SOAR (Supporting Ongoing Achievement Responsively)
SOAR tools and activities are designed to identify and support students’ mathematical understanding that needs further inquiry and development.
Thank you for your interest in our SOAR materials.
SOAR can be used across all levels of tiered support to identify assets and areas of need related to students’ mathematical understanding and provide additional learning opportunities to solidify understanding.
The SOAR materials comprise two main parts: math survey and instructional materials and focuses on surfacing and supporting students’ ability to make sense of, represent, and explain mathematical concepts.
What makes SOAR unique is that we work from an asset-based model. Using the survey and checklist allows educators to determine student strengths and areas of need, and then choose the activities that address the specific next steps in students’ movement through the trajectory of learning for a particular domain.
SOAR Addition and Subtraction is for Grades 1 to 5.
SOAR Numbers in Base Ten is for Grade 1 and up.
SOAR Multiplication and Division is for Grade 3 and up.
SOAR Fractions is for Grades 3 to 6.
SOAR Ratios and Proportions is for Grades 6 and up.
SOAR Expressions and Equations is for Grades 6 and up.
SOAR is available in the following domains
Focuses on understanding the foundational structures of the operations illustrated in real-life situations.
Multiplication & Division
Focuses on understanding the foundational structures of the operations illustrated in real-life situations.
Focuses on understanding fractional numbers and operations using a combination of mathematical and real-world contexts.
Focuses on understanding two- and three-digit numbers and decimal numbers using place value/ magnitude, comparing/ ordering, and operations.
Focuses on understanding different types of ratios and what it means for relationships between values to be proportional.
Focuses on understanding the process of working with and manipulating expressions and equation that may contain one or more variables.
Each SOAR Toolkit includes
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Survey that provides interview prompts and follow-up questions to identify where students are in their understanding of the content
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Checklist that outlines evidence that should be looked at and listened for during the interview and provides a place for observations to be recorded
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Summary that provides a summative description of student performance organized by grade and level of tiered support
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Student Prompt Book that serves as a student copy of interview prompts
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Activities Guide that helps educators to determine an initial starting point for additional learning opportunities based on data collected during the interview
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Support Activities with Teacher Resources that provide additional learning opportunities focused on thinking and reasoning and guidance for those engaging students in the activities
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Download Sample Activities
To schedule a conversation about SOAR instrucional materials, SOAR training opportunities, and other IFL Math services, please contact:
Elementary- Kristin Klingensmith, klingsmith@pitt.edu
Middle School- Laurie Speranzo, speranzo@pitt.edu