Everyday Mathematics Grade K-3

Parent
Resource
Guide

Dear Parents,
In this booklet you will find information about the mathematics curriculum taught in our district for
grades kindergarten through fourth grade. It offers definitions, home support activities, and other
tools you may find helpful as you support your childs learning at home.
Your child will be immersed in a program that correlates with the New York State core curriculum. Everyday Mathematics, developed by the University of Chicago School of Mathematics Project (UCSMO), offers your child rich experiences in mathematics which broadens their background
knowledge. This research-based curriculum is based on the philosophy that:
Children can learn more than is usually expected of them.
Children come to school knowing more than they currently get credit for.
Mathematics means more when it is rooted in real-life problems and situations.
The key to retaining a process lies in the students ability to understand not only how the
process works, but also why.
In the past, math instruction was focused on the teaching of arithmetic skills. In todays world,
however, mathematics instruction must include problem solving, geometry, algebra preparation,
data collection, measurement, probability and statistics.
Embedded in the program is the understanding that students learn best by doing. An emphasis
is placed on problem solving and activities that promote higher thinking skills. Instruction on basic
facts is important and to accomplish mastery of the basic facts, topics are repeated throughout
the year in a variety of ways.
As you review your childs work in mathematics, you will see that many of the assignments
will appear different compared to more traditional sets of computation and story problems. The
program is a blend of computation and rigorous problem solving. Children will be expected to
compute correctly and efficiently. They will also be expected to describe processes, write about
problem-solving strategies, and use other devices that enrich childrens understanding of mathematics.
This handbook provides answers to frequently asked questions, explains unfamiliar exercises,
and gives you a library of mathematic activities and games to enrich and support your childs
learning.
Our goal is to provide all children quality math instruction that makes the study of mathematics
an engaging successful experience.
Sincerely,

Carrie Plasse

Table of Contents
Topic

Page

Why Everyday Math..................................................................................... 1

Curriculum Features....................................................................................2
Content Emphasized Grade 1.....................................................................3
Content Emphasized Grade 2.....................................................................4
Content Emphasized Grade 3.....................................................................5
Lesson Features and Classroom Routines.................................................6
Everyday Mathematics Lesson....................................................................8
Routines - Name Collection Boxes..............................................................9
Routines - Frames and Arrows..................................................................10
Routines - Whats My Rule?......................................................................12
Routines - Fact Triangles...........................................................................14
Algorithms..................................................................................................16
Assessment in Everyday Mathematics......................................................26
How to Help Your Child with Mathematics.................................................28
Do-Anytime Activities Grade 1...................................................................30
Do-Anytime Activities Grade 2...................................................................32
Do-Anytime Activities Grade 3...................................................................34
Literature Lists for Grades 1-3...................................................................36
Commercial Games that use Everyday Math............................................40
Frequently Asked Questions...................................................................... 41
Glossary for Grades 1-3............................................................................43

Why Everyday Mathematics?

Philosophy
that children will come back to again and again.
This ensures that your child has many exposures
to these mathematical ideas before mastery is expected.

What is Everyday Mathematics, and how will it

help my child?
Everyday Mathematics is the elementary program of the University of Chicago School of Mathematics Project (UCSMP), which is a long-term
project designed to improvement mathematics at
all grade levels.

A high priority is placed on children developing automatic recall of the basic number facts
and recognizes that computation is an important
and practical part of mathematics. The Everyday
Math program is designed to ensure all students
can compute accurately in a variety of ways. Of
course, with any subject area, practice is necessary in order to develop competency.

International studies show that U.S. students

learn much less math than students in other countries. Several corporations and organizations saw
the need for a reform in mathematics and combined with the UCSMP to develop this program
one grade level at a time.

Your child will explore, learn and practice mathematics in a variety of settings including whole
class, small groups, partners and individually.
They will learn to work cooperatively and independently as they solve problems based on real-life
situations.

Everyday Math is designed to encourage children to think mathematically and to develop confidence and familiarity with math concepts and
skills by using numbers and activities that have
meaning in childrens lives. Children learn about
inches and centimeters by measuring their own
hands. They discover negative numbers by reading an outdoor thermometer and charting the daily temperatures. In kindergarten through second
grades, classroom routines reinforce this every
day learning, At all grade levels, students play a
variety of math games that give them plenty of
practice using numbers.

The math classroom has changed dramatically.

Students need a variety of instructional techniques
tailored to their developmental levels. The Everyday Math program understands that students
learn in different ways and that topics need to be
approached differently. It provides a reasonable
balance between discovery learning and direct
teaching approaches. Students are challenged
to apply their mathematical knowledge to solve
real-life problems. These problems are presented
in a variety of contexts and solved in a variety of
ways. Students are taught to question and verify
the reasonableness of their own and others strategies and conclusions. This mix of techniques
helps with the ultimate goal that students really
understand and are successful at math.

Everyday Mathematics, which is based on research about how children learn best, is structured
differently from the math programs many parents
encountered in elementary school. It does not
involve presenting a skill or concept to students,
expecting them to master within a certain time
frame, and then moving on to the next skill. Instead, a teacher introduces a mathematical idea

Curriculum Features
There are a number of features that distinguish the Everyday Mathematics curriculum. These include:
Real-life Problem Solving
Everyday Mathematics emphasizes the application of mathematics to real world situations. Numbers, skills and mathematical concepts are not presented in isolation, but are linked to situations and
contexts that are relevant to everyday lives. The curriculum also provides numerous suggestions for
incorporating mathematics into daily classroom routines and other subject areas.
Balanced Instruction
Each Everyday Mathematics lesson includes time for whole-group instruction as well as small group,
partner, or individual activities. These activities balance teacher-directed instruction with opportunities
for open-ended, hands-on explorations, long-term projects and on-going practice.
Multiple Methods for Basic Skills Practice
Everyday Mathematics provides numerous methods for basic skills practice and review. These include written and choral fact drills, mental math routines, practice with fact triangles (flash cards of fact
families), daily sets of review problems called math boxes, homework, timed tests and a wide variety
of math games.
Emphasis on Communication
Throughout the Everyday Mathematics curriculum students are encouraged to explain and discuss
their mathematical thinking, in their own words. Opportunities to verbalize their thoughts and strategies
give children the chance to clarify their thinking and gain insights from others.
Enhanced Home/School Partnerships
For grades 1-3, daily Home Links provide opportunities for family members to participate in the students mathematical learning. Study Links are provided for most lessons in grades 4-6, and all grades
include periodic letters to help keep parents informed about their childrens experience with Everyday
Mathematics.
Appropriate Use of Technology
Everyday Mathematics teaches students how to use technology appropriately. The curriculum includes many activities in which learning is extended and enhanced through the use of calculators. At
the same time, all activities in which calculators would function simply as crutches for basic computation are clearly marked with a no calculator sign.

Lesson Features And Classroom Routines

In grades K-2, classroom routines and daily activities show students how math is used in every day
life and help them practice skills, such as:
Calendar activities. Students practice recognizing numbers on a calendar.
Taking attendance. Each day, children record the number of students who are present
and the number who are absent.
Recording the weather. The students will record the temperature every day in both Fahrenheit and Celsius. They will discuss the type of weather- cloudy, sunny, rainy, snowy- and
record on a number line or graph.
Number line activities. For many activities, the students will refer to a number line that is
posted around the room. They will be counting off days of the school year or using it to
skip count, for example.
Daily schedule. The daily schedule gives students the chance to practice telling time.

Calculators
Evidence is growing that students intelligent use of calculators enhances understanding and mastery
of arithmetic and helps develop good number sense. Moreover, teacher experience and considerable
research show that most children develop good judgment about when to use and when not to use calculators. Students learn how to decide when it is appropriate to solve an arithmetic problem by estimating or mentally calculating, by using paper and pencil, or by using a calculator.
Calculators are useful teaching tools. They make it possible for young children to display and read
numbers before they are skilled at writing numbers. Calculators can be used to count by any number,
forward and backward. They also allow children to solve interesting, everyday problems requiring calculations that might otherwise be too difficult for them to perform.
Please encourage children to use their calculators whenever they encounter interesting numbers or
problems that may be easier to handle with calculators than without them. This includes numbers or
problems that may come up outside of the mathematics period. Encourage them also to think about
when not to use a calculator because it is easier and faster to solve a problem mentally.
Explorations
Explorations are independent or small-group activities that allow children to investigate, develop and
extend math concepts. These are a key part of the math program in the early grades and often involve
manipulating materials. During this time teachers interact with students, both for teaching and for assessment.
Games
Mathematical games are an important part of the Everyday Mathematics program. They reinforce
math fact computation and provide an alternative form of practice. They build fact and operation skills,
but also reinforce other skills: for example, calculator skills, money exchange and shopping skills, logic,
geometric intuition, and probability and chance intuition. Games can be repeated without repeating the
same problem since most games involve generating numbers randomly. Rules can be altered to allow
players to progress from easy to more challenging versions. Games are fun; families can play them
at home to provide additional practice in an interesting way. Some games can be played by students

across a variety of grade levels. Here are some games you can play at home.The numbers in parentheses indicate the appropriate grade level for each game.
Sample Games
Odd One Out (K)
Concentration (K)
Go Fish (K)
Disappearing Train (K)

Making Change Game (2-4)

Money Exchange
Collection Game (2-4)
Take-Apart Game (2-4)

Broken Calculator (1-5)

Top-it
Number Top-it (K)
Addition Top-it (1-3)
Subtraction Top-it (1-3)

Two-Fisted Pennies/Dimes Games

Name that Number (2-5)

Beat the Calculator (1-5)

Pick-a-Coin (2-3)
previously learned topics. Follow-ups to the Math
Messages usually occur during the lesson itself.

Home Links/Study Links: These provide an

important connection between home and school
Most are activities that require interaction with
parents, other adults, or another child. They are
designed to provide follow-up and review of skills
and concepts, and an extension of the material
covered in the daily lessons.

Math Tool Kit: Students use a variety of math

tools throughout the year. Ruler, tape measure,
geometry template, counters, money, and calculators are among the items kept in the math tool
kit. Children learn responsibility for their learning
tools and have them available when needed.

Journal: The journal contains the problem material and pages on which the children record the
results of their activities. It provides a record of
their mathematical growth over time and is used
in place of student worksheets, workbook, and
textbook.

Minute Math: (Kindergarten 3rd grade) Minute

Math are brief activities for transition times and
for spare moments throughout the day. The activities serve as a source of continuous review and
provide problems for mental problem solving and
arithmetic.

Math Boxes: Math Boxes are 4 6 short problems on a page used on a regular basis for review
and practice. Many of these worksheets have
blank boxes so teachers can individualize work
for students.
Math Messages: Many teachers begin each day
with a Math Message to be completed by the children before the start of the lesson for that day.
Math Messages vary. They consist of problems
to solve, directions to follow, tasks to complete,
notes to copy, sentences to complete or correct,
or brief quizzes. Most are used as lead-in activities for the lessons of the day or as reviews of

Projects: Projects cover an assortment of mathematics activities and concepts, and are built
around various themes that interest children. The
projects are cross-curricular in nature and often
include the following science processes:
Determining patterns and relationships
Collecting, organizing, and graphing data
Observing
Using numbers
Communicating
Measuring
Identifying

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