5th Grade - Gateway 2
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Rigor & Mathematical Practices
Gateway 2 - Partially Meets Expectations | 61% |
|---|---|
Criterion 2.1: Rigor | 5 / 8 |
Criterion 2.2: Math Practices | 6 / 10 |
The instructional materials for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet the expectations for rigor and mathematical practices. The materials partially meet the expectations for rigor by reflecting the balances in the Standards and giving appropriate attention to procedural skill and fluency. The materials partially meet the expectations for practice-content connections, they identify the Standards for Mathematical Practices, and attend to the specialized language of mathematics, but do not attend to the full intent of each practice standard.
Criterion 2.1: Rigor
Rigor and Balance: Each grade's instructional materials reflect the balances in the Standards and help students meet the Standards' rigorous expectations, by helping students develop conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application.
The instructional materials reviewed for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet the expectations for rigor and balance. The instructional materials give appropriate attention to procedural skill and fluency, but lack opportunities for students to independently demonstrate conceptual understanding and application. The materials also partially address the three aspects of rigor with balance, treating them separately but never together.
Indicator 2a
Attention to conceptual understanding: Materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific content standards or cluster headings.
The instructional materials for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet expectations that the materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific standards or cluster headings. The instructional materials do not always provide students opportunities to independently demonstrate conceptual understanding throughout the grade-level.
Each lesson begins with Explore and Grow and Think and Grow sections where students develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts through teacher-led activities. Explore and Grow contains one to three problems where students model math and discuss their understanding through guided questions from the teacher. Think and Grow reinforces and extends the learning of the Explore and Grow section. For example:
- Chapter 1, Lesson 5, “Place Value with Decimals”, in Explore and Grow students “Model the number (3.33). Draw your model. Then write the value of each digit.” Students “Compare the value of the ones digit to the value of the tenths and the hundredths digit. Explain why you can use base ten blocks to model ones, tenths, hundredths.” In the “Think and Grow” section, a place value chart is used as students write numbers to the thousandths. (5.NBT.1)
- Chapter 6, Lesson 1, “Relate Multiplication and Division”, during teacher-led Explore and Grow and Think and Grow sections, students use area models to multiply and divide to develop understanding. For example, in Explore and Grow students “Use the area models to find 6 x 19 and 114 ÷ 6.” They are provided the question, “How do you think you can use multiplication to solve a division problem?” (5.NBT.B)
- Chapter 8, Lesson 6, “Add Mixed Numbers”, in the Explore and Grow and Think and Grow sections, students use models to add mixed numbers. For example, in the Explore and Grow section, students are asked to “Use a model to find the sum of 1 ¾ + 2 ⅛”. They are asked to discuss “How can you add mixed numbers with unlike denominators without using a model? Explain why your method makes sense.” (5.NF.A)
The instructional materials provide limited opportunities for students to demonstrate conceptual understanding independently throughout the grade-level. Within the Apply and Grow and Homework and Practice sections, students have limited opportunities to independently demonstrate conceptual understanding.
Indicator 2b
Attention to Procedural Skill and Fluency: Materials give attention throughout the year to individual standards that set an expectation of procedural skill and fluency.
The instructional materials for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 meet expectations that they attend to those standards that set an expectation of procedural skill and fluency.
The instructional materials attend to the CCSSM fluency standards for Grade 5 including 5.NBT.5, “Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm". For example:
- Chapter 4, Lesson 4, Multiply by Two-Digit Numbers, Explore and Grow, students “Use the area model and partial products to find 28 x 13.” In Think and Grow, steps are introduced to “Find 312 x 82.” The steps modeled are: “Step 1: Multiply 312 by 2 ones, or 2. Regroup as necessary. Step 2: Multiply 312 by 8 tens, or 80. Regroup as necessary. Step 3: Add the partial products.” These steps are the traditional algorithm of multiplication. In the Show and Grow, Problem 3, “5,046 x 91 =____” [Written vertically]. In Apply and Grow, Problem 9, “9,513 x 67 = ____” [Written horizontally]. In Think and Grow, Problem 12, “A store sells 15 drones. How much money does the store collect?”
Students have multiple opportunities to use procedural skills. For example:
- Chapter 3, Lesson 4, Subtract Decimal, Explore and Grow, students begin by modeling “Find the difference. 427-156=____”. The remainder of the lesson provides multiple opportunities for students to practice the procedures for subtracting decimals. For example, Think and Grow, Problem 3, “24.75 - 9.10 =___” [Vertical Problem]. Apply and Grow, Problem 7, “856.02 - 48.12 =____” [Horizontal Problem]. Think and Grow, Problem 14, “An athlete’s fitness tracker reads 2.69 miles at noon. The figure shows the athlete’s fitness tracker before going to sleep that night. How many miles were recorded after noon?”
- Chapter 9, Lesson 5, Multiply Fractions, Explore and Grow, students “Use models to help you complete the table. What do you notice about each expression and its product?” The students are given four expressions “1/2 x 1/5; 3/4 x 1/2; 1/2 x 1/2 ; 2/3 x 2/3.” Students “Explain how to multiply two fractions without using a model.” During Think and Grow, the procedure for multiplying fractions is explained and modeled. For example, “Find 1/2 x 3/2. Multiply the numerators and multiply the denominators.” Students practice this procedure in problems throughout the lesson. For example, Think and Grow, Problem 1, “Multiply. 1/2 x 4/3=____” [Horizontal]. Apply and Grow, Problem 11, “(7/6 - 5/6) x 2/3=_____.” Think and Grow, Problem 16, “At a zoo, 3/5 of the animals are mammals. Of the mammals, 5/12 are primates. What fraction of the animals at the zoo are not primates?”(5.NF.4a, 5.NF.6).
In addition to the Student Print Edition, Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 has a technology package called Dynamic Classroom. The Dynamic Student Edition includes a game library where students can practice fluency and procedures. For example, the game “Decimal Dots” allows students to practice adding and subtracting decimals. “Mixed Number Subtract and Add” allows students to practice adding and subtracting mixed numbers. Additionally, the Dynamic Student Edition includes videos that explain procedures and can be accessed through QR Code in the Student Edition.
- Chapter 3, Lesson 3, Add Decimals, in the Apply and Grow and Homework and Practice sections, students have no opportunities to demonstrate conceptual understanding. In the Apply and Grow section, students are given 13 problems to solve that demonstrate procedural understanding. For example, Problem 10, “49.87 + 32.53 = ____”. Homework and Practice include additional procedural and application problems, but none that require students to independently demonstrate their conceptual understanding (5.NBT.7).
- Chapter 4, Lesson 5, Multiply Multi-Digit Whole Numbers, in the Apply and Grow and Homework and Practice sections, students have no opportunities to demonstrate conceptual understanding. In the Apply and Grow section, students answer eleven questions that stress procedural understanding. For example, Problem 8, “1,907 x 218 = ____”. Homework and Practice includes additional procedural and application problems, but none that require students to independently demonstrate their conceptual understanding (5.NBT.5).
- Chapter 7, Lesson 1, Division Patterns with Decimals, in the Apply and Grow and Homework and Practice sections, students have no opportunities to demonstrate conceptual understanding. In the Apply and Grow section, students answer questions such as Problem 5, “2.9 ÷ 0.01 = ____” and Problem 7, “95.8 ÷ k = 958”. In the Homework and Practice section, students solve additional procedural and application problems, but does not include additional problems allowing them to show their conceptual understanding (5.NBT.2, 5.NBT.7).
Indicator 2c
Attention to Applications: Materials are designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of the mathematics, without losing focus on the major work of each grade
The instructional materials for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet expectations that the materials are designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of the mathematics. Engaging applications include single and multi-step problems, routine and non-routine, presented in a context in which the mathematics is applied. The series includes limited opportunities for students to independently engage in the application of routine and non-routine problems due to the heavily scaffolded tasks.
The instructional materials present opportunities for students to engage in application of grade-level mathematics; however, the problems are scaffolded through teacher led questions. During the Dig In, Explore and Grow, and Think and Grow sections of lessons, teachers are provided with explicit guidance to support students to engage with applications of mathematical content, and/or students are given steps to solve the problem. For example:
- Chapter 7, Lesson 9, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life, “Descartes spends $16.40 on the game app, an e-book, and 5 songs. The e-book costs 4 times as much as the game app. The songs each cost the same amount. How much does each song cost?” Students have the following scaffolded questions: “What do you know? What do you need to find? How will you solve? Step 1: Multiply the cost of the app by 4 to find the cost of the ebook. Step 2: Write and solve an equation to find the cost of each song.”
- Chapter 3, Lesson 2, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life. Students find “How much longer is the duration of the wooden roller-coaster ride than the duration of the steel roller-coaster ride?” (Wooden Roller Coaster 4.25 minutes, Steel Roller Coaster 1.50 minutes). Students “Find the difference of the duration” with the expression 4.25-1.50 given. In the Teacher’s Guide, teachers guide students with the following prompts: “Tell your partner what the problem means. What are you trying to find out? What should our plan be to determine the difference in the roller coaster ride lengths?” and “We subtract the hundredths first. Are there any hundredths to subtract? Next we subtract tenths. What do we need to do?”
The materials present opportunities for students to independently demonstrate routine and non-routine application of mathematics. Examples include:
- In Chapter 6, Lesson 8, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life, “The Great Barrier Reef is 2,300 kilometers long. A marine biologist studies the entire reef. He can explore no more than 75 kilometers of the reef each week. How many kilometers of the reef does the biologist explore the last week?” “Divide the total length by the length he can explore each week to find how many weeks he explores the reef.”
- Chapter 5 Performance Task, includes three non-routine tasks:
- 1.) “You have a corn root sample and a corn stem sample on microscope slides. When you view the samples through a microscope, the magnification number tells you how many times larger the image will be than the actual size. You see only a portion of the enlarged image. a. The corn root sample is 0.6 millimeters wide. You magnify the image by 400. What is the width of the magnified corn root image? b. You magnify the corn root sample by 1,200. How much wider is the image when magnified by 1,200 than by 400? c. You have a sample of a corn stem. The corn stem sample is 9.6 times wider than the corn root sample. What is the width of the corn stem sample?
- 2.) An ear of corn has about 16 rows of kernels. Each row has about 50 kernels of corn. a. About 0.2 of the kernels are white and the rest are yellow. How many kernels are yellow? b. Each ear of corn has about 0.25 pound of kernels. How many pounds of kernels are in a dozen ears of corn?
- 3.) You measure the growth of a corn stalk. The corn stalk grows about 1.75 inches each day. About how many inches does the plant grow in 1 month? Justify your answer.”
- Chapter 9, Performance Task, students demonstrate their understanding of multiplying fractions. “You see a rock formation at a national park. The formation has layers that formed millions of years ago when particles settled in water and became rock. You make a model of the rock formation using 3/16 inch foam sheets. a. The three types of sedimentary rocks are limestone, sandstone, and shale. Use the number of foam sheets to find the height of each sedimentary rock layer. [Foam sheet diagram and table for students to fill in is included.] b. What is the combined height of the sedimentary rock layers? c. Will you use more foam sheets for the granite layers or the shale layers? Explain. d. The height of the topsoil layer is 1 1/4 times the height of the sandstone layer. How many foam sheets do you use in the topsoil layer? e. On your model, 1 inch represents 40 feet. What is the actual height of the rock formation? f. Why do you think the rock formation has layers?”
- Chapter 5, Lesson 3, Show and Grow, Exercise 10: “You have 1 meter of ribbon. Do you have enough ribbon to border the outside of the square picture frame?” (a picture frame with one side length is given-0.33m) Students apply their knowledge of perimeter, geometry (knowing that a square has equivalent sides) and adding decimals to determine this answer. This question does not give a model for the students to use, so students need to apply their knowledge of models to solve (MAFS.5.NBT.2.7).
Indicator 2d
Balance: The three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately. There is a balance of the 3 aspects of rigor within the grade.
The instructional materials for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet expectations that the three aspects of rigor are not always treated together and are not always treated separately.
Students engage with each aspect of rigor independently. For example:
- In Chapter 3, Lesson 3, Adding Decimals, the Dig In and Explore and Grow sections present students with limited opportunities to demonstrate conceptual understanding of addition of decimals. The remaining sections of the lesson (Think and Grow, Apply and Grow, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life, and Homework and Practice) focus on procedural understanding and fluency in addition of decimals.
- In Chapter 3, Lesson 4, “Show and Grow and Apply and Grow: Practice” students use procedural skills and fluency as they practice subtracting decimals (12 problems).
- Chapter 6, Lesson 8, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life, Exercise 14, “A recreation director prepares the course of a 3-mile race by posting a motivational sign every 85 yards along the course. How many signs does the director use? Explain.”
The instructional materials present opportunities for students to engage in multiple aspects of rigor within a lesson, however, these are often treated separately. For example:
- In Chapter 6, Lesson 4, Divide by One-Digit Numbers, students have the opportunity to work with conceptual understanding during the Dig In and Explore and Grow sections as they use an area model to divide. The remaining sections of the lesson (Think and Grow, Apply and Grow, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life, and Homework and Practice) focus on procedural understanding and fluency in division.
- In Chapter 11, Lesson 4, Weight in Customary Units, students develop an understanding of the customary units of weight including ounce, pound, and ton. In the Explore and Grow section, students use a number line labeled in pounds and tons, and convert between units. In the Think and Grow section, all aspects of rigor are noted as students use an area model to model converting between units of measure and procedures to convert between measures in customary units. In the remaining sections (Apply and Grow, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life, Homework & Practice) there is an emphasis on converting between units through the use of a table with ounces, pounds, and tons.
- In Chapter 4, Lesson 5, teachers begin the lesson by looking at strategies for finding the product of 400 x 80 in the Dig In and Explore and Grow. The remaining sections of the lesson (Think and Grow, Apply and Grow, Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life, and Homework and Practice) focus on procedural understanding and fluency in multiplication. There are limited opportunities for students to demonstrate conceptual understanding in the lesson.
Criterion 2.2: Math Practices
Practice-Content Connections: Materials meaningfully connect the Standards for Mathematical Content and the Standards for Mathematical Practice
The instructional materials for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet the expectations for practice-content connections. The materials identify the practice standards and explicitly attend to the specialized language of mathematics. However, the materials do not attend to the full meaning of each practice standard.
Indicator 2e
The Standards for Mathematical Practice are identified and used to enrich mathematics content within and throughout each applicable grade.
The instructional materials reviewed for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 meet expectations for identifying the Mathematical Practices (MPs) and using them to enrich the Mathematical Practices. The MPs are identified in both the Teacher Edition and Student Edition and the practices are connected to the mathematical content.
The Standards for Mathematical Practice (MP) are identified in the digital Teacher's Edition on page vi. The guidance for teachers includes the title of the MP, how each MP helps students, where in the materials the MP can be found, and how it correlated to the student materials using capitalized terms. For example, MP2 states, "Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
- "Visual problem-solving models help students create a coherent representation of the problem.
- Explore and Grows allow students to investigate concepts to understand the REASONING behind the rules.
- Exercises encourage students to apply NUMBER SENSE and explain and justify their REASONING."
The MPs are explicitly identified in Laurie’s Notes in each lesson, and are connected to grade-level problems within the lesson. For example:
- Chapter 10, Lesson 5, Problem Solving: Fraction Division (MP1) - In “Think and Grow: Modeling Real Life” students are given the problem, “A sponsor donates $0.10 to a charity for every 1/4 kilometer of the triathlon an athlete completes. The athlete completes the entire triathlon. How much money does the sponsor donate? Think: What do you know? What do you need to find? How will you solve?” The teacher is directed to ask students, “Describe your process for solving to your partner.”
- Chapter 7, Lesson 1, Division Patterns with Decimals (MP2) - In the “Dig In” section, students are engaged in a “Divide Around” activity where students divided by a power of 10. MP2 is noted in the teaching notes with the following script for teachers, “The dividend (center circle) was the same for five problems. The divisor (along the curved arrow) was a power of 10. What did you notice about the quotient (outer circle) as the power of 10 decreased?”
- Chapter 5, Lesson 1, Multiplication Patterns with Decimals (MP3) - In the Dig-In section, students “determine the cost of n items that cost $100, $10, $1, $0.10 and $0.01. MP3 - Construct Viable Arguments is identified in the teaching notes with the following teacher prompt: “Have a few students list their 5 amounts on the board. ‘How can you tell how many were purchased at each price?’”
The MPs are identified in the digital Student Dashboard under Student Resources, Standards for Mathematical Practice. This link takes you to the same information found in the Teacher Edition. The MPs are identified in the Explore and Grow, Apply and Grow: Practice, and Homework and Practice Sections. For example:
- Chapter 3, Lesson 6, Use Mental Math to Add or Subtract Decimals, Homework and Practice, Question 11, “Your friend buys 3.5 meters of blue ribbon, 2.25 meters of red ribbon, and 3.75 meters of white ribbon. How much ribbon does she buy in all?” This question is labeled “Modeling Real Life”. (MP4-assumed)
- Chapter 4, Lesson 3, Multiply by One-Digit Numbers, Explore and Grow, students use the area model and partial products to find 1,985 x 4. MP - Structure is labeled in the Student Text with the question, “Explain how you can use an area model and partial products to find 2,083 x 3.” (MP7 - assumed)
- Chapter 6, Lesson 6, Use Partial Quotients with a Remainder, Homework and Practice, Problem 11, “Solve 4,123 ÷ 78 two different ways using partial quotients.” MP - Structure is labeled in the Student Edition. (MP7 - assumed)
MP5 is under-identified, noted five times in the Teacher Edition within the 14 chapters.
Indicator 2f
Materials carefully attend to the full meaning of each practice standard
The instructional materials reviewed for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 do not meet expectations that the instructional materials carefully attend to the full meaning of each practice standard. The materials do not attend to the full meaning of three or more Mathematical Practices.
The instructional materials do not present opportunities for students to engage in MP1: Make Sense of Problems and Persevere in Solving Them, MP4: Model with Mathematics, and MP5: Use appropriate tools strategically.
MP1: The instructional materials present few opportunities for students to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. For example:
- Chapter 5, Lesson 9, Explore and Grow, students solve: “Explain how you would estimate the cost of 1/9 pounds of ham, 0.8 pound of turkey, and 1 pound of cheese.” (Students are provided with a deli price list.) In Laurie’s Notes, teachers are provided the following: “Look for a verbal model. Total cost = (cost of ham per pounds times the number of pounds purchased) + (cost of turkey per pound times the number of pounds purchased) + (cost of cheese per pound times the number of pounds purchased).”
- Chapter 3, Lesson 1, Think And Grow: Modeling Real Life, students solve: “About how many feet taller is One World Trade Center than the Empire State Building?” A picture of both buildings with measurement is provided. Students are given instructions that limit the need to make sense of the problem, or persevere in finding a solution, “Round the height of each building to the nearest hundred because you don’t need a precise answer. Subtract the estimated height of the Empire State Building from the estimated height of the One World Trade Center.”
MP4: The instructional materials present few opportunities for students to model with mathematics. For example:
- Chapter 5, Lesson 6, Dig In, students are asked to draw an area model for “1.2 x 1.3.” Laurie’s Notes identify MP4: “Point and ask what each section represents. For instance, the purple is the product of 0.2 x 0.3; the green is the product of 0.2 x 1, and so on. ‘You multiplied two decimals and the model was very much like whole number multiplication. You needed to pay attention to place value! We are going to use partial products to multiply decimals.” In this example, students are working with a partner and using an area model to multiply decimals.
- Chapter 8, Lesson 1, Think and Grow, students find equivalent fractions by dividing the numerator and denominator by the greatest common factors and draw an area model showing the same amount is shaded. MP4 is identified in the Laurie’s Notes with the following script: “Students need to see that the area models are equivalent. The same amount of the whole is shaded.” Students do not need to model with mathematics.
MP5: While the Dynamic Student Edition includes tools for students, the instructional materials present few opportunities for students to choose their own tool, therefore, the full meaning of MP5 is not being attended to. MP5 is only identified a total of five times throughout the instructional materials. Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 presents limited opportunities for students to choose tools strategically, as the materials indicate what tools should be used.
- Chapter 7, Lesson 1, Explore and Grow, students use a place value chart to find quotients involving decimals and powers of 10 and look for patterns. Laurie’s Notes identify MP5: “Note that the place value chart anchors the decimal point. The digits 2 and 5 move to different place values.” Students complete a place value chart in order to find the relationship between position on a place value chart and each quotient. Students do not choose a tool.
- Chapter 8, Lesson 5, Laurie’s Notes, Show and Grow, “Use a meter stick to demonstrate how long 77/100 is.” The tool is provided and used by the teacher.
Indicator 2g
Emphasis on Mathematical Reasoning: Materials support the Standards' emphasis on mathematical reasoning by:
Indicator 2g.i
Materials prompt students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics detailed in the content standards.
The instructional materials reviewed for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet expectations that the instructional materials prompt students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics.
Examples of where students engage in the full intent of MP3 include the following.
- Chapter 4, Lesson 5, Homework and Practice, Exercise 12, You Be The Teacher, does not identify MP3; however, students analyze and critique the reasoning of others: “Your friend says that when multiplying 300 by 126, she can multiply 3 x 126 and write two zeros after the product. Is your friend correct? Explain.” Students need to use place value and/or expanded notation to respond.
- Chapter 7, Lesson 1, Apply and Grow, Exercise 12, You Be the Teacher, does not identify MP3; however, students critique the reasoning of others: “Your friend says 8,705 ÷ 103 is equivalent to 8,705 x 0.0001. Is your friend correct? Explain.”
- Chapter 10, Lesson 1, Homework and Practice, Exercise 7, You Be the Teacher, does not identify MP3; however, students critique the reasoning of others: “Your friend says 5/12 is equivalent to 12/5. Is your friend correct? Explain.”
The Student Edition labels Standards of Mathematical Practices with “MP Construct Arguments”, however, these noted activities do not always indicate that the students are constructing arguments or analyzing arguments of others. For example:
- Chapter 8, Lesson 1, Explore and Grow, students do not need to construct an argument to solve: “When might it be helpful to write 48/72 as 2/3 in a math problem.”
- Chapter 9, Lesson 3, Explore and Grow, students “Explain how to multiply fractions and whole numbers without using models.” Students do not need to construct an argument, only explain a procedure.
- Chapter 9, Lesson 5, Explore and Grow, students “Explain how to multiply two fractions without using a model.” This does not afford students the opportunity to construct an argument, only explain a procedure.
Indicator 2g.ii
Materials assist teachers in engaging students in constructing viable arguments and analyzing the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics detailed in the content standards.
The instructional materials reviewed for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 partially meet expectations that the instructional materials assist teachers in engaging students to construct viable arguments and analyze the arguments of others concerning key grade-level mathematics.
There are some missed opportunities where the materials could assist teachers in engaging students in both constructing viable arguments and analyzing the arguments of others. For example:
- Chapter 3, Lesson 6 (Page T-114, Think and Grow), students use compatible numbers to add and subtract, then compensate for the change made to the original problem. The materials direct the teacher to ask, “Another student said that compensation is really about making a ten. What do you think?” The materials do not support teachers in helping students to construct or analyze an argument, but to explain. No student-to-student discussion is noted in the materials.
- Chapter 4, Lesson 2 (page 145, Explore and Grow), students are given an estimate and asked to determine if the estimate will be greater than the original problem. The teaching guide notes, “Listen for students to explain that when both factors are rounded up, the estimated product will be an overestimate.” The materials do not support teachers in helping students to construct a viable argument or critique the arguments of others.
- Chapter 5, Lesson 6 (page 205, Explore and Grow), students use an area model and partial products to find “1.4 x 1.5.” The Teacher Edition prompts the teacher to ask, “Does your answer seem reasonable? Why?”
There are examples where the materials do assist teachers in having students develop an argument. For example:
- Chapter 8, Lesson 2, Explore and Grow, students critique the reasoning of others on estimating sums and differences of fractions. The Teacher Edition includes the following guidance for teachers: “Each time a student explains why they know they are correct, ask other students to comment on the explanation offered.” This supports both the constructing arguments and critiquing the arguments of others.
- Chapter 11, Lesson 8, Dig In, teachers are directed to display the problem: “We are going to put new carpet on the floor of a classroom. The carpet costs $12.50 per square yard. The dimensions of the room are 21 feet by 30 feet. The principal has given $800 for the carpet. Do we have enough money to carpet the room?” Students write out their plan and display them to the class. The class has to critique the reasoning of the plans including if they agree and what would they add or remove.
Indicator 2g.iii
Materials explicitly attend to the specialized language of mathematics.
The instructional materials reviewed for Big Ideas Math: Modeling Real Life Grade 5 meet expectations that materials use precise and accurate terminology and definitions when describing mathematics and the materials support students to use precise mathematical language. For example:
- In the beginning of each chapter is “Laurie’s Overview.” In this section, the mathematics of the chapter is described. For example, Chapter 9, Laurie’s Overview states, “No new vocabulary is introduced in this chapter. Students continue to use the terms improper and proper fraction, mixed number, simplest form, and unit fractions.”
- Each chapter contains Vocabulary Cards for students and a vocabulary activity to introduce and reinforce the terms. For example, the Chapter 1 vocabulary cards include: base, exponent, period, power, thousandth, and thousandths place. The reverse side of each card gives a definition and an example.
- Teachers are provided explicit instructions in utilizing accurate mathematical terminology. For example, in Chapter 6, Lesson 2, Think and Grow, teachers are provided the following note: “When you model and say, 120 tens divided by 4 tens is 30, students often ask why the quotient is not 30 tens. Isn’t tens divided by tens equal to tens? In this example, there are 30 groups of 4 tens in 120 tens. In the first example, there are 7 groups of 9 hundred in 63 hundreds.” Chapter 9, Lesson 6, Dig In, identifies MP6 in the Teacher Edition. It directs teachers to ask students: “How is 1 square foot different from 1 foot? Can you and your partner show me what 1 square foot looks like?” In this example, the teacher guides students into understanding the mathematical language associated with linear and area measurements.
- “MP Precision” is labeled in the student book and highlights the precise use of numbers, symbols, and terminology. For example, in Chapter 8, Lesson 2, Homework & Practice, identifies MP Precision in the student work. Students are asked, “Your friend says 5/8 + 7/12 is about 2. Find a closer estimate. Explain why your estimate is closer”. This opportunity allows students to work with a mathematical expression and use mathematical language to explain their reasoning. Chapter 11, Lesson 8, Explore and Grow, identifies MP Precision in the student work. Students answer, “Which bag of fruit is heavier? Explain.” This exercise allows students to work with their understanding of ounces and pounds.
Overall, the materials accurately use numbers, symbols, graphs, and tables. Students are encouraged throughout the materials to use accurate mathematical terminology. The teaching guide reinforces the use of precise and accurate terminology.