Math Curriculum for Gifted Sixth Graders
Math Curriculum for Gifted Students Grade 6: Lessons, Activities and Extensions for Gifted and Advanced Learners
By James M. Moroney and Lori C. Bland, Center for Gifted Education
(Prufrock Press, 2020 – Learn more)
Reviewed by Laura Von Staden
The Center for Gifted Education (William and Mary) and Prufrock offer a series of lesson resource books for use with gifted and advanced learners. This volume is in that series and focuses on 6th grade math.
These books cover topics that are essential foundations of math regardless of whether your school/system is using the Common Core Standards, the standards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), or state-developed standards.
Lessons with everything you will need
The authors have provided us with 20 lessons, complete with activities, practice problems and assessments. The teacher introduction pages are a page or two in length and include the estimated time, key terms, materials, objectives, and description with teacher notes where appropriate.
These pages are followed by student activity sheets that use a real-life application of the math knowledge and skills included in the lesson focus – followed by lesson practice and assessment practice. While the lesson activities and practice are rigorous, they both also include extension sections.
The activities and the extensions require students to apply, expand and deepen their knowledge of the content and develop problem solving skills in an authentic setting that is interesting and includes ideas and challenges that will be valuable to building skills toward adulthood (for instance, choosing the best diet on a limited budget).
We are provided with the student materials needed in the form of reproducible pages (all the student pages) or as websites (additional resource information needed to complete the activities—such as the government suggested nutritional plans), as well as answer keys to all the activities, practice, and assessments.
Topics covered in this volume
1: Ratios and Proportional Relationships
Ratios and proportions
Rate and unit rate
Percent as a rate
Converting units
2: The Number System
Fractions
Greatest common factor and least common multiple
Positive and negative numbers
The coordinate plane
Absolute value
3: Expressions and Equations
Working with exponents and exponential expressions
Equivalent expressions
Solving expressions
Inequality expressions
Independent and dependent variables
4: Geometry
Areas of polygons
Volume
Surface area and nets
5: Statistics and Probability
Statistical analysis
Representing data in graphs
Keep this book within reach
Overall, this is a great resource for pull-out math enrichment, afterschool enrichment, differentiation in the regular or gifted classroom, summer camps or math competition practice, and other situations. If you work with gifted or advanced learners, this is a worthwhile resource to have on your shelf.
Dr. Laura Von Staden is currently a Middle School Gifted Science teacher in Tampa, Florida. She serves on numerous committees in her school district, works closely with the local university, and writes curriculum. She is also a professional development consultant and previously served as an Exceptional Student Education Specialist and as a teaching mentor.
