Hands On Number Fluency with Number Bonds and Math Facts

Making sense of number sense, number bonds, and math facts can make a kindergartner want to pull their hoodie over their head and lose all interest.  However, with a few simple tools, I've found some quick and easy ways to help my students master their math facts and gain number fluency.

numbeer bonds math fact fluency- eas ways to teach fact fluency to kindergarten and first grade with minimal manipulatives.

Chances are you already have my two favorite manipulatives in your classroom, snap cubes and two-sided counters. Students will also need a number bond workmat.

Number Bond Workmats

A little front-loading about their number bond workmat.  I tell my students that the circle/square with the two arms is in charge it will always have the biggest number. The other circles are its helpers. They are doing their part. When they work together they make up a whole big number.

Using the Number Bond Workmat

To begin, I always start with the number 5.  Why, because it is easy.  First I have my students take out 5 snap cubes and make their "train" of 5.  Then we pull one car off. We place each set of cubes in the two circles of their number bond workmat.  Next, they need to work together and become a big number- push the cubes to the other circle. and count.


Then I have students repeat "1 and 4 make 5". I write this on my whiteboard We repeat this process again using  2 and 3 and so on.  When I am finished. we have made all of the combinations to make 5. 

Next, I show the students my premade anchor chart.  This is an available reference tool for students to access when needed.

We read through it noticing that it matches the one we just made on our whiteboard.

Hands-on Learning

Shake Spill Count: 
Each student receives 5 two-sided counters and a copy of making 5. They will shake their counters, spill, and count.  Next, they will color in the cubes on their paper to match what they have spilled.  If you would like to try this out you can grab this free download and a number bond template too here.


You can find these resources in my TpT store
Shake Spill Count 
Friends of Ten math fact fluency flash cards, poster and worksheets

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