The Mathematics Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades
The curriculum in Grades 1 to 9 encompasses seven major learning areas: Language Arts, Health and Physical Education, Social Studies, Arts and Humanities, Mathematics, Science and Technology, and Integrative Activities. The goals of the Grades 1 to 9 Mathematics Curriculum Guidelines include the following:
- Develop the ability to work with algorithms, use abstract reasoning, make inferences, and communicate understanding
- Develop problem solving skills
- Develop basic skills as a foundation for learning advanced mathematics
- Develop an appreciation of the beauty of mathematics
The curriculum guidelines specify five mathematics strands, implemented according to grade level: Number and Quantity, Geometry, Algebra, Statistics and Probability, and Mathematical Connections. Corresponding indicators of competence, based on student cognitive development and the relationships within a strand and across strands in Grades 1 to 9, are provided in the curriculum guidelines.8 The objectives of the five strands are outlined briefly as follows:
- Number and Quantity—In elementary schools, students are expected to master arithmetic operations with natural numbers, to understand the concepts of time, distance, area, weight, volume, capacity, and angles, and the units used to measure them, to understand that fractions and decimals may refer to parts of a set or parts of a whole, and to use estimation strategies in computation, problem solving, and checking computations. The junior high school curriculum includes negatives, arithmetic operations with integers and rational numbers, absolute value, prime and composite numbers, and arithmetic and geometric sequences.
- Geometry—In Grades 1 to 3, students learn to identify, explore, and manipulate geometric figures. In Grades 4 to 5, students are expected to express numerical relationships in and among geometric figures. In Grades 6 to 7, students develop spatial and visual reasoning. In Grades 8 to 9, students study plane geometry as an introduction to the concept of mathematical proof and learn to appreciate it for its intrinsic value.
- Algebra—Students learn to solve problems using symbolic representations. In elementary school, students learn to express relationships in equations or sentences, evaluate algebraic expressions, and solve simple linear equations. In junior high school, students learn to use equations or inequalities to represent the relationships among the quantities described in questions, solve linear equations and inequalities with one variable and simultaneous linear equations with two unknowns, factor polynomials, solve quadratic equations, and represent linear and quadratic functions in graphs.
- Statistics and Probability—This strand has strong connections to Algebra as well as to Number and Quantity. Students are introduced to the concept of probability, interpretation of data, and problem solving with statistics. In elementary school, students mastering this academic content will be able to create and interpret simple statistical tables and pie charts. In junior high school, students learn about frequency, mean, median, and mode, and how to use computers and software to calculate with statistics, and make tables and graphs.
- Mathematical Connections—To encourage meaningful learning, this strand emphasizes integration among the other four strands and the transfer of mathematical knowledge and reasoning from school to daily life, as well as to other subjects, such as science and technology.