Our last Eye on Curriculum blogs reviewed a few of the domains in the Common Core Standards’ English Language Arts (ELA) Reading section. Our first post dealt with concepts covered under the Literature category, while the last addressed activities for Informational Texts.
The other focus of the Common Core Initiative tackles math and defining the scope of comprehension needed for students. “One hallmark of mathematical understanding,” states the Initiative, “is the ability to justify, in a way appropriate to the student’s mathematical maturity, why a particular mathematical
statement is true or where a mathematical rule comes from. Mathematical understanding and procedural skill are equally important, and both are assessable using mathematical tasks of sufficient richness.”
abcteach’s Common Core: Math section helps you build lesson plans that achieve the level of math enrichment that the standards require. This is one of our newest sections, so additional exercises will be available to you in the future. We are also reviewing activities across the site to help you build a more creative, diversified assortment of lesson plans.
We’ll next discuss two core domains that are found within the math standards: Operations & Algebraic Thinking, and Number & Operations in Base Ten. These are key components, building upon students’ skills each year, for early to upper elementary grade students.
1. Operations and Algebraic Thinking – Students must demonstrate mastery in representing, interpreting and solving problems, applying properties and using strategies.
2. Number and Operations in Base Ten – Students compose and decompose numbers, understand and use place value to complete operations.
Related Skills:
• Count in sequence
• Fluently solve operations in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division
• Understand and apply properties of operations
• Compose and decompose numbers
• Understand factors and multiples
• Write and interpret numerical expressions
• Analyze patterns and relationships
• Use place value to solve problems
Classroom Activities
Although the standard requirements are fairly straightforward and rigorous, there is still room for creativity. The following materials are a sample of activities to use however fits best with your class. Whether it’s simple curriculum practice, a learning center station, or part of a special math night event, these materials all help your students get their skills on par with their peers nationwide.
• Poster Packets: Poster packets identify the Standards in student-friendly language, and are found in most all of our Math and ELA concept domains. Most poster packets also include checklists of each standard that can be used by students to demonstrate their mastery or by teachers at conferences (with students or parents).
Member Site:
Common Core: Math Standards Poster Set – Grade 1
Common Core: Math Standards Poster Set – Grade 3
Common Core: Math Standards Poster Set – Grade 5
• Classroom Activities
Member site:
Addition: Add and Draw 2 – Kindergarten – Great activity with K-1 students, have them draw pictures to create story problems.
Booklet: It’s time to add! (prek-primary) – Have students create this book which has them adding as they go!
Math Game: Place Value (set 1) – One of several games that teach place value.
Morning Math: Place Values 1 – Morning math activities are great for elementary students to review place value.
Board Game: Math Stars (b/w) – Addition and subtraction board game children will love!
Bookmarks: Multiplication (x 4) – One of several sets of bookmarks students can use to review multiplication facts.
Math: Commutative Property Addition Packet
Math Rules: Properties
Math: Comparing Numbers
Math: Properties – Addition & Multiplication (upper elem/middle)
Multiplication: Circle Groups to Find Products (elem)
Worksheet: Function Chart (5)
Math Puzzle: Algebra Picture Puzzle (elementary)
Free site:
Math: Multiplication Chart
Math: Multiplication Grid: 10×10 fill-in (elem/upper elem)
This wraps up our Eye on Curriculum: Common Core series for the month. Stayed tuned for more math activities in April, Common Core included, when we will explore mathematics on a broader scale.
Our Eye on Curriculum March series starts soon with Language Arts activities in honor of National Reading Month. We hope you enjoy it!
Posted by Kathy Butler and Lindsey Elton, abcteach Team