Math

Gantry View School uses Singapore Math and Eureka Math, two of the most comprehensive and proven math curricula available, as primary resources, and we supplement them with manipulatives, math-based games, online programs, economic transactions, and accounting scenarios. Our total math program helps students develop an early and firm fluency in basic computational and problem-solving skills. Students learn to apply geometric concepts in spatial reasoning; concepts of probability in areas like decision making, prediction, sampling, uncertainty, interpretation of data, and statistical reasoning; and problem-solving strategies that require logical and algebraic reasoning skills, algorithms, and heuristics.

Our approach to mathematics education gives our students the practical tools—including a solid introduction to coding languages—they need to enhance their thinking and problem-solving skills, and to make sense of their world.

Navigating Numbers within 1000
(approx. ages 5-7)

GVS’s youngest students:

  • work toward counting and representing numbers to 100 by 1s, 10s, 5s, and 2s, and ordering numbers up to 20;

  • use manipulatives and drawings to model addition and subtraction stories of quantities up to 10, and represent them with number sentences; and—

  • work on place value for 2-digit numbers up to 99.

They apply decomposition strategies to make sums and differences beyond 10 and work to eventually gain fluency with these operations up to 120, then up to 1000. Students learn early multiplication, division, and fractions through the concepts of sharing and symmetry of equal-sized groups and shapes. They extend this conceptual thinking to “units,” repeated equal-sized measurements in length, perimeter, area, weight, capacity, time, and currency. They learn and practice multiplying and dividing numbers 1-6 and solving one-step word problems involving these calculations, including ones involving length, time, money, and data.

Students who already have these basic skills work on speed and accuracy in addition and subtraction of numbers up to 3 digits and developing the capacity for mental arithmetic. Students then apply these skills to solving 2-step addition and subtraction word problems.

Applying Base Ten Patterns and Estimation to Hone Mental Math Skills
(approx. ages 7-8)

Students work to deepen their fluency with multiplication and division facts and apply place value-based mental math strategies to verify accuracy of multistep algorithms for both addition/subtraction and multiplication/division relationships. They then tackle skills related to solving 2- and 3-step mixed-operation word problems, including modeling and estimating strategies for solving them. Students proceed to apply multiplication and division facts to represent equivalence with fractions as they gain the skills needed to add and subtract fractions. geometry, students measure angles and learn to apply the properties of simple triangles and quadrilaterals. They revisit units of measurement, including, linear and square units, currency, and time. At various points during these years, students interpret and construct line plots and use them to solve problems involving the data.

Navigating Base Ten Numbers from Super Small to Super Big
(approx. ages 9-10+)

Students review and advance with using multiple representations and computational strategies for large and small numbers, while applying these skills to solve multi-step word problems that require conversions among fractions, percent, and decimals. Students learn to represent complex word problems with multi-term expressions and to use the order of operations to evaluate such expressions. The program for these ages also includes modeling, estimating, and representing solutions for complex word problems that involve fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, ratios, and percent.

In geometry, students apply properties of lines, angles, and polygons to find the area and perimeter of triangles and quadrilaterals as well as the surface area and volume of cuboid prisms. In measurement and data, students interpret and construct line plots containing fractional quantities and line graphs using the coordinate plane.

In these years, students are also introduced to coding languages like Python and HTML, and use them to create their own project pages.