The Honors Math Program begins in Grade Four so that students will have adequate time to complete all elementary math skills prior to taking Algebra I in Grade Eight. Challenging activities will be provided in an effort to make learning math an active, meaningful process for those students who exhibit talent, ability, achievement and interest in math. Students who successfully complete the program will be able to begin high school with a mathematics course beyond Algebra I. The following is the summary of the curriculum covered in this subject area.
Grade Four
Text – Go Math, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015
In Grade 4, instructional time will focus on three critical areas: (1) developing understanding and fluency with multi-digit multiplication, and developing understanding of dividing to find quotients involving multi-digit dividends; (2) developing an understanding of fraction equivalence, addition and subtraction of fractions with like denominators, and multiplication of fractions by whole numbers; (3) understanding that geometric figures can be analyzed and classified based on their properties, such as having parallel sides, perpendicular sides, particular angle measures, and symmetry.
Grade Five
Text – Go Math, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015
In Grade 5, instructional time will focus on three critical areas: (1) developing fluency with addition, subtraction, and multiplication of fractions, plus with division of fractions in limited cases (unit fractions divided by whole numbers and whole numbers divided by unit fractions); (2) extending division to 2-digit divisors, integrating decimal fractions into the place value system and developing understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths, and developing fluency with whole number and decimal operations; and (3) developing understanding of volume.
Grade Six
Text – Glencoe Math (Course 1). Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2013.
In Grade 6, instructional time will focus on four critical areas: (1) connecting ratio and rate to whole number multiplication and division and using concepts of ratio and rate to solve problems; (2) completing understanding of division of fractions and extending the notion of number to the system of rational numbers, which includes negative numbers; (3) writing, interpreting, and using expressions and equations; and (4) developing understanding of statistical thinking.
Grade Seven
Text – Glencoe Pre-Algebra. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2012.
In Grade 7, instructional time will focus on four critical areas: (1) developing understanding of and applying proportional relationships; (2) developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations; (3) solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions, and working with two- and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume; and (4) drawing inferences about populations based on samples.
Grade Eight
Text – Algebra 1. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2014.
Students will build on their basic understanding of mathematics to explore relationships shown in a variety of ways. They will use integers and fractions to represent relationships in graphs and with variables in equations and matrices. Functions will be used to model real-world situations with graphs, tables and equations. Students will write and graph systems of equations and inequalities, as well as compound inequalities, absolute and quadratic equations. They will work with polynomials and learn how to solve for their roots by factoring and with the quadratic formula. They will work with exponents and exponential functions, as well as right triangles, radical expressions, irrational numbers, conjunctions and disjunctions. As these concepts develop, the students will learn to incorporate graphing calculators as a technology tool for success.
Additional Information
For a description of the Curriculum Guidelines of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, visit the website Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office of Catholic Education.