Building a Foundation: Developing a Middle School Number Theory Course to Enhance Mathematical Understanding

Abstract

This thesis addresses the lack of emphasis on number theory in middle school mathematics by developing an elementary number theory curriculum. Core concepts, including divisibility, prime numbers, even and odd numbers, and rational numbers, are taught alongside arithmetic skills, culminating in a cryptography unit. The curriculum is designed to strengthen students’ number sense and conceptual understanding while building on existing research in K-12 number theory education. By integrating targeted number theory instruction with arithmetic and early algebra, this curriculum aims to enhance mathematical reasoning and provide middle school learners with a more robust foundation for future mathematical study.