The Utah Middle School Math Project

The instructional materials reviewed for The Utah Middle School Math Project Grades 6-8 meet expectations for alignment to the CCSSM, Gateways 1 and 2, and they partially meet expectations for usability, Gateway 3. The materials meet expectations for Gateway 1: focus and coherence by assessing grade-level content, spending the large majority of instructional time on major work of the grade, being coherent with the progressions of the standards, and making meaningful connections between supporting and major work of the grade. The materials are viable for one school year and present all students with opportunities to engage in extensive work with grade-level problems to meet the full intent of grade-level standards. The materials meet expectations for Gateway 2: rigor and the mathematical practices as they develop conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, give attention throughout the year to procedural skill and fluency, spend sufficient time working with engaging applications, and do not always treat the three aspects of rigor together or separately. The materials partially attend to practice-content connections by attending to the full meaning of most of the mathematical practices. The materials partially meet expectations for Gateway 3: usability.