Grade 1 Math practice

25 Grade 1 math lessons, including add within 10, doubles and near doubles, pairs that make 10, add within 20, add on a number line, match the facts and more. Each one has a short video where Pip explains the idea, a worked example, and endless new practice questions with step-by-step help when a child gets stuck.

Step 1: Add within 10

Adding means putting groups together to find how many in all.

Example: 4 + 6

Tip: Start with the bigger number and count on. For 2 + 7, start at 7 and count 8, 9.

Step 2: Doubles and near doubles

A double adds a number to itself: 6 + 6 = 12. A near double is one more: 6 + 7 = 13.

Example: 6 + 6

Tip: For 6 + 7, think 6 + 6 = 12, then one more.

Step 3: Pairs that make 10

Some pairs of numbers always make 10.

Example: Choose every pair that makes 10.

Tip: 1 + 9, 2 + 8, 3 + 7, 4 + 6, 5 + 5.

Step 4: Add within 20

When two numbers add up past 10, make a ten first. Ten plus a little is easy!

Example: 8 + 8

Tip: Know your "make 10" pairs: 1+9, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6 and 5+5.

Step 5: Add on a number line

To add on a number line, start at the first number and jump forward.

Example: Where do you land? Tap 11 + 3.

Tip: Start at the bigger number and count on.

Step 6: Match the facts

Each addition fact has one answer.

Example: Match each fact to its answer.

Tip: Use doubles and make-ten facts to help.

Step 7: Subtract within 20

Subtracting means taking away. Count back to see how many are left.

Example: 13 − 8

Tip: Take away to 10 first, then take away the rest. 14 − 6: take 4 to get 10, then 2 more makes 8.

Step 8: True or false: subtracting

A subtraction is true when you take away and get the number left.

Example: Is this true or false? 10 − 3 = 7

Tip: Check by adding back: if 9 − 4 = 5, then 5 + 4 = 9.

Step 9: Find the missing number

A missing number is a puzzle. Ask: what do I add to get there?

Example: 7 + ? = 9

Tip: You can count up from the small number to the big number. The number of jumps is the answer.

Step 10: Story problems: add and take away

Story problems hide a number sentence. Find the numbers, then decide: does the group get bigger or smaller?

Example: Kofi has 12 beads. Kofi gives 4 to a friend. How many beads are left?

Tip: "More", "in all" and "altogether" usually mean add. "Left", "gave away" and "ate" usually mean subtract.

Step 11: Tens and ones

Two-digit numbers are made of tens and ones. 47 is 4 tens and 7 ones.

Example: 72 = ? tens and 2 ones

Tip: The left digit tells the tens. The right digit tells the ones.

Step 12: Order numbers to 20

To order numbers, find the smallest, then the next smallest, and so on.

Example: Put the numbers in order, smallest first.

Tip: Teen numbers are bigger than single digits.

Step 13: Build tens and ones

In a two-digit number, the first digit is the tens and the second is the ones.

Example: Build the number with 1 tens and 0 ones.

Tip: Tens first, then ones.

Step 14: Compare two-digit numbers

To compare numbers, look at the tens first. More tens means a bigger number.

Example: 77 ? 22

Tip: The open side of < or > always faces the bigger number, like a hungry mouth.

Step 15: More or less than 10?

Numbers before 10 are less. Numbers after 10 are more.

Example: Sort each number.

Tip: Is it a teen number? Then it is more than 10.

Step 16: Add tens

Adding tens is like adding ones, just counting tens instead.

Example: 20 + 20

Tip: 3 + 4 = 7, so 30 + 40 = 70.

Step 17: Halves and fourths

Cut a whole into 2 equal parts to get halves, or 4 equal parts to get fourths.

Example: How much is shaded?

Tip: Count the equal parts first. Then count the shaded ones.

Step 18: Shade a half

Half means 2 equal parts. Shade 1 of the 2 parts.

Example: Shade exactly half of the squares.

Tip: Half of the squares is the same as the other half.

Step 19: Measure length

To measure, line up one end with 0 and read the number at the other end.

Example: How long is the bar in cm? 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Tip: Always start at 0, not at the edge of the ruler.

Step 20: Tell time to the hour

A clock has a short hand for hours and a long hand for minutes.

Example: What time is it? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 __ o'clock

Tip: When the long hand points straight up at 12, it is exactly o'clock.

Step 21: Tell time to the half hour

When the long hand points to 6, it is half past the hour, like 3:30.

Example: What time is it? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Tip: Long hand on 12 → o'clock (:00). Long hand on 6 → half past (:30).

Step 22: Order the day

Events in a day happen in order: morning, afternoon, evening, night.

Example: Put these in the order they happen.

Tip: What do you do first when you wake up?

Step 23: Tally marks

Tally marks help us count. Each 卌 is a bundle of 5.

Example: How many tally marks? 卌卌 ||||

Tip: Count the bundles by 5s, then count the single marks.

Step 24: Make the amount

Coins add up: a dime is 10¢ and a nickel is 5¢.

Example: Which coin, used twice, makes 20¢?

Tip: Start with the biggest coin.

Step 25: Follow the code

Code is a list of steps for a robot. → moves the robot 1 step right; ← moves it 1 step left.

Example: The robot 🤖 starts at 5 on a number line. It runs this code: → ← → → Where does it stop?

Tip: Follow one arrow at a time and keep track with your finger.

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