Students often struggle to connect math with the real world. Word problems—a combination of words, numbers, and mathematical operations—can be a perfect vehicle to take abstract numbers off the page.

Segue Institute for Learning teacher Cassandra Santiago introduces a lesson on word problems to her first graders one spring afternoon. Credit: Phillip Keith for The Hechinger Report The Hechinger ...

First grade math doesn’t have to be a battle—it can be playful, engaging, and full of discovery. From colorful number bond worksheets to interactive games and even math museums, there are endless ways ...