Major Focus of 2nd grade Mathematics:

Students focus on a variety of topics in 2nd grade.  Here are the big ideas we want all 2nd grade students to understand:

• Solve challenging addition and subtraction word problems with one or two steps.

• Know all sums of one-digit numbers from memory by the end of the year.

• Understand what the digits mean in three-digit numbers (place value)

• Use understanding of place value to add and subtract two- and three-digit numbers (e.g., 78 + 26 and 811 – 367).

• Solve addition and subtraction word problems involving length.

•  Recognize and draw shapes such as triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and cubes.

General Resources for Supporting Math at Home

Good Games using simple materials from around the house - click on the link for a document containing 40+ games for fluency practice using simple materials - pencils, paper, paper clips, a deck of cards, and dice.

Pre-made Games

Dominoes - Play so that touching dominoes must make a total of 10. 

Sorry

Yahtzee

Trouble

Qwirkle

Spot It

Blokus

Set Jr

Uno

Rush Hour Jr

7 Ate 9

Tangoes

Read

If you’re reading a picture books together talk about the math you see.  mathicalbooks.org - has lists of books with math related themes for kids aged 2 to 18..

Other Good Activities

Cook together - A great way to work on counting and a good way to introduce fractions!

Talk with your kids about mathematics - Christopher Danielson, a mathematics professor and parent, has a great website with ideas for talking with kids ages 1-9 about mathematics http://talkingmathwithkids.com/ 

Family Support Materials for Illustrative Mathematics 

Mathematics program used in the classroom

Illustrative Mathematics' Family Support website has materials to support families of kindergarten to Grade 6 students.  Families can watch overview videos explaining each unit (with subtitles in English and Spanish) and read Family Letters for each unit, translated into 14 different languages.