Differentiated Math Fact Practice

Making Ten

4th Grade Resources

Fall Math Activities For The First Grade Classroom

First grade is a big year! First graders are just beginning to learn new concepts that will carry them through the primary grades and help lay the foundation for more complex skills. Sometimes, it can feel a bit overwhelming to keep students' attention while touching on all of these things. Over the years, I've found a tried and true solution- seasonal math activities! Come along as we chat about some of my favorite fall math activities for the first-grade classroom. 

Use these fun and engaging fall math activities in your first grade classroom this year.

Addressing First Grade Math Standards

There really is SO much to learn in first grade when it comes to math. First-grade math standards focus on 4 main areas:
Covering the first grade math standards is fun and easy with these engaging fall math activities your students will love.
  • Operations and Algebraic Thinking
  • Numbers and Operations in Base Ten
  • Measurement Data
  • Geometry
You'll work on a variety of different skills within these standards throughout the year, but these 4 themes will stay consistent throughout your teaching. As the year begins, you'll likely be focusing on a review of kindergarten standards, but as you move into the fall it's time to begin working on some more complex concepts. 

The key to teaching new math standards and maintaining high levels of student engagement is to change things up. I find the easiest way to do this throughout the year is with the use of seasonal themes. I love aligning our math lessons with upcoming holidays and seasons, and the children really enjoy it as well! 

Fall Math Fun In The First Grade Classroom 

When it comes to seasonal themes, I really do like to make the most of them! Throughout the year we touch on fall themes, Halloween, Thanksgiving, winter holidays, and more. As soon as there's a bit of a chill in the air, it's time to bring out the fun, fall math activities!

In my classroom, I really enjoy using worksheets and activities that have some seasonal flair to them. During the fall you'll find pumpkins, scarecrows, leaves, Pilgrims, and turkeys decorating the pages of our lessons. Sprinkling these holiday touches throughout our day helps keeps my students engaged as we work on new math concepts. 

Fall Place Value Activities  

Place value is a tad tricky for first graders upon introduction, but the more they work on this skill, the easier it gets! For this reason, I encourage lots and lots of practice! That doesn't mean it needs to be boring though. Practicing place value can be fun and engaging when you use fun, color-by-code worksheets in your lessons. 

Color by code activities like this help your students practice and master place value.
Color by Code Fall Place Value Activities are the perfect way to help your first-grade students get plenty of practice with 1's and 10s as well as 10s and 100s in a fun format. 

I love using these as a center activity in the classroom while I work on other skills with a small group. I find that this format is super simple for first graders to follow independently, making it a great option for center time. 

These are also perfect for homework packets, and early finishers, and perfect for practice packets to work on over Thanksgiving break. The fun, coloring activities won't feel like work to your students but they'll get plenty of practice with identifying place value. 

Fall Number of the Day Activities

One of my favorite ways to sprinkle some seasonal fun into our lessons is with Number of the Day Worksheets. In my classroom, we use these every day!  The pages always feature a fun, seasonal theme. Throughout October, we use Halloween-themed pages and the kids LOVE them! 

Your students will love practicing their daily number sense with these engaging number of the day activities.
In first grade, our Number of the Day activities primarily focus on number sense activities like counting on, using base ten blocks, more or less,  and using the number line. 

My students are always excited to work on these pages since they get to color the fun, fall pictures after they finish.

Number of the Day activities are a great addition to your routine if you're looking for a way to add some number sense to your schedule each day. 

The pages we use have a predictable pattern, making them great for independent work in the first-grade classroom. If you'd like a closer look at exactly how we use these in my classroom, be sure to take a peek at this post with all the details! 

Halloween Problem Solving Activities For Fall 

Firsties LOVE Halloween, and I do too! I love using Halloween-themed worksheets and activities to snag student attention as we dive into important skills like problem-solving. 

Digital Halloween problem soling activities like these keep your students engaged as they learn their math facts.
This is especially fun when teaching math word problems to first graders. First graders are a curious bunch by nature and always seem to perk up when we start solving these Halloween-themed puzzles. 

The activities I like to use for problem-solving include a variety of problems that encourage critical thinking. The activities focus on picture models, using tens frames, writing about a picture, and using a bar model. These activities are wonderful for use in your small groups since they come in both print and digital formats. 

I like to work through examples on the digital lesson and then have kiddos try the activities on their own with the printable worksheets. Word problems are both fun and challenging to first graders and the spooky Halloween images offer an added level of fun, making these a win-win for the fall! 

Digital Fall Math Activities 

Finally, if you're looking for one more way to grab the attention of your first graders try incorporating some digital activities in your fall math lessons. 

Digital fall math coloring pages like these give your students extra fun math practice.
I find that when it comes to digital activities, it's best to stick with concepts that have previously been taught and need to be reviewed. In first grade, this is especially important. We do lots of practice reviewing addition with 10 in first grade and digital activities help keep it engaging! 

Color My Math Fall Digital Coloring Pages are perfect for practicing addition within 10. Students love these activities and I love that they are getting continued practice with this key skill! I often assign these activities for my early finishers or use them for technology integration in our center time. 

To use, kiddos will solve addition problems to color in a piece of the picture. When all of the problems are answered correctly a fully-colored, fall picture will be revealed. This set includes apples, leaves, and fall flowers making these great for autumn in the classroom. 

Halloween Number Puzzles

I also love adding seasonal activities to my math centers.  These Halloween Number Puzzles give students practice with representing numbers in different ways.  It's a fun, hands-on activity that you can add to your math centers in the days leading up to Halloween.  AND . . . it's a freebie that I created just for you!  Grab your free Halloween Number Puzzles and add some seasonal fun in your classroom.


Add Seasonal Math Activities All Year Long 

I hope you're inspired to try out some fun, fall math activities in your classroom this fall! As teachers in the primary grades, we know how much ground there is to cover! Making your lessons fun and engaging with seasonal themes is a great way to keep those kiddos engaged and excited for learning as you work through all your material! 

If you're looking to keep the seasonal fun rolling all year long, be sure to check my First Grade Number Sense Seasonal Bundle. This huge bundle is filled with all kinds of fun activities you'll be able to use all year long in your classroom. Keep those kiddos engaged with holiday-themed activities and lessons!
 
Seasonal math activities keep your students engaged as they learn important math facts in first grade.

Want a sneak peek into this seasonal math bundle?  Grab this free sample and try out the Thanksgiving Number Line resources in your classroom.

Save These Fall Math Activities

Don't forget to save this post on your classroom Pinterest board so that you'll be all set when it comes time to plan your fall math activities! 

Fall math activities for the first grade classroom can be fun and engaging for your students. With activities like color by code, digital activities, and more, your students will love practicing and mastering their math facts in first grade. #fallmath #firstgrademath #numbersenseactivities

Fun Hundred Chart Activities for Building Number Sense

As a math teacher in the elementary classroom, helping our students build a strong number sense is an important concept we must all work on.  While the numbers we focus on may change over the years, helping our students understand those numbers and what they represent is vital to their future math classes.  A hundred chart is one of my favorite tools for working on number sense in the primary classroom.  Check out these fun hundred chart activities for helping your students build a solid foundation with numbers to 100. And. . . if you teach upper elementary students, these same activities can be used with a hundredths chart or thousandths chart too!

Use hundred chart activities to help students build a solid number sense foundation


1.  Create an Interactive Hundred Chart

It should come to no surprise that since a hundred chart is one of my favorite math tools, I have a large, interactive hundred chart in my classroom.  What I love about this chart, over a store bought chart, is the ability to move the number cards.  This makes it super easy to use the hundred chart during lessons.  And. . . we just might LOVE playing games with this interactive hundred chart.

You can easily create your own interactive hundred chart using this printable resource and a pocket chart.  In fact, this resource includes number cards up to 120 so you can extend your chart to meet your math standards.  

Once you have your hundred chart on display, the real fun begins.  I like to build in a few minutes each day to work on number sense using the hundred chart.  Here's a few interactive games you can play:

    Your students will love playing number games with the interactive hundred chart.
  • Build the Chart - With young students, building the chart one number at a time is a great way to count up to 100.  In addition to adding the number, you can review numbers you have previously taught.
  • Missing Number - Each day before students arrive, take one number off the hundred chart. Challenge students to figure out which number is missing. When students figure out the missing number, ask them how they knew.  This is a great way for them to describe their thinking as they determined the missing number.
  • Out of Place - This is a great game to alternate with Missing Number.  Before students arrive, switch two or more numbers on the hundred chart.  Challenge students to find the numbers that are out of place and fix them.  And. . . don't miss the opportunity to have them explain why they chose the numbers they did.
  • I Spy - This is a great game that includes lots of opportunities for using math vocabulary.  You or a student can pick a number on the hundred chart.  Start by giving one clue that starts with "I spy a number that is. . ." The rest of the class will take turns guessing the number after hearing the clue.  Try to avoid using the words bigger and smaller, and instead use this opportunity to strengthen the math vocabulary of more, fewer, greater than and less than.
  • 20 Questions (or as many students as you have in your class) - This game is similar to I Spy, but instead of you giving a clue, the students are the ones asking questions to try to figure out the number.  Not only does this game have students using math vocabulary, but it also works on listening skills and critical thinking.  You can model this game for students using questions like "Is the number greater than 25?" or "Is the number an even number?"

2. Play Race to 100

This is a fun game for 2 students to play together.  All you need is a hundred chart, two colors of markers, and some dice.  Students will take turn rolling the dice and marking off the squares that correspond to the number they rolled.  The player to reach 100 wins.

Race to 100 is a fun hundred chart game that will get your students working with numbers to 100.
I like to play this game using 2 dice.  Younger students can count the total while older students can practice their addition facts adding the two numbers together. 

To add a little challenge to this activity, you can require that the student who wins must have the right number in order to land on 100.  If you roll a number that would cause you to land beyond 100 you are not able to move.  This builds some anticipation and excitement at the end of the game.  You'll also be surprised at the math happening as they try to figure out what that target number is.

You can print out a stack of hundred charts for students to play during math centers or as an early finisher activity.  You can also laminate the hundred charts and let students use a dry erase marker for a game that can be used again and again.

3.  Make Your Own Hundred Chart Puzzles

This is such an easy activity, but one that really helps students identify the patterns on a hundred chart.  Grab an already filled-in hundred chart and copy it onto cardstock.  Then just randomly cut out sections using the lines on the chart. 

Help students interact with number patterns and number order as they put together this hundred chart puzzle.
You can make this puzzle as simple or as complicated as you need to challenge your students.  The most simple version would be cutting the hundred chart horizontally and leaving each line together.  This will put each set of 10 in one puzzle piece and allow students to work on ordering the numbers by decade.

To help students see the number patterns that are followed, cut the hundreds chart vertically.  This will create 10 puzzle pieces with all the numbers ending in the same digit.  This is one of the best ways I have found for students struggling with the number pattern to see it in action.

To challenge students, randomly cut the hundred chart into different shapes and sizes.  Don't be afraid to use multiple lines and columns in each piece.  

Gather all of your hundreds chart pieces and store them in a zip-loc bag.  When it is time for the activity or math center, challenge students to put the hundred chart back together.  

4. Missing Numbers

One of the best ways to help students with number order and number patterns on a hundred chart is with missing number activities.
Help students master number order with a missing numbers activity.  Here students are provided with a hundred chart that has some numbers on it and some numbers missing.  Students must fill in the missing numbers.

The more numbers missing, the more challenging the activity will be for students. 

This activity is so easy to differentiate for your students.  Have students struggling with numbers to 20 - only use those numbers in your activity.  Have students struggling with number patterns on the hundred chart, be intentional about leaving multiple numbers in the same pattern blank.  

Looking for some done for you missing number practice? Grab this Hundred Chart Activities resource and you will be ready to go!  This pack is filled with a variety of missing number activities to help your students further develop their number sense skills.

5. Draw and Cover

This hundred chart game is a great way to help students work on number identification and number patterns on a hundred chart.
This is a great number identification game that can be used during a math center or as part of a whole class math warm-up.  Grab a hundred chart and a set of number cards and get playing.  Students will draw a number card and then find that number on the hundred chart.  They can cover that number using a unifix cube, a dab of playdough or any small manipulative.  

With a feel that is similar to the beloved game of Bingo, this draw and cover game is sure to keep your students engaged while they are working on their number sense skills.

Save These Hundred Chart Activities

Save these hundred chart activities to your favorite math Pinterest board so you can quickly and easily come back when you need new ideas for using a hundred chart in your classroom.

Help your students develop a strong number sense foundation with these hundred chart activities and games.  Each of these activities will get your students interacting with numbers in a fun and engaging way.
Powered by Blogger.