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our first grade program

Math

Our mathematics program is built on the interaction of a mastery of basic skills and a strong conceptual understanding of applications through problem solving. We integrate mathematics into other subject areas and to incorporate the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics as set forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Each lesson is a problem-solving experience and deals with important mathematical concepts that will help students develop and extend their mathematical thinking. Students are encouraged to collaborate with classmates and teachers and to describe their thought process in writing.

Mathematics instruction occurs daily in first grade, using TERC’s Investigations in Number, Data, and Space and the NCTM focal points as instructional guideposts. Mathematics is integrated throughout the other curricular areas as well. Children are guided through the process of understanding concepts and skills utilizing hands-on materials and real life experiences. Assessment at this level is both informal and formal. Informal assessment is ongoing and occurs on a daily basis during student-teacher interaction. Observations, notes and work samples are kept for documentation and reflection. Students work in journals to demonstrate understanding or complete assessments. Formal assessments are completed at the beginning, middle and end of the year and include a variety of specific math skills and expectations.

Instruction at the First Grade level focuses on these concepts, strategies and skills:

  • Mathematical Thinking: Counting, comparing and combining in number, data, and space; explore ideas about counting, combining and comparing numbers; describing and extending patterns and collecting data; introduce tools, materials, expectation and routines that will support an engaging environment of mathematical investigation
  • Number System: Building Number Sense: Understanding numbers and number relationships; counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s, sequencing number, solving addition and subtraction problems; playing mathematical games; finding number combinations, working with the counting sequence up to 100; solving addition and subtraction problems
  • Computation: Number Games and Story: Solving addition and subtraction problems: play number games and develop, identify, share and record strategies for solving addition and subtraction problems; deepen understanding of these operations;  use a variety of representations build understanding of the number system
  • Data: Survey Questions and Secret Rules: Identifying and describing attributes of various objects; sort and classify data about themselves; represent their data and compare categories of data
  • Changes/Graphing: Bigger, Taller, Heavier, Smaller: Working with measurement; become familiar with the process of measuring as they develop language to describe weight, capacity and length; use balances to compare weights; compare capacities of containers and figure out the lengths of objects using nonstandard units
  • Geometry: Exploring relationships among shapes and geometric patterns; using a variety of materials