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our second grade program

Math

Our mathematics program is built on the interaction of a mastery of basic skills and a strong conceptual understanding of applications through problem solving. We integrate mathematics into other subject areas and to incorporate the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics as set forth by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Each lesson is a problem-solving experience and deals with important mathematical concepts that will help students develop and extend their mathematical thinking. Students are encouraged to collaborate with classmates and teachers and to describe their thought process in writing.

Each day, Second Graders continue to develop, construct, test and reflect on their understanding of mathematical concepts. Teachers use TERC’s Investigations in Number, Data, and Space as the key instructional textand the NCTM focal points as instructional guideposts. Communicating and making connections to prior knowledge are key elements at this grade level. The students demonstrate their understanding through processes that move from concrete, to pictorial, to symbolic representations. Assessment at this level is both informal and formal. Formal assessments are completed in pre- and post-assessment settings through observations, and at scheduled times at the beginning, middle and end of the year and include a variety of specific math skills and expectations.

Instruction at the Second Grade level focuses on these concepts, strategies and skills:

  • Mathematical Thinking: Counting and categorizing in number, data and space; explore ideas about counting, adding and subtracting, geometric shapes, money and collecting data; introducing tools, materials, expectations and routines that will support an engaging environment of mathematical investigation
  • Number System: Working with addition combinations of 10, doubles (4+4), and doubles plus or minus one (4+5, 4+3); use coins, interlocking cubes, mathematical games and 100 charts to gain facility with addition combinations; count by 2s, 5s, and 10s; develop strategies for solving addition and subtraction problems
  • Computation: Working with “Landmark” numbers such as 10, 25, and 100; develop strategies for solving addition and subtraction problems that build on breaking numbers into fives, tens and ones; continue work developing an understanding of our number system, with emphasis on the number 100; developing addition and subtraction fact fluency to 20.
  • Data: Collecting, sorting and classifying real data; collect, sort, classify and represent categorical data
  • Collecting and representing numerical data: students collect and represent numerical data about themselves; describe their data; predictions based on their data
  • Examining connections between time and stories: develop ways of describing changes over time as they represent events on timelines marked in years or hours; compare durations of events; explore the mathematical patterns in self-created rhythms
  • Measuring lengths using objects in school, at home, and in a GeoLogo computer program: working with non-standard units; measure and compare lengths of objects and paths in the classroom and at home
  • Investigating the structure of 2-D and 3-D shapes: explore sets of 2-D and 3-D shapes; learn the Shapes software; investigate relationships among shapes; find halves and shapes; make symmetrical designs