What your child is learning
There are three areas, or “strands”, in Kindergarten math.
In the Number strand, kindergarten children can count from 1 to 30 and backward from 10 to 1. They are able to say how many objects there are in a group of up to 10 objects, in different ways such as counting, comparing, describing, etc. Students are able to recognize groups of 1 to 6 objects arranged in a familiar.
In the Patterns and Relationship strand, children recognize and make patterns using objects, sounds and actions.
In the Shape and Space strand, children sort and build 3-D objects.
In order to achieve lifelong learning in mathematics, children:
- communicate what they are thinking and learning;
- connect math to everyday situations and other subjects;
- estimate and use mental math strategies;
- learn through problem solving;
- reason and explain their thinking;
- use technology to enhance their learning;
- use visual images (think in pictures) to describe their thinking.
To find out more about what your child is learning, talk to the teacher.
You may also refer to the mathematics curriculum documents
How your child is assessed
The teacher will assess your child’s progress in the areas described in the WHAT MY CHILD IS LEARNING tab.
The reports you receive from the school help you to support your child’s learning. You can use them to talk with your child and your child’s teacher about results, strengths, challenges and what your child will be doing next.
Resources
Helping Your Child Learn Math: A Parent’s Guide
This guide offers suggestions of hands-on activities that promote problem solving, communication, and links to daily life to help develop your child's math skills and understanding.
Early Years Mathematics Activities and Games
These games and activities, presented in MS Word and Adobe PDF files, can be used at home.
Numeracy At Home Newsletters
Each newsletter offers a variety of interesting and challenging activities to support student thinking and learning of mathematics.
Glossary
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that are often asked about mathematics:
If you have a question that isn't answered here, you can ask your child's teacher or use the comment form on the left of the page.
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The whole curriculum has not been revised.
Clarifications have been made to some of the original learning outcomes of the number strand in the curriculum. Clear indications of what students are expected to do have been added.
The revised programs of study offer students greater opportunities to develop mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and to make connections between mathematics and its applications.
Only the following sections have been revised:
- Philosophy and Pedagogy of the Introduction
- Addition and Subtraction Facts to 18 (Clear indications of what students are expected to do.)
- Multiplication and Division Facts to 81 (Clear indications of what students are expected to do.)
- Skip Counting in Grade 3
- Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Whole Numbers
- Adding, Subtracting, Multiplying, and Dividing Decimal Numbers
- Addition of references
Highlights of the revisions can be reviewed within the document,
Kindergarten to Grade 8 Mathematics Curriculum Framework: 2013 Revisions.
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Updates about the mathematics program are posted on the Manitoba Education's website. Students and parents are also encouraged to talk to the mathematics teachers in their school for additional information about the mathematics program.
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Yes. Everyone needs to know the basics of numbers to solve problems. Teachers also want students to understand the concepts behind the math skills, so they will know which skill to use when solving problems. For example, when solving 36 + 39, a student will know that 6 + 9 = 15, add 30 and 30 to get 60, add the 15 to make 75. Students may use numbers or drawings to learn the math facts. They review and practice the facts to use when solving complex calculations. Your child’s ability to recall math facts will come from all of the learning and practice she or he has had since starting Kindergarten.
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Mental math is the ability to calculate answers mentally rather than on paper or an electronic device. There are a variety of ways to do this. Mental math strategies help students learn to estimate or figure out the approximate values or quantities. Students use estimates to help them make math judgments.
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A mental math strategy is a way to solve problems. Your child’s knowledge of math strategies gets more sophisticated as they build on the level of math in each grade. As your child moves up to a higher grade, his or her level of math understanding increases. The following are a few examples to show how strategies can be adapted for grade or skill development:
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You can help your child build a better understanding of mental math and estimation skills by:
- playing card and board games that use mental math (ex: Snakes and Ladders, Yahtzee, dice and card games)
- getting your child to help with banking, cooking, shopping and budgeting – all activities that include mental math and estimation problems – helping your child learn that math is part of our everyday lives
- asking your child to explain how she or he came up with her or his math answers
- allowing your child to struggle – and not give up – with math problems
- having a positive attitude towards math
- asking your child to explain what was learned in math class
When your child is working on mental math and estimation problems, ask:
- Does your answer make sense?
- Why did you do it that way?
- How did you get that answer?
- Do you see a pattern?
- Can you tell me a different way of answering the question?
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Personal strategies are steps students take to solve a problem when using addition, subtraction, multiplication or division. These used to be taught in a formal step-by-step method and students didn’t always understand why the steps were done or why the order was important. Students now learn they can solve problems in different ways. Your child is learning a variety of personal strategies including the standard step-by-step method, and the carrying and borrowing numbers method. The goal is to help your child calculate using number sense and learn flexible, accurate ways to solve math problems.
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Students generally learn math through problems, situations, models and real-life situations. A task or problem will be given to your child so he or she can solve it through math thinking and applying math skills and knowledge. An important part of problem solving is getting students to explain their answers and how they got them.
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