In this program students do not first learn mathematics and then apply what they've learned. Rather, important questions about the real world come first. Students analyze situations and apply the mathematical concepts needed to solve problems.
Contextual questions drive the mathematics.
In each unit, students build, test, and present models that describe a real-world situation or problem, such as deciding where to build a fire station. Mathematical modeling is a central focus throughout the curriculum. Each course covers the mathematical content found in the NCTM Standards . Modeling Our World contains seven or eight units. The student text contains eight chapters divided into three to six lessons.