Math By Concept

All units in this curriculum are differentiated and teach the same content in a way that fits grade levels Kindergarten through 8th grade. This way a homeschool educator can run units and activities with children at different grade levels and skill levels simultaneously.

This differentiated, standards-based curriculum can also be helpful to teachers teaching multiple skill levels (especially English Language Development or SPED) and teachers who teach multiple grade levels. My curriculum can be purchased in a few major bundles.

Once each bundle is purchased an educator has all the resources needed to teach every reading, writing, math, or science/social studies standards for grades kindergarten through sixth grade (some literacy resources included up to 12th grade, while resources like the math units end in 6th grade).

Check out my Homeschool Curriculum blog to get a description of major bundles. In this blog, I am going to explain the math portion of the curriculum.

This math curriculum breaks math standards by topic and concept, instead of by grade. Educators begin the unit with a diagnostic test. Then they can fill the gaps and teach from where their students are stuck. This method can be used by homeschool parents who will be able to teach the same topics to all the students at every grade level while teaching each child from where they need. It can also be great for traditional classrooms for intervention time and even whole-class instruction.

The Math bundle includes lessons, tests, and practice for grade-level standards (organized by topics) for grades kindergarten through 6th. It also includes spiral reviews and math fluency practice worksheets at several different levels. Read below to understand each piece offered in the math curriculum bundle.

The 7 Math units needed to teach grade-level standards for grades Kindergarten through 6th grade are:

1. Place Value 2. Addition/Subtraction 3. Multiplication/Division 4. Algebraic Thinking 5. Parts of a whole (Fractions and Decimals) 6. Measurement 7. Geometry Each unit is broken up into many focus topics, with many different resources to teach the content.

Each Unit includes:

Diagnostic Test: At the beginning of each unit (or topic, you decide) Give students a diagnostic test to see what concepts students know from prior grades and what concepts they are still stuck on.

Skills Checklist by grade AND topic: After grading the diagnostic test, use the checklist to keep track of what skills students know and don’t know. Use this list as you grade exit tickets, homework, and the unit tests, to see which students have mastered which skills in each topic.

Guideline Teacher Calendar: This calendar gives a guide for what lessons should be focused on for each grade. Homeschool parents may choose to teach individualized and exclusively based on topics. Other educators may use this to assist them in making educational decisions so that they cover all grade-level content, while still providing a review on the concepts that most students in their class have missed.

Lesson objectives and Standards: These can be used for the educator reference to see what is being taught in a quick glance.

Anchor Chart: Small posters that students can have as a personal resource or that can be hung up in the class for each focus topic taught throughout the unit.

Vocabulary Slides, activities, and cards: Students can use vocabulary cards to learn content vocabulary for each topic and unit. There are cards that can be used for many different activities. Slides that can be used along with the cards (or with my other free vocabulary resource), and a vocabulary picture card which can be used as a partner activity to teach the words.

Lessons: The lessons are set all structured the same way, which is easy and clear to teach. There are 8 boxes in each lesson (one-page front and back). Each box is used as follows: Box 1: Directions/anchor chart/vocabulary for students to look back on to complete the problems. Box 2: Model problem, done by the educator, students watch and then copy. Box 3: Shared Problem: Students do the problem as a class or with the educator Box 4: Partner Problem-students work with the person next to them and do the problem on their own. Box 5: Write about Math-Students write or say the explanation to the question Box 6: Challenge/word problem: Students must complete a deeper thinking question or application question. Box 7: Students complete the 4 to 6 practice problems individually (this is a great exit ticket) Box 8: Fast finisher-typically a more difficult question that can be done if students have time and finish early

Practice Sheets: This is a sheet with extra practice problems (similar to box 7). it could be used as a homework sheet, a reteach sheet for students who didn’t pass the exit ticket from the lesson the day before.

End of Unit Grade Level Tests: At the end of the unit, you can give the diagnostic test a second time to see your student’s progress. The only issue with the diagnostic test is there are only a few questions on each standard. For more comprehensive information you can also give students the end of unit grade-level tests to make sure they have learned what they needed for their grade level. Spiral Reviews (at 3 different Levels)

Other Resources:

Math Facts Practice: Counting/Cardinality Practice Addition/Subtraction Practice Multiplication/Division Practice

Spiral Reviews (at three different levels): This gives students extra practice with a large variety of skills to help them get quick reminders on concepts they learned from previous grades.

Extensions: There are math extension units to teach important skills that are not covered by standards. These include STEM activities, project-based learning, and Word Problem strategies

More Practice: I will sometimes pull free resources from places like Engage New York, Prodigy, or Khan Academy videos to reteach concepts students do not understand or to give more challenging problems to students who need the extra challenge, or just more practice for students.

Lesson Set-Up:

Because this is so individualized, it requires a unique structure in order to teach. Centers (or activity rotations) are a great way to do this (either with one student each if you are homeschooling, or in small groups, if you are teaching a traditional class). These resources are meant to each take about 15 or 20 minutes and so depending on the amount of time for math and the number of groups/students you are teaching centers could include any of the following:

Lesson: Teach the front page within the 20 minutes Practice: Students can do the back of the lesson and or practice sheet (from that day or the day before) OR do additional online practice using resources like the website Prodigy Math facts practice/Spiral Review Unit Math Vocabulary Practice with pictures or cards This may be helpful if:

• You teach homeschool and have kids in different grades

• You have a mixed class with multiple grade levels

• You have one grade level, but the students have learning gaps

• You have advanced students who are ready for the material for the next grade AND you have students who are needing gaps fill from past material

• It is a math unit that comes ready to be DIFFERENTIATED to fit the needs of EVERY little learner you are teaching!
  

Related Questions:

What does “Standard-based” mean in teaching? Standards are different from state to state in the US (however most states use the same set of standards, known as common core standards). Standards are given as a basis for teachers, administrators, and parents to know what a child is expected to learn each at each grade level. Standards-based assessment and instruction simply means that the content is set up to teach a specific skill that they need to learn based on state standards. What are centers and how are they helpful? Centers just mean that students rotate through multiple activities. This is great because it allows teachers to work in smaller groups and helps to differentiate instruction and meet multiple students’ needs. It also is great for students to get a variety of practice AND get a chance to move around throughout the day.