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Family Resources for Mathematics

A Guide for Families · Kindergarten through Algebra 1

i-Ready Classroom Mathematics

Welcome

This guide gives you an easy way to understand how math learning happens in Troy City Schools. Inside, you’ll find an overview of what your student will be learning throughout the year, what math time typically looks like, and ideas for supporting learning at home.

Whether you’re new to the program or just looking for ways to stay involved, this guide is here to help you feel informed and connected to your student’s math experience this year.

i-Ready Classroom Mathematics is designed to support all students in becoming critical thinkers, persistent problem solvers, and lifelong learners as they find success in their grade-level content.

How does the program benefit my student?

The program engages students in math learning through rich, high-quality, rigorous lessons and activities that are meaningful, authentic, and fun. When learning with the program, your student will:

  • Discuss math with peers and make connections between ideas using the Try–Discuss–Connect framework
  • Develop strong number sense as they solve problems and make connections with hands-on activities
  • Learn to persevere through challenging problems and reflect on their learning
  • Grades K–1: Reinforce learning and build fluency in engaging math centers
  • Kindergarten: Take part in activity-based assessments, where teachers monitor progress toward learning goals in a low-stakes setting
  • Algebra 1: Practice mathematical modeling in order to apply mathematics creatively to solve authentic problems

What is the Try–Discuss–Connect framework?

Your student’s teacher uses an instructional framework called Try–Discuss–Connect, during which students make sense of problems, share ideas, and discuss their thinking with peers. Engaging in mathematical discourse with classmates allows students to process new ideas, develop math confidence, and better retain what they learn.

  1. Try

    • Make sense of the problem.
    • Solve and support your thinking.

  2. Discuss

    • Share your thinking with a partner.
    • Compare and connect strategies.

  3. Connect

    • Make connections and reflect on what you have learned.
    • Apply your thinking to new problems.

What is i-Ready Inform?

i-Ready Inform is an adaptive assessment that helps identify what your student knows and what they’re ready to learn next. It adjusts in real time, giving harder questions when your student answers correctly and easier ones when they answer incorrectly.

Your student takes this assessment at the beginning, middle, and end of the year. It helps teachers understand each student’s strengths and areas for growth, so they can use the data alongside classroom assessments and observations to personalize instruction and monitor progress.

i-Ready Inform is not graded

It is not something your student can “pass” or “fail.” It is simply a tool that helps guide teaching. (i-Ready Inform was formerly named i-Ready Diagnostic.)

Year at a Glance: math topics

Here’s a big-picture look at the math ideas students explore at each grade level, and the units they move through during the year.

Early grades

Kindergarten

  • Understanding counting and the counting sequence
  • Reading and representing numbers to 20
  • Comparing whole numbers to 10
  • Composing and decomposing numbers
  • Developing a conceptual understanding of addition and subtraction
  • Exploring geometry and measurement concepts
  1. Position, Length, Height, and Sorting
  2. Numbers to 5, Shapes, and Weight
  3. Addition and Subtraction Within 5 and Shapes
  4. Numbers to 10 and Shapes
  5. Numbers to 100
  6. Addition and Subtraction Within 10
  7. Teen Numbers and Shapes

Grade 1

  • Understanding and developing addition and subtraction strategies within 20 for a variety of problem types
  • Developing an understanding of place value to 100
  • Adding and subtracting within 100
  • Understanding how to measure length and time
  • Organizing and interpreting data
  • Exploring two- and three-dimensional shapes
  1. Relating Addition and Subtraction
  2. Addition and Subtraction Within 20
  3. Solving Word Problems and Making Comparisons
  4. Using Tens and Ones to Organize and Count
  5. Operations with Tens and Ones
  6. Geometry and Measurement

Elementary grades

Grade 2

  • Extending their understanding of base-ten notation up to 1,000
  • Building fluency with addition and subtraction to 100, and developing strategies to add and subtract within 1,000
  • Measuring using standard units
  1. Numbers Within 20: Addition, Subtraction, and Data
  2. Numbers Within 100: Addition, Subtraction, Time, and Money
  3. Numbers Within 1,000: Place Value, Addition, and Subtraction
  4. Length: Measurement, Addition and Subtraction, and Line Plots
  5. Shapes and Arrays: Partitioning and Tiling Shapes, Arrays, Evens and Odds

Grade 3

  • Adding and subtracting within 1,000 using concepts of place value
  • Developing an understanding of multiplication and division, and using strategies to multiply and divide within 100
  • Developing an understanding of the structure of rectangular arrays and the concept of area
  • Developing an understanding of fractions, including unit fractions
  1. Three-Digit Numbers: Place Value, Addition, and Subtraction
  2. Multiplication and Division: Concepts, Relationships, and Patterns
  3. Multiplication: Finding Area, Solving Word Problems, and Using Scaled Graphs
  4. Fractions: Equivalence and Comparison, Measurement, and Data
  5. Measurement: Time, Liquid Volume, and Mass
  6. Shapes: Attributes and Categories, Perimeter and Area, and Partitioning

Grade 4

  • Understanding place value, including whole numbers to 1,000,000 and decimals to hundredths
  • Multiplying using multidigit numbers and dividing with multidigit dividends
  • Adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators, recognizing and generating equivalent fractions, and multiplying fractions by whole numbers
  1. Whole Numbers: Place Value, Comparison, Addition, and Subtraction
  2. Operations: Multiplication, Division, and Algebraic Thinking
  3. Multi-Digit Operations and Measurement: Multiplication, Division, Perimeter, and Area
  4. Fractions, Decimals, and Measurement: Addition, Subtraction, and Multiplication
  5. Geometry and Measurement: Figures, Classification, and Symmetry

Grade 5

  • Fluently computing with whole numbers, including learning a traditional algorithm for multiplication and dividing with up to two-digit divisors
  • Deepening understanding of the place value system, and learning to read, write, compare, and compute with decimals to thousandths
  • Adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, and multiplying and dividing fractions in limited cases
  • Developing an understanding of volume and applying the formula for volume to solve real-world problems
  1. Whole Number Operations and Applications: Volume, Multiplication, and Division
  2. Decimals and Fractions: Place Value, Addition, and Subtraction
  3. More Decimals and Fractions: Multiplication and Division
  4. Measurement, Data, and Geometry: Converting Units, Using Data, and Classifying Figures
  5. Algebraic Thinking and the Coordinate Plane: Expressions, Graphing Points, Patterns, and Relationships

Middle grades and Algebra 1

Grade 6

  • Understanding that ratios are a multiplicative comparison of two quantities, and using them to solve problems
  • Completing their work in division by dividing whole numbers and decimals using the traditional algorithm, and by dividing fractions by fractions
  • Developing an understanding of negative number concepts and extending the notion of number to the system of rational numbers
  • Working with algebraic expressions and solving one-variable equations and one-step inequalities
  • Developing statistical reasoning skills by building understanding of statistical questions and data distributions
  1. Expressions and Equations: Area, Algebraic Expressions, and Exponents
  2. Decimals and Fractions: Base-Ten Operations, Division with Fractions, and Volume
  3. Ratio Reasoning: Ratio Concepts and Equivalent Ratios
  4. Ratio Reasoning: Unit Rates and Percents
  5. Algebraic Thinking: Equivalent Expressions and Equations with Variables
  6. Positive and Negative Numbers: Absolute Value, Inequalities, and the Coordinate Plane
  7. Statistical Thinking: Data Distributions and Measures of Center and Variability

Grade 7

  • Recognizing, representing, and solving a variety of proportional relationship problems
  • Solving rational number problems involving the four operations
  • Evaluating algebraic expressions and solving equations and inequalities involving the four operations
  • Constructing, describing, and solving problems about geometrical figures and the relationships between them
  • Drawing inferences about populations based on samples
  1. Proportional Relationships: Ratios, Rates, and Circles
  2. Numbers and Operations: Add and Subtract Rational Numbers
  3. Numbers and Operations: Multiply and Divide Rational Numbers
  4. Algebraic Thinking: Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities
  5. Proportional Reasoning: Percents and Statistical Samples
  6. Geometry: Solids, Triangles, and Angles
  7. Probability: Theoretical Probability, Experimental Probability, and Compound Events

Grade 8

  • Working with radicals and integer exponents
  • Making connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations, and solving one-variable linear equations
  • Understanding the relationships between solutions to a system of equations, the points of intersection, and the real-world context of the equations
  • Exploring the concept of a function, and using functions to model, evaluate, and investigate patterns of association between two quantities
  • Developing an understanding of congruence and similarity, and applying the Pythagorean Theorem to solve problems
  1. Geometric Figures: Rigid Transformations and Congruence
  2. Geometric Figures: Transformations, Similarity, and Angle Relationships
  3. Linear Relationships: Slope, Linear Equations, and Systems
  4. Functions: Linear and Nonlinear Relationships
  5. Integer Exponents: Properties and Scientific Notation
  6. Real Numbers: Rational Numbers, Irrational Numbers, and the Pythagorean Theorem
  7. Statistics: Two-Variable Data and Fitting a Linear Model

Algebra 1

  • The Real Number System
  • Quantities
  • Seeing Structure in Expressions
  • Arithmetic with Polynomials and Rational Expressions
  • Creating Equations
  • Reasoning with Equations and Inequalities
  • Interpreting Functions
  • Building Functions
  • Linear, Quadratic, and Exponential Models
  • Interpreting Categorical and Quantitative Data
  1. Expressions, Equations, and Inequalities
  2. Function Concepts and Linear Functions
  3. Systems of Linear Equations and Inequalities
  4. Sequences and Exponential Functions
  5. Polynomials and Quadratic Functions
  6. Solving Quadratic Equations
  7. One-Variable Statistics and Two-Way Frequency Tables

What does math time look like?

Teachers create active and engaging classrooms focused on helping students become strong mathematical thinkers. Below is an example of how a day of instruction might look. Keep in mind that the program is intended to be flexible, and each teacher may implement it differently to accomplish learning goals.

Kindergarten and Grade 1

  • 5–10 min

    Number Sense Activity

    Students activate prior knowledge and preview the lesson.

  • 15–30 min

    Explore, Develop, or Refine Sessions

    Students discover and investigate concepts and build conceptual understanding using rich tasks, problem solving, and mathematical discourse. This is where they experience the Try–Discuss–Connect framework.

  • 15–30 min

    Centers, Differentiation, and Practice

    Using rotations, students work in small groups with the teacher, practice new skills in peer groups, and strengthen understanding with independent practice.

  • 5 min

    Close

    Students reflect on the day’s learning.

Grades 2 through Algebra 1

  • 5 min

    Start

    Students activate prior knowledge.

  • 25–50 min

    Explore, Develop, or Refine Sessions

    Explore days connect to prior knowledge and introduce new lesson content. Develop days build conceptual understanding using rich tasks, problem solving, and mathematical discourse — this is where students experience the Try–Discuss–Connect framework. Refine days strengthen skills with practice and tailored small group work.

  • 5 min

    Close

    Students reflect on the day’s learning.

Using the Student Digital Experience at home

Your student’s math program includes a Student Digital Experience, a platform that can be used at school and at home to support and extend learning. Once you’re logged in, you’ll find digital versions of classroom materials, tools, and games that reinforce what your student is learning in class.

How to sign in

On a computer: Sign in through the district portal using your student’s school credentials, then click the i-Ready icon.

On an iPad: Download the free i-Ready Connect™ for Students app from the App Store. Open the app, or your district portal app, and sign in with your student’s school credentials, then click the i-Ready icon. The iPad must be running iPadOS 17.3 or above.

Your student’s teacher can provide login information. If you have trouble connecting, visit iReady Classroom Mathematics Support to confirm your device and internet connection meet the i-Ready system requirements.

Once signed in, here’s what your student will see:

  1. To Do is where students access their teacher-assigned lessons. Digital Practice sets assigned by the teacher also appear here.
  2. Bookshelf includes the Student Worktext and additional family resources, such as Family Letters and Unit Flow and Progression Videos.
  3. Tools are digital math tools that help students build and conceptualize math problems.
  4. Learning Games are a fun and engaging way for students to practice, improve fluency, and develop a positive relationship to challenge.
  5. For Families includes information about the program, including the Family Center, which has resources to help you support your student’s mathematical journey.

Seeing your student’s progress

Once your student has completed i-Ready Inform, their teacher has access to the results. The teacher may share those results with you at a conference, by sending you a copy of the report, or by providing a code you can use to access the For Families report on your student’s dashboard.

To view the report, have your student sign in to i-Ready. You’ll see For Families on the student dashboard, with two options:

  • Family Center — resources and tools to support your student at home
  • For Families Report — your student’s results, shown in relation to their grade level and to students in the same grade nationwide

You will need the District Report Code from your student’s teacher or school to open the report. If the report isn’t available on your student’s dashboard, the teacher can share results with you directly — and the Family Center link on the dashboard has tools to help you understand them.

In Kindergarten and Grade 1

Much of the assessment happens through observation during learning activities. The best way to stay informed is to talk regularly with your student’s teacher, who can share how your student is doing and how you can help at home.

Talking about math at home

Ask reflective, open-ended questions, and praise effort and determination. A few to try:

  • “What was something that felt tricky in math today? How did you figure it out?”
  • “I’m really proud that you kept going even when you got stuck.”
  • “Can you show me another way to solve that problem?”

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Family Center website where I can find more information?

Yes. The Family Center is your go-to place for tools designed to help you feel confident supporting your student’s math journey. To reach it, sign in to i-Ready with your student’s username and password and click For Families.

How do I log in to the Student Digital Experience?

Sign in through the district portal with your student’s school credentials, or go to iReady Classroom Mathematics Support. Your student’s teacher can provide their login information. Once logged in, you’ll find lessons, digital tools, Learning Games, the Student Bookshelf, and the Family Center.

How can I stay informed about what my student is learning in math?

Watch for Family Letters at the start of each lesson. They include learning goals, vocabulary, and simple at-home activities. Teachers may send them home, or you can find them in the Student Worktext or on the Bookshelf in the Student Digital Experience.

How can I stay informed about my student’s progress?

The best way is to talk regularly with your student’s teacher, who can share how your student is doing and how you can help at home. In Kindergarten and Grade 1, much of the assessment happens through observation during learning activities, so that conversation matters even more.

What should I ask at parent-teacher conferences?

Ask about your student’s progress, how they approach math problems, and how you can support their learning at home. The Family Center has additional suggestions for partnering with your student’s teacher.

Is i-Ready Inform graded?

No. i-Ready Inform is not graded and is not something your student can “pass” or “fail.” It’s a tool that helps guide teaching.

What are math manipulatives, and how can I use them at home?

Manipulatives are hands-on tools like blocks or counters that help students understand math visually. At home you can use everyday objects like coins or buttons, along with drawings. The Family Center has ideas for at-home manipulatives.

What are Learning Games, and when should my student use them?

Learning Games are fun, interactive games that build math fluency and confidence. They’re found in the Student Digital Experience and align with what your student is learning. A family guide for the Learning Games is available on the Family Center.

What are Digital Practice assignments, and where can my student find them?

Digital Practice assignments contain practice sets aligned to what your student learned in class. There are typically five to eight questions in each assignment, and students get up to three tries to answer correctly. Tips and hints are built in. They appear in the To Do list once the teacher assigns them, and results are visible on the student dashboard afterward.

What are Desmos Graphing Calculator Quick Connects? Grades 6–Algebra 1

These are tasks preconfigured in the Desmos Graphing Calculator that help students “see” the math. They help students visualize abstract algebraic concepts, see the relationship between variables, and understand functions through graphical representations.

Glossary

Number Sense

A student’s ability to understand, relate to, and work with numbers. It includes skills like estimating, recognizing patterns, and knowing how numbers fit together.

Math Centers

Fun, hands-on activities that students rotate through during math time. One center is working with the teacher in a small group; others include games, activities, or practice.

i-Ready Inform

An adaptive assessment that helps identify what your student knows and what they’re ready to learn next. It adjusts based on your student’s responses and helps teachers personalize instruction.

Try–Discuss–Connect

A three-part instructional framework your student’s teacher uses to guide math learning. It supports independent thinking, peer conversation, and deeper understanding.

  • Try: Students work on a problem independently to develop their own ideas and strategies.
  • Discuss: Students share their thinking with classmates, compare and connect approaches, and ask questions.
  • Connect: The class brings ideas together to highlight important math concepts and build lasting understanding.

Mathematical Discourse

Talking about math. Students explain their thinking, ask questions, and discuss strategies with others to deepen understanding.

Conceptual Understanding

When students truly understand why math works, not just how to do the steps. It’s about seeing the meaning behind the math and making connections between ideas.

Student Digital Experience

The online platform where students access digital math tools, Learning Games, Family Letters, and more. It supports classroom learning with resources they can use at home.

Digital Practice

Interactive practice sets assigned by your student’s teacher. Tips and hints are built in to support students as they work toward correct answers independently. After completion, you and your student can view results on the student dashboard.

Family Letters

Letters that explain what your student will be learning in the upcoming week. They include math vocabulary and suggest simple ways to engage your student with math at home. Teachers may send them home, or you can find them in the Student Worktext or in Family Resources on the Bookshelf.

Unit Flow and Progression Videos

Short videos in the Student Digital Experience that explain how math ideas build over time and what your student will be learning in the current unit. Find them in Family Resources on the Bookshelf.

Learning Games

Digital games in which students practice fluency and skills in a way that develops internal motivation while encouraging perseverance.

Family Center

An online resource for families with videos, guides, and tools to help you support your student’s math learning at home, including conversation starters, reflection questions, and additional program information. Sign in to i-Ready and click For Families.

Tools and resources for families

Adapted for Troy City Schools families from the i-Ready Classroom Mathematics Guide for Families (Grades K–1, Grades 2–5, and Grades 6–Algebra 1 editions).

© 2026 Curriculum Associates, LLC. All rights reserved. i-Ready® and i-Ready Classroom Mathematics are trademarks of Curriculum Associates, LLC. iPad®, App Store®, iPadOS®, and Safari® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. Clever® is a registered trademark of Clever, Inc. Desmos is a trademark of Desmos Studio PBC.