MIDAS

Desmos 8th Grade Math Curriculum

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Core Code Alignment

Mathematics
Secondary Mathematics (7-12)
07080000080: 8th Grade Mathematics

Recommendation

Recommended Primary

Evaluation

Desmos has provided educators and students with a well rounded and balanced set of materials to meet the Utah State Standards in Math 8. There is alignment to each standard and learning target and seek for students depth of knowledge. Desmos shows accuracy, visual appeal, ease of use and support, rigor, and differentiation. There is a high level of engagement and provides the ability to meet students' needs.

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Rubric : Mathematics 2025

Compliance with State Law (Required)

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Sensitive Materials and Prohibited Submission 53G-10-103, R277-628	This item has not been graded.

Prohibited discriminatory practices 53G-2-103-5, 53B-1-118 and 67-27-107	This item has not been graded.

Maintaining constitutional freedom in the public schools. 53G-10-202	This item has not been graded.

Free from advertising, e-commerce, or political interest	This item has not been graded.

Focus and Coherence: Non-Negotiable

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Non-negotiable materials must focus coherently on the Major Work of the grade in a way that is consistent with the progressions in the standards.	Student and teachers using the materials as designed devote the majority of time to the Major Work of the grade.	Supporting Work enhances focus and coherence simultaneously by also engaging students in the Major Work of the grade.	Materials follow the grade-by-grade progressions in the Standards. Content from previous or future grades does not unduly interfere.	Lessons that only include mathematics from previous grades are clearly identified.
Yes, the Desmos 8 software focuses on all learning targets and standards within the Math 8 Curriculum. However, it is important to note that the organization and unit headings are in a different order than how it is laid out in the Utah Mathematics Core which is also the same order most teachers teach the curriculum in. For example, the order of the Standards listed on UEN is: Number Systems, Expressions & Equations, Functions, Geometry, and Statistics & Probability. The order in Desmos is: Rigid Transformations and Congruence, Dilations, Similarity, and Introducing Slope, Proportional and Linear Relationships, Linear Equations and Linear Systems, Functions and Volume, Associations in Data, Exponents and Scientific Notation, and The Pythagorean Theorem and Irrational Numbers. The way learning targets are grouped and ordered by Desmos is unique.

Rigor and Balance

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
The materials support the development of students’ conceptual understanding of key mathematical concepts, especially where called for in specific standards or cluster headings.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
The software has an abundance of support to help students understand the key concepts and key vocabulary in each standard. Students can receive support per lesson and through each discovery activity.
The materials are designed so that students attain the fluencies and procedural skills required by the Standards.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Students are given the opportunity to or practice fluency on each skill stated in the Math 8 Standards. There is an appropriate depth of knowledge, questions, and activities.
The materials are designed so that teachers and students spend sufficient time working with applications, without losing focus on the Major Work of each grade. (Are there single and multi-step contextual problems that develop the mathematics of the grade, afford opportunities for practice, and engage students in problem solving?)	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Desmos has developed a large bank of building exercises and activities per standard that require depth and rigor of each skill within each standard.

Standards for Mathematical Practice

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Materials address the practice standards in such a way as to enrich the Major Work of the grade; practice standards strengthen the focus on Major Work instead of detracting from it, in both teacher and student materials.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Each lesson under the different units in Desmos provides the students and teacher with a complete set of clear instructions, materials, activities, assessments, and answers for each standard.
Tasks and assessments of student learning are designed to provide evidence of students’ proficiency in the Standards of Mathematical Practice.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Desmos has created a Readiness Check, quiz, and End Assessment for each unit. These show the students proficiency in each standard. Students can even demonstrate a deeper level of understanding on lessons and activities by completing an extension activity called “Are you ready for more?”
Materials support the Standards’ emphasis on mathematical reasoning.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Desmos has created a balanced mix of direct and indirect questioning. They allow students to show their understanding in multiple ways, such as through graphs, drawings, computations with a single answer, and a text box where they can explain their thinking and reasoning. Real-world applications are used throughout the entire course.

Access to the Standards for All Students

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Support for English Language learners and other special populations is thoughtful (evidence-based) and helps those students meet the same Standards (and rigor) as all other students. The language in which problems are posed is carefully considered.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Since Desmos is all digital, ELL learners have the ability to listen to their teacher read the instructions out loud as well as follow along on their screen. The amount of instructions per slide is well-thought out so that it is not overwhelming to different subgroups of students. Student supports include visual-spatial processing through visual aids, conceptual processing by connecting new problems to prior work, and sentence frames provided to teachers to help students explain their reasoning.
Materials provide scaffolding, differentiation, intervention, and support for a broad range of learners with gradual removal of supports, when needed, to allow students to demonstrated their mathematical understanding independently.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Students can work at their own pace or have more of a controlled instruction by their teacher depending on the teacher's professional judgement. All materials developed through Desmos have been created at an appropriate grade level; including language ability, cognitive capability, and differentiation.
Design of lessons incorporates strategies such as using multiple representations, deconstructing/reconstructing the language of problems, providing suggestions for addressing common student difficulties, etc. to ensure grade-level progress for all learners.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Yes. Each lesson and activity allows students to demonstrate their thinking and understanding through multiple ways. Each lesson also includes how teachers should facilitate and guide students through each lesson as well as ideas on student support. There are also opportunities for early finishers to deepen their level of understanding.
Ethnic Studies- (Ethnic studies in core standards and curriculum should be a narrowly tailored incorporation of age-appropriate opportunities that naturally arise through education without pretextual effort in courses, programs, or activities where ethnic studies is not a primary focus. The material should incorporate a curriculum of people and cultures that reflect the state’s various demographics without commentary that seeks to violate the neutrality standard established in codes: 53B-1-118, 53G-2-103, 53G-2-104, 53G-2-105, 67-27-107,	This item has not been graded.

Shared Values and Character Traits	This item has not been graded.

Assessment

Item	3 - Extensive	2 - Adequate	1 - Inadequate	0 - None
Multiple measurements of individual student progress occur at regular intervals ensuring success of all students.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
Desmos provides Readiness Checks, quizzes, and End Assessments in each unit to check for understanding.
Assessments measure what students understand and can do through well designed mathematical tasks and applications.	Meets	Partially meets	N/A	Does not meet
The assessments have a wide range of ways students can show their thinking and understanding. It is not all multiple choice or fill in the blank. There are ordering questions, graphs, and short response questions.

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Phone: 801.538.7807