Documents and Materials to Support Instruction of the PWCS Elementary Mathematics Curriculum

The PWCS Elementary Mathematics Program includes several useful documents for teachers. All of these were revised and/or created by Teacher Focus Groups for each grade level.These documents and other resources are located on the Mathematics Web site:

  • Curriculum Guide

The Mathematics Curriculum Guide serves is the most important document for teachers when planning instruction and assessment. It defines the content knowledge, skills, and understandings that are measured by the Standards of Learning assessment. It provides additional guidance to teachers as they develop an instructional program appropriate for their students. It also assists teachers in their lesson planning by identifying essential understandings, defining essential content knowledge, and describing the intellectual skills students need to use.

  • Recommended Yearly Pacing Guide

Teacher focus groups have assigned a given number of days to each unit based on their experiences and knowledge of the curriculum. It is critical that teachers stay as close as possible to the pacing guidelines to ensure that all of the Standards of Learning have been taught prior to the SOL Test, and that, as children move within the Division, their math instruction remains coherent. Ongoing review should occur throughout the year.

  • Recommended Yearly Planning Calendar

The daily planning calendar was developed by grade level teacher focus groups as a guide/example for teachers. It follows the time allotments from the pacing guide for each unit. Although teachers are not required to follow this daily guide, they should stay as close as possible to the time set for each unit. Teachers should use their professional judgment in choosing resources to ensure that the content is taught to the depth required by the Standards of Learning.

  • Unit Guides

Unit guides provide detailed instructional support for each unit outlined on the Pacing Guide. In addition to the Standards of Learning addressed in each unit, other information teachers might find include:

  • Differentiation options for extension and support
  • Games and other resources for practice
  • Related vocabulary
  • Suggested children’s literature
  • Instructional technology applications
  • SOL Released Items correlated to each unit
  • Teaching Tips – suggestions from experienced PWCS teachers
  • Common formative assessments for grades 2 – 5
  • Supplemental lessons and activities
  • Instructional Materials:

The adopted textbook for elementary grades is Virginia Math Connects by McGraw Hill. This series will be used in grade 3 – 5 beginning in 2012-13 and in K – 2 beginning in 2013-14. Grades K – 2 will continue to use Investigations in Number, Data, and Space for the 2012-13 school year as their primary text resource.

With the purchase of the Virginia Math Connectstextbook for 3 - 5, students also receive Connect-ED, the online component to the Math Connects text. Teachers and students have codes that allow access to the online resources for the book. With the online code, teachers have access to the following:

  • Teacher’s edition online
  • All print resources such as problem solving, practice, enrichment, and

reteaching masters

  • Student online edition (teachers will provide access to students and parents)
  • Interactive activities for student use
  • Games for online and off-line play

Investigations materialsprovided to all teachers include the Teacher Units and Resource binder. In this binder are masters of assessments and other instructional worksheets, transparencies, and a CD with software for students. Classroom sets of manipulatives needed to support instruction are also provided to each teacher. K – 2 students have consumable books as well as a Student Math Handbook.

Teachers should use their professional judgment in choosing resources to ensure that the mathematical content is taught with a blended approach and to the depth required by the Standards of Learning. Teacher focus groups have identified supplemental resources from which teachers may choose.

Updated 8.15.12