Math in Middle Elementary

Math in the Middle Elementary classroom is an exciting part of each day!  The students receive small group lessons and perform assigned follow-up work to reinforce the lesson.  Some students work individually and others choose to work with a friend.  They always have guide support and the ability to choose math work as their interest and aptitude dictates.

    
Our direct instruction is guided by "Everyday Mathematics" from the University of Chicago School of Mathematics Project using Montessori materials to illustrate the concepts. Follow-up work is based on the daily lesson and also reviews previously taught concepts.

    
Middle Elementary students are progressing from dependence on concrete materials to abstract thinking. Instruction and demonstrations use the concrete materials to illustrate the more abstract concepts.

    

Students enjoy a game of Multiplication Bingo.

Current work includes multiplication and division arrays, perimeter and area measurements, decimals and percentages, adding and subtracting decimals, calculating and comparing distances, and writing to explain our thinking process. We have begun exploring analogies and very early algebra.

    
Comments overheard: 
"Algebra is so easy! Why would we have to wait until high school?" 

"Can we do analogies every day? They are so much fun!" 

"Can we do math first today?"
"Oh, now I get it!"