Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-1 MM 1-4

“I’ll start counting and you keep going Give the child number cards.
when I stop.”
“Hold up the number 8; 6; 5.”
1, 2, 3, ... (4, 5, 6)
Continue with all the number cards.
5, 6, 7, ... (8, 9, 10) MM 1-5

7, 8, 9, ... (10, 11, 12) Hold up a number card. “If I were counting,
what number would come after this number?”
10, 11, 12, ... (13, 14, 15)
6 (7)
Continue with numbers the children know. 4 (5)
9 (10)
7 (8)
MM 1-2
14 (15)
“When you count what number comes after 18 (19)
7?” (8)
Continue with all the number cards.
4? (5), 9? (10), 6? (7), 10? (11), 2? (3),
14? (15), 8? (9), 17? (18), 13? (14).

Continue with numbers the children know.

MM 1-3
MM 1-6
Hold up a number card. “What is this
number?” Give the child the number cards. “Hold up the
number which comes after the ones I say.”
Show a 4.
8 (9)
Show a 7. 4 (5)
9 (10)
Show a 9. 7 (8)
14 (15)
Show a 5. 18 (19)
Continue with all the number cards. Continue with all the number cards.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-7 MM 1-11

What number am I thinking of? It is more Show students 1 piece of chalk. Show
than 3 and less than 5. (4) them an empty box of chalk. They are to
estimate how many pieces of chalk would
Practice with different numbers. fit in the box.

Show them other objects and containers.

MM 1-8 MM 1-12

Close your eyes. Estimate how many Show two sets of objects for a very short
tables, windows, or book cases, etc. are in period of time (counters, unifix cubes,
the room. bundles of sticks, coins, etc.). Tell how
many are in one set. Show the sets again
briefly. Ask the children to determine the
number in the other set. Give the children
hints to help them in determining the
MM 1-9 number.

Teacher holds crayons in hand. Show

students hand of crayons. Students
estimate how many crayons are in
teacher’s hand. MM 1-13

Repeat with other objects in your hand. “Count on 2 starting with 7 (8, 9), 9 (10,
11), 12 (13, 14), 8 (9, 10).”

Continue with other numbers the child

knows. Have the child count on 3 more,
MM 1-10 but no higher. If the child has difficulty,
have him/her say the starting number softly
Every student takes out 1 pencil. Ask and the other numbers louder.
students to estimate how many of a certain
color are in their row or group.

Check to make sure.

 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-14 MM 1-17

“Start counting from 4 and count to 6. “What is 7 plus 1?” (8)

How many did you count?” (2)
“What is 5 plus 2?” (7)
Have the child say the first number softly
and the next ones louder - raising a finger “What is 8 plus 0?” (8)
for each one he counts after 4.
“What is 4 plus 3?” (7)
“Start with 8 and count to 11. How many
did you count?” (3) Repeat for numbers less than 10. Only add
0, 1, 2, or 3.
Repeat, starting with other numbers, but
do not have the child count on more than
3.

MM 1-15 MM 1-18

Hold up two number cards and have the Hold up two number cards. Both should be
child count from the smaller to the larger less than 10. One of the cards should be 0,
and tell you how many she/he counted. 1, 2, or 3.
The numbers should be no more than 3
apart. Hold up 6 and 2. “If I added these
numbers, what would I have?” (8)

Repeat for any other numbers.

MM 1-16

“What is 2 more than 5?” (7)

“What is 1 more than 8?” (9)

“What is 3 more than 7?” (10)

“What is 0 more than 6?” (6)

Repeat for numbers less than 10. Only use

0, 1, 2, 3 more than.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-19 MM 1-22

Present story problems to the children How many sides does a square have? (4)
which involve addition.
How many corners does a triangle have?
“Peter had 4 blue shirts and 3 brown shirts. (3)
How many did he have in all?” (7)
Draw a square.
“Jane lost 2 marbles. She only had 2 left.
How many did she have before?” (4) Draw a triangle.

“Frances owned 3 dogs. His mother gave

him 2 more. How many dogs does he
have now?” (5) MM 1-23

Continue. One of the numbers should be Bill has a rectangular shaped toy and Darin
0, 1, 2, or 3. Use the words all together, in has a triangular shaped toy. Which toy has
all, find the total and find the sum. the most sides? (rectangular) How many
more sides? (1)

Draw a toy which has a rectangular shape.

MM 1-20

Do you know an object shaped like a

circle? MM 1-24

triangle? I’ll start counting backwards and you keep

going when I stop.
rectangle?
6, 5, 4, ... (3, 2, 1)
Continue with other shapes.
10, 9, 8, ... (7, 6, 5)
MM 1-21
Continue.
Draw a shape on the board. Ask the
students to name an object shaped like
this.

Repeat with other shapes.

 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-25 MM 1-27

When you count, what number comes “Count back 2, starting with 7.” (6, 5)
before 7? (6)
10 (9, 8)
8? (7)
13 (12, 11)
9? (8)
8 (7, 6)
5? (4)
Continue with numbers the children know.
11? (10) Have the child count back 3 from various
numbers.
Continue.

MM 1-26 MM 1-28

Hold up a number card. If I were “What is 2 less than 5?” (3)

counting, what number would come before
this number? “What is 1 less than 7?” (6)

6? (5) “What is 3 less than 6?” (3)

4? (3) “What is 0 less than 9?” (9)

7? (6) Repeat for numbers less than 10. Use only

0, 1, 2, or 3 less than.
8? (7)
Repeat for many days during the time the
Continue. students are learning the subtraction facts
involving 0, 1, 2, and 3.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-29 MM 1-31

“What is 7 minus 1?” (6) Hold up two number cards and have the
children count back from the larger to the
“What is 8 minus 3?” (5) smaller and tell you how many she/he
counted. The numbers should be no further
“What is 9 minus 2?” (7) than 3 apart.

“What is 10 minus 0?” (10)

Repeat for numbers 10 or less. Only

minus numbers 0, 1, 2 or 3. MM 1-32

Repeat for many days during the time the “Start counting from 7 and count back to 4.
students are learning the subtraction facts How many did you count?” (3)
involving 0, 1, 2 and 3.
“Start with 8 and count back to 6. How
many did you count?” (2)

Continue with other numbers, never having

the child count back more than 3.

MM 1-30

“Kim had 7 cookies. She gave 2 cookies MM 1-33

to her friend. How many cookies does
Kim have left?” (5) “How much larger is 6 than 4? (2) How
much larger is 7 than 6? (1) How much
“There are 8 girls in the swings. 3 went larger is 9 than 6? (3)”
away to play. How many are left?” (5)
Repeat for numbers less than 10. Only use
“Mark had 9 flowers in his garden. numbers which are 0, 1, 2 or 3 apart.
Someone took away 1. How many did
Mark have left?” (8) Repeat for many days during the time the
students are learning the subtraction facts
Continue. One of the numbers in each with answers of 0, 1, 2 or 3.
problem should be 0, 1, 2 or 3.

Repeat for many days during the time the

students are learning the subtraction facts
involving 0, 1, 2 and 3.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-34 MM 1-37

“What is 6 minus 4?” (2) “Ruth found 8 shiny rocks in the stream.
Nancy found 2 less than Ruth. How many
“What is 8 minus 7?” (1) rocks did Nancy find?” (6)

“What is 7 minus 4?” (3) “Paul has 4 black dogs. Mary has 4 white
dogs. How many more dogs did Paul have
“What is 9 minus 8?” (1) than Mary?” (0)

Repeat for numbers 10 or less. Only Continue with how many more or less
present numbers 0, 1, 2, or 3 apart. problems.

Repeat for many days during the time the

students are learning the subtraction facts
with answers of 0, 1, 2, or 3.
MM 1-38

“John has 6 tops. He bought some more

and now he has 9. How many did he buy?”
MM 1-35 (3)

“Blaine had 5 tractors. He lost 4 of them. “Jeannie has 10 pennies. 6 are in her bank
How many did he have left?” (1) and the rest are in her purse. How many
are in her purse?” (4)
“Alicia raised 8 hamsters. One day 6 ran
away. How many did she have left?” (2) Continue with problems of this type -
where you ask how many were added to get
“Ronald had a pack of gum with 8 pieces a total.
in it. He chewed 5 pieces. How many did
he have left?” (3)
MM 1-39
Continue. In each problem the answer
should be 0, 1, 2 or 3. Make up a story to go with the numbers 6
MM 1-36 minus 2 equals 4.

When the students are ready mix Make up a story to go with the numbers 7
subtraction problems where one number is minus 7 equals 0.
0, 1, 2 or 3 and when the answer is 0, 1, 2
or 3. Continue to present subtraction facts and
have the children make up appropriate
stories.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-40 MM 1-42

Ask subtraction questions which have 1. What is 6 + 3? (9)

additional information in them. Pick
numbers less than 10. Examples: 2. 5 - 1? (4)

Diane had 9 stamps. Ronnie has 7 stamps. 3. 9 + 2? (11)

Sue has 12 stamps. How many more
stamps does Diane have than Ronnie? (2) 4. 8 - 2? (6)

Marty had 5 kids on his baseball team. 2 5. 5 + 5 - 3? (7)

were girls and 3 were boys. How many
more kids did he need to make a team of MM 1-43
9? (4)
1. What is 4 + 4? (8)
A car going to an airport can hold 8
people. 3 seats were empty. Two people 2. 2 + 7? (9)
were carrying bags in their laps. How
many seats are full? 3. 10 - 2? (8)

4. 9 - 3? (6)

5. 7 - 2 + 3? (8)

MM 1-41 MM 1-44

1. What is 7 + 2? (9) “Count by tens to 100.

2. 8 + 3? (11) Now start at 40 and count on by tens.

3. 8 - 3? (5) Start at 70 and count back by tens.”

4. 7 - 2? (5) Have the child start at different numbers of

tens and count forward and back by tens.
5. 6 + 3 - 2? (7)
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-45 MM 1-47

“How much is 4 tens? (40) Say the number that is 5 tens and 2 ones.
(52)
6 tens? (60)
Say the number that is 7 tens and 4 ones.
7 tens? (70)” (74)

“How many tens in 50? (5) Say the number that is 9 tens and 1 one.
(91)
30? (3)
Say the number that is 6 ones and 5 tens.
80? (8)” (56)

Continue with questions of this type. Say the number that is 3 ones and 8 tens.
(83)

Continue with numbers which contain tens

and ones and ones and tens.

MM 1-46 MM 1-48

Start with 40 and count on 3 more. (43) Count by 2’s to 100. Start from 0.

Start with 80 and count on 2 more. (82) Count by 2’s to 100. Start with 1.

Start with 10 and count on 7 more. (17) Count by 2’s starting from 48, 36, 64, 75,
17.
Have the child start at a given number of
tens and count on by ones. The child Continue.
could write the numbers as well.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-49 MM 1-53

Count by 5’s to 100. Say any number that is greater than 47, 68,
17, etc.
Count by 5’s starting with 20, 35, 70, 85.
Say any number that is less than 81, 43, 92,
Continue. Start counting from a number etc.
with 0 or 5 in the one’s digit.
MM 1-50 Say any number that is between 41 and 46.

Count by 10’s starting with 15, 23, 41, 17. Between 63 and 67.
Continue.
Between 78 and 81.
What number is 10 more than 26, 38, 61.
Continue. Continue. The child could write the
number as well.
The child could write the answer as well.

MM 1-51 MM 1-54

What number comes after 32, 60, 85? “I’m thinking of a number between 20 and
Continue. 40. This number has a 5 in it. What could
it be?” (25 or 35)
What number comes before 17, 43, 70?
Continue. “I’m thinking of a number between 40 and
70. The one’s digit is 3. What could it
The child could write the number as well. be?” (43, 53 or 63)

Continue with questions of this type. The

child could write the answers as well. Let
MM 1-52 the child ask you questions of this type.

What number is between 36 and 38? (37)

Between 79 and 81? (80)

Between 27 and 29? (28)

The child could write the number as well.

 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-55 MM 1-58

“I’m thinking of a number between 1 and What is 10 + 5? (15)

100 (58). What is my number? You may
ask only questions which can be answered 10 + 6? (16)
yes or no.” Encourage the student to ask
intelligent questions like, “Is it bigger than 10 + 8? (18)
50?” “Does it have a 6 in it?”, etc. Let
him/her pick a number and you ask the 10 + 2? (12)
questions.
Repeat for all numbers between 11 and 19.

MM 1-56 MM 1-59

What is 20 + 7? (27) What is 1 + 10? (11)

What is 30 + 4? (34) 3 + 10? (13)

What is 50 + 6? (56) 5 + 10? (15)

What is 80 + 9? (89) 2 + 10? (12)

Repeat for any number between 10 and Repeat. For these sums the sounds are not
100. Emphasize the sounds involved. (50 as apparent.
+ 6 = 56)

MM 1-57 MM 1-60

What is 6 + 10? (16) What is 5 + 40? (45)

What is 7 + 10? (17) What is 6 + 70? (76)

8 + 10? (18) What is 8 + 30? (38)

4 + 10? (14) What is 1 plus 90? (91)

9 + 10? (19) Repeat for any number between 10 and

100.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-61 MM 1-64

What number is 10 more than 50? (60) Open a book to a page. State the page
number. Ask the students to estimate how
What number is 30 more than 40? (70) many pages are in the entire book.

What number is 30 less than 50? (20)

What number is 10 less than 60? (50) MM 1-65

Continue with 10, 20, 30 more or less than Estimate how many 2-digit numbers are
a multiple of 10. The child could write the between 0 and 100. (timed) Don’t give
numbers as well. students enough time to count.

MM 1-62 MM 1-66

What number is 20 more than 37? (57) Have the children guess how many toes
there are in the row.
What number is 40 less than 63? (23)
Then have them guess the number of teeth
Continue with numbers that are some there are in every row.
multiple of ten more or less than any
number between 11 and 99. The child
could write the number as well.

MM 1-67
Which would be more: one fourth of a pie
or one third of a pie? (1/3)
MM 1-63
If David’s mother cuts a mushroom pizza
If you were fifth in line, how many would into 3 equal parts, what part of the whole
be in front of you? (4) pizza is each part? (one third)
Which would be less: a glass that is half
If you were third tallest in your class, how empty or one that is half full? (neither,
many are taller than you? (2) both have the same amount)
Continue with problems of this type. Tom has 1 candy bar. If he eats one half of
Always ask for the number before the the candy, how much does he have left to
place in line. give to Sandra? (1/2)
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-68 MM 1-71

How many years in a decade? (10) In a The movies start at 8:00 and end at 10:00.
century? (100) How many hours in a How long do they last? (2 hours)
day? (24) How many minutes in an hour?
(60) How many seconds in a minute? You begin class at 9:30 and get out at
(60) How many days in most months? 10:30. How long was the class? (1 hour)
(31) What is the shortest month?
(February) How many days in it? (28) At 1:30 you begin a test. You finish at
3:00. How long was the test? (1 hr. 30
Repeat these questions periodically. min.)

MM 1-69 MM 1-72

The big hand is on 12. The small hand is If you leave for school at 7:30 and arrive at
on 3. What time is it? (3:00) 8:00, how long did it take you to get there?
(30 minutes)
The big hand is on 6. The small hand is
between 6 and 7. What time is it? (6:30) The trip started at 9:00 and was finished at
1:00. How long did it take? (4 hours)
The big hand is on 12. The small hand is
on 6. What time is it? (6:00) Continue. Present problems containing two
times and ask how long from one to
The big hand is on 6. The small hand is another.
between 4 and 5. What time is it? (4:30)

Continue with problems of this type.

MM 1-70
It is now 9:30. What time will it be in 2
hours? (11:30)
It takes Jim’s family 4 hours to travel to
Grandmother’s house. If they leave home
at 1:00, what time will they get to
Grandmother’s house? (5:00)
Continue with stories involving adding
time.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-73 MM 1-75

At 1:30 you begin a test. The test takes 2 Susan has a box with 7 crayons in it. She
hours. When is the test over? (3:30) takes out 3 crayons. How many are in the
box now? (4)
You begin waiting for a bus at 2:00, you
wait 30 minutes. What time did the bus Chuck has 12 carrots in a bag. He takes 4
come? (2:30) out. How many are left in the bag? (8)

The show is 1 hour long. It starts at 3:00.

What time does it end? (4:00) MM 1-76

It is 8:30. School is 6 hours long. What Start with 4 and follow me. Add two. Add
time do you get out? (2:30) three. Subtract 1. Add 2. What is the
number? (10)
You start reading a book at 10:00 and it
takes you 3 hours to read the book. What Start with 6 and follow me. Subtract 2.
time will you finish? (1:00) Add 3. Add 1. Subtract 3. Add 4. What
is the number? (9)
Continue.
Continue with problems of this type. Make
sure the child can add or subtract the
numbers involved.

MM 1-74 MM 1-77
What is 4 + 4? (8)
Let’s make 12. I’ll say a number. You tell
me a number to add to mine to make 12. What is 4 + 5? (9)
What is 6 + 6? (12)
4 (8)
What is 6 + 7? (13)
6 (6)
What is 8 + 8? (16)
7 (5) What is 8 + 9? (17)

9 (3) Continue presenting doubles to the child

and then adding one to the second number
Continue. Try to make other numbers as and presenting the fact.
well. Repeat for several days in a row.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-78 MM 1-80

What is 32 + 2? (34) What addition fact can you think of that

would help you with the subtraction fact 9 -
41 + 3? (44) 3? (3 + 6 = 9 or 6 + 3 = 9)

53 + 1? (54) What is the answer to 9 - 3? (6)

47 + 2? (49) What addition fact can you think of that

would help you with the subtraction fact 7 -
64 + 3? (67) 2? (2 + 5 = 7 or 5 + 2 = 7)

73 + 2? (75) What is the answer to 7 - 2? (5)

Continue with problems of this type. The Continue in the same way - giving a
ones should add to 9 or less in each case. subtraction fact and first asking for an
addition fact to help, then asking for the
answer.

Continue for several days.

MM 1-79 MM 1-81

What addition fact uses the same numbers What is 12 - 3? (9)

as 7 - 4 = 3? (4 + 3 = 7 or 3 + 4 = 7)
11 - 8? (3)
What addition fact uses the same number 8 - 2? (6)
as 8 - 3 = 5? (5 + 3 = 8 or 3 + 5 = 8)
7 - 4? (3)
Tell the child a subtraction fact - then ask 9 - 1? (8)
them for the addition fact which uses the
same numbers. Make sure that one of the 7 - 2? (5)
numbers is 0, 1, 2, or 3. 10 - 8? (2)
Continue for several days. 8 - 0? (8)
6 - 0? (6)
Continue with subtraction facts where the
answer is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 1, 2, or 3 is taken
away.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-82 MM 1-85

Jack has 4 white dogs, 3 black dogs, and 2 Rosa walked 6 blocks to the library. Then
cats. How many dogs does Jack have? (7) she walked right back home. How many
blocks did she walk in all? (12)
Millie’s dog buried four old bones, two
newspapers, and three new bones and two There are five cows and six pigs on a farm.
rubber animals. How many bones did he Four chickens also live there. How many
bury? (7) four-legged animals are on the farm? (11)
Mr. Brown gave Jack 3 pieces of candy
and 2 pieces of gum. Mrs. Jans gave Jack Repeat with addition problems involving
2 pieces of candy and 5 pieces of gum. doubles.
How many pieces of gum does Jack have?
(7)
Repeat stories involving subtraction.

MM 1-86
MM 1-83
At the party, Vicki blew up 11 balloons.
What is 6 + 3 + 2? (11) Seven balloons popped. How many
What is 7 + 2 + 1? (10) balloons are left? (4)

What is 5 + 4 + 3? (12) Twelve children went to the movies. Five

Continue adding three numbers. Make children sat in the front row. How many
children sat in the second row? (7)
sure the last two numbers are either 3, 2, 1
or 0.
Wendell made 11 pizzas altogether. He
made 5 of them without meat. How many
pizzas did he make with meat? (6)
MM 1-84
Repeat problems of this type.
Martha had 6 pencils. She got 3 more
from Nancy and 2 more from John. How
many does Martha have now? (11)

Paul has 8 marbles. He wins 7 from Sean

and 2 more from Kent. How many does
he have now? (17)

Continue.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-87 MM 1-90
How much is a nickel worth? (5 cents) How much is 2 dimes and 1 nickel worth?
How much is a dime worth? (10 cents) (25 cents)
How much is 4 dimes and 2 nickels worth?
How much are 2 nickels worth? (10 cents)
(50 cents)
How much are two dimes worth? (20 How much is 6 dimes and 3 nickels worth?
cents) (75 cents)
Continue with questions using either Continue with questions using up to 9
nickels or dimes. dimes and 9 nickels.

MM 1-88
How much is 1 nickel and 2 pennies MM 1-91
worth? (7 cents)
How much is 3 dimes, 1 nickel and 2
How much is 1 nickel and 4 pennies pennies worth? (37 cents)
worth? (9 cents)
How much is 4 dimes, 2 nickels and 8
How much is 3 nickels & 2 pennies worth? pennies worth? (58 cents)
(17 cents) How much is 1 dime, 3 nickels and 4
How much is 5 nickels and 4 pennies pennies worth? (29 cents)
worth? (29 cents) Continue with questions using up to 9
dimes, up to 7 nickels and 0 to 9 pennies.
Continue with questions using up to 10
nickels & 0 through 5 pennies.
MM 1-92
MM 1-89
How much is 1 dime and 2 pennies worth? How much is 2 quarters, 1 dime and 1
(12 cents) nickel worth? (65 cents)

How much is 1 dime and 4 pennies worth? How much is 3 quarters, 2 dimes and 3
(14 cents) pennies worth? (98 cents)
How much is 2 dimes, 3 nickels, 1 quarter
How much is 3 dimes and 2 pennies
and 7 pennies worth? (67 cents)
worth? (32 cents)
Continue with questions using amounts of
How much is 7 dimes and 4 pennies coins less than one dollar.
worth? (74 cents)

Continue with questions using up to 10

dimes and 0 through 10 pennies.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-93 MM 1-95

How many pennies make a half dollar? Molly needs 55 cents. She has 4 dimes.
(50) How many nickels does she need? (3)
How many dimes make a dollar? (10) Nancy put 18 coins in her bank. All but 3
How many nickels make a quarter? (5) of them were dimes. How many coins
were dimes? (15)
How many quarters make half a dollar?
(2) Ricky has 2 dimes, 3 nickels and 1 penny.
How many dimes would equal 2 quarters? How much money does Ricky have? (36
(5) cents)

How many nickels would equal 7 dimes? Tom bought a pencil for 8 cents, an eraser
(14) for 4 cents and a piece of bubble gum for 2
cents. How much did he spend? (14 cents)
What coins could be used to buy these
things? (1 dime and 4 pennies)
MM 1-94

Mary had 2 nickels. Her mother gave her

3 pennies. How much money does she
have? (13 cents) MM 1-96

Bill has 2 dimes. He wants to buy a card Mark has 17 cents. Jeanette gave him 3
for his mother that costs 17 cents. How dimes. How much money does Mark have
much change will he receive? (3 cents) now? (47 cents)

Portia saves 3 pennies every day. How Ned had 47 cents. He spent 21 cents for
long will it take her to save 12 cents? (4 candy. How much money did he have left,
days) about 70 cents or about 30 cents? (about
30 cents)
Paula wants to buy 2 pencils. Each pencil
costs 6 cents. How much money does she If 1 candy bar costs 10 cents, estimate the
need? (12 cents) number of candy bars you could buy with
95 cents. (abut 10)
Rex has 35 cents. His mother gave him a
nickel and a dime. How much money
does he have now? (50 cents)

Continue with story problems involving

coins.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-97 MM 1-99

Ben has 40 shells. John has 60 shells. I’ll say an addition fact, you tell me what
How many more shells does John have double you’d use to help you.
than Ben? (20 shells)
4 + 5 (4 + 4 or 5 + 5)
Sheila grows 60 tomatoes. She sells 50
tomatoes. How many tomatoes does she 6 + 7 (6 + 6 or 7 + 7)
have left? (10 tomatoes)
8 + 9 (8 + 8 or 9 + 9)
Simon has 50 straws. He uses 20 straws.
Then he gives away 10 straws. How many 3 + 4 (3 + 3 or 4 + 4)
straws does Simon have left? (20 straws)
7 + 8 (7 + 7 or 8 + 8)
Repeat for other multiples of ten.
Continue with addition problems with
numbers which are different from each
other.

MM 1-98

The school lunchroom has 80 seats. 60

children ate lunch today. How many seats MM 1-100
were empty? (20)
What is 4 + 5? (9)
There are 30 people on the airplane. 20
more get on in Waterloo. How many 6 + 7? (13)
people are on the plane now? (50)
8 + 9? (17)
46 children were out sledding after a big
snow. 3 children got cold and went inside. 7 + 8? (15)
How many stayed outside? (43)
5 + 6? (11)
30 cows were in the barn. Only 10 cows
had been milked. How many cows still Present these numbers with the smaller one
need to be milked? (20) first. If the child cannot quickly answer,
ask them for the related double fact.
Repeat for other stories like this.
 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-101

What is 5 + 4? (9)

7 + 6? (13)

9 + 8? (17) MM 1-104

8 + 7? (15) Start with 6 and follow me. Add 7. Add 2.

Add 4. Add 2. (21)
Present these numbers with the larger ones
first. Start with 7 and follow me. Add 2. Add 3.
Add 4. Add 1. (17)

Start with 4 and follow me. Add 5. Add 3.

Add 4. Add 2. (18)
MM 1-102
Continue with problems of this type.
What is 4 + 3? (7)

5 + 6? (11)

8 + 9? (17)

8 + 7? (15)
MM 1-105
Present these numbers with the larger ones
either in first or second position. What addition fact uses the same numbers
as 12 - 5 = 7? (5 + 7 = 12 or 7 + 5 = 12)

What addition facts uses the same numbers

MM 1-103 as 16 - 8 = 8? (8 + 8 = 16)

Ronnie bought some candy. He ate 5 What addition fact uses the same numbers
pieces and still had 6 pieces left. How as 14 - 9 = 5? (9 + 5 = 14 or 5 + 9 = 14)
many pieces of candy did he buy? (11)
Continue. Tell the child the subtraction
Billie had 7 cars. His mother gave him 6 fact then ask for the related addition fact.
more. How many cars does Billie have
now? (13)

Repeat other double story problems.

 Mental Math Grade 1

MM 1-106

What addition fact can you think of that

would help you with the subtraction fact
11 - 5? (5 + 6 = 11 or 6 + 5 = 11) So what
is the answer to 11 - 5? (6)

What addition fact would help with 13 - 6?

(6 + 7 = 13 or 7 + 6 = 13) So what is the
answer to 13 - 6? (7)

MM 1-107

A cage in the pet store had 9 birds in it. 6

were sold. How many are still left? (3)

One board is 9 feet long. Another is 7 feet

long. How much longer is the first board?
(2 feet)

Bill has 4 cents. He needs 10 cents to buy

a candy bar. How much more does Bill
need? (6 cents)

Continue with subtraction story problems

similar to these.

MM 1-108

How many feet in a yard? (3)

How many inches in a foot? (12)

How many eggs in a dozen? (12)

How many shoes in a pair? (2)