Mathematics — Grade 1

Resources on the web

Ladybug Lengths

This experience focuses student attention on the attributes of length and gives students the opportunity to develop knowledge of and skills in using nonstandard units of measurement. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Judge and Jury

Students participate in activities in which they focus on the uses of numbers. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

It counts

Designed to help students understand and reinforce how numbers are assigned to objects, as well as think about more, less, or equal values. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

How Big Is Your Heart?

In this lesson, the first of a five-part series from Illuminations titled “The Beat of Your Heart,” students explore the size of their hearts. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Helping Ladybug Hide with Arrows and Angles

Students use a Java applet to hide a ladybug under a leaf. This requires experimentation, planning, and understanding of spatial relationships and visual memory. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics and Science)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Handy Map

The teacher draws an outline of his or her hands and begins mapping them using words the students suggest. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Get the Turtle to the Pond

This lesson from Illuminations provides opportunities for creative problem solving while encouraging young students to estimate length and angle measure. Students are asked to enter a sequence of LOGO commands to help the turtle get to the pond. Children... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by:

Facing Up

Students create a map of their face and practice locating different parts using the geometric and measurement concepts they have learned in previous lessons. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics and Science)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Estimation and measurement

Students will first measure with the idea of units in mind and then be challenged to consider why it is important to have standardized units of measurement. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: American Association for the Advancement of Science

Drop by Drop

Students engage in activities that promote understanding of how to measure volume using standard units. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Comparison estimator

This activity allows the user to compare two quantities (which may be the number of objects in each of two sets, the lengths of two curves, or the area of two shapes) by estimating. (Learn more)

Format: activity/lesson plan (grade K–12 Mathematics)

Provided by: Shodor

Can You Measure Up?

Students engage in dramatization and a variety of measuring activities that include estimation, equivalents, and elapsed time. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: ARTSEDGE: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Block Pounds

Students explore the use of variables as unknowns as they solve for the weights of objects using information presented in pictures. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Balancing Act

Students use mathematical models to represent and understand quantitative relationships (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

The Area of Things...

Students recognize and use the attributes of length and area using nonstandard units. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–2 Mathematics)

Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics