2nd Grade Mathematics

The 2nd grade year introduces many mathematical concepts while reinforcing skills with time and money, which were begun in 1st grade. Students work to increase their recall of basic addition and subtraction facts to 20, solidify their knowledge of place value, solve word problems with a focus on explaining their thinking, recognize and draw two- and three-dimensional shapes, gather and graph data, estimate and measure length in inches and feet, and develop double-digit addition and subtraction algorithms using manipulatives, visual models, and number sentences. 

One of the primary math-related projects in 2nd grade is a math and science unit involving the position and motion of objects—marbles, in this case. Using cardboard tubes, unit blocks, masking tape, and tape measures, students build working marble rolls. Students generate a set of hypotheses based on the distance their marble would roll when the height and lengths of the cardboard tubes change, as well as one experiment in which the mass of the marble is the variable. After collecting their data, 2nd graders analyze it to determine whether it supports their original hypothesis. Students engage in a similar project in 7th grade, with more complex math problems.