State standards for math are impersonal statements of what students should understand. They also detail the mathematical operations students should master during the year. The difference between these statements and kid-friendly standards encompasses more than simplified vocabulary. Kid-friendly standards use first-person perspective and often begin with the words "I can" to make abstract concepts concrete.
State learning standards for math usually have several "strands" representing various domains of mathematics. For the number sense strand, states usually expect fourth-graders to understand how decimal numbers fit into the place-value system and relate decimal values to corresponding fractional values.
Kid-friendly standards for these concepts include statements such as the following:
I can put numbers in order even when they use decimals. For example:
I can order 1.60, 1.06, and 1.006 from greatest to least.
I can write numbers using tenths and hundredths with both fractions and decimals. For example, I can change 1/4 to 0.25 and 5/4 to 1.25.
A common standard of learning in math is for students to understand and apply mathematical reasoning techniques.
Kid-friendly standards suitable for fourth grade for this strand include statements such as the following:
I can explain when I need to find an exact answer and when it is all right to use an estimate.
I can tell which information I need to solve a problem and which information I don't need.
Schools teach geometrical concepts in fourth grade using standards of learning such as "Students understand perimeter, area, and can identify the parts of a circle."
Kid-friendly fourth-grade standards for geometry include statements that provide specifics about these concepts, such as:
I can find the area and perimeter of a rectangle by using a grid.
I can find the area of a rectangle by using multiplication.
I can find the perimeter of a rectangle by using addition.
I can put labels on a circle to show where the radius and diameter are.