1. How to Develop
Math Fact Fluency
and Why Use
Rocket Math
to do it?
Don Crawford, Ph.D.

2. Orientation to how
Rocket Math runs
1. Starts with initial
assessments—this is how
you make sure students will
start out successfully.
2. There is a daily routine—
which remains the same
throughout the program.
3. Weekly assessments
monitor progress—this is
how you know that the
program is being
successful.

3. Why teach math facts to
automaticity (in summary)?
• Because helping students
learn math facts to
automaticity will improve
their ability to learn and
retain higher order math
skills.
• Students who are automatic
with math facts won’t be
distracted by trying to
remember or figure out
math facts while attempting
more complex problems.

4. Son of Why Teach Math Facts?
• Far from eliminating need for it, calculators assume
reliable, quick fact knowledge to monitor
correctness of answers.
• Understanding manipulations of fractions requires
instant recognition of facts.
• How are 3 2 6 8 4 5 7
the same? 9 6 18 24 12 15 21
Reducing 8/24 to 1/3 shouldn’t be MAGIC
• High school students who don’t know multiplication
facts end up unable to succeed in Algebra.

5. Why don’t most children
learn math facts well?
Facts are the simplest level of learning.
What’s so hard? Only 2 things are hard!
1. Facts are usually introduced too fast compared
to the amount of practice each student needs to
reach automaticity.
2. The correction procedure used during practice
is ineffective.

6. Rocket Math is effective
because it solves both of
these problems.
• Controls the rate at
which facts are
introduced based on
student mastery.
• Peer practice
provides the effective
kind of corrective
feedback.

7. Rocket Math teaches only 2
facts (and reverses) at a time
• With enough practice – any student
can learn
• Known automatically
– Like name
– No intervening thought process
– Instantly without hesitation
• Daily test assesses to insure
automaticity with accumulated body
of facts.
Once the test shows that the student is
at mastery, Rocket Math adds two
more facts to be learned

8. Small steps to Mastery in
Rocket Math
Here’s how we get students to
automaticity.
Set A in Addition is 1+2, 2+1, 1+3,
and 3+1.
Practice 2-3 minutes with peer tutor.
Take a one-minute timing.
If successful, move on to Set B the next day.
Set B in Addition is 1+4, 4+1, 1+5, and 5+1.
Practice with peer for 2-3 minutes aloud.
Take a one-minute timing (includes Sets A & B).
If successful, move on to Set C.
If not, repeat Set B again tomorrow.
Like feeding mush to a baby—you wait until they’ve got the
last bit down before you feed them more!

9. Peer tutors provide effective
corrections during practice
• Students practice
with peer tutors who
have answer keys
and provide
corrections.
• Tutors correct
errors AND
hesitations.

10. (p. 14 in the Teacher Directions)
How does the checker
check?
• Whenever there is an error or
hesitation:
• Correction procedure has 3
steps:
1. Jumps in, says problem,
and gives correct answer
(“4 times 3 is 12”).
2. Asks student to repeat
problem and answer more
than once. (“Say it 3
times.”)
3. Checker directs student to
go back three problems and
begin again. (“Go back
three problems.”)

11. Why Rocket Math ?
• Design has years of success
• Author has used and trained the program
in many, many classrooms
• Program is completely organized
• Takes less than 10 minutes per day
• Systematic way to make math facts
practice a part of daily classroom routine
• Children enjoy the success they have