Unit 1 reviews addition and subtraction strategies from first grade as well as practicing word problems. These skills will be used going forward as students work up to three-digit addition and subtraction. We will also briefly cover graphing.
Our first unit focuses on becoming fluent at addition and subtraction facts. Students learn different strategies to add and subtract numbers that are smaller than 20. They also work towards memorizing their math facts.
Here are some strategies we learn at school:
Practice at home can go a long way to making math - this is probably the biggest impact thing you can easily do as a parent towards your child's math success. Practicing 5 minutes each day is far more effective than one long practice session. How you practice isn't important - do what works best for your family. Ideas:
Buy or make addition and subtraction flashcards. (You often can find them at the dollar store.) Keep them in the car to use while waiting in the morning car pick up line.
Get addition and subtraction fact worksheets. (You can buy a book, find "free printable" worksheets online, write facts on a piece of paper, or request some from your child's teacher.) Have your child answer 10 facts each day before going to play.
Quiz your child verbally while driving in the car.
Play an online game. Fluency Flight in i-Ready (accessed through Clever with the log-in information in your home folder) works on math fact fluency, but there are many other free options.
There are many games and products that you can buy to work on math facts. Please note it is not necessary to buy anything! Some that my kid likes: Wrap-ups, electronic devices that only do math facts, and board games.
Look for real-life options to practice addition and subtraction facts. Examples: Card games, cooking, sewing, building, and shopping.
Practice tips:
Students also work on solving one- and two-step word problems during this unit. In unit 1, students only work with numbers up to 20. In unit 2, students will solve problems with numbers up to 100. Students who are successful at this skill usually:
Can read at grade level. (We read the problems out loud to students if needed, but being able to easily look back and reread helps. Also, students who have limited vocabulary or comprehension skills struggle more.)
Know their math facts fluently. If students struggle with the math involved, it is easy to lose track of where they are in the middle of the problem.
Tips for working on word problems at home:
Practice reading and math facts often have more impact than practicing a bunch of word problems.
Ask your child to identify the important information and what the problem is asking them to do.
If your child is stuck on a problem, help them draw or act it out.
Look for real word opportunities to use math in your child's daily life. For practical reasons, we have few opportunities to do hands on projects involving math at school, but this is a great way for students to learn and enjoy math.
Students learn to make picture graphs and bar graphs. They also answer simple questions using graphs such as: "Which animal had the most votes?", "How many fewer votes were for cats than dogs?", and "How many people voted in all?"
For more practice at home:
Find some data. Help your child make a picture graph and a bar graph of the same information. In second grade all graphs have a scale of 1. (So, for example, one circle on a picture graph means one person not five people.)
Show your child any graphs or tables that you come across in your day to day life. Read and discuss them together. They do not need to be at a second grade level.