Math Ideas for Home

Here are some great ideas for math activities you can do at home. In general, regularly assigned math homework is not done in our first grade classes because our math program is very exploratory. It is based on solving word stories, problem solving, and sharing strategies by explaining work to other students. It is not just math fact memorization. It is about seeing relationship between numbers; and using flexibility and fluency with math facts. Most of the activities listed below are presented as games and can be used over and over with different materials and different numbers.

Counting On:

You can use this strategy to count objects at home, in the car, or at the store. For example you can count the oranges you have at home. Then ask your child to add a specific number of oranges to the first set of oranges. The goal is to have your child counting on from a given number. Maybe you have 6 oranges. Then you could ask, “If I bought 3 more, how many oranges would we have?” The bigger number should be given first and let students practice adding on a smaller number. The idea is to add the additional ones to what you already have using fingers or real objects at first. Eventually we want to see students counting on in their heads. You should use this activity with subtraction as well.

Making 10:

Give your child a number of small objects such as pennies, beans, and buttons. The number of objects should be larger than 10 and smaller that 20. Have your child divide the objects into two groups. One group should be a group of ten and the other group should be the extras. Ask your child to tell you how many are in the two groups without counting both groups. They should know 10 are in one group and be able to count on with the other group. If they are ready to try larger numbers, you can try making 20, 30, etc.

Dice Games:

You can use a die from another game you have or by some at a dollar store. Using the die have your child roll it and count the dots. Have your child write down the number, them roll again, and add the two numbers together. Repeat about ten times during a game.

Another Dice Game:

You can also play a dice game to make 10. Roll one die and then figure out what number you need to add to that number to make ten. You can write the number sentence. For example if you roll a 4, you can write the number sentence 4 + __ = 10. Then figure out how many more you need to make 10 and finish the number sentence.

These two dice games are also good for recognizing groups of numbers quickly by looking at the formation of the dots.

Strings:

Strings are related facts. Practicing these will help with number flexibility and fluency. Here is an example of a string:
2 + 3 = 5
2 + 4 = 6
2 + 5 = 7
When you write it you can leave off the second number and the answer; and then ask your child what comes next. It might look like this:
3 + 1 = 2
3 +__=__ and ask what would come next? Then you can continue writing out the string. Next time choose a different number to start the string.

Sorting:

You can gather collections of things such as shells, marbles, rocks, old keys, buttons, etc. and have your child sort them into patterns or by characteristics (big, small, smooth, rough). They should decide how to sort them and then be able to tell you about their groups.

When you do these activities with your child, please enter the information on the reading log. Please tell us the date, what game you played, how long you played, and how you think it went. Have fun and help your child increase their math skills.