Vertical Articulation of Individual
Grade Expectations for Mathematics
Vermont‘s Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities 

Standard  M:22 Equality and Equivalence

Introduction: 

Standard 22 refers to the development of the student's conceptual understanding of equality and equivalence.

Kindergarten

MK: 22   Demonstrates conceptual understanding of equality by showing equivalence between two expressions (4+1=5; 2+3=5) by solving one-step equations involving whole number addition or subtraction using models or verbal explanations.

First Grade

M1: 22  Demonstrates conceptual understanding of equality by showing equivalence between two expressions (4+1=5; 2+3=5) by solving one-step equations involving whole number addition or subtraction using models, verbal explanations, or written equations.

Second Grade

M2: 22 Demonstrates conceptual understanding of equality by finding the value that will make an open sentence true (e.g., 2 +   = 7 ). (limited to one operation and limited to use addition or subtraction). M(F&A)–2–4

Third grade

M3: 22 Demonstrates conceptual understanding of equality by showing equivalence between two expressions using  models or different representations of the expressions; or by finding the value that will make an open sentence true (e.g., 2 + □ = 7) (limited to one operation and limited to use addition, subtraction, or multiplication). M(F&A)–3–4

Fourth Grade

M4: 22 Demonstrates conceptual understanding of equality by showing equivalence between two expressions using models or different representations of the expressions, by simplifying numerical expressions where left to right computations may be modified only by the use of parentheses [e.g., 14 – (2 × 5)] (expressions consistent with the parameters of M(F&A)–4–3), and by solving one-step linear equations of the form ax = c, x ± b = c, where a, b, and c are whole numbers with a ¹ 0 M(F&A)–4–4operations; or by evaluating simple linear algebraic expressions using whole numbers. M(F&A)–4–3

Fifth grade

M5: 22 Demonstrates conceptual understanding of equality by showing equivalence between two expressions using models or different representations of the expressions (expressions consistent with the parameters of M(F&A)–5–3), by solving one-step linear equations of the form ax = c, x ± b = c, or x/a = c, where a, b, and c are whole numbers with a ≠ 0; or by determining which values of a replacement set make the equation (multistep of the form ax ± b = c where a, b, and c are whole numbers with a ≠ 0) a true statement (e.g., 2 x + 3 = 11, { x: x = 2, 3, 4, 5}). M(F&A)–5–4

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