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BCMS Mathematics Grade Levels

                                                                                                                                 Math Home

The BCMS mathematics program provides students with the math knowledge and skills necessary to function in the world. Our goal is for students to see mathematics as relevant to real-life situations and to develop a lifelong understanding and appreciation of math that adapts to meet the demands of an increasingly technological world. This translates into three components:

Conceptual understanding—the understanding of mathematical ideas and procedures, including the knowledge of basic arithmetic facts.

Procedural fluency—the ability to carry out procedures flexibly, accurately, efficiently and appropriately, including algorithms (the step-by-step routines needed to perform arithmetic operations).

Problem solving—the ability to integrate conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge in order to analyze a problem and choose the most useful strategy for solving the problem.

 

The mathematics curriculum is organized into two groups of topics, as outlined by New York State, which serve to organize instruction at all three grade levels:

Problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections, and representation (processes or ways of acquiring and using content knowledge).

Number sense and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and statistics and probability (specific content areas students must master)

 

Content within each topic is specified for each grade, with teams of grade-level teachers defining the materials and instructional delivery methods used. Teachers use many different resources—manipulatives, textbooks, units from the “Connected Math” series and others—to introduce and practice these concepts with their students. Materials have been and continue to be coordinated by teachers so that students in all houses receive equivalent programs and preparation. Some of the major components of content are listed below by grade and course level. The curricula for these courses are directly defined by the New York State learning standards for mathematics.

 

Math 6

Number Sense and Operations—whole numbers, ratio and proportion, rational numbers, percents, fractions and decimals, exponential form; Algebra—translate expressions and equations, evaluate expressions, solve simple equations (2-step); Geometry—similar triangles, area of polygons, simple volume, circles, area in the coordinate plane; Measurement—capacity v. volume, customary and metric units, estimation; Statistics and Probabilit—collection, recording and presenting data, statistical measures, predictions, outcomes of compound events, counting principle, probability of events.

Math 6Z

(Prerequisite: teacher/principal recommendation and mastery of Math 6 topics in Grade 5)
Math 6Z is a course that integrates topics in Math 7 and Math 8. Materials from both grade levels are used, as appropriate, along with supplemental enrichment in some areas. Students successfully completing this course will learn all key topics necessary to enroll either in Math 7X and Math 7Y in Grade 7, depending upon teacher recommendation and prior student performance.

Math 7

Number Sense and Operations—real and irrational numbers, square roots, scientific notation, GCF, LCM, prime factors, exponential rules (+/-), order of operations, integers; Algebra—translate expressions, monomial operations, solve multi-step equations (with like terms and distributive law), find patterns in multiple representations, simple functions; Geometry—circle area/circumference, volumes/surface area of prisms, right triangles and Pythagorean Theorem; Measurement—convert capacity/volume and mass, unit prices, estimate area/mass; Statistics and Probability—collect and display data graphically, read/interpret graphical data, determine experimental probabilities, predict outcomes of experiments, test predictions.

Math 7Y

(Prerequisite: Math 6Z and teacher recommendation. This course is equivalent to the first year of high school math.)

This course is an enriched version of the ninth-grade Regents-level course, Algebra 9-1. Students must maintain defined minimum grade levels to remain in this level. For a description, see Math 8X below. It is a course that leads to the required Algebra Regents in June and prepares students for the rest of the Regents-defined sequence (Geometry and Algebra 2/Trigonometry) and then the advanced placement program. The second year of this sequence (Geometry) and its exam will be completed in the second year of study (Math 8Y for these students). High School credit is awarded for this course.

Math 8

Number Sense and Operations—exponential rules (x/÷), percents less than 1%/greater than 100%, percent applications; Algebra—translate expressions/sentences, linear/nonlinear relationships, monomial operations (x/÷), polynomial operations (+/-,x by monomial/binomial, ÷ by monomial), polynomial factoring (gcf, trinomials), solve multi-step inequalities (with like terms and distributive law), graph by plotting points, functions, systems of linear equations, graphical solutions of inequalities (number line), graphs of quadratics; Geometry—angle pair relationships (vertical/complementary, supplementary, when parallel lines cut by transversal), find missing angles in pair relationships numerically and algebraically, transformations (rotations, reflections, translations, and dilations), images of a figure under transformations, properties preserved and not under transformation, slope as rate of change, slope-intercept form of lines (finding, graphing, equation), simple constructions (congruent parts, bisectors); Measurement—conversions using proportions within metric/customary systems.

Math 8X

Prerequisite: Math 7X. This course is equivalent to the first year of high school math.

This course is an enriched version of the ninth-grade Regents course, Algebra 9-1. Students must maintain defined minimum grade levels to remain in this level. The process strands of problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections and representation are integrated into the content units (or strands) listed below. These include number sense and operations (including number theory and operations in all real sets); algebra (including variables and expressions, equations and inequalities, patterns, functions and relations, applications to coordinate geometry, and trigonometric functions); geometry (including shapes with area and volume, and coordinate geometry with graphical solution techniques); measurement (including units or measurement and error and magnitude); and statistics and probability (including organization and display of data, analysis, predictions and probability. It is a course that leads to the required Algebra Regents in June and prepares students for the rest of the Regents-defined sequence (Geometry and Algebra 2/Trigonometry) and then the advanced placement program. The second year of this sequence (Geometry) and its exam will be completed in the second year of study (Geometry 10-1Y for these students). High School credit is awarded for this course.

Math 8Y

Prerequisite: Math 7Y. This course is equivalent to the second year of high school math.

This course is the equivalent of the enriched tenth grade Regents Course Geometry 10-1Y. Students must maintain defined minimum grade levels to remain in this level. The process strands of problem solving, reasoning and proof, communication, connections and representation are integrated into the content units (or strands) listed below. These include algebra (algebraic skills and concepts from the previous course must be maintained and applied as students are asked to investigate, make conjectures, give rationale, and justify or prove geometric concepts); and geometry (three-dimensional relationships; constructions; locus; informal and formal proof; two-dimensional relationships involving congruence and similarity, theorems concerning relationships of parts of polygons, lines intersecting parallel lines or circles; transformations; coordinate geometry). It is a course that leads to the Geometry Regents in June and prepares students for the final course of the Regents-defined sequence (Algebra 2/Trigonometry) and then the advanced placement program. The third year of this sequence (Algebra 2 & Trigonometry) and its exam will be completed in the third year of study (Algebra 2/Trigonometry 11-1Y for these students). High School credit is awarded for this course.