Math

All students at Long Branch are Mathematicians! We engage in Math Workshop where teachers are guiding students to accuracy, fluency, and conceptual understanding through the Standards of Learning (SOLs) by using the resources provided by Arlington Public Schools. The Math Coach collaborates with teachers by co-planning, co-teaching, and modeling to guide students to a deeper understanding of mathematics. For specific questions about your child or the mathematics instruction at Long Branch, please contact TBD.

Math Activities at Home

Supporting Our Math Learners At Home (3/2/22 PTA Meeting)

Math at Home is a collection of K-5 activities that families can do together.

Counting (Grades K-2) in English and Español
Addition & Subtraction (Grades K-4) in English and Español
Multiplication & Division (Grades 2-5) in English and Español
Fractions and Decimals (Grades 2-5) in English and Español

Talking Math With Your Kids

Research from the University of Chicago shows that simply talking about math at home with your children can help them get a deeper understanding of math and can boost their math performance. Ask questions at the grocery store like, “How much money would it cost for 3 cans of beans?” and “How many more oranges did we buy than apples?” Have your children notice different shapes at the park. Ask them “How many more exits until we get home?” Check out Bedtime Math and the hashtag #tmwyk on Twitter for more ideas!

Counting Collections

For children in kindergarten through 2nd grade, counting collections are a great way to practice counting at home. Students can count anything around the home like cereal, beans, pennies, hair clips, etc. Count out loud with your kids and ask them to group their items into 5s, 10s, or 100s to make counting easier. Counting collections can even be used with older students to practice their multiplication and skip counting!Video with more information about Counting Collections vídeo en español

Virtual Math Games & Lessons

NCTM Illuminations has dozens of games for all grade levels. Use the search feature to the right to narrow down your grade range.
Greg Tang Math has games and puzzles for all ages
Brainpop for 4th-5th graders and Brainpop Jr. for all students K-5 (both can also be logged in through Clever)
AAA Math has thousands of interactive lessons for all grade levels
Internet 4 Classroom has resources for all grade levels
More math games here that can be searched for by grade level
ABCya has skill and logic games for all grade levels

Virtual Manipulatives

Manipulatives help students gain a conceptual understanding of the math they are learning. Working with these tools can give students multiple ways to approach and solve problems.

Dreambox and Reflex

APS Digital Learning Tools for Math Instruction

Both applications are accessible through CLEVER One Login

What’s the worst thing you can do to help your child? “Telling too Soon” by Daniel Schwartz

A brief video about helping students in a way that builds mathematical reasoning and develops productive struggle.Dan Meyer “Math Reasoning”

This is the PDF of the Dreambox and Reflex information sheet: Copy of Dreambox and Reflex

		$Reflex Math$
What is it?	DreamBox Learning is a digital based mathematics program for grades K-8 students.For students, DreamBox Learning: Adapts to provide students with lessons that they need when they need them; Provides VA standards based lessons that challenges students to think critically	Reflex is an adaptive and individualized program that helps students develop fluency once they understand the concepts behind the operations.Reflex operates on the following structure: Quick check with fluency Coaching with Coach Penny Games for practice Reports for students to see progress Lastly, Reflex, due to its time component, may not be a good fit for all of our Lions. In this case, the teacher will develop an alternative plan for a student’s fluency work.
Audience & Rationale	At Long Branch, K-5 students will engage in DreamBox throughout the year. Teachers can target lessons based on VA State Standards of Learning.	Per APS, the REFLEX program is available to all students in Grades 2-5. Grade 2 students will work in addition and subtraction Grade 3 students will begin in addition and subtraction and move to multiplication and division once instruction in the conceptual understanding is taught (unless there is an identified need to work within addition/subtraction) Grade 4 & 5 students will work in multiplication and division (unless there is an identified need to work within addition/subtraction) REFLEX is also available to students in Grade 1 in Spring (4th quarter), only after formal instruction and students are prepared to solidify their understanding of addition and subtraction facts.
Goals	Provides Standards based data that tracks student growth and proficiency; Is customizable to so that teachers may assign focus lessons based upon need; and Provides teachers with insights as to how their students learn.	The goal of REFLEX is to aid students in developing their fluency once they understand the concepts behind the operations.Please NOTE: When students have demonstrated mastery of the operation (add/sub, mult/div), the use of the Reflex program is no longer needed and will be discontinued.
Parent Support	DreamBox lessons are personalized to your child, based on their strategies and understanding.Tips to support your child at home during Dreambox lessons: Let your child work as independently as possible, so that DreamBox can adjust to their mathematical understanding Listen to the program feedback (the audio) and have your child try again Use the Help/Hint button. Encourage risk taking: What do you already know? What do you think you could do next? What happens when you try that?	Encourage students to work to the green light in one sitting.Students should engage in REFLEX (i.e. achieve a green light) 4 times/week.Green light indicator:
StudentExpectations	Students will engage in DreamBox on asynchronous Mondays and during portions of independent work in Math Workshop at the teachers’ discretion. The expectations for students are the following:	Engage in REFLEX until you’ve reached the GREEN light. Play REFLEX at least 4 times/week.