Saxon math programs produce confident students who are not only able to correctly compute, but also to apply concepts to new situations. These materials gently develop concepts, and the practice of those concepts is extended over a considerable period of time. This is called "incremental development and continual review." Material is introduced in easily understandable pieces (increments), allowing students to grasp one facet of a concept before the next one is introduced. Both facets are then practiced together until another one is introduced. This feature is combined with continual review in every lesson throughout the year. Topics are never dropped but are increased in complexity and practiced every day, providing the time required for concepts to become totally familiar. Each grade level has its own consumable meeting book, which is used during The Meeting at the beginning of each day. This first edition meeting book is for Grade 1.

The teacher's manual comes in two three-ring binders and consists of 160 daily lessons plus four additional lettered lessons. Each lesson is bound in booklet form that allows the teacher to move freely around the room carrying only the booklet for that day. Each lesson booklet contains a list of materials, pre-class preparation instructions, the dialogued instructional components, and reduced versions of selected student pages. Mathematical vocabulary, higher order thinking skills references, and extension and enrichment activities are also shown on page one of each lesson booklet. - Introduction.