Grade 1 • Mathematics • Basic Facts

Grade 1 Mathematics

Basic Facts

What is fact fluency?

Quick recall of basic facts is a focus of elementary mathematics instruction. The goal of instruction is to develop automaticity with basic facts. In other words, we want our students recall basic facts without occupying the mind with the low-level details required. They become an automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of learning, repetition, and practice. Like driving a car or riding a bike, basic fact instruction is more complicated than simple memorization. 

The HCPSS approach to basic fact instruction is grounded in understanding developed by intentional lessons to explore meaning and patterns within a fact set. Students make use of strategies to find unknown sums and differences while working with repetition and practice to attain automaticity.  Facts are arranged in a deliberate sequence. 

Facts are organized by commonality. That is, facts are grouped by strategy or pattern. Addition and subtraction within a fact set are taught together so that students can make connections between operations.

• +1/+2: These facts add (and subtract) 1 or 2. They relate to the counting sequence of one more and two more.
• +0/+10: These facts add (and subtract) 0 or 10. Their sums show similar patterns.
• Make Ten: These facts make ten (or subtract from ten). These are the combinations of 10 (i.e. 7 + 3 or 6 + 4).
• Doubles: These facts have 2 of the same addend (4 + 4 or 6 + 6). With subtraction, the can be thought of as half.
• Make Ten and Some More: These facts use the make ten and +10 strategies. They rely on making a ten and then adding the leftover amount. Consider 9 + 6. We can add 1 to 9 to make 10. Then, the fact is 10 + 5 which is 15. Another example is 8 + 6. We can add 2 to make 10. Then, the fact becomes 10 + 4 or 14. We can subtract through 10 as well. 17 - 8 can be thought of as 17 - 7 - 1 or 9.
• Near Doubles: This strategy uses the doubling strategy and then adding (or taking away) one more. For 6 + 7, we can thinking of double 6 (12) and then 1 more (13). We could also thinking of double 7 (14) and 1 less (13).

Developing fact fluency takes time. Basic fact instruction with addition and subtraction are outlined below. 

Things to keep in mind:

• Understanding of operations must be in place before working on basic fact fluency.
• Fluency is developed over time. Teaching and practice should focus on targeted facts.
• Practicing basic facts should be quick, fun, and engaging!

For more information:

Basic Facts Speed and Time Research Article Links to an external site.

Fact Cards by Quarter

Quarter 1 (+/- 1, 2) Download Quarter 1 (+/- 1, 2)

Quarter 2 (+/- 0, Making Ten) Download Quarter 2 (+/- 0, Making Ten)

Quarter 3 (Doubles and Halves) Download Quarter 3 (Doubles and Halves)

Quarter 4 (+/- 10) Download Quarter 4 (+/- 10)

Fact Card Games 

• Use a manipulative (macaroni, beads, buttons) to show each math fact.
• Choose a fact and try to find a domino that represents that fact.  (Example: 4 + 2 would be represented by a domino with 4 dots in one box and 2 dots in the other)
• Play Memory by using 2 of the same set of cards and putting them face down.  Keep the matches you find.
• Play Compare by splitting 1 set of fact cards into two piles. Each player flips a card over, and the player with the greater sum/difference keeps both cards.

• Have an adult show you a flash card.  Give the sum/difference as quickly as you can.*
• Have an adult say a math fact and leave out one of the numbers.  Fill in the missing number.  (Example: 2 + ? = 4)

• Choose a fact card and draw a picture to show the fact.
• Write a word problem to go with a fact.  Solve your problem.  (Example: 3 + 2, "There were 3 brown dogs and 2 white dogs.  How many dogs were there?")
• Spread out 1 set of fact cards, face up, on a table. Say a sum/difference and have your child find the fact card that goes with it.*
• Tape fact cards on different doors in your house. Have your child give the sum/difference for the fact card before being able to open the door.*
• Put 1 set of cards face down.  Each player takes turns flipping 2 cards.  When you find an addition and subtraction fact within the same fact family, you keep the pair.**
• Have an adult read aloud an addition fact.  You say a subtraction fact found in the same fact family.**

*Sum: the answer to an addition problem (Example: in 2 + 3 = 5, 5 is the sum)

*Difference: the answer to a subtraction problem (Example: in 8 – 3 = 5, 5 is the difference)

**Fact Family: a collection of related addition and subtraction facts made from the same numbers (Example: For 7, 8, and 15, the addition/subtraction fact family consists of 7 + 8 = 15, 8 + 7 = 15, 15 - 8 = 7, 15 - 7 = 8)