DPS Family Math Program
A guide for K-5 families to support, encourage, and experience mathematics together at home with less stress and more fun!
K-5 Imagine IM Framework
Jasmine Rigby | Lead Family Empowerment + Title I Specialist
DPS Land Acknowledgement
Locally, Native peoples have a unique and notable history that has impacted the development of the Front Range over the centuries. It is also important that we ground ourselves in the DPS Land Acknowledgement, which was written by Dr. Tink Tinker in collaboration with our Native American Culture and Education (NACE) team in 2021.
The DPS community acknowledges our Indigenous relatives who have lived in and cared for this ancient Land from time immemorial. We acknowledge the close relationship that Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute and Natives of other tribal Nations continue to have with the waters, plants, and all moving things that call this Land home. We pledge our respect for those enduring Indigenous connections to the place we now call Colorado.
To our students and employees who are part of tribal Nations, thank you for being an important part of the DPS community by choosing to learn and work at DPS each day!
Our FACE Vision
When Families and Communities Thrive, Every Learner Thrives
Four Core Beliefs
Three Core Principals of IM Math
Provide Access for All
Presume Competence
Strength-Based Focus
Ensures every student has the tools, pathways, visual aids, and processing time required to actively participate in the mathematical work.
Starts with the foundational belief that every student is fully capable of thinking critically, solving complex puzzles, and understanding grade-level math.
Celebrates unique student reasoning. Highlights what children *do* understand and builds on their existing visual or structural ideas.
Math is for everyone, and this curriculum is how we get there.
Flexible Learning Pathways
People have different preferred ways of learning. If your child is stuck or frustrated, their brain may benefit from trying new sensory strategy:
The ‘Three Reads’ Routine
<Insert Story Problem Here>
1st Read: Story Context
2nd Read: Mathematicize
3rd Read: Strategy
Read without numbers or the final question. Ask: "What is happening in this story? Who is it about?"
Add the numbers. Ask: "What are the things we can count or measure? What do these numbers stand for?"
Reveal the question. Ask: "What are we trying to solve? How can we represent this situation?"
More than Preventing Number ‘Plucking’
Understanding the Goal (Our Why)
When children see numbers in a word problem, they often instantly add or subtract them without reading the context. By focusing on Math Language Routines, like ‘Three Reads’, we encourage deeper reading comprehension and problem solving skills.
Real World Application: The Math of Food!
Cooking is a highly natural, stress-free zone for foundational math concepts. What are some engaging math skills we might see in the kitchen?
Math Centers At Home
Station Focus | Hands-On Activity | At-Home Equivalent |
Game Night | Play math center card games or roll casino-donated dice to build sums. (need k - 5 activities) | Keep a standard deck of cards in the car or at the dinner table. (ask families for more examples after the rotations). |
The Kitchen Table | Compare shapes of food items, measure ingredients, or sort foods. (k-5 activities) | Discuss prices, fraction splits, how many, more/less, and volumes during cooking. |
Story Tellers | Invent customized word problems based on local Denver landmarks and photos. (k - 5 activities) | Find mathematical patterns in architecture or nature while walking. |
Rotation 1
Rotation 2
Rotation 3
Digital Resources
Consent Decree Translated Portals: Imagine IM Parent Resource Guides are fully translated and available in English, Spanish, Arabic, French, and Vietnamese to ensure perfect community-wide support.
Unit Resource Videos: Every single unit across grades K-5 includes short, interactive explanation videos designed directly to show families what is being studied in class and how to support it.
Academic Technology Summer Access: Tools such as Edia, i-Ready, and Khan Academy retain district student logins throughout summer break, allowing continuous, fun learning loops outside school. <add in community resources/other resources>
Other Math Resources?
(what’s missing?)
Proven Success Across DPS
Is this true for the current IM curriculum, or is this just true for the HS math curriculum? If not true, what other data can we model as to why IM works?
Advocate for Your Child
Conference Questions to Ask
Advocate for Your Child
Explore More Resources
Sources
Podcast Episode with Math Team
Ted Talk - Getting Good at Repair
DPS Academics At-Home Resource guide
IM Math Parent Resource Page
PBS SoCal Math Play and Learn
Center for Family Math (esp math of food sessions)