High Yield Routines for Grades K-8
High-Yield Routines for Grades K-8, released by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), is a book that presents diverse mathematical routines recommended for use at a variety of grade levels and with a variety of mathematical content. The book also includes ideas for infusing mathematics into the nonmathematical routines that take time away from instruction. Each chapter begins with classroom vignettes to provide a glimpse of how the routine might look as it is implemented at a variety of grade levels. A description of the routine and implementation strategies follow, and the authors provide examples of student work from various grade levels for each of the routines, including examples of ways to assess student thinking by using the routines, and suggestions for adapting them. The book includes connections to the Standards for Mathematical Practice in the Common Core State Standards and focuses on creating opportunities for differentiated instruction.
This book has good connections to the Common Core State Standards and many solid references. The content is excellent and both teachers plus school and district administrators are likely to find this book as a high quality tool supporting standards, curriculum, and instruction. The length of each chapter and relatively short sentences improve readibility. Design is helpful as well. A few issues, such as some incorrect captions (Example 4.3a on page 36), incorrect examples with the associated figure (4.6c and 4.6d on page 41), and lack of an index, should not generally deter users. It is not clear that the examples recommended in Chapter 8, Infusing Mathematics into Nonmathematical Routines, have been actually tried out in classrooms, but they at minimum, should encourage practitioners to expand mathematics opportunities to students during a greater part of the school day.