Connecting involves seeing how different math ideas are linked, like building blocks, and how they relate to the world around them.
Students are engaged in connecting when they:
- Use what they know to learn something new (like realizing that 2 + 2 + 2 is the same as 3 groups of 2, which is the same as multiplying 3 by 2)
- Use math in their everyday life (like figuring out discounts and taxes, or making a scale diagram)
- See how different ways of showing something are similar
At home, you can support your child to connect what they are learning at school to moments and events in their own lives. You can ask them:
- How do these different representations (models, pictures, different strategies) connect to one another?
- When might you use this math idea outside of school, maybe when planning a trip or building something?
- Have you seen a similar problem before, and how did you solve it?
Try it!
Primary: Look for situations where you can connect sharing fairly to fractions. For example, if three granola bars are shared among six friends, how much does each friend get?
Junior: Look for patterns in everyday items. For example, choose a song or a piece of jewellery and describe the pattern.
Intermediate: Look for situations where you can connect cooking to proportions and scaling. For example, choose a recipe and double it, triple it, or halve it.