1. Rigor: Illustrations of Conceptual Understanding, Fluency, and Application
Here rigor does not mean “hard problems.”
It’s a balance of three fundamental components that result in deep mathematical understanding.
There must be variety in what students are asked to produce.

2. Frequently Asked Questions
How can we assess fluency other than giving a timed test?
Is it really possible to assess conceptual understanding? What does it look like?
Aren’t the Common Core State Standards for Math all about application and meaningful tasks?

3. Rigor Conceptual Understanding:
3.NF.1 Understand a fraction 1/b as the quantity formed by 1 part when a whole is partitioned into b equal parts; understand a fraction a/b as the quantity formed by a parts of size 1/b.
Sample Video
Procedural Skill and Fluency:
5.NBT.5 Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
Application:
7.NS.3 Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the four operations with rational numbers.
Sample Video 1 Sample Video 2

4. Sample Problems Read through a few problems from each aspect of rigor.
What does it look like when we are asking students to work on procedural skill and fluency, conceptual understanding, or application?
Are we seeing a balance of these three fundamental components in our EnvisionMATH program?

5. Task
Use the Tri-State Quality Review Rubric to evaluate an upcoming topic from the EnvisionMATH program.
Closely examine the unit through the “lens” of each criterion in each of the four dimensions
If clear and substantial evidence is found, place a check by the criterion on the rubric; if not, use the comments column to provide input on specific improvements
Examine the pattern of checks in the column to determine which of the descriptors ( ) best characterizes the current alignment of the unit
Use the criteria to make observations and recommendations about this unit