Preschool Discovery children learn math skills through hands-on learning experiences which introduce them to shapes, colors, sizes, positional concepts, relationships, rote and rational counting, sequencing, simple graphing and associated vocabulary (big/little, over/under, more/less).

Teachers plan lessons and activities which actively engage children in patterning, sorting by attributes, classifying, measuring, and simple problem solving. Children use concrete materials such as blocks, tiles, buttons, measuring implements, and magnetic shapes to discover math concepts in ways that are meaningful to them and their everyday lives.

The Preschool Discovery math program is integrated into the general thematic units taught in our preschool. For example, our weekly classroom cooking activities are extensions of our current thematic units and give children hands-on experience with counting, measuring, and vocabulary. During morning circle times, teachers might include an activity in which children graph daily weather as a part of a thematic unit on weather.

Everyday Mathematics, The University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, is used to teach mathematics at the Preschool Readiness level. The program is organized into six content strands within which all learning goals are categorized: Numeration; Operations; Patterns & Functions; Geometry; Measurement & Reference (includes Measurement, Money, Clocks and Calendars); and Data & Chance. The curriculum emphasizes problem solving, communication, estimation skills, number sense, labels & units, and the reversibility of most actions. Mathematical ideas are introduced at a simple level but are later developed and extended with repeated exposures, creating a learning “spiral” over time.

Through games, hands-on activities, and the use of manipulatives, children are exposed to a wide variety of mathematical concepts and skills. For example, they may use 3-dimensional objects to create shape sculptures or explore the idea of symmetry by folding paper that has been painted on one side. Children have many opportunities to work as a whole class as well as in partnerships, small groups, and centers. The program integrates mathematics into art and music activities, circle time, block building, games, snack time, and other daily preschool events. Mathematical routines involving weather, the calendar, jobs, attendance, and the number of the day are important components of each day. Children also have access to a CD-Rom collection of Everyday Mathematics early childhood games for reinforcement and enrichment.

A weekly Home Link helps to establish a partnership between school and home. These assignments encourage families to continue the process of mathematical learning at home with fun and interactive tasks.

Everyday Mathematics, The University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, is used to teach mathematics at the Kindergarten level. The program is organized into six content strands within which all learning goals are categorized: Numeration; Operations; Patterns & Functions; Geometry; Measurement & Reference (includes Measurement, Money, Clocks & Calendars); and Data & Chance. The curriculum emphasizes problem solving, communication, estimation skills, number sense, labels & units, and the reversibility of most actions. Mathematical ideas are introduced at a simple level but are later developed and extended with repeated exposures, creating a learning “spiral” over time.

Through games, hands-on activities, and the use of manipulatives, children are exposed to a wide variety of mathematical concepts and skills. For example, they may use a pattern-block template to create geometric designs or play “Monster Squeeze” to explore the concepts of greater and less on the number line. Children have many opportunities to work as a whole class as well as in partnerships, small groups, and centers. The program integrates mathematics into art and music activities, circle time, block building, games, snack time, and other daily Kindergarten events. Mathematical routines involving weather, the calendar, jobs, attendance, and the number of the day are important components of each day. Children also have access to the computer based, Compass Learning curriculum to reinforce classroom math activities and individual logins to Everyday Mathematics Online Games, which they are encouraged to play outside of school as an extension of their classroom learning.

A weekly Home Link helps to establish a partnership between school and home. These assignments encourage families to continue the process of mathematical learning at home with fun and interactive tasks.