Whether you teach kindergarten or second-grade, addition strategies are awesome at the elementary level because they help students develop an understanding of numbers and numeracy. Doubles facts are a great strategy that focuses on mental math as a way to develop automaticity in fact fluency.
What are Doubles Facts?
A doubles fact is when we add the same number to itself. One of the main goals of learning doubles facts is to develop automaticity – the ability to do something automatically. Automaticity comes about with learning, repetition, and practice. As a result of learning doubles facts, students can use more addition strategies that help with mental math. This will prepare the kids for more complex math skills in the future.
Above all, our end goals are number sense and math fact fluency so we can help kids develop confidence in math.
Doubles Rap
One way I help my students memorize doubles facts is to learn a doubles rap! There are so many different versions available. My students love performing a doubles rap once they have learned the song! They wear hats and sunglasses and they love sharing the video with their families.
Literacy in Math
Of course, another way to teach about doubles facts in math is to incorporate literacy into your math instruction. Here are some fun picture books that teach about double facts:
- Double the Ducks by Stuart J. Murphy
- Double Play by Betsy Franco
- Two of Everything by Lily Toy Hong
- Double Play by Betsy Franco
- Doubles at the Circus by Tiffany Brodsky
Math Activities
Additionally, there are lots of ways to reinforce doubles facts in your first-grade classroom with engaging activities.
- Mystery pictures, mazes, first to 100, and other engaging printables.
- Use a mirror and some counters to practice doubling. Stand a mirror upright and place a select number of objects on the table. Count the objects on the table and continue counting the objects in the mirror to practice counting doubles.
- Movement games with flashcards are always a hit in class. Draw a card, double the number, and the student jumps to the proper number (make a masking tape grid on the floor, use a Twister mat, etc.).
- Don’t forget online games and Boom Cards!
Math Boom Cards
Above all, Boom Cards are my favorite way to practice doubles facts online. Boom Cards offer a fun way to reinforce doubles facts with the added bonus of being no-prep and self-correcting while providing you with meaningful data about your student’s current level of understanding. Doubles and Doubles Plus One | Addition Strategies | Math Boom Cards. You can even try the deck for free by clicking here!
Learning the doubles and near doubles addition strategies will help your little learners become independent and confident.
Cheers!
Looking for some other addition strategies? Take a look at these post!
What are Fact Families?