Mine the Gap for Mathematical Understanding, Grades K-2

“Wow! Mine the Gap for grades K–2 teachers really unpacks! Not only does the book providedozens of great mathematical tasks, but—perhaps more important—it gives teachers the chanceto consider each task; anticipate student responses—a critical first step in formative assessment;analyze actual student responses; and then consider what they would do in the classroom.Thoughts about modifying each task provide another option for each task. At a time when teachersare encouraged to regularly provide students with tasks that promote reasoning and problemsolving, this book will help teachers dig deeper as they mine for understandings.” – Francis (Skip) Fennell“Too often students (and parents and teachers) have the notion that the goal in math shouldbe to get the right answer. Yet insight into misconceptions and students’ thinking can tell usmuch more about what students know (and don’t know) beyond simply a correct or incorrectanswer. SanGiovanni offers teachers a treasure trove of rich tasks and student work on thosetasks. Examples of how to analyze student thinking and next instructional steps make this a volumethat should be on every K–2 math teacher’s desk!” – Linda Gojak“This work does what other books only attempt to do. It combines instruction, assessment, andpractice with open-ended and rich tasks that allow for teachers to not only immediately implementthe ideas but also understand the content and pedagogy behind them. The tasks, which areimmediately implementable and customizable, engage each and every learner. They are based oncutting edge and research-based instructional frameworks and provide countless learning opportunitiesfor students.” – Zachary Champagne“Mine the Gap for Mathematical Understanding is a much-needed and anticipated resource forteachers, mathematics coaches, mathematics specialists, administrators, and other stakeholders.The easy to follow, teacher-friendly format, the accompanying commentary for each student worksample, along with the thoughtful reflection questions will quickly make this resource a ‘go-to’professional development tool.” – Latrenda Knighten“Mine the Gap is a great tool for teachers to use to grow their own understanding of student misconceptionsand incomplete understandings and how to address them. This is an indispensableresource for all involved in supporting students’ growth in mathematics.” – Nathan Rosin“More than just a nice collection of problems, this book shares a road map for teachers looking toenhance the quality of the math tasks they use with students. Teachers will appreciate the examplesof actual student work paired with tips for analysis and instruction.” – Delise Andrews“John SanGiovanni continues to provide teacher-friendly, must-have books. They empower teachersby deepening their understanding of content and teaching.” – Megan Dooley

John J. SanGiovanni is a mathematics coordinator in Howard County, Maryland. There, he leads mathematics curriculum development, digital learning, assessment, and professional development. John is passionate about growing new mathematics leaders in the district and through McDaniel College. In addition to the Figuring Out Fluency series, some of his many Corwin books include Daily Routines to Jump-Start Problem Solving, Grades K–8; Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Elementary Math; the Daily Routines to Jump-Start Math series; and Productive Math Struggle: A 6-Point Action Plan for Fostering Perseverance. John is a national mathematics curriculum and professional learning consultant who also speaks frequently at national conferences and institutes. He is active in state and national professional organizations, recently serving on the board of directors for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and on the board of directors for NCSM.