Number Sense

In first grade math, students will learn more complex concepts when it comes to number sense. Number sense means having a basic understanding of numbers, what they are, and how we use them. When it comes to number sense, first graders will be asked to do many things. They’ll read and write numbers to 100, most likely writing the words for numbers up to ten. They’ll count forward and backward by ones and skip count by twos, fives, and tens. They might even be introduced to a hundreds chart, which displays numbers one through 100 and gives students a visual representation of the numbers and where they fall. Students often use this to help them count, skip count, and add and subtract.

Students will gain math practice adding and subtracting and will also learn to add three single digits together. They will use models or manipulatives to learn the process of adding and subtracting and gain a better understanding of what it actually means to use these operations. They’ll learn about even and odd numbers, order and compare using first grade math vocabulary words like less, greater, and equal to, and begin to use place value for ones and tens. They’ll learn about basic fractions like ½ and ¼. They’ll also begin to use a number line to 100.