Diving Deeper with Upper Elementary Math is a must have tool for teachers who find that despite all their best differentiation efforts, there always seem to be a few students who consistently need more challenge than is provided by the curriculum.
These easy to implement, low prep, high reward supplemental lessons and mini units will challenge your advanced students to develop a deeper understanding of and passion for mathematics. Rather than encouraging the speed, quick computations, and superficial thinking that often accompanies acceleration, these enrichment activities dive deeply into grade level math content with the goal of not merely keeping these students occupied but also enriching their understanding of important mathematics. These problems require time, deep, careful thinking, and often productive struggle and perseverance from your students.
Grouped by grade level and standards aligned, this book is your secret weapon to balancing your time between students who need a little extra help and students who need extra challenge in your upper elementary math classroom.
Table of Contents:
Introduction Grade 3: Number Sense & Operations Grade 3: Fractions Grade 3: Patterns & Algebraic Thinking Grade 3: Geometry & Measurement Grade 3: Data Literacy Grade 3: Logic Grade 4: Number Sense & Operations Grade 4: Fractions Grade 4: Patterns & Algebraic Thinking Grade 4: Geometry & Measurement Grade 4: Data Literacy Grade 4: Logic Grade 5: Number Sense & Operations Grade 5: Fractions Grade 5: Patterns & Algebraic Thinking Grade 5: Geometry & Meareument Grade 5: Data Literacy Grade 5: Logic Supplemental Activities for Any Grade Answers
About the Author :
Ramsey Merritt is the Director of Leadership Development for Reading (MA) Public Schools and a Lecturer in Education at Brandeis University. He has taught and coached mathematics at every level of the U.S. school system, in both public and independent schools from New York to California. Ramsey also runs an education consulting firm, Instructional Success Partners, LLC, which is focused on instructional leadership and has partnered with districts big and small, state departments, and national non-profits.
Jon R. Star is a Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is an educational psychologist who studies children's learning of mathematics in middle and high school, particularly algebra. In addition to his teaching and research responsibilities at Harvard, Star also teaches mathematics at a local middle school.
Review :
"This book contains a treasure trove of tasks for teachers to use to enrich students’ mathematics learning! Organized by grade level, teachers can find a range of engaging tasks that will support their students. As I worked through these tasks as a reader, I found myself making new mathematical connections myself. I encourage mathematics educators to read this book to enrich their own mathematics knowledge for teaching, too!"
-Dr. Amanda Jansen, Ph.D., University of Delaware, Author of Rough Draft Math: Revising to Learn, USA
"The go-to resource upper elementary teachers have been waiting for! Keeping high-ability math students challenged and engaged is essential—but creating meaningful enrichment activities takes time teachers often don’t have. Meanwhile, parents rightfully expect thoughtful differentiation for their advanced learners. This book offers a solution: a carefully curated collection of rigorous, low-prep enrichment problems designed specifically for grades 3–5. Each activity includes a clear rationale (perfect for communicating with families) and an easy-to-use answer key, giving teachers the tools they need to support high-achieving students—without the burnout."
-Jenny Rinn, M.S.Ed., Director of Lower School, The Brandeis School of San Francisco, USA
"This book takes the guesswork out of supporting high-achieving students. It keeps them anchored in the class’s core teaching points while offering opportunities to explore content more deeply and meaningfully. The tasks are developmentally appropriate and thoughtfully designed, making it an excellent resource for teachers looking to challenge students without simply accelerating them to the next grade level."
-Ava Gilani, Ed.D., Director of Curriculum and Instruction, UCLA, USA
"Finally, we have a book for our stronger students to be able to deepen their conceptual understanding of grade level mathematics. No longer do we have to put them in front of a computer and practice boring math! This book will be a must-have for all teachers!"
-Matthew Beyranevand, Ed.D., Lecturer at UMass Lowell, Author, and Consultant, USA
"This is the book that every upper elementary math teacher has been asking for! No need to run around or search online for extensions; this book has compiled standards-based enrichment tasks into one resource, ready to hand to students! Now you have a plan and an answer to 'How are you challenging my child?'"
-Christine Size, M.Ed., Math Educator, Consultant & Coach, USA
"This book is a wonderful and much-needed tool for supporting elementary teachers’ differentiation efforts in math. Merritt and Star have pulled together a mathematically rich and interesting set of tasks that will challenge high-achieving students. I’d like to see this book on the shelves of upper elementary math teachers everywhere!"
-Heather Hill, Ph.D., Hazen-Nicoli Professor in Teacher Learning and Practice, Harvard Graduate School of Education, USA
