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Math Support & Resources

New math resources were implemented for the 2024-2025 school year: Bridges in Mathematics for elementary students and Illustrative Mathematics for middle school students. Both programs emphasize student-centered learning, fostering collaboration between students and teachers. Through active learning, students deepen their understanding by exploring concepts, sharing ideas, and learning from mistakes. Classrooms are designed as learning communities that encourage curiosity and thoughtful exploration.

This page serves as a resource, offering insights into the philosophy of these programs and additional support for parents, guardians, and students.

Rich Tasks

21st Century skills that students will need in and out of school include character, citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.  (Fullan & Scott, July 2014, Education Plus)  We want our children to be able to think thoroughly, talk with their peers and adults about their questions and ideas, consider possible solutions, and persevere in exploring topics they are learning in school or encounter beyond the classroom.

A means to develop these skills is by using rich tasks in the math classroom. Rich tasks, also known as low-floor/high-ceiling tasks, are designed to engage all learners in exploring mathematical ideas.  Learners have the opportunity to make observations, discover patterns, see the math problem or situation in their own way, and then share their ideas and hear from others about their thinking. By doing so, learners are more individually and collaboratively engaged in finding out the why, what, and how of the math.  Through these types of experiences, students will oftentimes find their enjoyment of and attitude toward mathematics improves which translates to a deeper and more sustained understanding. (Boaler, 2022, Mathematical Mindsets, 2nd edition) These types of activities incite curiosity in the math classroom as students experience real-world applications relevant to their learning.

An environment where students feel they can succeed, learn to develop grit or perseverance in solving problems and see themselves as capable of achieving is our ultimate goal for all learners. Both Bridges in Mathematics (for K-5 students) and Imagine IM 360 (for 6-8 students) regularly include and explore low-floor/high-ceiling tasks to invite students into mathematics.  

Additional sites with rich tasks to explore:

NRICH

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