Curriculum
Follow one calm stage at a time
Use the map to choose the current stage, learn the core pattern, and then move into one worksheet or lesson without losing the thread.
How to use the map
Pick the stage that matches the learner right now
Each card keeps the stage goal light and scannable. Start the stage first, then open lesson details only when you need the exact reading list.
Stage 1
Understand the device
Learn what each rod and bead means before solving anything. The goal is clean reading, clean setup, and no confusion about value.
Key outcomes
- Parts of the soroban
- Zero and resting position
- Single-digit reading
Best practice
Name the beam and bead groups · Read 0, 7, and 24
Lesson details
See the lesson list for this stage
Stage 2
Move beads with control
Build the habit of moving only what is needed. This is where the device starts feeling physical instead of abstract.
Key outcomes
- How values change when beads touch the beam
- Efficient setup and clearing
- Direct one-rod addition and subtraction
Best practice
Set 4 and 8 quickly · Add and subtract on one rod
Lesson details
See the lesson list for this stage
Stage 3
Use complements and structured moves
This is where soroban starts becoming elegant. You stop forcing every move directly and learn the small patterns that make operations faster and cleaner.
Key outcomes
- Complements to 5
- Complements to 10
- When direct movement is blocked
Best practice
Fill-to-5 drills · Fill-to-10 drills
Lesson details
See the lesson list for this stage
Stage 4
Build fluency across multiple rods
Once single-digit movement is stable, the focus shifts to holding full numbers, keeping place value stable, and reading the total calmly after each step.
Key outcomes
- Two-digit and three-digit place handling
- Mixed operations
- Short vertical sequences
Best practice
Two-digit mixed drills · 3-4 digit worksheet columns
Lesson details
See the lesson list for this stage
Stage 5
Learn multiplication practically
Multiplication should not feel like a sudden jump. Start with grouped addition, then learn place shifts, then build partial-product confidence with drills that stay readable.
Key outcomes
- Multiplication as grouped addition
- Multiplicand vs multiplier
- Place shifts for tens
Best practice
3×4 and 4×3 grouped addition · 12×3 and 14×4 place-shift drills
Lesson details
See the lesson list for this stage
Stage 6
Learn division as controlled quotient building
Division becomes easier when it is treated as the inverse of multiplication: fit a known factor, place the quotient calmly, then confirm by multiplication.
Key outcomes
- Dividend, divisor, quotient
- Equal grouping and missing-factor thinking
- Exact division first
Best practice
12÷3 and 12÷4 · 24÷6 and 36÷9
Lesson details
See the lesson list for this stage
Stage 7
Advance into speed and mental soroban
The final layer is not more theory first. It is compression: reading fewer patterns, holding more internally, and keeping accuracy under pace.
Key outcomes
- Mental soroban / anzan
- Pattern compression
- Speed without panic
Best practice
Sequence worksheets · Adaptive practice