Exploring Math

What is Exploring Math?

A comprehensive intervention and reinforcement resource

An easy to implement resource for summer school, after school or to support a year-long mathematics curriculum

Why Use Exploring Math?

• In 2005, only 36% of fourth-graders performed at or above Proficient in mathematics on the NAEP.

• Teachers need a solid math intervention resource to provide students with the foundational math skills they will need for testing and for life.

How Does Exploring Math Work?

• Diagnosis students’ areas of need with placement tests

• Provides targeted instruction with differentiated activities in each lesson

• Focuses equally on basic math skills and higher level problem solving strategies

• Includes innovative approaches to teaching math concepts, meeting the needs of all students

• Extends math skill application with fun and appealing Skill Application Game Boards

Why Does Exploring Math Work?• Uses non-grade-specific labels to more easily select an

appropriate level to meet student needs

• Provides concise, ready-to-use lessons with minimal prep time

• Engages all learners as they apply problem solving strategies to high-interest real-life scenarios

• Includes built in assessments that directly relate to instruction

How is Exploring Math Researched- and Standards-Based?

• Based on research about effective math instruction as well as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards

• Based on McREL Content Standards

• Correlated to standards in 50 states

Where to use Exploring Math?

• Summer School

• Before School/After School programs

• In class for core curriculum reinforcement and review

• Small-group instruction during class

• Math focused standardized test preparation

• Tutoring programs

Main Components of the Kit

14 Skill Application Game Boards

CD-ROM

Teacher Resource Guide

7 Problem-Solving Strategy Cards with

transparencies

14 Real-Life Problem-Solving Cardswith transparencies

7 Stand-Alone Units

Teacher Resource Guide

• Introduction

• Management

• Placement Test

• Problem-Solving Strategies

• Skill Application Games

• Glossary

• CD

•Should be administered prior to formal instruction

•Consists of 15 items for each unit in the kit

•Provides an overview of the student’s overall performance

•Helps prioritize the unit(s) and the skill(s) that need reinforcement

Unit Placement Tests

Placement Test Answer Key

Next to each answer on the key, you will find the corresponding lesson which teaches that objective.

For example, item 1 on the Unit 7 Placement test corresponds to lesson 7.1 (which is unit 7, lesson 1).

Unit 1 Numbers & Numeration

Unit 2 Addition and Subtraction

Unit 3 Multiplication and Division

Unit 4 Fractions & DecimalsUnit 4 Fractions & Decimals

Unit 5 Geometry

Unit 6 MeasurementUnit 6 Measurement

Unit 7 Working with Data

7 Stand-Alone Units

Table of Contents

Introduction

Unit LessonsLesson Units Real-Life Problem-Solving Lessons

(each unit has 2)

Answer Key

Reproducible Pages

Unit Teacher’s Guide

• Learning Objectives

• Resources

• Warm Up Activity

• Whole-Class Skills Lesson

• Differentiated-Group Skills Practice

• Lesson Review

• Extension

• Power point slide story board

• Student Activity pages

• Pre- and Post-test

Lesson Plans

•Learning Objectives

•Resources

•Warm Up Activity

Pre- and Post-test Included in each lesson

Whole-Class Skills Lesson*

reminds teacher that there is a PowerPoint lesson presentation on the CD.

Approximate time lesson will take

Step-by-step Lesson Plan procedure

Optional PowerPoint® lesson plans

All unit lessons have a slide show provided on the CD.

The slide presentation teaches the Warm-Up activity and the main lesson components.

Differentiated-Group Skills Practice

Below Level Teacher Directed

On Level Student (or Teacher) Directed

Above Level Student Directed

Activity sheets assigned to students vary by group level.

Differentiated tasks

Additional Student Activity Pages

100+ pages of additional activity pages are available on the CD.

Problem-Solving Strategies Resource Section

• Drawing a Diagram• Drawing a Table• Acting It Out/Using Concrete Materials• Guessing and Checking• Creating and Organized List• Looking for a Pattern• Working Backwards• Using Simpler Numbers• Creating a Tree Diagram• Open-Ended problem Solving• Analyzing and Investigating• Using Logical Reasoning

DetailedInformation about

each of the Problem-Solving

Strategies used in Exploring Math!

Problem-Solving Strategies Lessons

• Each unit includes two comprehensive Problem-Solving lessons.

• Students are given real-life problem-solving situations and asked to find a solution using a specific strategy.

• A 4-page Lesson Plan for each Problem Solving Lesson includes Both a Problem-Solving Strategy card and a Real-Life Problem-Solving card.

•Side A models how to teach the Problem-Solving strategy. The text is set up as a “think-aloud”-type teacher-directed lesson.

•Full-screen color transparencies are provided for the front and back of each card.

•This strategy will be applied in the Real-Life Problem-Solving Card section of the Lesson Plan.

Problem-SolvingStrategy Cards

Problem-Solving Strategy Cards

Side B provides a Sample Problem to complete with the class as a “think-aloud”.

Real-LifeProblem-Solving

Cards•High-interest cards with real-life scenarios for applying problem-solving strategies.

•2 problem-solving cards for each unit

•Full-color transparencies of each card

Problem A: on levelProblem B: below levelProblem C: above level

Real-Life Problem Solving Cardsside B

Teachers may:•Assign according to level•Choose one problem to assign to all•or choose one problem to use as a whole-group lesson.

Skill Application Games Apply and reinforce the skills and concepts learned in a fun way

Problem Solver’s Math Journals

• Extend and apply problem-solving skills and strategies.

• Provide extra problem-solving practice using the 12 key problem-solving strategies.

• Student materials can be ordered in sets of 10

• Levels A – E are available.