Curriculum

Ashley Elementary students reading in the classroom

Literacy

Ashley literacy curriculum is grounded in the American Reading Company’s Research Labs. These inquiry based units, in both English and Spanish (four at each grade level across the year) engage students through extensive reading, writing, research and critical analysis. Students develop agency and expertise in a wide variety of disciplines, preparing them to lead in an ever changing world. 

Year Long Scope and Sequence Example

Math

The following chart outlines the end of year expectations with regards to basic math facts at each grade level.

GradeMastery Expected by the End of the School YearStandard
1Adds and subtracts numbers to 101.OA.6 Demonstrate fluency for addition and subtraction within 10.
2Knows addition and subtraction facts within 202.OA.2 Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies
3Knows basic multiplication and division facts (0-9)3.OA.7 Fluently multiply and divide within 100, using strategies such as the relationship between multiplication and division or properties of operations.
4Multiplication and division facts (0-12)4.NBT.5.MA.5a Know multiplication facts and related division facts through 12 x 12.
5All facts should already be mastered with automaticity and should be used to solve problems.

At Ashley Elementary, ECE-5th grade scholars use the top-rated and nationally acclaimed math curriculum, EngageNY. Colorado, along with 46 other states, adopted a set of common, internationally-benchmarked academic standards in mathematics. These Common Core State Standards are important because they help all children learn the same skills. They create clear expectations for what your child should know and be able to do in key areas of mathematics.

The Common Core State Standards in mathematics articulate a progression of learning that deepens a student’s ability to understand and use mathematics. These Standards emphasize three key shifts in mathematics instruction: FOCUS, COHERENCE, and RIGOR.

In the past, students and teachers were expected to merely cover many topics in one year. In contrast, the Common Core Standards focus on key topics at each grade level to allow educators and students to go deeper into the content. Core conceptual understandings and procedures that should be emphasized at each grade level have been identified, thus enabling teachers to take the time needed to teach core concepts and procedures well – and to give students the opportunity to really master them. As such, these new Standards address the problem of a previous math curriculum that was “a mile wide and an inch deep.”

These Standards are designed around coherent progressions from grade to grade. Teachers carefully connect the learning across grades so that students can build new understanding onto foundations built in previous years. Teachers can begin to count on deep conceptual understanding of core content and build on it. Each standard is not a new event, but an extension of previous learning.

The Standards also call for rigor in conceptual understanding, procedural skill and fluency, and application. In order to build mathematical proficiency, students need to understand the math concepts (versus just how to get an answer), perform the procedures with fluency (speed and accuracy), and apply math to real-world situations.

For more information about the Common Core Standards, visit corestandards.org.

Our goal in today’s math classrooms are to make sure there is an appropriate balance between ensuring that students deeply understand the math skills and concepts on the one hand, and memorizing facts and procedures on the other hand. We want our students to be able to do mathematics, but we also want them to understand the math they are doing. We recognize that as math tasks increase in complexity, an understanding of facts, formulas, and algorithms will help them experience continued success.

We have not changed our view of the importance of basic math facts. We know that they are a foundational skill without which our students will view even simple math tasks as daunting. We have simply expanded our expectations to include understanding as an important component of our teaching of basic math facts. Our goal is both automaticity and understanding. Automaticity is students’ ability to effortlessly recall a fact. If students are automatic, they have successfully committed the facts to memory. In addition, we want our students to understand, not simply remember, these important math facts.

Although basic math facts will be introduced, taught and practiced in school throughout the year, we need your support at home. Parents play a key role in helping children master basic facts.