Mathematics

HIGH SCHOOL
   Can you complete the triangle below? How did you do it? What patterns do you notice? Students came up with discoveries as follows: the sum of each row is double the next, each row is the previous * 11 (till double digit numbers appear), there is a pattern near the edge of multiplying by n to get the next number and (n+1) to get the number to the bottom.
​   To start off the year in math, all High School students worked through a variety of tasks such as this one to build a strong foundation in what it means to be a mathematician. Asking questions, looking for patterns, struggling, and making mistakes are all vital to successful mathematicians. On the other hand, speed and memorization, though at times helpful, are not key traits of successful mathematicians. Students learned the power of collaboration and teamwork, and set the behavioral parameters for a cohesive classroom throughout the year.
–Daniel Geller & Avery Linthwaite, High School Math

MIDDLE SCHOOL
   Middle School students have been diligently working in math class on a day-to-day basis. At least two days a week, they spend time on the Mathletics platform, where they are able to practice their skills and advance their knowledge at their own pace–with my support as needed. When the students are not on Mathletics, they are completing handwritten work independently or with a peer from Dimensions Math textbooks and workbooks. Alternatively, some middle schoolers have begun the Math-U-See Pre-Algebra course. The current unit is all about working with integers (positive and negative whole numbers).
–Avery Linthwaite, Middle School Math

ELEMENTARY
   Upper Elementary math kicked off the year with activities where students described their summers through math—counting family members they saw, slices of pizza eaten, and more. We then smoothly transitioned into our Dimensions Math books, allowing many students to continue their progress from last year. Currently, we’re focusing on building endurance and mastering essential skills to handle increased workloads. As a class, we're diving into geometry, exploring the concepts of area and perimeter while becoming familiar with angles. These new skills are being applied in our exciting group project: constructing a chicken coop for our class stuffed animal!
   Middle Elementary continues to gain familiarity with shapes in both 2-D and 3-D. They're practicing their proficiency in single- and multi-digit addition and subtraction, with some even beginning to tackle multiplication.
   Lower Elementary students are beginning their journey with addition and subtraction, utilizing hands-on tools to strengthen their number understanding. They are gaining confidence with independent work in Dimensions Math books.
– Hat Dilly, Upper El 2 Lead Teacher

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