Curriculum Up Close: Your Hall Pass Into Math
Ever wonder what learning is really like inside our classrooms? Curriculum Up Close is your monthly “hall pass” to step inside and see what students are working on, how teachers are bringing lessons to life and everyday moments that make learning impactful.
Each month, we’ll focus on a different subject area and share highlights from real classrooms across FHSD. This month, we dove into math to check out what students are learning and the different methods our teachers use to not only convey learning topics but also develop skills as seen in FHSD’s Portrait of a Learner.
Step inside three math classes that took place during the month of September:
Ms. Johns - Second Grade at Sherwood Elementary
At the start of the year, Ms. Johns' second grade class got acquainted with math stations, a rotating routine designed to build various math and life skills. Students move through three formats: working independently, collaborating with classmates and learning directly with their teacher. These stations not only build confidence with numbers but also encourage students to practice key traits in FHSD’s Portrait of a Learner, including adaptability and empathy.
At one station, students worked through personalized lessons on i-Ready, an adaptive online program that adjusts to each student’s needs. Whether a student needs a little extra practice or is ready for a bigger challenge, i-Ready meets them where they are and helps them grow step by step. This approach ensures that every student has the opportunity to problem-solve at their own pace and celebrate progress as they go.
Meanwhile, another group joined Ms. Johns for “teacher table” to explore fact families. They strengthened their pattern recognition and developed key math skills with the guidance of Ms. Johns. The third station focused on peer collaboration through math games, from a Go Fish-style card game to a number-based board game. Students practiced their skills, built connections with each other and enjoyed plenty of laughter along the way!
Miss Ballitch - Sixth Grade at Wilson Elementary
Miss Ballitch introduced her sixth grade math class to ratios through an interactive, hands-on lesson that made the concept memorable and fun. After completing a quick warm-up and personalized practice on i-Ready, students were given cups of colorful beads to bring ratios to life. They grouped the beads by color, wrote out ratio statements and finished their learning by creating bracelets as a culminating activity.
This creative approach not only helped students visualize and understand ratios, but also encouraged collaboration and ownership of their learning. By working together and thinking critically, students practiced essential skills from FHSD’s Portrait of a Learner–becoming adaptable learners and creative problem solvers.
Ms. O’Toole - Statistics & Probability at Anderson High School
Ms. O’Toole’s Statistics & Probability students at Anderson High School recently dove into data collection and distribution through a mix of guided notes, practice activities and hands-on exploration. Together, they analyzed graphs to identify patterns and trends in existing data, building a strong understanding of statistical concepts.
To bring the lesson to life, Ms. O’Toole instructed students to create their own data by rolling dice, recording their results and using those numbers to draw conclusions. This real-world approach encouraged students to think critically, make connections, and see statistics as a practical problem-solving tool. By engaging with the material in this way, students practiced important skills from FHSD’s Portrait of a Learner, including critical thinking and creative problem solving.
Learn More About FHSD’s Math Curriculum
From teacher instruction to hands-on learning, FHSD’s math classrooms are crafting unique lessons for students so they understand that the subject is more than just numbers on the page. Being adaptable, thinking critically and working collaboratively are just some of the ways FHSD helps create lifelong learners through its math curriculum, guided by the Portrait of a Learner.
Find more information about FHSD’s curriculum in these district resources:
