Helping students learn their doubles facts in math begins at an early age. Today’s math classrooms’ goal has shifted from memorizing facts and procedures to an increased understanding of math skills and concepts. We want our students to do the math, but we also want them to understand what they are doing and why. Providing opportunities for students to learn their basic math facts provides the foundation for more complex problems. So what are some simple and effective ways to practice doubles facts?
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This school year has been a challenging year so far, and unfortunately, my students are struggling with knowing their basic facts. Not knowing their basic facts has made learning more complex problems a struggle. Therefore, I decided to break down the basic facts and explicitly teach them: plus 0,1,2; doubles, doubles plus 1; making ten to add, and facts of 10 to help my students become fluent in their basic facts. In addition, by providing time each day to practice their facts, they will feel more successful. Here is my breakdown of practicing the doubles facts.
Addition Facts
As math teachers, we want our students to become fluent in their single-digit addition and subtraction facts. We call these basic math facts because they provide the foundation for more complex problems.
Students should develop both automaticity and an understanding of math facts. Automaticity is a student’s ability to effortlessly recall a fact. In addition, we want our students to understand these essential facts.
Addition Facts to 5 Standard
K.OA.A.5 By the end of kindergarten, students should know addition and subtraction facts with sums to 5 from memory. They should have various experiences using concrete materials and drawings to show their understanding. Using five frames with counters helps to develop and reinforce sums to 5. Students should be able to give a sum or difference in about 3 seconds without resorting to counting to be fluent.
- Variety of materials to practice facts with sums to 5.
- Use counters, dot cards, five frames, linking cubes, and pictures.
Addition Facts for 10 Standard
1.OA.C.6 Add and subtract within 20, demonstrating fluency for addition and subtraction with 10. Students should use concrete materials and ten frames to develop a conceptual understanding of strategies.
FREE Ten Frames Free Printable- 5, 10, and Double Ten Frames- Digital and Print Versions
- Variety of materials to practice adding and subtracting with sums to 20
- Explain their strategy for finding the sum.
- Demonstrate fluency for facts with sums to 10
- Extend the use of strategies to facts with sums to 20. (They will be expected to be fluent in 2nd Grade)
- Use of concrete objects and ten frames.
Addition Facts to 20 Standard
2.OA.B.2 Fluency add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies. By the end of Grade 2, know all sums of two one-digit numbers from memory. Students should review and extend strategies with explicit activities connected to facts using concrete materials, number lines, and the hundred chart for addition and subtraction facts with sums to 20.
- Variety of materials to practice adding and subtracting with sums to 20.
- Explain their strategy for finding the sum.
- Demonstrate fluency for facts with sums to 20.
- Use of concrete objects, number lines, and the hundred chart.
What are Doubles Facts in Math?
Doubles facts are where both addends are the same. There is no need to address the commutative property, so this fact set is small. In addition, these facts are usually easy for students to recall because of so many real-world experiences. Students will later use these facts to find the sums of near-doubles facts.
Doubling refers to the process of adding a quantity to itself. It is joining two like groups.
Doubles Facts Examples
2 + 2= 4
5 + 5= 10
9 + 9= 18
How to Teach Doubles Facts
Through hands-on activities and thoughtful discussions, students develop deeper understanding about math facts and develop valuable strategies related to these facts.
Students develop a deeper understanding of basic facts through problem-posing, hands-on exploration, real-world examples, songs, games, and exploring situations from children’s literature.
Doubles Math Facts Song
Adding Doubles | Fun Math Song For Kids | Jack Hartmann
Doubles Facts Math Games
- Domino Doubles: Have students search for double dominoes, dominoes with the same number of dots on each side, and write the matching addition equation.
- Doubles Facts Addition Game (Printable)
- Roll 1 or 2 dice. Determine the number rolled and double the amount.
- Use paint or dot paint. Take a half sheet of paper and fold it in half (hamburger style). Draw a line down the crease. Have students dab (or paint) the spots on one half. Fold, rub, and open to reveal the double.
Digital Doubles Facts Math Games
- Double Math Facts – FREEBIE (Doubles Math Fact Worksheet & Google Slide)
- Double Facts in Math (Doubles Math Fact Worksheet & Google Slide)
- Math Facts Practice
- Addition to 10
- Doubles Facts
Using Literature
- Double the Ducks by Stuart Murphy
- Two of Everything by Lily Toy Hong
- Double Play: Monkeying Around with Addition- Betsy Franco
Using Story Problems
Visualizing the doubling process helps students better understand its connection to an addition equation. Both parts are the same when connecting it to the part-part-whole concept. For example, modeling equal sets with objects by lining the objects up to show that both groups have the same number of objects.
Part- Part- Whole Mat: Allow students to use manipulatives to create two equal-sized groups. Students place counters in one part and then put an equal number in the other part. Then, record an addition equation to show the two parts and find the sum.
Pose story problems and have students model the problem.
- Andre had 9 basketballs. He had 9 soccer balls. How many total balls did he have?
- Sara had 4 red flowers. She had 4 yellow followers. How many total flowers did she have?
Act Out Doubles: Pose doubles problems for students to act out. For example, have 4 students hold up a crayon. Next, have another 4 students hold up a crayon. Then, record the addition number sense to represent the doubles fact.
Why Do We Need to Know Our Addition Math Facts?
If students know their basic facts, it will be easier to solve more complex problems. As math tasks become more complex, students need to have a solid foundation to build upon. Committing basic math facts to memory speeds up math tasks. In addition, students who have committed basic math facts to memory can perform mental math tasks. Mastery of basic facts provides the foundation for everyday mental math tasks.
Automaticity is the quick and effortless recall of basic facts. This is the goal for our students, along with understanding the facts.
Why is it Important to Understand Basic Addition Facts?
The ability to recall facts is improved when understanding is connected to them. Memorizing nonsense is more difficult because we do not understand or make connections.
Additional Resources
- The Use-Doubles Strategy for Addition: Making it Easy and Fun for Your Students!
- 7 Games for Practicing Math Facts
- 5 Powerful Ideas to Help Students Develop a Growth Mindset in Mathematics
- Top 3 Easy and Successful Alternatives to a Counting Worksheet
Doubles Facts
Strategically teaching doubles facts allows students to learn some of their basic addition facts. Students usually enjoy learning these facts and have the most success with them. In addition, it is fun to find real-world examples of them at home and school. Finally, learning their basic facts gets them ready for more complex problems. Each day, providing some sort of number sense, basic fact, or mental math activity can be easy to incorporate into your warm-up, small group, whole group, or independent time.
Sign up to get this Freebie of 71 Math Number Puzzles delivered to your inbox to use with your students. These include part-part-whole activities and number puzzles. CLICK Here to sign up for 71 Math Number Puzzles and check out my website Here at Easternshoremathteacher.com
Encouraging students to have a growth mindset and have fun with numbers is essential in all math classrooms. There are many different ways to incorporate addition practice into your classroom that can be fun and motivating to students. It is vital to provide fun activities to help students learn their doubles facts in math.
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