Many activities are intended to be carried out in groups of two or more students who work together. Mathematical situations are represented in different ways, giving students different ways to look at a problem. Extra opportunities are provided throughout the program for students who are looking for special challenges. Many activities include extensions that take a lesson a bit further or in a new direction. A parent brochure is available for distribution at the beginning of the school year.
Every unit begins with a letter home to parents.
These letters include information about the important math concepts and skills in the unit and suggestions of simple activities parents can do at home with their children to explore math concepts further and continue to develop number sense. The parent letters have been translated into Spanish. Many activities, particularly in the primary grades, include special explorations for parents. The Teacher Implementation Guide includes a special section with suggestions for working with parents. In the development of Math Trailblazers, guidelines from a broad sample of states were monitored to make sure that Math Trailblazers's content was consistent with most state guidelines.