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Elementary Mathematics

 

The Long Beach Public Schools are committed to student-centered, conceptually-driven math instruction at the elementary level.  Teachers gradually release responsibility to the students by moving from the concrete to the pictorial to the abstract (CPA) as students learn new concepts.  We adhere to the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), and use the Story of Units from Eureka / Great Minds as our primary instructional resource.

The three main principles of the CCLS in mathematics are focus, coherence, and rigor.  Long Beach seeks to develop students who are proficient problem solvers and critical thinkers with number sense and fluency.  Students also develop the ability to demonstrate their conceptual understandings by communicating in the language of mathematics, showing reasoning or proof of their solutions, and using a variety of approaches to problem solving.

The design of the Eureka math units balance the need for fluency (knowing math facts and quick, accurate computation) with deep conceptual understanding (complex problem solving and application of knowledge).  Their design builds mastery over the course of the year as well as from year to year.  Their design also prepares students to perform at high levels as they move into our middle and high school math courses.

Each grade level has a small number of focus areas that students should develop over the course of the year.  While these focus areas do not represent all of the math learning that takes place in the classroom, they do represent the most important concepts students need to master in order to be prepared to succeed in the next grade level.  These focus areas can be found by clicking on the grade level links on the left.

In addition to classroom teachers and instructional resources, each elementary school has one full-time and one part-time math AIS teacher to support students who require additional support.  The district also has a dedicated elementary math instructional coach to support best practices in teaching and learning.