Changes to the Curriculum Components

Investigations 3 has eight units per grade. Each grade level consists of approximately 140 sessions. The Differentiation and Intervention Guide (2011), and Investigations and the Common Core Standards (2012), have been integrated into the curriculum units, eliminating these 2nd edition components. Support around the Standards for Mathematical Practice, differentiation for the range of learners, and assessment have been added or expanded. A new set of online tools includes e-texts, planning tools, digital presentations, games, and provides access for families. The Student Math Handbook is now a digital-only resource called Math Words and Ideas.

Investigations 3 at Grade 4 consists of 132 sessions across 8 units.

• Unit 1: Arrays, Factors, and Multiplicative Comparison (12 Sessions)
• Unit 2: Generating and Representing Measurement Data (11 Sessions)
• Unit 3: Multiple Towers and Cluster Problems (18 Sessions)
• Unit 4: Measuring and Classifying Shapes (20 Sessions)
• Unit 5: Large Numbers and Landmarks (19 Sessions)
• Unit 6: Fraction Cards and Decimal Grids (24 Sessions)
• Unit 7: How Many Packages and Groups? (18 Sessions)
• Unit 8: Penny Jars and Towers (10 Sessions)

Changes to the Content

Investigations 3 is based in large part on the 2nd edition of Investigations in Number, Data, and Space (2008). Content from Investigations and the Common Core Standards (2012) and the Differentiation and Intervention Guide (2011) has been integrated and, in many cases, expanded upon. Other material has been deleted, moved, or merged to create a focused, coherent, and rigorous K-5 mathematics curriculum, fully aligned to the content and practice standards of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

The following is not meant to be a comprehensive description of the Grade 4 curriculum, but rather a brief summary of the major changes.

Changes at the Unit Level

• The Multiplication and Division units now include:
  • Multiplicative comparison problems.
  • Problems that involve multiplying or dividing 4-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers.
  • More emphasis on solving multi-step problems.
  • Converting measurements from a larger unit to a smaller unit.
• The Modeling with Data unit no longer includes the investigation on probability.
• In the 2-D Geometry and Measurement unit students develop generalizable methods for finding the area and perimeter of rectangles. It no longer includes activities that use the LogoPaths software.
• The Addition and Subtraction and the Number System unit includes work on fluency with the addition and subtraction U.S. standard algorithms.
• The Fractions and Decimals unit now includes:
  • Work on multiplying a fraction by a whole number.
  • Added emphasis on adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators.
  • This unit no longer includes work on finding fractions of a group.
• The Analyzing Patterns and Rules unit no longer includes work using line graphs, or the investigation on non-constant change.
• The 2nd edition unit focused on 3-D Geometry is no longer a part of the Grade 4 sequence.

Changes to the Ten-Minute Math Activities

• A new Ten-Minute Math, What Time Is It?, focuses on solving problems about intervals of time.
• The Counting Around the Class activity now includes a variation of counting around the class by fractions.
• The Practicing Place Value activity now includes writing numbers in expanded form and rounding numbers.