In second grade, students’ mathematical focus is centered around solidifying their understanding of two and three-digit addition and subtraction, place value, money, measurement, geometry and time. We use the Math Expressions curriculum as our primary curriculum and emphasize conceptual understanding and communication skills, as well as procedural fluency. Students are given opportunities to develop their mathematical thinking skills (i.e. noticing patterns, trying multiple strategies to solve problems, and showing their thinking in many ways), as we value mathematical curiosity, experimentation, and deep understanding.
Walk into the second grade math classroom, and you will find students working together to solve open-ended challenge problems, explaining and defending their strategies and solutions with their classmates. Inquiry-based instruction and issue- or problem-based learning supplements the curriculum and invites students to explore concepts through questions, problems and scenarios, and in the context of relevant, real-world problems, rather than simply being presented with information. Our students learn to be flexible, creative thinkers, and articulate their thinking to others. In our Workshop model, students self-select from a menu of appropriate math tasks related to the current mathematical standard. Each child chooses a task differentiated for their individual learning needs and interests, with support from teachers and peers. We work to ensure that each child is both challenged and supported as they grow as mathematicians.
Finally, each class ends with an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning. Students are encouraged to make connections between concepts and strategies, and articulate their new understandings. Writing is an important tool for summarizing learning and constructing meaning. It allows the brain to articulate understandings, and increases the likelihood that the learning will be remembered. Reflecting allows students to know themselves as learners, and make progress in selecting appropriately challenging learning tasks.
Second grade math covers the following topics:
Walk into the second grade math classroom, and you will find students working together to solve open-ended challenge problems, explaining and defending their strategies and solutions with their classmates. Inquiry-based instruction and issue- or problem-based learning supplements the curriculum and invites students to explore concepts through questions, problems and scenarios, and in the context of relevant, real-world problems, rather than simply being presented with information. Our students learn to be flexible, creative thinkers, and articulate their thinking to others. In our Workshop model, students self-select from a menu of appropriate math tasks related to the current mathematical standard. Each child chooses a task differentiated for their individual learning needs and interests, with support from teachers and peers. We work to ensure that each child is both challenged and supported as they grow as mathematicians.
Finally, each class ends with an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning. Students are encouraged to make connections between concepts and strategies, and articulate their new understandings. Writing is an important tool for summarizing learning and constructing meaning. It allows the brain to articulate understandings, and increases the likelihood that the learning will be remembered. Reflecting allows students to know themselves as learners, and make progress in selecting appropriately challenging learning tasks.
Second grade math covers the following topics:
- Understanding the Addition and Subtraction
- Place Value to 1,000
- Mental Addition and Subtraction
- Adding and Subtracting Two and Three-Digit Numbers
- Counting Money
- Measuring Length
- Time, Graphs, and Data
- Geometry
- Fractions
