Mathematics

In this unit, children build a strong understanding of whole numbers up to 50 and take their first steps into fractions through fair sharing.

They learn to count to 50 by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s; read, write and show numbers in many ways; build and break apart numbers using tens and ones; compare and order numbers; and estimate how many objects are in a collection.

Then they explore fair sharing: splitting objects fairly between 2 and 4 people, dealing with leftovers, and cutting wholes into halves and fourths. They discover that one half and two fourths of the same whole are equal, and that the more people share a whole, the smaller each share becomes.

These ideas are the foundation for adding and subtracting, for place value in later grades, and for all future work with fractions. Each lesson includes worked examples, pictures, a hands-on activity with things from home, practice questions with answers, a short quiz, and notes for the grown-up helping.

In this unit you will learn what it means to add (put together) and subtract (take away or compare). You will learn the addition facts up to 10 and their related subtraction facts, discover fact families, and use math rules like adding in any order and adding 0. Then you will learn mental math strategies to 20 (counting on, counting back, doubles, near doubles and make ten), solve story problems with numbers up to 50 using objects, drawings and equations, and make equal groups.

These skills are the building blocks for all the math to come. Every lesson has hands-on activities you can do at home, practice questions and a short quiz.

Curriculum expectations covered: B2.1, B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.5 (Ontario Mathematics, Grade 1, 2020).

In this unit, Grade 1 students become pattern detectives, balance experts and coders.

• Patterns (C1): find patterns in designs and the world around us, make and translate patterns using movements, sounds, objects, shapes, letters and numbers, use pattern rules to extend patterns, predict and find missing parts, and explore number patterns up to 50.
• Equations and equality (C2): notice which amounts change and which stay the same, learn that the equal sign means the same amount as, and decide whether two expressions are equal or not equal.
• Coding (C3): write step-by-step code to move a robot and solve math problems, then read code, find bugs and change code to see how the outcome changes.

These ideas are the beginning of algebra: seeing rules, relationships and structure in math. Throughout the unit, children practise explaining their thinking, trying again when something does not work, and talking about math with others.

In this unit, children become data detectives. They sort things and people by one attribute and explain their sorting rules. They ask simple questions, collect data by interviewing, observing and experimenting, and organize what they find in tally tables. They show data in concrete graphs, pictographs, line plots and bar graphs with titles, labels and sources, then order categories from greatest to least and read graphs, logbooks and diagrams to draw conclusions and make decisions.

The unit ends with likelihood: using the words impossible, possible and certain, making predictions, and testing whether another group of the same size gives similar data.

Data skills help children make sense of the world around them, from choosing a class snack to deciding whether to wear boots tomorrow. They also practise counting, comparing numbers, and explaining their thinking with words like because.

In this unit, children explore the world of shapes, space and measurement.

They learn to name and sort 2D shapes and 3D objects, build structures and find flat shapes hiding on solid objects, and discover matching halves (symmetry). They use positional words like above, between and left to describe where things are, then give and follow directions on a simple grid map.

In measurement, they learn what can be measured about an object (length, area, mass and capacity) and compare and order objects fairly by putting them side by side, on top of each other, on a balance, or by pouring. Finally, they learn the days of the week, months of the year and seasons, and use a calendar to find dates and Canadian holidays.

These ideas help children describe the world around them, read maps, cook, build, and plan their week. Throughout the unit, children are encouraged to explain their thinking, try again when something does not work, and use math talk such as "How do you know?" and "Is there another way?"

In this unit, children learn to recognize Canadian money. They learn the names, values and pictures of the coins (nickel 5¢, dime 10¢, quarter 25¢, fifty-cent piece 50¢, loonie $1, toonie $2), find out why the penny is no longer made, and learn the colours and values of the bills ($5 blue, $10 purple, $20 green, $50 red).

Then they compare money: which coin or bill is worth more, how to order them, and how a few coins or bills can have the same value as one (2 nickels = 1 dime, 2 loonies = 1 toonie, 2 $10 bills = 1 $20 bill). Children discover that a coin's size does not tell its value.

Understanding money helps children take part in everyday life, like shopping, saving, and sharing, and builds skip counting by 5s and 10s.