As part of our desire to provide a balanced math program for your child/children at Starkweather Elementary, we are continuing with our school-wide Math Fact Fluency program. Knowing the basic number combinations – single-digit addition and multiplication pairs as well as their counterparts for subtraction and division – is essential for effective computation and problem solving. All children are able to master the basic facts – including children with learning disabilities. Children need to develop a good understanding of the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division in order to construct efficient mental tools that will help them learn and remember their basic math facts.

We are taking a Three-Step Approach to Fact Mastery at school:

1. Help children develop a strong understanding of the operations and of number relationships.
2. Develop efficient strategies for fact retrieval through practice.
3. Then provide drill in the use and selection of those strategies once they have been developed.

The following will be the basic math fact end-of-year mastery expectations for students at SWS:

Kindergarten: Our kindergarten students are developing their number sense and understanding of the concepts of combining and separating through the use of objects.

First Grade: Quick recall (5 seconds per fact) of Addition facts with sums of 0–10 and practice of the corresponding subtraction facts, fluency will not be assessed with timed tests in subtraction.

Second Grade: Quick recall (4 seconds per fact) of addition facts through 9+9 and subtraction facts through 18-9

Third Grade: Quick recall (3 seconds per fact) of addition facts through 9+9, subtraction facts through 18- 9, and multiplication facts through 9x5

Fourth Grade: Quick recall (3 seconds per fact) of addition facts through 9+9, subtraction facts through 18-9, multiplication facts through 10x10, and division facts through 45÷9

Fifth grade: Quick recall (3 seconds per fact) of addition facts through 9+9, subtraction facts through 18-9, multiplication facts through 12x12, and division facts through 144÷12 Quick Recall is defined as a student being able to accurately recall a fact within 2-5 seconds.

In addition to informal classroom assessments throughout the year, school-wide timed quick recall tests will be administered at the beginning, the middle and the end of the school year for second through fifth grades. First grade will participate in the end of year school-wide timed quick recall tests. Meeting Benchmark is 97/98 – 100% correct.

We are asking for your help and support in this endeavor. It is vital that drill and practice of basic math facts be continued at home. The recommended practice time is 5 -10 minutes, 4-5 times a week until the practiced facts are mastered, and the student has demonstrated quick recall of the facts.

Thank you for your continued support of math education at Starkweather Elementary.

Sincerely, Starkweather Elementary Teachers