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What does a student learn in ?

This is the year math stretches past counting on fingers and starts working in groups of ten. Students add and subtract within 20 until the easy facts feel automatic, then use tens and ones to handle numbers up to 100. They also start measuring with a ruler, telling time on a clock, and naming coins by value. By spring, students can solve a word problem like 8 + 6 by making a ten, and split a circle into halves or fourths.

  • Addition and subtraction
  • Place value
  • Word problems
  • Telling time
  • Coins
  • Measuring length
  • Shapes and fractions
Source: Mississippi Mississippi College- & Career-Readiness Standards
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
  1. 1

    Adding and subtracting to ten

    Students get quick and confident with small sums and differences. They use objects, drawings, and number sentences to solve simple story problems about adding to a group or taking some away.

  2. 2

    Strategies up to twenty

    Numbers get bigger and students learn smarter ways to handle them. They make a ten to add tricky sums like 8 plus 6, and they see how addition and subtraction are two sides of the same fact.

  3. 3

    Counting and place value to 120

    Students count past 100 and start seeing two-digit numbers as bundles of tens and leftover ones. They compare numbers using the symbols for greater than, less than, and equal.

  4. 4

    Adding bigger numbers

    Students add two-digit numbers using place value and drawings, including jumps of ten. They learn to find 10 more or 10 less in their head and subtract whole tens like 70 minus 40.

  5. 5

    Measuring, time, and money

    Students line up objects to measure length without gaps, read clocks to the hour and half-hour, and learn the names and values of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. They also sort data into simple charts.

  6. 6

    Shapes and equal shares

    Students build and draw flat and solid shapes and notice what really makes a triangle a triangle. They cut circles and rectangles into halves and fourths and see that more pieces means smaller pieces.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
  • Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction

    1.OA.A

    Students learn to add and subtract to solve simple word problems, like figuring out how many apples are left after some are eaten. They use objects, drawings, and equations to find the answer.

  • Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving…

    1.OA.1

    Students read short story problems and figure out the missing number by adding or subtracting. The unknown can show up anywhere in the problem, such as the starting amount, the change, or the result.

  • Solve word problems that call for addition of three whole numbers whose sum is…

    1.OA.2

    Students add three small numbers together to solve a short story problem, like figuring out how many apples are in three baskets combined. The total is always 20 or under.

  • Understand and apply properties of operations and the relationship between…

    1.OA.B

    Adding and subtracting are opposites of each other, and students use that connection to solve problems. If 3 + 4 = 7, then 7 - 4 = 3.

  • Apply properties of operations as strategies to add and subtract

    1.OA.3

    Adding in a different order gives the same answer, and that pattern is a shortcut. Students learn that 3 + 5 equals 5 + 3, and use that kind of thinking to solve addition and subtraction problems more easily.

  • Understand subtraction as an unknown-addend problem

    1.OA.4

    Subtraction is just addition in reverse. Students solve a subtraction problem by asking what number they need to add to get the answer, turning "8 minus 5" into "5 plus what equals 8."

  • Add and subtract within 20

    1.OA.C

    Students practice adding and subtracting pairs of numbers up to 20. Think single-digit facts plus slightly bigger combinations, like 7 + 8 or 15 - 6.

  • Relate counting to addition and subtraction

    1.OA.5

    Counting up or back is another way to add or subtract. Students practice starting at a number and counting forward to add, or counting backward to subtract, instead of starting from zero each time.

  • Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction…

    1.OA.6

    Students add and subtract numbers up to 20 using mental shortcuts, like breaking a number apart to reach 10 first. They work toward knowing facts up to 10 quickly, without counting on fingers.

  • Work with addition and subtraction equations

    1.OA.D

    Students practice writing and solving number sentences like 3 + 4 = 7 or 9 - 2 = 7. They learn that the equals sign means both sides of the equation have the same value.

  • Understand the meaning of the equal sign

    1.OA.7

    The equal sign means both sides of a math sentence have the same value. Students look at equations like 6 = 6 or 4 + 3 = 8 and decide whether they are true or false.

  • Determine the unknown whole number in an addition or subtraction equation…

    1.OA.8

    Students find the missing number in a simple math sentence, like figuring out what goes in the blank in 5 + __ = 9 or 10 - __ = 4. They work with addition and subtraction to make both sides of the equation match.

Number and Operations in Base Ten
  • Extend the counting sequence

    1.NBT.A

    Students count past 100 and read and write numbers all the way to 120, picking up where they left off in kindergarten.

  • Count to 120, starting at any number less than 120

    1.NBT.1

    Students count, read, and write numbers up to 120, starting from any number, not just 1. They also look at a group of objects and write the number that shows how many.

  • Understand place value

    1.NBT.B

    Students learn that the position of a digit tells you its value. A 2 in the tens spot means twenty, not two.

  • Understand that the two digits of a two-digit number represent amounts of tens…

    1.NBT.2

    A two-digit number like 47 means 4 tens and 7 ones, not just a string of digits. Students learn to see any number from 10 to 99 as a mix of tens and ones.

  • 10 can be thought of as a bundle of ten ones — called a "ten."

    1.NBT.2.a

    Ten single objects grouped together make one "ten." This idea is the foundation of how our number system works, and students use it to understand numbers like 20, 30, and beyond.

  • The numbers from 11 to 19 are composed of a ten and one, two, three, four…

    1.NBT.2.b

    Numbers from 11 to 19 are made of one group of ten plus some leftover ones. Thirteen, for example, is one ten and three ones. This is the foundation of how our number system works.

  • The numbers 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 refer to one, two, three, four…

    1.NBT.2.c

    Counting by tens means 30 is three groups of ten, 50 is five groups of ten, and so on. Students learn that each decade number (10, 20, 30...) tells you exactly how many tens are inside it.

  • Compare two two-digit numbers based on meanings of the tens and ones digits…

    1.NBT.3

    Students look at two numbers (like 47 and 63), figure out which has more tens, and write whether one number is greater than, less than, or equal to the other using the symbols >, <, and =.

  • Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract

    1.NBT.C

    Adding and subtracting with tens and ones. Students learn that the position of a digit changes its value, then use that idea to add and subtract two-digit numbers.

  • Add within 100, including adding a two-digit number and a one-digit number

    1.NBT.4

    Students add numbers up to 100 by keeping the tens and ones separate. They use drawings or objects to show their thinking, and learn that sometimes ten ones need to be grouped into a new ten.

  • Given a two-digit number, mentally find 10 more or 10 less than the number…

    1.NBT.5

    Students pick a two-digit number and figure out, in their head, what it looks like with ten added or ten taken away. No counting needed. They also put that thinking into words.

  • Subtract multiples of 10 in the range 10–90 from multiples of 10 in the range…

    1.NBT.6

    Students subtract tens from tens, like 70 minus 40, using blocks or drawings to show their thinking. They connect what they drew to a written number sentence and explain how they got the answer.

Measurement and Data
  • Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units

    1.MD.A

    Students learn to measure how long something is by lining up small same-size objects end to end and counting them. They also compare lengths of two objects by using a third object as a go-between.

  • Order three objects by length

    1.MD.1

    Students line up three objects from shortest to longest. They also learn that if a pencil is longer than a crayon, and the crayon is longer than an eraser, the pencil must be longer than the eraser too.

  • Express the length of an object as a whole number of length units, by laying…

    1.MD.2

    Students measure how long something is by lining up small objects, like paper clips, from one end to the other and counting them. Every piece must touch end to end, with no spaces or overlaps.

  • Tell and write time with respect to a clock and a calendar

    1.MD.B

    Students read the hour and half-hour on a clock face and figure out what day or month it is on a calendar.

  • Tell and write time in hours and half-hours using analog and digital clocks

    1.MD.3.a

    Students read a clock and write what time it shows, working with whole hours (like 3:00) and half-hours (like 3:30). They practice with both the kind of clock that has hands and the kind that shows numbers.

  • Identify the days of the week, the number of days in a week

    1.MD.3.b

    Students name the seven days of the week and figure out how many weeks fit inside a given month. They practice reading a calendar the way adults use one every day.

  • Organize, represent, and interpret data with up to three categories

    1.MD.4

    Students sort information into groups (like favorite colors or types of pets), count how many are in each group, and compare the totals. They answer questions like "which group has more?" and "how many altogether?"

  • Identify the value of all U.S

    1.MD.5.a

    Students learn the value of every U.S. coin, from a penny to a dollar coin, and practice writing those amounts correctly using the cent symbol or dollar sign.

  • Know the comparative values of all U.S

    1.MD.5b

    Students learn which coins are worth more than others. A dime beats a nickel, a quarter beats a dime, and they can line up all U.S. coins from least to greatest value.

  • Count like U.S. coins up to the equivalent of a dollar

    1.MD.5.c

    Students count pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, adding them up until they reach a dollar or close to it.

  • Find the equivalent value for all greater value U.S

    1.MD.5.d

    Students figure out how many pennies make a nickel, how many make a dime, and how many make a quarter. They use only one type of coin at a time when making the match.

Geometry
  • Reason with shapes and their attributes

    1.G.A

    Students sort and describe shapes by their sides, corners, and size. They learn that a shape stays the same shape even when you flip or turn it.

  • Distinguish between defining attributes

    1.G.1

    Students learn which features actually make a shape what it is. A triangle is always three-sided and closed, but its color or size does not change what it is called.

  • Compose two-dimensional shapes

    1.G.2

    Students put simple shapes together to build a bigger shape, then use that bigger shape to build something new. Think of it like combining two triangles to make a square, then using that square as one piece of a larger picture.

  • Partition circles and rectangles into two and four equal shares, describe the…

    1.G.3

    Students cut circles and rectangles into two or four equal pieces and name each piece a half, fourth, or quarter. They also notice that cutting a shape into more pieces makes each piece smaller.

Common Questions
  • What math should students know by the end of the year?

    Students should add and subtract small numbers quickly, count to 120 from any starting number, and understand that a number like 47 means 4 tens and 7 ones. They should also tell time to the hour and half hour, name coins, and compare lengths.

  • How can families practice math at home in a few minutes?

    Count coins from a jar, set a timer for a half hour of reading, or ask quick questions like what is ten more than 36. Cooking, setting the table, and sorting laundry into groups all give natural chances to count and compare.

  • Should students have addition facts memorized?

    Students should add and subtract within 10 quickly and without counting on fingers every time. For numbers up to 20, they can still use strategies like making a ten or counting on. Speed comes from lots of short practice, not drills that feel stressful.

  • How should addition and subtraction be sequenced across the year?

    Start with sums and differences within 10 and word problems with the unknown in different spots. Move to making a ten as a strategy, then to adding a two-digit number and a one-digit number. Save adding tens to tens and ten more or ten less for the second half of the year.

  • My child still counts on fingers. Is that a problem?

    Counting on fingers is normal at this age and shows students are thinking about quantity. The goal is to slowly shift to strategies like making a ten or using a known fact, such as knowing 5 plus 5 to figure out 5 plus 6. Fingers fade on their own with practice.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    The equal sign trips students up because many read it as the answer comes next rather than both sides are the same. Place value with teen numbers and word problems where the unknown is at the start also need extra time and varied practice.

  • What does mastery of place value look like at this grade?

    Students can show 53 as 5 tens and 3 ones with blocks or drawings, compare 53 and 35 using the tens digit, and find 10 more or 10 less in their head. They do not need to add two-digit numbers in columns yet.

  • How can families help with word problems?

    Read the problem together, then ask students to draw a picture or use small objects like buttons or cereal to act it out. Talk about what is known and what is missing before writing any numbers. The drawing matters more than the equation at this stage.

  • How do I know students are ready for second grade math?

    They can add and subtract within 20, count past 100 from any number, and read and write two-digit numbers with confidence. They can also tell time to the half hour, name and count coins, and partition a shape into halves and fourths.