CCSS: Domains

The Common Core State Standards consist of various domains for all grade levels in both Math and Literacy. With regards to elementary math, the CCSS list the following Domains for each grade level.

Counting & Cardinality (K)
Operations & Algebraic Thinking (K-5)
Measurement & Data (K-5)
Geometry (K-5)
Number & Operations in Base Ten (K-5)
Number & Operations in Fractions (3-5)

How do teachers, administrators and parents read these standards? Quite simple actually. The Standards define what a student should be capable of doing and understanding. Clusters are groups of standards that are similar to each other. Domains are larger groups of related standards.

Any example of a third grade standards is seen here, 3.NBT.2. Let's read this together. The first number (3) refers to the grade level. Therefore this is a grade 3 standard. The letters in the middle (NBT) reference the domain, in this case Number & Operations in Base Ten. The last number (2) denotes the second standard of this particular domain in grade three. If you were to look this up you should find that 3.NBT.2 refers to third grade math students being capable of fluently adding and subtracting within 1,000 using strategies and algorithms based on place value, properties of operations, and or the relationship between addition and subtraction. Standards 3.NBT.1 and 3.NBT.3 would be other standards in this same cluster.

The CCSS website allows for everyone to see these standards and read them in full detail. It breaks down by grade level, what the expectations and goals are for students at each grade level in regards to the CCSS Domains listed above. For an indepth explanation of each please check out the CCSS website.