Kindergarten - Gateway 2

The instructional materials for My Math Florida Kindergarten meet the expectations that the materials develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific standards or cluster headings.

• The content in Chapters 1 and 4 through 6 address standards that are explicitly outlined as conceptual standards. (K.CC.2.4 and K.NBT.1.1)
• The majority of lessons have a section called “Investigate the Math” which targets conceptual understanding. This is contained in the online lesson presentation.
• All lessons in the series have a section called “Talk Math” which targets conceptual understanding. This is contained in the online lesson presentation.  
• In the Student Edition, some of the lessons begin with an "Explore and Explain" section which targets conceptual understanding.
• There is limited time spent on conceptual understanding of numbers. For example, understanding 0 to 5 only has 15 days of instruction, and only two of those lessons, Lessons 1 and 3, actually deal with conceptual understanding.

Some Brain Builders enhance conceptual understanding. Examples include:

• Chapter 1, Lesson 2, Brain Builders, the picture on the page has a soup pot and the directions are to “Draw one tomato in the pot. Write the number two times. Draw one potato in the pot. Write the number two times. Draw two carrots in the pot. Write the number two times. Draw three onions in the pot. Write the number two times. Draw an X on three objects in the pot.” Students are developing conceptual understanding by representing objects and connecting those to numbers.
• Chapter 3, Lesson 4, Brain Builders, Item 7, the page contains two ten frames with five spaces filled, and students are directed to show sixteen.
• Chapter 5, Lesson 7A, Brain Builders, an empty basket is shown on the page, and below the basket is the beginning of an equation "10 = ______+______.  Miles has strawberries and blueberries in his basket. He has 10 pieces of fruit in all. Draw strawberries and blueberries to show each group.” After finishing the problem, the students compare with a friend and discuss why there is more than one possible answer.  
• Chapter 11, Lesson 2, Brain Builders, “Identify the circles and triangles on the fruit pizza by coloring the circles green and the triangles orange. Explain to a friend how you can tell the difference between a triangle and a circle.”  

The instructional materials for My Math Florida Kindergarten meet the expectations for being designed so teachers and students spend sufficient time working with engaging applications of the mathematics without losing focus on the major work.

• The majority of lessons include a section called "Explore and Explain” which uses real-world problems to introduce concepts. For example, see Chapter 1, Lesson 5, page 35 and Chapter 8, Lesson 1, page 489.
• The Teacher Edition states “Explore and Explain” and “Real-World Problem Solving Readers” address application.
• While “Real-World Problem-Solving Readers” are available to provide additional problems, they were not reviewed by EdReports.org. They are not included in the basic package with the Student and Teacher Editions, and were therefore considered supplementary.
• In the online portion, several chapters include “Project-Based Learning” which has students applying mathematics to real-world situations.

Brain Builders and Performance Events sometimes provide additional opportunities for students to engage in the applications of mathematics. Examples Include:

• Chapter 3, Performance Event is divided into five parts, with each part related to visiting a sporting goods store. Part B: “Count the baseballs. Write the number.” There is a picture of baseballs on the page.
• Chapter 5, Lesson 1, Brain Builders, students have a page with two teeter totters. Teachers share the following problem with students, and students are told to use counters to model the story: “Two children are playing on the teeter-totters. Two more children join them. Write the numbers. How many are there in all? Three children are playing on the teeter-totters. One more child joins them. Write the numbers. How many are there in all? Tell a friend how many children are on both teeter-totters in all. Explain how you found the answer.”
• Chapter 6, Lesson 1, Brain Builders, the student page shows three dog bowls with food, and students listen to subtraction stories read by their teacher. Students use counters to model the stories and then write the answer on the page.
• Chapter 10, Performance Event is divided into four parts, with each part relating to different animals. Part A: “How many animals are above the bed? Circle them. Write the number.”

The instructional materials for My Math Florida Kindergarten meet the expectations for balance. Overall, the three aspects of rigor are neither always treated together nor always treated separately within the materials, and there is a balance of the three aspects of rigor within the grade.

At the beginning of each lesson, a "Rigor" section exists to identify levels of complexity by problem or exercise number. For example, Chapter 3, Lesson 8 has two workbook pages for conceptual learning (understand concepts), one workbook page for fluency/procedural skill (apply concepts), and one workbook page for application (extend concepts).

The instructional materials for My Math Florida Kindergarten meet the expectations for identifying the Standards for Mathematical Practices (MPs) and using them to enrich mathematics content within and throughout Kindergarten. Overall, the instructional materials do not over-identify or under-identify the MPs, and they are used within and throughout the grade.

• The Teacher Edition, pages T22 – T24, lists the MPs and the corresponding pages.
• The practices are identified throughout all 89 lessons. Each lesson focuses on three to four practices.
• The Teacher Edition indicates which MP the student is working with in the lesson and in the homework.
• The Student Edition for Kindergarten does not indicate which MP is present.

The instructional materials for My Math Florida Kindergarten meet the expectations for explicitly attending to the specialized language of mathematics. Overall, the materials for both students and teachers have multiple ways for students to engage with the vocabulary of mathematics that is consistently present throughout the materials.

• The special language of mathematics is a strength of the series.
• Individual vocabulary cards are found at the beginning of each chapter in the Student Edition.
• Vocabulary checks are included in some homework assignments. For example, see Chapter 3, page 172.
• Vocabulary assessments can be created online.
• Virtual word walls are available online.
• “Match the Pairs” is an interactive vocabulary component.
• “Check my Progress” assesses vocabulary.
• Each chapter begins with a foldable which supports vocabulary development.
• “My Math Words” is at the beginning of some chapters. For example, see Chapter 5, Lesson 1, page 325A TE.
• The Teacher, Student, and online editions contain extensive glossaries in English and Spanish.
• Oral and listening assessments are available online.