Math Investigations

Investigations in Number, Data, and Space® is a K–5 mathematics program with four major goals:

Marshall's Kindergarten through 2nd grade teachers have spent numerous hours being trained in this program. Next fall, Math Investigations will be implemented in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes.

Click here to see the Math Investigations Curriculum for each grade level. (Also includes parent resources and support).

	to offer students meaningful mathematical problems
	to emphasize depth in mathematical thinking
	rather than superficial exposure to a series of fragmented topics
	to communicate mathematics content and pedagogy to teachers
	to substantially expand the pool of mathematically literate students

Program

The Investigations program is based on years of research about how children learn mathematics.

Each grade level consists of a set of separate units,each offering 2–8 weeks of work. These units of study are presented through investigations that involve students in the exploration of major mathematical deas, and may revolve around related areas, for example, addition and subtraction or geometry and fractions. The students may have a Student Activity Booklet or they may have Student Sheets, Homework Sheets, Game Instructions, Practice Pages, andAssessment Tasks to show and share what they know and are able to do.

Benefits for Students

Approaching the mathematics content through investigations helps students develop flexibility and confidence in approaching problems, fluency in using mathematical skills and tools to solve problems, and proficiency in evaluating their solutions. Computational fluency of basic number facts develops through understanding of number relationships and practice in games and activities. Students also use many ways to communicate about their mathematical thinking and their multiple strategies to solve problems while their enjoyment and application of mathematics grows. The investigations are carefully designed to invite all students into mathematics—girls and boys; members of diverse cultural, ethnic, and language groups; and students with different strengths and interests. The context of the problems often call on students to share experiences from their family,culture, or community. The curriculum eliminates barriers—such as work in isolation from peers, or emphasis only on speed and memorization—that exclude some students from participating successfully in mathematics.

All Students Learn and Participate

The following aspects of the curriculum ensure that all students are included in significant mathematical learning:

	Students spend time exploring problems in depth
	They find more than one solution to many of the problems they work on
	They develop their own strategies and approaches based on their knowledge and understanding of mathematical relationships
	They choose from a variety of concrete materials and appropriate technology, including calculators, as a natural part of their everyday mathematical work
	They express their mathematical thinking through drawing, writing, and talking
	They work in a variety of groupings—as a whole class, individually, in pairs, and in small groups
	They move around the classroom as they explore the mathematics in their environment and talk with their peers

Investigations and Technology

The Investigations curriculum incorporates the us of two forms of technology in the classroom:
calculators and computers. Calculators are assumed to be standard classroom materials, available for student use in any unit. Just as with other tools, students must learn both how to use calculators correctly and when they are appropriate to use. This knowledge is crucial for daily life, as calculators are now a standard way of handling numerical operations, both at work and at home. Computers are explicitly linked to one or more units at each grade level; they are used with a unit on 2-D geometry at each grade, as well as with some of the units on measuring, data, and changes. Students can use computers to approach and visualize mathematical situations in new ways. The computer allows students to construct and manipulate geometric shapes, see objects move according to rules they specify, and turn, flip, and repeat a pattern.