The Common Core Standards in Mathematics were developed to provide a consistent education for students throughout the United States as a response to the growing problem of students entering college without the needed skills to be successful in advanced studies. Therefore, a team of experts in education was formed who worked with other educational staff members to develop a list of core concepts that should be taught within every classroom in America.
The goal of the Common Core Standards in Mathematics is not to tell teachers how they should teach, but to encourage every educator to begin to take the initiative to ensure that every student leaves their classroom with an understanding of the concepts outlined for each grade level. For anyone who is interested in learning more about the Common Core Standards in Mathematics for the elementary age student, the following information will be important to read carefully.
Primary School Overview
In early elementary school, the focus of the Standards is on introducing basic mathematical concepts to students that will provide them with a firm foundation on which to build their skills as they progress through the educational system. Therefore, students begin in Kindergarten by learning to rote count and recognize numbers, and then will leave fifth grade with an understanding of mathematical operations.
While the Standards do not provide accommodations for students with special needs at the primary school level, it is expected that educators will implement any special accommodations as needed in order to help every student to meet the standards that are outlined for their grade level.
Kindergarten through Second Skills
The Common Core Standards in Mathematics begin in Kindergarten by teaching children basic information about numbers and mathematical operations. While a brief overview will be given here of the basic skills that are expected of each grade level, a more thorough checklist of common core math standards, as well as tools that can help a child better learn, can be found at Dream Box Learning.
In Kindergarten, students will be expected to know number names as well as to be able to count the number of objects within a given set. In first grade, a student will build upon their numbers and operations skills by beginning to add and subtract objects within a set of 20. They will also be expected to perform simple measurements as well as to be able to tell time. As students leave second grade, they will begin to blend their understanding of measurement with mathematical operations by determining length and width of areas.
Third through Fifth Grade Skills
In third grade, students will have advanced to working with multiplication and division within the first 100 numbers. They will also be beginning to develop their understanding of fractions. Fourth graders will be introduced to geometry as they begin to work with lines and angles. They will also be able to perform more complicated mathematical operations within larger groups of numbers. By fifth grade, students will begin to work with decimals as well as be able to analyze date while using a graph. As students emerge from their primary school years, they will have a firm grasp on the skills that they will need to build upon in their middle school education.
When educators implement the Common Core Standards for Mathematics in their classrooms, then they are able to direct their lessons towards the skills that students will need throughout their academic years. Therefore, checklists have been developed to serve as a guideline for ensuring that students are able to meet the goals that are outlined by the Common Core Standards in Mathematics.
