Mathematical Critical Areas- Learning Progressions Overview November 2011

 Understand that the critical areas describe key mathematical concepts for students to learn at each grade level.  Identify that the critical areas are designed to bring focus to the standards at each grade level.  Consider how the critical areas can be used to inform curriculum and guide instruction. 2 November 2011

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4 How will focusing on specific Critical Areas improve teaching and learning? Grade level PKK # of Critical Areas CourseAlg IGeoAlg IIMath IMath IIMath III # of Critical Areas

For each grade level from kindergarten through grade 8, the Critical Areas outline the essential mathematical ideas for each grade level. 5 November 2011

 In Kindergarten, instructional time should focus on two critical areas:  (1) representing and comparing whole numbers, initially with sets of objects; (2) describing shapes and space.  More learning time in Kindergarten should be devoted to number than to other topics.  1. Students use numbers, including written numerals, to represent quantities and to solve quantitative problems, such as counting objects in a set; counting out a given number of objects; comparing sets or numerals; and modeling simple joining and separating situations with sets of objects, or eventually with equations such as = 7 and 7 – 2 = 5. … November

November

 Describe Critical Areas ◦ Read about Critical Areas for your grade level or course. ◦ Record the Critical Areas on an individual Foldable. November WEXiM-eMw&feature=related

◦ Create a poster: use words and/or pictures to describe the focus for your grade level or course. ◦ Study the posters to discover if the areas are at the current grade level/course at a new grade-level/course, or dropped from the expectations. ◦ Look at the K-12 progression of learning November

 Place your “Big Ideas” sticky notes on the corresponding Critical Area poster.  Discuss your findings in grade-band groups (K- 2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12) ◦ what you keep ◦ what you add ◦ what you move or drop November

 Report from each grade level on biggest idea for the grade.  How do the mathematical concepts build from grade to grade?  Compare the concepts in the critical areas with those that you are currently teaching. How are they similar? How are they different? 11 November 2011

 Read each content standard, marking the recording sheet with a:  √ when a standard strongly matches your Critical Area and  ? when you are not sure  Did every standard fall within a Critical Area?  Are there standards that fall within more than one Critical Area?  Do all the standards within a cluster fall within the same Critical Area? November

 How do the critical areas help to bring focus to the standards at your grade level?  How will you use the critical areas to inform your curriculum and guide your instruction?  What questions do you still have about the critical areas? 13 November 2011

 Jean Howard Mathematics Curriculum Specialist (406) ;  Cynthia Green ELA Curriculum Specialist (406) ;  Judy Snow State Assessment Director (406) ; November