Mathematics is an essential universal language, necessary as a reasoning tool to solve problems and to make sense of the world. At Zurich International School mathematical thinkers use reasoning and apply skills to solve problems both inside and outside the classroom.
Instructional practices in the mathematics program are student-centered and designed to develop conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and problem-solving skills. Instructional decisions are informed through ongoing formative assessment to ensure that all students grow as effective mathematicians.
Mathematics 8 develops fluency in mathematics, enabling students to work accurately, efficiently and to have flexibility with numbers.
Both standard and extended mathematics classes follow a set of age-appropriate progressions which aim to develop essential mathematical practices (problem solving, modeling, reasoning, and communicating) as well as procedural and conceptual understandings of mathematics. Grade level courses run parallel with the same critical standard areas expected of all students. However, extended courses move at a faster pace and provide more opportunities for students to problem solve beyond the essential skills.
Conceptual understanding is developed in the areas of:
The Number System
- Know there are numbers that are not rational and approximate them by rational numbers
Expressions and Equations
- Work with radicals and integer exponents
- Understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines and linear equations
- Analyze and solve linear equations and pairs of simultaneous linear equations
Functions
- Define, evaluate and compare functions
- Use functions to model relationships between quantities
Geometry
- Understand congruence and similarity using physical models, transparencies or geometry software
- Understand and apply the Pythagorean Theorem
- Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume of cylinders, cones and spheres
The Mathematical Practices developed in Mathematics 8 are:
- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
- Reason abstractly and quantitatively
- Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
- Model with mathematics
- Use appropriate tools strategically
- Attend to precision
- Look for and make use of structure
- Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning