Are you sending a second grader off to school for the first time? 2nd grade math can be challenging for some students. Here’s a basic idea of what your child will be expected to know and do in this upcoming school year.
Addition and Subtraction Mastery
Second grade is the year when kids will get to a mastery point of subtraction and addition as they gear up for multiplication and division. They will finalize those facts in their minds while learning to add and subtract larger numbers using the facts they have memorized. Having these facts committed to memory is crucial for this stage, which is why Thinkster Math focuses strongly on basic fact practice.
Along the same lines, in 2nd grade math students will be able to discuss the inverse relationship of addition and subtraction. By working with fact families, they will learn that subtraction is simply addition in reverse. They will also understand that subtraction gives you a smaller amount than you started with, while addition gives you a larger amount. By the end of the year, they will be able to add and subtract two- and three-digit numbers with or without regrouping.
Geometry Fluency
In geometry, students will need to move beyond basic identification of various shapes and figures. Now they will become fluent with some of the terms used to describe these items. They will be using terms like “angles,” “faces” and “vertices” to describe shapes in both two- and three-dimensions.
Fraction Introduction
Students won’t do much with fractions in 2nd grade math, but they should be introduced at this time. They should learn to identify thirds, halves, quarters and eighths. They will learn the basics of what fractions mean and use visuals to identify them.
Problems with Money
In 2nd grade math, students will become competent in counting mixed groups of coins. They should be able to identify when two different groups have the same amount of money, and they will be able to use coins to create a certain dollar value.
