Math & Problem Solving

Math Foundations

Four operations. Decimals. The moment it all starts connecting.

Grade 3, Grade 4

What Happens in Every Class

Concept Instruction

New concepts are introduced through worked examples and guided class discussion. Students reason through multi-step operations and decimal arithmetic before practicing independently.

Applied Problem Solving

Students tackle word problems and multi-step scenarios that require choosing the right operation, not just executing it. Real-world contexts make the arithmetic purposeful.

Logic and Strategy Challenges

Every class includes a logic puzzle or strategic challenge independent of the day’s core concept. These build the flexible reasoning that multi-digit computation alone cannot develop.

Homework Review and Discussion

Homework is discussed thoroughly. Students share their approaches, instructors identify gaps in reasoning, and targeted feedback is given before the next concept builds on the last.

Curriculum Spotlight

The Tricycle Problem

In Lesson 27, students are given two facts: there are 10 bicycles and tricycles altogether and combined they have 27 wheels. How many of each are there?

At first glance, it looks like a counting problem. But there is no singular path to the answer. Students must test possibilities, track how the number of wheels changes, and refine their thinking step by step. One way to solve is using a table, where we can see a pattern emerging.

Students are not yet using equations, but they have started algebraic reasoning: balancing quantities, adjusting variables, and searching for a combination that satisfies all conditions.

The arithmetic is simple. The thinking is not: students are learning to reason about unknowns. Strong mathematicians use logic to simplify challenging problems into simpler ideas.

Students can approach this problem using multiple strategies, allowing them to use logic and creativity to solve every-day challenges!