Fact Fluency

Fact Fluency is a big part of the CCSS.  However, we sometimes get caught up in thinking that fact fluency is just automaticity of facts.  Automaticity of facts is one piece of fact fluency, but there are other parts that are important, too!

Fact fluency includes accuracy--Does she get the right answer consistently? Can she prove to you how she knows it is the accurate answer?

Fact fluency includes efficiency--What strategies does the student use to help her know or remember the fact?  e.g. Does she recognize doubles + 1 facts?  Does she understand how place value influences 60 x 70?  Can she explain it?

Fact fluency includes flexibility--Can she use fact families to help her solve an unknown fact?  Can she relate one fact to another easily?  Can she use a variety of strategies to explain the problem? when solving facts? Does she understand how the commutative, distributive, and associative property work Can she move easily from one operation to the next?  Does she know her facts easily in written or mental form?

In reading, we know that it is important not only to decode, but also to comprehend.  There are many pieces to being a good reader, and decoding and comprehension are only two.  The same is true for math.  In order to strengthen our students' fact fluency, we should find ways in our classroom to encourage all of these elements of fact fluency.  Not only will it increase our students' fluency, but it will also lead them to better number sense.

Dr. Nicki recommends that we have a 5-10 minute block daily in our classrooms where students work on improving their fact fluency.  I know that our days are full and finding 5-10 minutes is not always feasible, so I suggest we just be more cognizant of trying to fit facts in more often--and not just instant recall--think of other ways to present your facts to kids.  I will try to share more ideas and resources for this as the year progresses.

To help boost your students' fact fluency, I have created two math path puzzle SMART documents. One covers addition and subtraction, and the other multiplication and division. Each screen is a different puzzle with each group of puzzles becoming progressively more difficult.

There are many ways you can use these in your room.  You could print out a page or two and use them as a station during workshop.  You could use a page every now and then as a warmup activity for the whole class. You could use them as part of a Number Talk.  The choice is up to you!

Parts of these files could be used in every grade K-5.  Click on the links to download the Notebook file or files to your computer.

Addition and Subtraction MathPath Puzzles

Multipication and Division MathPath Puzzles

TIP:  When I use pages from a file like this, I put a blank page in the doc as a bookmark.  That way, when I come to grab another puzzle or two, I remember which ones I have used.