Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Methods of Mathematics (Online)

ELED 3470-30I

Course: ELED 3470-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: TED
CRN: 30525

Course Description

Explores the significance and importance of mathematics in the elementary school. Course deals with the NCTM standards for elementary and provides methodologies to successfully teach the standards. (Elementary Block) (Fall, Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): Admission to Education Department required

Required Texts


Utah State Office of Education. Mathematics Core Curriculum (K-6) https://www.uen.org/core/math/
Links to an external site. 

Learning Outcomes


By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Become familiar with the Utah State Mathematics Elementary Core Curriculum and the national domains in mathematics and determine how math concepts build on each other
  2. Identify the resources available for successful mathematics instruction (national and state guideline, research, textbooks and other materials, electronic materials, testing, manipulatives, professional organizations, and mentor teachers)
  3. Write complete and aligned math lesson plans that are taught to elementary children
  4. Explore and implement strategies for teaching mathematics using problem solving, tasking, technology, games, and hands-on methods that are developmentally appropriate 
  5. Identify and create different ways of assessing mathematics including formative and summative assessments (observation, questioning, interviewing, performance tasks, self-assessment, writings, recording and communicating data and information)
  6. Service Learning - Participate in Service Learning/Practicum experience to develop hands-on, real life mathematics teaching experiences and provide valuable service to local public school partners.

Course Requirements

State Math Standards & National Domains

o   Students will identify both state math standards and national math domains and determine how different math concepts are organized.

Vertical Alignment of Math Concepts/Skills

o   Students will compare and contrast how math concepts build from grade/level to grade/level and describe how what is learned in one grade/level prepares students for concepts in the concepts that follow.

Elementary Mathematics Content Knowledge Pre-Assessment

o   Students will take a basic mathematics assessment that include math concepts from domains focused on in elementary math standards.

Assessment Data Analysis, Part 1

o   Students will use a set of example formative math assessments to analyze if a math concept was understood, where misunderstandings/misconceptions occurred, and how to help each child moving forward. 

Assessment Data Analysis, Part 2

o   Students will use a set of deidentified formative math assessments from their practicum classroom.  The data is gathered from a math lesson they taught. The data is then used to analyze if a math concept was understood, where misunderstandings/misconceptions occurred, and how to help each child moving forward. 

Math Tasks & Questioning

o   Students will practice completing an elementary math task and then write one of their own to teach to their practicum students.  The math task must include higher-order questions that will allow children to think deeply about math concepts and encourage communication about their thinking. 

Math Lesson Plan with a Task

o   Throughout the semester, students will teach several lessons in their practicum classroom.  One math lesson must include a math task.  Students will turn in the lesson plan written for that lesson, along with a reflection that addresses the following questions. What did you learned as a teacher about planning and implementing math tasks.  What went as planned?  What surprised you? How could you ensure all students had a chance to communicate their thinking, strategies, connections, etc.? What did you use to determine if students were understanding the concept? How many students met your objective for the lesson? 

Math Domains Presentations

o   After learning about each math domain, students will complete individual presentations about each math domain. The presentations includes an explanation of the domain, identifying which grades/levels teach concepts from the domain, creating/finding two learning activities that could be used to teach concepts in the domain including at least one mathematical process, and identifying hands-on resources and/or manipulatives that could be used to help elementary children understand concepts taught in the domain.

Math Games to Practice Concepts

o   After a concept is taught, students will create/find and share at least one math game that students could play to practice and strengthen knowledge or skills needed in that concept. A math game will be shared for each math domain.

Math Domain Mini-Lesson

o   Students will sign up for a math domain, plan a mini-lesson focused on a concept in that domain, and teach it to their peers.

Teaching Video Demonstration #1 and #2

o   Students film themselves teaching a lesson to their practicum classroom, review it for what went well and where improvement can be made, reflect on goals that can be set, and share it with their professor for further feedback. Professors will watch the video and conference with the student about their teaching demonstration.

Disposition Self-Assessments

o   Students fill out a dispositions report on themselves in the practicum setting with children at least twice throughout the course.

PLC Attendance

o   Students attend and participate in at least one professional learning community meeting with their assignment practicum grade level team.

Mentor Observations

o   Mentors observe and give specific feedback to students on lessons taught in the practicum setting. Students then reflect on both the lesson taught and the feedback and set goals.

Practicum Timesheet

o   Students submit a timesheet, signed by their mentor teacher, that shows how much time was spent in the practicum setting.

Practicum Lesson Plans

o   Students turn in and get feedback weekly from professors on the lesson plans submitted throughout the semester before teaching the lesson plans to children.

Final Reflection Paper

o   Students reflect on their experiences in the practicum setting, including management strategies and adjustments throughout the year, and reflect on what went well, what they could do differently to improve, and how they will use what was learned to improve teaching strategies/approaches in the future.

Course Outline

 | Modules | Topics
| Module 1 | Syllabus Introduction to Teaching Math, Standards Math Domains
| Module 2 | Mathematics Assessments, Math Tasks
| Module 3 | Weeklong Practicum Experience #1
| Module 4 | Counting & Cardinality, Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Math, Math Games as Review/Practice
| Module 5 | Numbers & Operations in Base 10, Problem Solving Strategies
| Module 6 | Operations & Algebraic Thinking 
| Module 7 | Numbers & Operations: Fractions, Using Representation & Models
| Module 8 | Weeklong Practicum Experience #2
| Module 9 | Measurement & Data 
| Module 10 | Geometry
| Module 11 | Data Driven Decision-Making, Sixth Grade Math Concepts
| Module 12 | Math Concepts Review
| Module 13/Final Module | Practicum Wrap-up & Reflection

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Late Policy: All assignments are due on the due date. The assignments will be accepted for up to 10 days after the due date at a 10% per day penalty.  No points will be given after 10 days past the due date.

Attendance Policy

Consistently attending and teaching in your practicum class is required in order to be successful in this course. Make sure you are professional and on time as your mentor teacher will be evaluating you on professionalism, including punctuality.

Course Fees

$7.50

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.