Visual Model Progressions

The CCSS-M calls for students to use concrete and visual models to solve problems and make sense of number and operations. In the SFUSD Math Core Curriculum, these models are taught as tools and strategies to support students' development of conceptual understanding of operations and connections to algorithms.

The Math Department has compiled a progression of the concrete and visual models for addition and subtraction in grades K–2 and another for multiplication and division in grades 3–5.

PDFs of the models on this page are available: 

• Addition and subtraction in grades K–2
• Multiplication and division in grades 3–5