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I have tried a lot of different curriculum to help my children with basic math facts and calculation skills. The curricula we have tried that focused on memorization or practice games just didn’t stick. I bought Evan-Moor’s Building Math Fluency e-book with the hopes it would help. This review is based on my experiences using Building Math Fluency Grade 1.
Overview
Building Math Fluency Grade 1 teaches math computation strategies for addition and subtraction. It includes practice pages, fact tests, and flash cards.
What is Different About Building Math Fluency?
Building Math Fluency focuses on teaching computation strategies rather than solely focusing on memorization. The computation strategies help a child know how to quickly calculate the answer. The addition strategies covered include adding zero, turn around, counting up, doubles, doubles plus one, ten partners, and adding ten. The subtraction strategies covered include minus zero, a number minus itself, counting back, counting up, thinking addition, tens partners, doubles, and minus ten.
Benefits
My 2nd grader, who has really struggled with basic math calculation and facts, has improved dramatically after using Building Math Fluency. Addition skills were okay, but subtraction was a huge struggle. The strategies taught have helped her know how to quickly figure out the answer. They have not only built up her confidence, but I have also seen her mental math skills emerge. Although she still doesn’t love math, she is good at math now and no longer gets frustrated when completing her second grade math problems.
My Kindergartener, who has advanced math skills, also benefited from using Building Math Fluency. I’ve seen the same improvements in mental math skills. He is using the strategies he has learned fluently in his first grade math work.
Generalization Tips
I did need to facilitate generalization of the math strategies learned to our other math activities with my autistic children. As we went through our daily math practice pages, initially, I would point out which strategy from Building Math Fluency they could use to figure out the problem. Over time, I have needed to prompt the strategies less and less.
Final Recommendations
I highly recommend using Building Math Fluency. I have tried so many products to help my children with their basic math facts and this was the one that worked for them.
Building Math Fluency is available for grades 1, 2, 3, and 4-6. CLICK HERE to go to Evan-Moor for purchase, to view sample pages, or for more information.
Further Reading
CLICK HERE to read my reviews of other math fact curricula.