GSE Mathematics 7

The middle school standards specify the mathematics that all students should study in order to be high school ready. The middle school standards are listed in conceptual categories including Number Sense, Algebra, Expressions and Equations, Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.

In Grade 7, instructional time should focus on four critical areas: (1) developing understanding of and applying proportional relationships; (2) developing understanding of operations with rational numbers and working with expressions and linear equations; (3) solving problems involving scale drawings and informal geometric constructions, and working with two and three-dimensional shapes to solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume, and (4) drawing inferences about populations based on samples.

Although the units in this instructional framework emphasize key standards and big ideas at specific times of the year, routine topics such as estimation, mental computation, and basic computation facts should be addressed on an ongoing basis. Ideas related to the eight standards for mathematical practice should be addressed constantly as well. To assure that these units are taught with the appropriate emphasis, depth, and rigor, it is important that the tasks listed under “Evidence of Learning” be reviewed early in the planning process. A variety of resources should be utilized to supplement these units. These units provide much needed content information, but excellent learning activities as well. The tasks in these units illustrate the types of learning activities that should be utilized from a variety of sources.