KINDERGARTEN MATH INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS
According to the Missouri Learning Standards (MLS), Kindergarten will focus on the following two critical areas:
- Representing and comparing whole numbers, initially with sets of objects - Students use numbers, including written numerals, to represent quantities and to solve quantitative problems, such as counting objects in a set; counting out a given number of objects; comparing sets or numerals; and modeling simple joining and separating situations with sets of objects, or eventually with equations such as 5 + 2 = 7 and 7 – 2 = 5. (Kindergarten students should see addition and subtraction equations, and student writing of equations in kindergarten is encouraged, but it is not required.) Students choose, combine, and apply effective strategies for answering quantitative questions, including quickly recognizing the cardinalities of small sets of objects, counting and producing sets of given sizes, counting the number of objects in combined sets, or counting the number of objects that remain in a set after some are taken away.
- Describing shapes and space - Students describe their physical world using geometric ideas (e.g., shape, orientation, spatial relations) and vocabulary. They identify, name, and describe basic two-dimensional shapes, such as squares, triangles, circles, rectangles, and hexagons, presented in a variety of ways (e.g., with different sizes and orientations), as well as three-dimensional shapes such as cubes, cones, cylinders and spheres. They use basic shapes and spatial reasoning to model objects in their environment and to construct more complex shapes.
Instructional Overview
Domains Clusters
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Counting and Cardinality
(CC) Know number names and the count sequence
Counting to tell the number of objects Compare numbers |
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
(OA) Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from
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Number and Operations in Base Ten (NBT)
Work with numbers 11 – 19 to gain foundations for place value
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Measurement and Data
(MD) Describe and compare measurable attributes
Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category |
Geometry
(G) Identify and describe shapes
Analyze, compare, create and compose shapes |
Mathematical Practices
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1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively. 3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. |
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically. 6. Attend to precision. |
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning. |
The following resources have been developed and/or gathered to support kindergarten teachers as they implement the MLS. Just click on the links below to access these documents.
GCR2 Kindergarten Math Curriculum
GCR2 Kindergarten Math Curriculum
STANDARDS-BASED EDUCATION
Individual standards (highlights denote power standards) with rubrics and KUDs (Documents that describe what students need to know, understand, and be able to do to meet each standard.)
KINDERGARTEN END-OF-YEAR EXPECTED MEASUREABLE SKILLS ATTAINMENT
Math Practice Assessments
- Kindergarten Counting and Cardinality Practice - According to the Missouri Learning Standards, kindergarten students are expected to know number names, to count sequences, to count to tell the number of objects and to compare numbers.
- Kindergarten Operations and Algebraic Thinking - Students need to understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from.
- Kindergarten Number and Operations in Base Ten - Compose and decompose numbers from 11 to 19 to gain foundations for place value.
- Kindergarten Measurement and Data Practice - Require kindergarten students to describe and to compare measurable attributes, to classify objects and to count the number of objects in each category.
- Kindergarten Geometry - Kindergarten students are expected to be able to identify and describe shapes as squares, circles, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, cubes, cones and spheres. They also have to learn to analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes according to the Missouri Learning standards.