Contact UsThe Comparison of Total Math and Guided Math
Since launching our new Total Math Curriculum, we have been receiving many inquiries about the comparison of Total Math and Guided Math. This post is a thorough comparison of our two math curricula offerings: Total Math and Guided Math.
Charting Total Math and Guided Math
Just like in our math lessons, we love using visuals to organize, represent, and understand information. To begin the comparison, here is a chart you can view or download to help compare Total and Guided Math.
Grade Levels, Spanish Supplements, and Standards
Guided Math was first released as a K-2 program in 2017, but due to popular demand from teachers, schools, and districts nationwide, grades 3-5 were added. Likewise, downloadable Spanish supplements for the student materials were written and added to the K-5 grade level units and bundles for Guided Math.
In 2020-2021, the Guided Math K-4 downloads were all updated with a more modern and clean styling and formatting. Fifth Grade was the newest grade level and did not require this update.
Total Math has just been released June 2024, and like Guided Math, it is being released as a K-2 program. Depending on the demand, we will continue to add grade levels. At this time, we do not offer a Spanish supplement.
To begin, let’s take a look at Guided Math verus Total Math and how they are similar and how they differ.
Standards Alignment for Total Math and Guided Math
Each math program has downloadable standards alignment documents making it easy to align to pacing calendars or other math curricula.
Total Math is aligned to Common Core, Texas TEKS, and the 2024 (newest) Virginia SOLs. You can find those documents here.
Guided Math is aligned with Common Core and Texas TEKS. You can find those documents here.
Framework and Timing of the Instructional Math Block
Both Guided Math and Total Math follow the same framework design for the instructional math block, and both were designed to include the math workshop. We will break this down below with a general outline of this framework and what the two programs have to offer for each.
*One thing to note below is the timing shown is a general timing and may vary from day to day. The timing is for K-2. For the older grades (only available with Guided Math), typically the lesson plans and small groups are a little longer.*
Math Framework Materials Comparison
A Comparison Summary of Total Math and Guided Math
Total Math and Guided Math both provide instructional materials by educators for educators using the Guided Math Workshop Framework. Guided Math and Total Math begin with the standards for math and provide conceptual and procedural instructional lessons and materials. Through the years, we have added supplemental sets for purchase that are sister products to the Guided Math Program. In creating Total Math, we included those supplemental products in each daily lesson. Other than grade levels and Spanish materials, that is the major difference between the two programs.
Purchasing Options for Guided Math and Total Math
Finally, the purchasing options for Guided Math and Total Math.
Guided Math is available in three ways.
- It can be purchased as hard goods prepped kits through Hand2Mind and shipped directly to schools and districts.
- It can be purchased on TeachersPayTeachers (TPT) as digital downloads.
- We can help your school or district purchase directly using a purchase order or invoice for payment as a vendor. For help with this, email [email protected]. To check if we are already an approved vendor, search our vendor name, Tunstall’s Teaching Tidbits, LLC. Please note that purchase orders must meet the minimum licensing requirement.
Total Math can be purchased in two ways.
- It can be purchased on TeachersPayTeachers (TPT) as digital downloads.
- We can help your school or district purchase directly using a purchase order or invoice for payment as a vendor. For help with this, email [email protected]. To check if we are already an approved vendor, search our vendor name, Tunstall’s Teaching Tidbits, LLC. Please note that purchase orders must meet the minimum licensing requirement.
In closing, Guided Math and Total Math, although similar, do not overlap with any activties that are the same. They both do cover similar content, however, the way the lessons, games, activities, and resources are designed and executed are unique and different. Guided Math provides the main lessons and additional, separate resources were added to have materials for the complete the math block for each grade Kinder-5th. Total Math contains all aligned resources together for each grade level K-2.
