Elementary Math Resources
The purpose of this site is to give parents/guardians a way to explore a child's mathematical world. The goal of these resources is to help support and enhance learning at home. Click on your child's grade level below for more information!
In Pocatello/Chubbuck School District, we believe our learners will become mathematicians through opportunities to:
- Emphasize problem solving and focus on mathematical understanding.
- Show critical thinking skills and engage in productive struggle.
- Develop a growth mindset to persevere in the face of difficulty.
- Connect math to real-world applications.
- Engage in a supportive classroom environment where mathematical curiosity and collaboration are valued.
- Find joy in everyday mathematics.
What does it mean to be Fluent?
Fluency: The ability to use efficient, accurate, and flexible methods for computing. Fluency does not imply timed tests.
Fact fluency refers to a child's ability to accurately, efficiently and flexibly solve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. Accuracy, Efficiency and Flexibility are all critical components of fact fluency.
Number Sense
Number Sense can be thought of as a strong intuition about numbers and the ability to be flexible when using numbers. Mathematical fluency, when computing basic facts, is impacted by Number Sense.
Mathematical fluency is measured by looking at not only a child’s accuracy and efficiency (time), but their flexibility as well. Flexibility with numbers is developed as learners think about and use strategies to solve problems. For example, if a learner knows 6 + 6 = 12, they can use their knowledge of the "doubles" fact to help them when thinking of the solution to 6+7. Or if a learner knows 6 x 5 = 30 and 6 x 2=12, they can use their knowledge to combine those facts to solve 6 x 7. Rather than memorizing the sums and differences to all facts, students who are flexible can find connections between facts they already know (such as doubles, making ten, ten plus a number) to help them determine the solution to other facts.
Just like in reading, we do not simply look at the speed in which a child reads, but also their ability to problem solve new words and their comprehension of the story. In mathematics, accuracy and efficiency are important, as well as learners' ability to be flexible with strategies.
Profile of a Mathematician
The Profile of a Mathematician includes a child's Number Sense & Fluency, Content Growth and the child's behaviors related to the Mathematical Practices. All three components of the Profile of a Mathematician are important when developing a student's mathematical conceptual and procedural understanding.
Conceptual understanding: Students understand mathematical ideas and the why behind the mathematics; as well as the ability to transfer knowledge into new situations and apply it to new contexts.
Procedural understanding: Students rely on the memorization of steps and formulas to answer questions. Students can rarely make deep connections to other math concepts if only using procedures without conceptual understanding. Our goal is to build procedural fluency from their conceptual understanding.
The 8 Standards of Mathematical Practice
These standards describe learner behaviors, ensure an understanding of math, and focus on developing reasoning and building mathematical communication. Each mathematical practice has a unique focus, but also interweaves with the others as we put them into practice. These practices empower students to use math and to think mathematically. Our goal is to help learners develop these practices to become effective mathematicians.
