Illustrative Mathematics
1.OA, NBT, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
First graders are exposed to addition of three whole numbers in a math activity centered around Eric Carle's, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. As the teacher reads, young mathematicians use counters and ten-frames to symbolize the number of...
Curated OER
How Many?
Establish 1:1 correspondence by counting students, first one gender, then the other. Give each child a colored cube (one color for boys, another for girls) and have small groups determine more or less and how many all together. As a...
Curated OER
Finding Equal Groups
Build counting fluency in your kindergartners with this counting and grouping timed learning game. Provide various groups of objects to count such as a clear plastic bag filled with 7 beans or a cup with 5 pennies. There are many other...
National Security Agency
Equations and Expressions
Learners demonstrate their knowledge pictorially, concretely, and abstractly in this unit meant to last three hours over three days. Using hands-on activities, manipulatives, real-world applications, and problem solving, learners write...
Curated OER
Length and Volume Exploration
Students explore how to measure length and volume. They compare and order objects according to their measurable attributes and measure items using non-standard units. Students put 4 pencils in order from shortest to longest after...
Curated OER
How Heavy
Break out the balances for this primary grade lesson on weight measurement. Using common elementary school manipulatives like unifix or snap cubes, young mathematicians determine the weight of four different classroom objects. A graphic...
Curated OER
Patterns
Explore early algebra by participating in a pattern identification activity using a random assortment of different household materials. The class creates, completes, and analyzes different patterns with the help of leggos, buttons,...
Curated OER
Unifix Flash Cards
Third graders are asked how multiplication, division, addition and subtraction are related. After being read part of a book, they work together to build a model between addition and multiplication. To end the lesson, they write about...
Curated OER
Step Into My Shoes
Students order their classmates from smallest to largest foot length. In this ordering their classmates from smallest to largest foot length lesson, students trace each of their classmates foot. Students read a story called, 'How Big...
Curated OER
Fraction Card Shark
Second graders explain the relative size of fractions using symbolic and concrete representations. Groups of four students play a game which uses cards and unifix cubes. The game helps them get a visual understanding for the 'size' of...
Curated OER
Domino Practice
Students are given organizing boards and play domino and cube games. These simple games provide fun and practice in categorizing, using dominos and unifix cubes.
Curated OER
More! A Lesson on Comparing
Students practice counting and comparing objects. In this math lesson, students view a Count on It! episode. Students examine the value of what they are counting. Students estimate number in groups of items. Students determine which...
Curated OER
New Ways to Measure
Students recognize that measuring tools can come in many different shapes and sizes. In this early childhood math lesson, students develop creative-thinking, math, and social skills as they use nontraditional measuring tools.
Curated OER
Investigation: Reasoning and Proof
Students explore animal characteristics by creating illustrations. In this animal identification lesson, students read a list of animal descriptions which they draw using crayons or colored pencils. Students view their drawings and...
Curated OER
Patterns
Second graders create an ABAB pattern with their name. In this early elementary math lesson, 2nd graders first model their names in an ABAB pattern with unifix cubes. They then recreate the pattern using letter stamps on KidPix.
Illustrative Mathematics
Growing Bean Plants
Plant growth experiments offer rich, cross-curricular learning opportunities that can really excite and engage young learners. In this series, children work in pairs planting, measuring, and comparing the height of bean plants in order...
Curated OER
The Commutative Cookie
Third graders investigate the commutative properties of multiplication and focus upon the setting of cubes in the correct patterns to solve problems. They differentiate between numbers that have multiple factors and prime numbers....
Curated OER
Even and Odd Numbers
First graders use patterns in order to identify and recognize even and odd numbers.
Curated OER
"One Hundred Hungry Ants" by Elinor J. Pinczes
Learners identify arrays and write multiplication and division problems to match. They write their own multiplication book using arrays.
Curated OER
It's a Fact!
Second graders investigate the concept of addition and subtraction while manipulating a variety of different resources. They focus upon the use of the games in order to keep student engagement. Then students are given the opportunity to...
Curated OER
Whole Number Game Time
First graders play math games to develop a better understanding of whole numbers. They represent and use whole numbers up to 100. They estimate how many times they would have to roll two dice before they would get to 100 and record...
Curated OER
Playing with Tens and Ones
First graders complete a number of activities that increase their number sense and use of simple operations. They use dice and worksheets to make two-digit numbers and to record them, they count by tens and ones, and order numbers using...
Curated OER
Counting by Ones
Students participate in teacher-led demonstrations and use manipulatives to count the numbers one through ten out loud.