Mathematics In Grade I

The goal of the first grade mathematics program is to help children construct their own mathematical knowledge. Through meaningful learning experiences in which they solve problems, reason about their mathematical thinking, and communicate their ideas in written and oral form, children make connections between mathematical ideas and real-life experiences. Students engage in high-interest mathematics activities while building their confidence and strengthening their skills.

The ThinkMath! curriculum guides students’ work in the math classroom. The curriculum focuses on specific experiences that are planned to help children understand the underlying structure of our number system. Children are introduced to new concepts through experiences with concrete materials – such as Unifix cubes, pattern blocks, and Cuisenaire rods — that help children make connections between concrete and abstract mathematical thinking. The content areas of mathematics covered during the year include number and operations, classification and comparison, measurement and data analysis, geometry and early algebra. Many experiences and lessons integrate several of these areas and there is an emphasis on children using multiple strategies when approaching problem solving.

The ThinkMath! program is standards-driven yet differentiated to respond to the needs of a diverse range of learners. Below are skills students are expected to master by the spring:

Know addition facts to 10 and use these facts to solve problems
Identify the place value of digits in two-digit numbers
Identify patterns on the hundreds chart
Skip count by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s starting at any number
Use pictures, words, and numbers to organize and represent thinking
Problem solve and think creatively
Identify symmetry in two-dimensional shapes
Tell time at half-hour intervals on analog and digital clocks

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