An important component of second grade math is having a strong understanding of addition and subtraction word problems. I taught both second and third grade and witnessed the huge jump students take from one grade level to the next. 

Third graders are expected to solve many multi-step problems using all four operations, whereas second graders rarely see multi-step problems. The key to student success is giving them one problem solving strategy that they can apply to all problem types.

In this blog post, I’m sharing three types of word problems you can teach students that will provide them with a solid foundation for third grade.

One of the first and most important tasks that elementary teachers undertake at the start of the school year, is the creation of instructional calendars. These calendars serve as roadmaps for the entire school year, outlining the specific topics and skills that will be covered each month. The development of instructional calendars is a time-consuming process that requires careful planning and consideration of numerous factors.

I couldn't believe it when I found out I had to teach second grade multiplication and division. I remember first learning these concepts in third grade and all we did was memorize facts and take timed quizzes. Now students are expected to learn multiplication and division at a younger age using many different representations and strategies. 

Several weeks into my first year teaching, my math coach came to me and said she found a vacant classroom upstairs that had been locked and inside were hundreds of math manipulatives and resources. She told me to grab as much as I wanted to keep in my classroom. At first I was thrilled, but then I realized I had no idea what to grab or how to use them in my lessons. Classic first year panic!

Throughout the rest of my first year and subsequent years teaching, I learned the importance of using these concrete models to teach students new concepts. In this blog post I’ll be sharing three manipulatives to help you teach second grade multiplication and division.

As teachers we are usually told to give a quick quiz at the end of the week, and plan our small groups for the following week based on that data. Early on I tried that approach and it just didn’t work. I had to move so quickly through each standard that students just continually fell behind. It also caused me to have to plan multiple lessons on several different topics at one time, instead of just planning one lesson. It was inefficient and too much work!

There is also no need to make exit tickets or demonstrations of learning. It’s just one more thing you have to create for each lesson and it takes up instructional time. By eliminating this step you can jump right into your first small group as soon as the whole group lesson is over.

But we still need a way to identify students who need help. I did this by incorporating fill in the blank style checks for understanding during my whole group lessons and students would respond on their mini whiteboards using expo markers. I could then quickly see who was understanding the content, and who was struggling.

Teaching second grade measurement activities can be challenging, especially when there is a lack of classroom resources.

I’ve been there. Sometimes I had a surplus of rulers and yardsticks, and other times I had to get creative with how I was going to share a limited number of resources amongst my students.

In this blog post I’ll be covering:

• Second grade measurement activities that require no tools

• Second grade measurement problem types 

• One resource every classroom should have when teaching measurement 

So if you are scrambling to find ways to teach measurement with a limited number of supplies, you’ve come to the right place! Let’s jump right in. 

When I first learned that I had to teach second graders multiplication, I was a bit terrified. It seems like such a complex skill for young students, but in reality the foundations for multiplication are quite simple. 

Having taught both second and third grade math, I understand the importance of building a solid foundation in second grade so students can master multiplication in third grade. In this blog post I’ll show you how to teach multiplication to second graders using:

• Skip Counting

• Arrays

• Equal Groups

• Repeated Addition

This is the exact order that I used to introduce my second graders to multiplication, and it worked incredibly well! Let’s jump right in.