Overview
Mathematics at Laura Jeffrey Academy is a comprehensive program where students learn rigorous mathematics concepts tied to real-world problem solving activities. Students grow in confidence and competence as mathematicians throughout the four-year program as they learn how to solve complex problems. The mathematics program is aligned with the state standards for mathematics and will prepare students for rigorous study beyond Laura Jeffrey Academy.
Philosophy
Mathematics education must not only prepare students to manipulate numbers and variables to get desired results, it must also prepare students to be confident and competent problem-solvers. In a world where information increases so rapidly, we do not even know some of the problems our students will encounter in the “real world.” Therefore, we cannot only teach them what the answers are; we must also teach them how to approach a problem, how to understand the available information, and how to use information in a variety of ways to solve problems based on the situation. Our students must feel confident in their ability to manipulate numbers as well as in their ability to solve real world problems.
“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.” ~Albert Einstein
Course Description
The mathematics curriculum at Laura Jeffrey Academy focuses on four major strands each year; Number & Operation, Algebra, Geometry and Measurement, and Data Analysis. These four strands are aligned with both standards from Minnesota and the standards from NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). Students learn math integrated with science, and therefore the heart of the curriculum is solving problems and applying mathematical knowledge to real-world situations, especially those in science. Additionally, at the core of the problem solving process, students learn formulas and algorithms although not given to them, students constructing their meaning.
The following are the units of study at each grade level:
Grade 5
Prime Time – Number theory, factors, multiples, primes, and composites
Data About Us – Statistics, formulating questions, gathering, organizing, representing and analyzing data; interpreting results from data
Covering and Surrounding – Two-dimensional measurement, relationships between area and perimeter, finding area and perimeter of various polygons and circles
Patterns of Change – Algebraic reasoning, rules, tables, functions, variables
Grade 6
Bits and Pieces I – Understanding Rational Numbers – fractions, decimals, and percents; equivalence and order
Bits and Pieces II – Using Rational Numbers – meaning of and skill in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions and decimals; percents
How Likely Is It? – Probability – reasoning under uncertainty; experimental and theoretical probabilities; equally likely and unequally likely events.
Shapes and Designs – Two-dimensional Geometry – relationships among lengths, angle measures and how shapes fit together.
Variables and Patterns – Introducing Algebra – understanding variables; representations of relationships, such as tables, graphs, and simple symbolic forms
Grade 7
Accentuate the Negative – Integers – understanding and using integers with various models; operations with integers
Comparing and Scaling – Proportional Reasoning – ratio, proportion, rate, and percent
What do you Expect? – Probability – understanding and using expected value; determining probabilities and two-stage events
Filling and Wrapping – Three-dimensional Geometry and measurement – relationships between volume and surface area of various solids
Grade 8
Samples and Populations – Statistics – comparing data sets using box-and-whiskers plots, quartiles, histograms, and scatter plots
Moving Straight Ahead – Linear Relationships – growth and linearity through tables, graphs and simple symbolic forms: solving simple linear equations
Looking for Pythagoras – Pythagorean Theorem – investigating the Pythagorean Theorem, area, irrational numbers, slope, distance
Growing, Growing, Growing – Exponential Relationships – exponential growth and decay through data tables, graphs, and simple symbolic form
Frogs, Fleas, and Painted Cubes – Quadratic Relationships – growth and quadratic functions through data tables, graphs and simple symbolic form
