The Mathematics Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades
The K to 5 mathematics curriculum adopted in public schools provides a course in mathematics that spans the first seven years of schooling, from Kindergarten to Grade 5. Under the K to 5 mathematics curriculum, students learn to apply the skills, knowledge, and understanding of mathematics in a variety of contexts. As they become more skilled and confident in their understanding of mathematics, they learn to enjoy and value the role of mathematics in all aspects of life. The primary aims of the K to 5 mathematics curriculum are to:
- Teach students mathematical knowledge, skills, and understanding
- Teach students to reason and communicate using the language of mathematics
- Develop in students a positive attitude toward mathematics and an appreciation of mathematics as a tool for life7
The K to 5 mathematics curriculum comprises the following sections:
- Strands—The four mathematical domains under which the curriculum is organized: Numbers, Patterns and Algebra, Measurement and Data, and Space and Geometry
- Standards—The knowledge, skills, and understanding that students are expected to achieve at each grade level, from Kindergarten to Grade 5
- Indicators—The knowledge, skills, and understanding that students are expected to demonstrate at each grade level, from Kindergarten to Grade 5
- Content—The subject matter taught in each grade
- Planning, Programming, and Assessing—Guidelines for creating an effective learning environment
- Glossary—An index of important terms used throughout the curriculum and their definitions
Public school standards in Abu Dhabi stipulate that Grade 5 students should develop proficiency in the following mathematical skills:
- Using mathematical terminology and conventions to demonstrate reasoning when solving mathematical problems, making connections with existing knowledge
- Reading, writing, and ordering numbers of any size, up to at least five digits
- Constructing, verifying, and completing number sentences using the four operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
- Comparing, ordering, and performing calculations with fractions, decimals, and simple percentages
- Ordering the likelihood of simple events on a number line from 0 to 1
- Recording and describing geometric and number patterns, using tables and words
- Using the appropriate units to estimate, measure, and calculate length, area, volume and capacity, and mass
- Using 24-hour time in real-life situations and constructing timelines
- Using scale, and drawing and interpreting a variety of graphs
- Constructing and classifying three-dimensional objects and two-dimensional shapes, and comparing and describing their properties
- Measuring, constructing, and classifying angles8
Private schools have a variety of curricula based on each school’s curriculum standards, differing among Arabic, Australian, British, Canadian, German, Japanese, and American schools.