Use Appropriate Tools Strategically.
1st Grade
Mathematically proficient students in First Grade have access to a variety of concrete (e.g. 3-dimensional solids, ten frames, number
balances, number lines) and technological tools (e.g., virtual manipulatives, calculators, interactive websites) and use them to
investigate mathematical concepts.
balances, number lines) and technological tools (e.g., virtual manipulatives, calculators, interactive websites) and use them to
investigate mathematical concepts.
- Students select tools that help them solve and/or illustrate solutions to a problem.
- Students recognize that multiple tools can be used for the same problem- depending on the strategy used. For example, a child who is in the counting stage may choose connecting cubes to solve a problem. While, a student who understands parts of number, may solve the same problem using ten-frames to decompose numbers rather than using individual connecting cubes.
- As the teacher provides numerous opportunities for students to use educational materials, first grade students’ conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking skills are developed.