What's the Big Idea?

When designing a lesson or unit, teachers need to start with the BIG IDEAS.

                                          

Great question! The big idea (or ideas) are the key concepts that most (if not all) aspects of mathematics are built upon. They are present at every grade level, which is why teachers need to prepare lessons that include these key concepts Picture these big ideas as the foundation of mathematics; we use them as a means to build upon our prior knowledge and gain a deeper understanding.

How do I figure out what these big ideas are?
One way is to refer to the curriculum documents and see the concepts and ideas that are constant throughout every grade. Another way is to refer to the resources I have provided below which state the big ideas. However you do it, it is important that teachers plan lessons with these big ideas in mind.

How do I teaching with the big ideas in mind?
There are several books and online resources that would greatly help with this. One knowledgeable person on this topic would be Marian Smalls who has written several books on teaching the big ideas. Here is a link to one of her books which focuses on teaching the big ideas at the K-3 level.

Here are some useful links:

A Guide to Effective Instruction in Mathematics: Grades K-3 (read pages viii and ix)

Number Sense and Numeration, Grades 4-6 (read pages 11-13)