Countdown!

Not countdown to Christmas (which seems to be occupying most children's minds) but Countdown, our latest math game. :-) This game is a great connection to one of our latest topics in math--FACT POWER! We have been discussing and practicing how to gain "fact power," which is the ability to recall basic math facts "in a snap." I compare having fact power to knowing sight words, recognizing numbers quickly, knowing letters of the alphabet, etc. After enough fact practice, students will know the math facts without even thinking about them. In first grade, we focus on the +0, +1, doubles, and complements of 10 addition facts. For example, 1+0, 2+0, 3+0, and so on; and 1+1, 2+1, 3+1, and so on; and 1+1, 2+2, 3+3, 4+4, and so on; and facts that add up to 10 (1+9, 2+8, etc.).