Math

We use Investigations as our math curriculum. This is same curriculum students used last year.

Investigations differs from the math instruction you and I had as children. We were taught to memorize facts and algorithms ("recipes"). If you were able to make meaning out of these, that was great, but that was not a goal of the instruction. Investigations seeks to teach students HOW mathematics works, not simply that it does.

When you and I were taught math, we feared the "word problems" at the bottom of the page or at the end of the chapter because we were not taught to see the link between "12-7=5" and "Joey has 12 marbles. Stephen has 7. Who has more, and how many more does he have?" Investigations works to build the understanding of these "word problems." When we understand math, and realize that it really is everywhere, it isn't quite so daunting.

We will continue to explore addition and subtraction in third grade. Our big new topics of study are fractions and multiplication.

Cooperation | Assertion | Responsibility | Empathy | Self-control