focus on the essence intended in core standards, and prepare students with the foundation they need to access the next grade level’s content. You will learn why some topics have such a major focus in particular grade levels and how some standards have subtle details intended to build a foundation for future learning. You will acquire resources to find the answers to essential planning questions such as: What background knowledge should students come in with from the previous grade level? What emphasis should be placed on given topics within my grade level? How do I prepare students for where they are going next in their journey of mathematical learning? Emphasis will be on fractions in this section.
Links for Resources on Progressions: Focus by Grade: http://achievethecore.org/category/774/mathematics-focus-by-grade-level Coherence Map: http://achievethecore.org/coherence-map/ Progressions Documents: http://ime.math.arizona.edu/progressions/ Utah Core Guides: https://schools.utah.gov/curr/mathematics
Elementary Mathematics Specialist, Utah State Board of Education
Shannon Ference serves as the Elementary Mathematics Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education where she supports Utah schools in the implementation of state math standards to ensure equitable and quality mathematics education for all Utah students. She has served in various... Read More →
