First Grade Homeschool Math Basics and Free Websites to Make Learning Fun

First grade is a very important year for public school students. It is when children learn to or perfect their reading skills. It is when they lay their foundation in math. It is when they are introduced to science concepts and begin to learn about history and social studies. As a homeschooler, you certainly have more flexibility and can hold off on some subjects to concentrate on other core subjects. If you want to make a plan according to the national standard, however, here is what your student needs to learn in first grade as well as websites you can use to make the learning process fun.

Counting and writing to 100 and skip counting (Counting by 2's) to 40 is something a first grader should master. A website by Math.rice.edu called Let's count links can make learning to count lots of fun. Simple number patterns, when a child tells which number is next in a string of numbers is also important. Number cracker by Funbrain.com will help in this endeavor.

Ordinal numbers, or naming the numbers such as first, second, third, fourth, etc, is another important first grade skill. Simple properties of zero (adding 0 to another number does not change) and simple properties of sets (which of these things do not belong) is also typically taught in first grade. Concepts of quantity and size, greater than and less then, and equality and inequality are also important. All of these can be accomplished using worksheets found online. TLS books and Education.com both have large worksheet databases.

Beginning addition and subtraction are the most important skill a first grader needs to learn. The number line, another first grade math skill is great tool to teach this addition and subtraction. Place value and numeration is also an important part of adding and subtracting. Gamequarium.com is a website with lots of fun addition and subtraction games.

Using 1/2 and 1/4 appropriately is typically taught in first grade, and webmath.com has online games to help make learning fractions fun.

You can teach other math concepts to your first greater as they show interest and skill level, or you can place most of your emphasis on addition, subtraction, and fractions, as other skills will come as a byproduct of these lessons. Either way, I encourage you to keep learning fun with online interactive games.