Lower School - First Grade Mathematics

Gerstell faculty believe that mathematical concepts are best learned when they proceed from the concrete to the abstract and varied situations are provided for children to manipulate, explore and question. Students are encouraged to develop both logical and divergent thinking skills and to take risks and gain confidence in learning problem strategies. A prerequisite to achieving higher order thinking is a sound grasp of basic facts and an automatic fluency with fundamental operations. Application opportunities are provided for students to master mathematical skills and concepts through incremental review, practice, and a wide variety of contexts.

The Everyday Mathematics program is organized into six mathematical content strands:

• Operations & Computation
• Numeration
• Patterns, Functions & Algebra
• Data & Chance
• Measurement & Reference Frames
• Geometry

Every strand is addressed throughout all grade levels of the program. Each level builds on and extends concept understanding so that children approach a new challenge from a firmly established foundation and the development of mathematical intuition and understanding are fostered.

First Grade Mathematics

• Establishing Routines
• Everyday Uses of Numbers
• Visual Patterns, Number Patterns, Counting
• Measurement and Basic Facts
• Place Value, Number Stories, and Basic Facts
• Developing Fact Power
• Geometry and Attributes
• Mental Arithmetic, Money, and Fractions

Leadership in Mathematics