Skip to content
Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year numbers stretch past ten and start working in groups. Students count, read, and compare numbers up to 120, and they learn that the digits in a number stand for tens and ones. They add and subtract within 20, and they start solving small word problems by drawing pictures or using coins. By spring, students can look at a number like 47 and explain that it means 4 tens and 7 ones.

  • Counting to 120
  • Place value
  • Addition and subtraction
  • Word problems
  • Shapes
  • Coins and money
Source: Texas Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
  1. 1

    Counting and number sense

    Students count, read, and write numbers to 120. They learn what each digit in a two-digit number means, like seeing 34 as 3 tens and 4 ones.

  2. 2

    Adding and subtracting within 20

    Students add and subtract small numbers using objects, drawings, and number lines. They start to recall easy facts from memory and use strategies like making ten.

  3. 3

    Solving word problems

    Students read short story problems and decide whether to add or subtract. They explain their thinking out loud and check that the answer makes sense.

  4. 4

    Shapes and measuring

    Students name and sort flat and solid shapes and find shapes inside other shapes. They measure objects by lining up smaller units end to end, like paper clips along a pencil.

  5. 5

    Time, graphs, and money

    Students tell time to the hour and half hour and read simple picture graphs and bar charts. They also start to recognize coins and talk about saving and spending.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Mathematical Process Standards

  • Apply Mathematics

    TX-MATH.PROC.1.1

    Students use math to solve problems from real life, like figuring out how many apples are left after eating some, or how long until an event starts. Math isn't just for class; it shows up at home, at the store, and everywhere else.

  • Problem-Solving Model

    TX-MATH.PROC.1.2

    Students work through math problems by figuring out what the question is asking, making a plan, solving it, and then checking whether the answer makes sense.

  • Select Tools and Techniques

    TX-MATH.PROC.1.3

    Students pick the right tool for the math problem in front of them, whether that means counting blocks, sketching on paper, using a calculator, or doing the math in their head.

  • Communicate Mathematical Ideas

    TX-MATH.PROC.1.4

    Students show their math thinking in more than one way, such as drawing a picture, writing a number, or explaining what they did. The goal is to say the same math idea in two different ways so the meaning is clear.

  • Form Representations

    TX-MATH.PROC.1.5

    Students turn math ideas into pictures, diagrams, or written work so they can explain their thinking and share it with others.

  • Analyze Relationships

    TX-MATH.PROC.1.6

    Students look for patterns and connections between math ideas, then explain how those ideas fit together. For example, they notice how addition and subtraction relate, or how counting connects to measuring a line.

  • Justify Reasoning

    TX-MATH.PROC.1.7

    Students explain their math thinking out loud or in writing, using the right words to show why their answer makes sense.

K-8 mathematics content strands

  • Number and Operations

    TX-MATH.K8.1.1

    Reading, writing, and working with numbers is the foundation of first-grade math. Students count, compare, and use whole numbers to solve real problems, building the number sense they'll use in every math topic this year.

  • Algebraic Reasoning

    TX-MATH.K8.1.2

    Students spot patterns in numbers and pictures, describe how they work, and begin building the thinking behind equations. It's the foundation for algebra, starting as early as first grade.

  • Geometry and Measurement

    TX-MATH.K8.1.3

    Students sort and describe flat shapes like circles and rectangles, and solid shapes like cubes and cones. They also measure length using simple tools and apply what they know to solve everyday problems.

  • Data Analysis

    TX-MATH.K8.1.4

    Students collect information, sort it into tables or picture graphs, and answer simple questions about what the data shows, like which group has more or less.

  • Personal Financial Literacy

    TX-MATH.K8.1.5

    Students learn the basics of money: why saving matters, how spending choices add up, and what it means to borrow. The focus is on simple, real-life decisions a first grader might face.

No state assessments at this grade
Students take their next one in Grade 3.
State Summative

STAAR Mathematics (Grades 3-5)

STAAR Mathematics is the spring summative math test for grades 3 through 5, aligned to the TEKS for math. Items include multiple-choice, gridded responses, and drag-and-drop.

When given:
spring
Frequency:
annual
Official source
Common Questions
  • What math should students know by the end of the year?

    Students should count, read, and write numbers up to 120, add and subtract within 20, and solve simple word problems. They should also tell time on a clock, sort coins, compare lengths, and recognize basic shapes.

  • How can families practice math at home in a few minutes a day?

    Count steps to the car, count out forks at dinner, or add up small groups of crackers. Ask questions like how many are left after eating two. Five quiet minutes a day does more than one long session on the weekend.

  • What does it mean when students learn place value at this age?

    It means students see that the number 34 is really 3 tens and 4 ones. Snap cubes, bundles of straws, or stacks of pennies help make this real. Practice at home by grouping small objects into tens and counting what is left over.

  • How should addition and subtraction be sequenced across the year?

    Start with sums within 10 and fact families, then move into adding and subtracting within 20 using strategies like counting on, making ten, and doubles. Save two-digit addition for later in the year once students are fluent with the smaller facts.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Place value past 20 and subtraction with a missing part trip up the most students. Plan short, frequent reviews with manipulatives rather than long reteach blocks. Word problems with the unknown in different spots also need steady practice all year.

  • How can families help a student who freezes on word problems?

    Read the problem out loud together and act it out with toys or coins. Ask what is happening before asking for an answer. Drawing a quick picture often unlocks the rest.

  • Do students need to memorize math facts this year?

    Students should know sums and differences within 10 from memory by the end of the year, and be quick with facts to 20. Short flash card sessions or simple card games work well. Speed is not the goal, but easy recall frees up thinking for harder problems.

  • How do students learn about money and time at this level?

    Students name pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters and tell time to the hour and half hour. Let students read the clock at home and count out coins to pay for small things. Real practice beats worksheets here.

  • How can teachers tell a student is ready for second grade math?

    Look for fluent addition and subtraction within 20, comfort reading and writing numbers to 120, and the ability to solve a word problem with the unknown in any position. Students should also measure with a ruler, tell time, and explain their thinking out loud.