Project M3: Mentoring Mathematical Minds Second Edition

In grades 3 through 4, students study number and operations and receive a taste of algebra.

• In Unraveling the Mystery of the MoLi Stone: Exploring Place Value and Numeration, students explore the numeration system in depth and discover a stone with unusual markings. By the end of the unit, students uncover the mysteries found on the stone by applying and extending their new knowledge of place value.
• In Factors, Multiples, and Leftovers: Linking Multiplication and Division, students develop their number sense with a deeper understanding of multiplication and division. They learn about the relationship between multiplication and division and the properties associated with the operations. 
• How Big is Big: Understanding and Using Large Numbers introduces students to numbers 1,000 to 1,000,000 using a variety of models and operations. Applying their previous understanding of place value and extend learning of the relative size of numbers in each place up to one million.
• In Awesome Algebra: Looking for Patterns and Generalizations, students study patterns and determine how they change, can be extended or repeated, and how they grow.
• In Search of the Yeti: Measuring Up, Down and All Around, measurement is focused on learning about perimeter, area, and volume. 
• Digging for Data: Collecting, Displaying and Analyzing Data, students explore the world of the research scientist and learn how gathering, representing, and analyzing data are the essence of good research.

In grades 4 through 5, students continue on the same learning paths fostered previously.

• In The Tenth Street Pet Sanctuary: Understanding and Using Decimals, students are introduced to how the decimal numeration system takes place. Students learn how the powers of 10 are used to create decimals and understand the role of the decimal point as the marker for the end of whole numbers. 
• At the Mall with Algebra: Working with Variables and Equations, students discover the mathematics behind number tricks and variable puzzles. The experiences and discussions provide a rich context for introducing students to algebraic thinking while strengthening their problem solving and mathematical communication skills.
• In Treasurers from the Attic: Exploring Fractions, students are introduced to the characters of Tori and Jordan, who uncover hidden treasures in their grandparents' attic from a general store that their great-grandparents used to own. The unit focuses on making sense of fractions rather than on learning algorithms to perform computations. 
• Getting Into Shapes: Exploring Relationships Among 2-D and 3-D Shapes, students explore 2-and 3-dimensional shapes with a focus on their properties, relationships among them and spatial visualization. The reasoning skills built on in this unit, help them develop an understanding of more complex geometric concepts.

In grades 5 through 6, the mathematical growth continues as students are learning more in depth algebraic and geometrical concepts.

• In Record Makers and Breakers: Analyzing Graphs, Tables and Equations, students learn about algebra as a set of concepts tied to the representation of relationships by words, tables or graphs. It extends their notion of variable from a letter in an equation that represents a number to a more broad definition. 
• Fun at the Carnival: Using Proportional Reasoning introduces students to similarity, congruence, and scale factors and explore ration as a comparison of two quantities. The foundational mathematics behind these concepts is proportional reasoning, and students will learn how to use proportions to solve problems. 
• Designer Boxes: Exploring Volume & Surface Area, geometric measurement is the focus. Students build on the work from previous units regarding area and perimeter and extend it to three-dimensional solids. Their abilities to learn spatially improve as they learn about the relationships among faces, vertices and edges of rectangular prisms and how to make and label drawings of boxes.
• Students begin their exploration of probability as a measurement of the likelihood of events in What Are Your Chances? Probability in Action. They move beyond performing simple probability experiments to an understanding of experimental and theoretical probability and the Law of Large Numbers.
• In Our Environment Matters: Making Sense of Percents, students explore percents in depth and see how it is linked to the study of proportionality. Students will make connections to number concepts and algebra as they develop their understanding of percents, connect percents to different representations of the same number using fractions and decimals.