First graders are often looking for fun and engaging ways to learn math skills. Turtle Diary offers a great selection of games that will help your students practice and master their math skills.
These games will help build a solid foundation in addition and subtraction skills, place value and other standard math skills. They’ll also improve fact fluency and keep kids engaged in the learning process.
Number Bonds
Number bonds are a key part of developing number sense. They help students understand how to add and subtract two numbers together, and they develop problem-solving strategies. They can also help students understand how to solve maths problems in their head, which is vital for learning more complex arithmetic.
To introduce number bonds, many teachers will use a Concrete, Pictorial, Abstract (CPA) approach. This method involves showing children how to break a number down into different combinations using manipulatives like Lego blocks or unifix cubes. Then, they can learn how to represent those numbers in the form of circles, with the ‘whole’ circle written in the first and the ‘parts’ in adjoining circles.
The ‘whole’ and ‘parts’ can be represented in a variety of ways, but typically, the circles will all be the same size. This makes it easier for kids to recall the number bond and understand which one is the ‘part’ and which is the ‘whole’.
Once children are familiar with the number bond, they can progress to using ten frames to’make a ten’. This helps students remember the number bond and develop problem-solving strategies that will make all future maths calculations a lot less stressful.
Finally, students can explore number bonds by creating’missing part’ flashcards. These flashcards are based on a Van de Walle activity and are a great way to mix up the concrete, representational and abstract learning of number bonds.
For more practice with number bonds, try this video game where students touch bubbles that add to 10. It is a fun and effective way for students to learn about different number bonds. They can even change the values of the bubbles, so they can practice finding the number bond to different numbers.
Addition
Addition is a mathematical operation that involves finding the total value of two or more numbers. It is one of the four basic arithmetic operations along with subtraction, multiplication and division. It is an important skill that students learn early in their schooling.
Teaching students the concept of addition can be difficult, but there are many tools that can make it more fun and engaging for them. For example, using counting strategies to solve addition problems can help children develop procedural fluency.
Mental math tricks are another great way to teach students how to add without counting. This is particularly helpful for young children who are still learning how to count. For instance, if they are trying to add 2 + 3, they can start with their closed fist and count up “2, 3, 4, 5” by extending their fingers one at a time.
Similarly, having students practice adding small numbers with their fingers or on a number line can also be helpful for developing this skill. It can help them to build a strong foundation for the addition skills they will need to succeed in their future math classes and beyond.
Games are a great way to reinforce and practice math skills in a fun, interactive way. Gamifying the process by integrating quizzes, group challenges and rewards can be an effective way to boost student engagement and improve long-term memory storage of key concepts.
Students can learn about addition by playing a variety of math games that are designed specifically to address their needs. Whether they are playing online or offline, these activities will help them build their knowledge and confidence in this important subject.
Subtraction
Subtraction is a very important skill for students to master. It helps them to understand how to solve equations more intuitively and quickly, as well as learn new concepts like multiplication and division.
It also allows them to make sense of numbers in real-life scenarios. By using subtraction games and activities in your classroom, you can help your first grader develop the skills they need to succeed.
One fun way to practice subtraction is with a game of cards. In this activity, students take turns flipping over two cards and subtraction the difference between them. The student who correctly solves their card equation first keeps all the cards.
Another hands-on way to practice subtraction is with play dough. Creating a ten frame on each desk and doling out balls of play dough is a great way to work on both counting and subtraction with students.
After reading a story problem about subtraction, have your students act it out on their ten frame. This is a wonderful way to practice teamwork and collaboration amongst your students.
If you want to add a little more to this activity, try squishing the number line balls instead of moving them forward and backward. This will help kids see how the numbers they are subtracting will go down when they squish them.
You can even use this activity as a writing prompt! Have students write a subtraction sentence that corresponds to the story problem they acted out.
Then, you can have your students read their sentences aloud to the class. This is a fantastic way to build confidence and make subtraction come alive for your students! They will feel like they are doing a job and not just playing with play dough.
Multiplication
Multiplication is one of the most challenging math concepts to grasp, requiring students to master a large number of skills in order to succeed. Combining games and other teaching techniques into your lesson plans can help your students develop their proficiency in this essential subject.
A fun way to teach students about multiplication is through a variety of hands-on activities, real-world examples and mental math tricks. By integrating these strategies into your lessons, you can help your students build their confidence in the subject and lay the foundation for success in the future.
Another interesting way to teach students about multiplication is through visual representations. For example, have them practice counting objects arranged in a rectangle (for whole numbers), or find the area of a rectangle that has a given number of squares inside it.
These activities provide a rich variety of visual representations that can help kids recall facts easily and make them feel comfortable with the concept. They can also help students understand the commutative property of multiplication.
The following worksheets can be used to practice different types of multiplication, including single-digit and double-digit multiplication. The puzzles are written in a format that is easy for children to understand and are fun to play.
Using this game as a way to review key math concepts is a great idea for first graders. It will help students practice their multiplication facts while getting a boost of energy in the process!
Division
Division is an important math skill that students must learn at a young age. The best way to teach division is by engaging students in fun games that help them understand the concept.
For example, dividing uniform objects like jelly beans, erasers, and marshmallows into groups can make the concept easier for younger students to grasp. This activity also helps them understand the inverse multiplicative property.
Another great way to teach division is by using arrays. This is a common strategy in multiplication, so it will be helpful for students to learn how to use this concept for division, as well!
When teaching division to first graders, it’s important to explain the differences between fractions and whole numbers. Fractions are divisions of a number into equal parts or groups, while whole numbers are whole-numbers.
One way to help students understand the difference between fractions and whole numbers is to use flashcards. Triangle flashcards are a great way to teach this skill, as they’re simple and easy to understand.
Once students understand the difference between whole numbers and fractions, it’s time to teach them how to divide by a given number. This can be a bit tricky, as kids must know the correct division expression for each array, and they need to find the quotient and remainder.
Once students have mastered this basic idea, it’s time to move on to long division. This is a tricky concept that many students struggle with, but it’s essential for high school and college success! There are plenty of online resources that can help students master this skill, as well as classroom tools.