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Mathematics - Elementary Curriculum Mathematics Grade 1
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Strand: OPERATIONS AND ALGEBRAIC THINKING (1.OA)

Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction within 20 (Standards 1-2, 5-6). Understand and apply properties of operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction (Standards 3-4). Work with addition and subtraction equations (Standards 7-8).

Standard 1.OA.1

Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems involving situations of adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing, with unknowns in all positions. For example, use objects, drawings, and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem.

  • $20 Dot Map
    This problem helps students to practice adding three numbers whose sum are 20 or less. It is an open-ended problem with many solutions. This problem would work well either as a whole group or students could work on it as individuals or pairs.
  • 20 Tickets
    The purpose of the task is for students to add and subtract within 20 and represent complex addition problems with an equation to increase their understanding of and flexibility with the equals sign.
  • At the Park
    This task includes three different problem types using the "Add To" context with a discrete quantity.
  • Boys and Girls, Variation 1
    This task represents the Put Together/Take Apart contexts for addition and subtraction. Students may use either addition or subtraction to solve these types of word problems, with addition related to the action of putting together and subtraction related to the action of taking apart.
  • Boys and Girls, Variation 2
    This task represents the Put Together/Take Apart with both addends unknown context for addition and subtraction.
  • Field Day Scarcity
    The purpose of this task is for students to relate addition and subtraction problems to money in a context that introduces the concept of scarcity.
  • Finding a Chair
    This task represents compare contexts for addition and subtraction. The problem explicitly describes one-to-one correspondences without using comparison language.
  • Georgia Standards of Excellence Mathematics
    GeorgiaStandards.Org (GSO) is a free, public website providing information and resources necessary to help meet the educational needs of students. The goal of this web site is to provide information that will enhance and support teaching and learning of Georgia standards.
  • Grade 1 Math Module 1: Sums and Differences to 10 (EngageNY)
    In this first module of Grade 1, students make significant progress towards fluency with addition and subtraction of numbers to 10 as they are presented with opportunities intended to advance them from counting all to counting on which leads many students then to decomposing and composing addends and total amounts.
  • Grade 1 Math Module 2: Intro to Place Value Through Addition and Subtraction Within 20 (EngageNY)
    Module 2 serves as a bridge from students' prior work with problem solving within 10 to work within 100 as students begin to solve addition and subtraction problems involving teen numbers. Students go beyond the Level 2 strategies of counting on and counting back as they learn Level 3 strategies informally called "make ten" or "take from ten."
  • Grade 1 Math Module 3: Ordering and Comparing Length Measurements as Numbers (EngageNY)
    Module 3 begins by extending students' kindergarten experiences with direct length comparison to indirect comparison whereby the length of one object is used to compare the lengths of two other objects. Longer than and shorter than are taken to a new level of precision by introducing the idea of a length unit. Students then explore the usefulness of measuring with similar units. The module closes with students representing and interpreting data.
  • Grade 1 Math Module 4: Place Value, Comparison, Addition and Subtraction to 40 (EngageNY)
    Module 4 builds upon Module 2's work with place value within 20, now focusing on the role of place value in the addition and subtraction of numbers to 40. Students study, organize, and manipulate numbers within 40. They compare quantities and begin using the symbols for greater than (>) and less than (<). Addition and subtraction of tens is another focus of this module as is the use of familiar strategies to add two-digit and single-digit numbers within 40. Near the end of the module, the focus moves to new ways to represent larger quantities and adding like place value units as students add two-digit numbers.
  • Grade 1 Math Module 6: Place Value, Comparison, Addition and Subtraction to 100 (EngageNY)
    In this final module of the Grade 1 curriculum, students bring together their learning from Module 1 through Module 5 to learn the most challenging Grade 1 standards and celebrate their progress. As the module opens, students grapple with comparative word problem types. Next, they extend their understanding of and skill with tens and ones to numbers to 100. Students also extend their learning from Module 4 to the numbers to 100 to add and subtract. At the start of the second half of Module 6, students are introduced to nickels and quarters, having already used pennies and dimes in the context of their work with numbers to 40 in Module 4. Students use their knowledge of tens and ones to explore decompositions of the values of coins. The module concludes with fun fluency festivities to celebrate a year's worth of learning.
  • Grade 1 Unit 3: Operations and Algebraic Thinking (Georgia Standards)
    In this unit, students will explore, understand, and apply the commutative and associative properties as strategies for solving addition problems. Share, discuss, and compare strategies as a class. Connect counting on to solving subtraction problems. For the problem 15 7 = ? they think about the number they have to count on from 7 to get to 15. Work with sums and differences less than or equal to 20 using the numbers 0 to 20. Identify and then apply a pattern or structure in mathematics. For example, pose a string of addition and subtraction problems involving the same three numbers chosen from the numbers 0 to 20, such as 4 + 13 = 17 and 13 + 4 = 17. Analyze number patterns and create conjectures or guesses.
  • Growing Bean Plants
    This task adds some rigor to this common activity, by collecting actual growth data, providing practice for students in measuring and recording length measurements.
  • Link-Cube Addition
    The purpose of this task is for students to identify and represent related addition and subtraction equations with objects and equations.
  • Making a ten
    This task is designed to help students visualize where the 10's are on a single digit addition table and explain why this is so. This knowledge can then be used to help them learn the addition table.
  • Maria's Marbles
    This task includes problem types that represent the Compare contexts for addition and subtraction. The student must solve word problems involving marbles.
  • Measuring Blocks
    This task has students work in pairs. Given two or more blocks of different lengths and paper clips to use to measure them, the pair measures the blocks and tell how many paper clips long it is. They then figure out how long two different blocks would be when laid end to end and explain how they solved the problem.
  • Operations and Algebraic Thinking (1.OA) - First Grade Core Guide
    The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and educators around the state of Utah developed these guides for First Grade Mathematics - Operations and Algebraic Thinking (1.OA)
  • Peyton's Books
    This task was designed to help students to make sense of problems and persevere to solve them, as well as understanding the relationship between addition and subtraction. Students will solve the take from, change unknown problem, and through a teacher-facilitated discussion, understand that the problem can be solved using addition or subtraction.
  • School Supplies
    In solving a word problem about school supplies, this task could be used for either instructional or assessment purposes, depending on where students are in their understanding of addition.
  • Sharing Markers
    This task includes the three different problem types using the Take From context: result unknown, change unknown, and start unknown.
  • The Pet Snake
    Students are given 3 word problems about a pet snake. The task uses a continuous quantity for these examples of addition and subtraction.


UEN logo http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialists - Patricia  Stephens-French or Molly  Basham and see the Mathematics - Elementary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.