The whole curriculum has not been revised

Clarifications have been made to some of the original learning outcomes of the number strand in the curriculum.  Clear indications of what students are expected to do have been added.

The revised programs of study offer students greater opportunities to develop mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and to make connections between mathematics and its applications.

Only the following sections have been revised:

1. Philosophy and Pedagogy of the Introduction
2. Addition and Subtraction Facts to 18 (Clear indications of what students are expected to do.)
3. Multiplication and Division Facts to 81 (Clear indications of what students are expected to do.)
4. Skip Counting in Grade 3
5. Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Whole Numbers
6. Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Decimal Numbers
7. Addition of references

 

Highlights of the revisions can be reviewed within the document,
Kindergarten to Grade 8 Mathematics Curriculum Framework: 2013 Revisions.

Updates about the mathematics program are posted on the Manitoba Education's website. Students and parents are also encouraged to talk to the mathematics teachers in their school for additional information about the mathematics program.

Yes. Everyone needs to know the basics of numbers to solve problems. Teachers also want students to understand the concepts behind the math skills, so they will know which skill to use when solving problems. For example, when solving 36 + 39, a student will know that 6 + 9 = 15, add 30 and 30 to get 60, add the 15 to make 75. Students may use numbers or drawings to learn the math facts. They review and practice the facts to use when solving complex calculations. Your child’s ability to recall math facts will come from all of the learning and practice she or he has had since starting Kindergarten.

Mental math is the ability to calculate answers mentally rather than on paper or an electronic device. There are a variety of ways to do this. Mental math strategies help students learn to estimate or figure out the approximate values or quantities. Students use estimates to help them make math judgments.

A mental math strategy is a way to solve problems. Your child’s knowledge of math strategies gets more sophisticated as they build on the level of math in each grade. As your child moves up to a higher grade, his or her  level of math understanding increases. The following are a few examples to show how strategies can be adapted for grade or skill development:

You can help your child build a better understanding of mental math and estimation skills by:

• playing card and board games that use mental math (ex: Snakes and Ladders, Yahtzee, dice and card games)
• getting your child to help with banking, cooking, shopping and budgeting – all  activities that include mental math and estimation problems – helping your child learn that math is part of our everyday lives
• asking your child to explain how she or he came up with her or his math answers
• allowing your child to struggle – and not give up – with math problems
• having a positive attitude towards math
• asking your child to explain what was learned in math class

When your child is working on mental math and estimation problems, ask:

• Does your answer make sense?
• Why did you do it that way?
• How did you get that answer?
• Do you see a pattern?
• Can you tell me a different way of answering the question?

Personal strategies are steps students take to solve a problem when using addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. These used to be taught in a formal step-by-step method and students didn’t always understand why the steps were done or why the order was important. Students now learn they can solve problems in different ways. Your child is learning a variety of personal strategies including the standard step–by–step method, and the carrying and borrowing numbers method. The goal is to help your child calculate using number sense and learn flexible, accurate ways to solve math problems.

Students generally learn math through problems, situations, models and real-life situations. A task or problem will be given to your child so he or she can solve it through math thinking and applying math skills and knowledge. An important part of problem solving is getting students to explain their answers and how they got them.