1st grade Math: how to help at home
What your child learns in 1st grade math in the Washington State Learning Standards, and simple things to try at home.
Focus areas this year
- Quantity and Relationships: adding and subtracting within 20, and place value to 120
- Spatial Reasoning: shapes, measurement and the space around us
- Data Analysis: asking questions, collecting data and reading what it shows
Easy ways to practice math at home
- Count everyday things out loud: stairs, grapes, steps to the car.
- Sort laundry or toys into groups, then ask which group has more.
- Spot shapes on a walk: circles on signs, rectangles on doors.
- Make patterns with snacks or blocks (red, blue, red, blue) and let your child continue them.
What each unit covers
Numbers to 20
Counting, ordering and comparing numbers to 20, and seeing teen numbers as 1 ten and some ones.
Numbers to 100
Reading and building numbers to 100 with tens and ones, comparing them, and seeing that two names can mean the same amount.
Count It Up
Counting forward within 100, back from 20, by 2s to 20, and by 5s and 10s to 100, plus seeing small amounts at a glance (subitizing).
Make 10
Finding pairs that make 10 (like 6 + 4) with ten frames, fingers and stories. Making 10 is a key strategy for adding.
Adding
Adding to 20 with pictures, ten frames, number lines and short stories, using strategies like counting on, doubles and making 10.
Take Away
Subtracting within 20 by counting back and thinking addition, and solving short take-away and compare stories.
Equal or Not
Learning that = means "the same amount as" (not just "the answer is"), and using ≠ when two sides are different.
Measuring
Measuring length with paper clips and cubes, comparing longer and shorter, heavier and lighter, and seeing why same-size units matter.
Shapes
Naming and comparing 2D shapes by their sides and corners, and 3D objects by their faces and whether they roll or stack.
One Half
One half means 1 of 2 equal parts. Children share items fairly between two people and see that two halves make a whole.
Data & Graphs
Sorting by one attribute, reading picture graphs and bar graphs, and comparing groups.
Hour & Half Hour
Telling time to the hour and half hour on clocks with hands and on digital clocks.
Jump by Tens
Finding 10 more and 10 less than a number in their head, subtracting tens, and adding ones or tens to a two-digit number.
Picture Graphs
Reading picture graphs with three groups: how many in each, how many more, how many in all, and which question a class survey can answer.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practicing the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the Washington report card guide.
Common questions
Count everyday things out loud: stairs, grapes, steps to the car. Sort laundry or toys into groups, then ask which group has more. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Washington State Learning Standards 1st grade math units include Numbers to 20, Numbers to 100, Count It Up, Make 10, Adding, Take Away.
Free printable 1st grade math practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.