What I'm seeing with my Maryland 3rd and 5th graders is lots of focus on number patterns and word problems using the integers. I think they are also getting few

What I'm seeing with my Maryland 3rd and 5th graders is lots of focus on number patterns and word problems using the integers. I think they are also getting fewer, and sometimes harder, problems than they would have previously. Some of that is good. At times they really are being required to think more deeply. The problems I have seen are: a. Emphasis on explanation even when it doesn't make sense. In 2nd grade they brought home worksheets with 20-30 simple addition problems where they were asked to 'explain' each answer. b. Focus on a narrow range of topics, to the point where they are not always learning the basic vocabulary of mathematics. c. In particular, there has been very little attention given to geometry.