This Fluency Activity is a part of the Lesson 3, Unit 1, Grade 1. Counting forward and backward by ones affords students a review of this strategy as it relates to addition and subtraction. It also directly relates to the current lesson objective. This game may be challenging for students at first. A Rekenrek helps students visualize numbers and makes it easier for them to change direction as they count. Rekenreks can be made simply and inexpensively with cardboard, elastic, and beads.