Saturday, October 11, 2025

Addition and Subtraction in the Fall!

We’ve had an exciting couple of  weeks in first grade math! Our young mathematicians have been working hard as we continue to dive into basic addition and subtraction strategies. We’re building strong number sense by using hands-on tools, visual models, and games that make learning math fun and meaningful. 

We were lucky enough to have a special cross-curricular treat, Math Through Art! We partnered with our wonderful art teacher, Mrs. Auctur, for a creative math activity. Students used watercolors to paint beautiful 10 frames, along with wooden pumpkins and leaves. These colorful creations were not just for display, they became part of a math game we played on Friday!

In the game, students filled their 10 frames with pumpkins. Then, they rolled a 10-sided die and practiced subtraction with the equation:
10 - ___ = ___
For example, if they rolled a 4, they solved:
10 - 4 = 6

It was so fun to use the tools we made ourselves! The activity helped us understand subtraction in a concrete, visual way and it was a perfect way to end the week. We will continue to use the tools we created in more fun ways!