Math Thinking Routines
We have been using math thinking routines to help students better understand and explain math concepts that they are learning. We are able to use thinking routines to help solve problems and understand math in a deeper way.
Here are the thinking routines that we have learned so far:
- Disappearing Dan
- Find It & Fix It
- Always, Sometimes, Never
- Guess My Number
- Prove It!
- It Is/It Is Not
Ask your child to explain these to you!
We also came up with a rubric for when we are completing thinking routines in class. Although each routine is unique, the ultimate goal is to better understand, make connections to and deepen our understanding on math concepts by using these thinking routines.
Here is the rubric we will be using in class:
Boats & Buoyancy
We will be starting to learn about boats and buoyancy over the next 2 months. Please see the information below to know exactly what your child will be learning about. Part of this learning will include contracting a boat that will move through water. We will begin collecting materials in March for this!
Addition & Subtraction
In Grade 2, students learn how to add and subtract numbers from 0-100. We have learned many addition strategies this year with smaller numbers (number buddies, making 10, doubles, doubles plus and minus 1/2), and have also learned the "breaking apart" strategy and "stacking" strategy. We will continue to work with these throughout the year and will begin to learn subtraction strategies as well.
When practicing at home, talk about the thinking process when solving math problems. This is one of the most important parts of math! If a child can walk you through the steps of how to solve a problem, or how to use a strategy, they really understand it. If you have any questions about ways to practice addition or subtraction at home please email Miss Nettleton.
Magnets
We have begun to learn about magnets this week. Here are the different things that your child will be learning about in the classroom:
Growing Patterns
We have been learning about different types of patterns since before Christmas. We have learned about 2, 3, and 4 part repeating patterns and have more recently been learning about growing patterns. Growing patterns are patterns that get bigger by following a rule of some kind. There are a few different steps to follow when solving a growing pattern:
1. Identify the rule. How much is the patterns growing by?
2. Continue to fill in the information into the T chart.
3. See if there are any questions that need to be answered.
Sometimes students need to the use their addition and counting skills to figure out the pattern. We have been using 100s charts, if needed, to support this. Sometimes it is easier for students to "count on" using a 100s chart to visually see the numbers in front of them instead of using their fingers or counting on in their heads. Another great strategy is it to use doubles or breaking apart.
Social Studies - Nova Scotia (Acadia)
We are learning about 3 different communities in Canada this year - Nunavut, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. We have talked about Nova Scotia's landscape and some of the activities that they do there and now we are comparing and contrasting the past and present. Nova Scotia in the past was called "Acadia" and people from Europe (France and Scotland) moved there to start a new life. We will be talking about some of the reasons that moving to Canada was exciting and new, and why you might want to move there. We will also be talking about what life would have looked like in the past compared to what life would look like now. Things were pretty different! We will also be discussing the deportation of Acadians and why that happened. While this can be a difficult event to explain to such young children, it is important that they understand the importance of language and traditions and how these persisted through a difficult time in Canada's history. In conjunction with this, students will make personal connections to real life events (immigration, evacuations, moving etc).
Vowel Combinations
We spent the first few months of Grade 2 really getting to know our long and short vowel sounds. Ask me what each of these letters can say - A, E, I, O, U (they can each say 2 sounds!).
Now to assist our reading skills and writing skills we are learning about vowel combinations. In January we will be learning about AI, OA, EE, and EA. These are vowels that when children see them together, they should be read or written as one sound - the long sound of the first letter!
It is often said that "when two vowels go a walking the first one does the talking" however there are instances where this isn't true. Our goal is to help children recognize the above patterns when reading and spelling words. Instead of saying "when two vowels go a walking the first one does the talking" help your child to remember what they pattern in the word is and what sound the letter grouping says.
Robotics
Have you heard!? We've been using Dash to improve our estimation and measurement skills. Students have spent this week completing a variety of tasks to work on getting Dash along a grid (mat) in the Learning Commons. We have talked about how when programming Dash he moves in 10cm increments. This means we have to count by 10s. Each square on the gird is 30cm long - that is the same as 10 + 10 + 10. Students have been working in partners this week to gain a beginning understanding of this.
Next, we will be creating our own paths using a Nunavut landscape and applying out knowledge of Nunavut. Students will create their own travel path to an Inuksuk and then record their voice explaining what the Inuksuk means. As an extension, students will add some barriers along the way!
Here is the plan for creating our path to the inuksuk. Students get to choose where the inuksuk will go and the path their robot will take to get there.
Today we got to start creating and coding our plan into Blockly (the app used for Dash and Dot). Students had to use a growth mindset to accomplish their goals! As you can see, the blue square represents where the inuksuk is on their "map" and then the green lines represent the path that Dash needs to follow to get there. Some students had lots of success with their original plan and were encouraged to go and make a new plan that had more turns and was a little more complex.
Patterns - Repeating
We have been learning about 3, 4 and 5 part repeating patterns. Students have been learning how to identify the pattern core. The pattern core is the smallest part of the pattern that repeats. They have been learning how to identify the pattern using ABCD... to help them better understand and make connections using patterns. They have been working on creating their own 3, 4, and 5 part patterns and explaining their patterning rule. Students have also been working on extending a partners pattern.
We have recently been working on filling in missing pattern parts. This requires a bit of problem solving! First, students have to correctly identify the pattern core and then figure out which part of the pattern is missing. Next, they have to fill in the missing parts. Last, they have to double check their work.
We will begin to work on increasing patterns after the break!
2D and 3D Shapes
Students have been learning about the differences between 2D and 3D shapes. 3D shapes have vertices, edges and faces. 2D shapes do not! Ask your child to point out different 2D and 3D shapes around your house
We have also been working on identifying and counting the vertices, edges and faces for each shape. This is a great skill to practice at home!
Breaking Apart - Adding Strategy
Students have been working on using the "Breaking Apart" adding strategy to help them add bigger numbers that have answer smaller than 100. Students are able to use their prior learning from place value (ones and tens) and Making 10 or Doubles to add.
1. Break apart the numbers into the tens and ones places
2. Add the numbers from the tens (think about skip counting!)
3. Add the numbers from the ones (think about Making 10 or Doubles!)
4. Add the tens and ones back together!
This is a great adding strategy because it is step by step and helps students understand why they are adding the numbers they are adding. It also helps them understand the quantity of a specific number and how much bigger some numbers are than others. Lastly, it is extremely visual which is a great help for students at this age. Visuals help them to track where they are, what comes next and self monitor along the way.
CHALLENGE
Start to use this adding strategy while using the CUBES strategy for word problems.
What Makes 10?!
Students in Grade 2 need to have an excellent understanding of the number 10 and the numbers that can be added to Make 10. Today we did an activity with pieces of paper to make groups that added to 10. Then students worked independently to create different ways to Make 10. Check out some of our work! We are working to command these "Making 10" facts to memory by Christmas as this will help us learn to add quickly when we are working with bigger numbers.
Social Studies We have been learning a little bit about Nunavut over the last 2 weeks.
We have been having conversations where we are comparing and contrasting Nunavut to Alberta. We have been looking at different images and watching short videos to help increase our understanding.
Today we created a larger chart with a list of things that are the same or different between Alberta and Nunavut. Ask your child what they have learned so far.
Reading & Writing Strategies We have been working on sounding words out in two ways: Stretchy Snake and Chunky Monkey.
To help with these reading/writing concepts, we've been practicing making and breaking words using letter tiles. This is a great hands on way to practice spelling! While making and breaking words, we have also been learning about the vowel sounds. Right now we are learning that each vowel has a long and a short sound.
Take a look at some of the words we can make. Try it at home!
Number Sense - Numbers 1-100 We are continuing to develop our Number Sense with numbers from 1-100. We are learning about the patterns with these numbers, the ones and tens places and even and odd numbers.
Today we worked on filling in a blank 100s chart. Students began to notice that once the first line was filled in, it was easier to tell which number would go in the ones place. Students began to realize that there was a pattern at the end 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.
Take a look at some of the strategies that the students used to complete their charts.
Ethan worked on filling out the first 2 lines, and then completed the 10s column and then the 9s column. Way to use an understanding of place value to help with this task!
Oliver worked on filling in the first 2 lines and then completed all of the 1s column, 10s column and then the row with all of the numbers in the 90s row. Awesome strategies!
Leo worked on the first line of numbers and then quickly realized he could complete the 10s column by counting forward by 10s. Great counting!
Adaya filled in the first line and then used the numbers in the ones place to help her complete column. Great strategy!
Hudson worked on filling in the first line and then counting by 1s to 100 and writing each number.
Nixon also worked on counting by 1s to 100 to fill in his chart.
Writing
We have started to work on our writing skills in Grade 2 this week! We are working on making sure that our sentences have 3 important things:
1. Begin with a CAPITAL letter
2. Finger spaces
3. Punctuation at the end (right now we are just using a period)
Take a look at some of the examples below:
We have been using math thinking routines to help students better understand and explain math concepts that they are learning. We are able to use thinking routines to help solve problems and understand math in a deeper way.
Here are the thinking routines that we have learned so far:
- Disappearing Dan
- Find It & Fix It
- Always, Sometimes, Never
- Guess My Number
- Prove It!
- It Is/It Is Not
Ask your child to explain these to you!
We also came up with a rubric for when we are completing thinking routines in class. Although each routine is unique, the ultimate goal is to better understand, make connections to and deepen our understanding on math concepts by using these thinking routines.
Here is the rubric we will be using in class:
Boats & Buoyancy
We will be starting to learn about boats and buoyancy over the next 2 months. Please see the information below to know exactly what your child will be learning about. Part of this learning will include contracting a boat that will move through water. We will begin collecting materials in March for this!
Students explore what sinks and what floats, and what makes an effective watercraft. Through building and testing a variety of floating objects, students learn the importance of selecting appropriate materials and the importance of workmanship in shaping, positioning, fitting and waterproofing their constructions, so they will do the intended job. Along the way, students learn about balance and stability and about different methods that can be used in propelling a watercraft. The concept of density is informally developed in this topic.
- Describe, classify and order materials on the basis of their buoyancy. Students who have achieved this expectation will distinguish between materials that sink in water and those that float. They will also be aware that some “floaters” sit mostly above water, while others sit mostly below water. The terms buoyancy and density may be introduced but are not required as part of this learning expectation.
- Alter or add to a floating object so that it will sink, and alter or add to a nonfloating object so that it will float.
- Assemble materials so they will float, carry a load and be stable in water.
- Modify a watercraft to increase the load it will carry.
- Modify a watercraft to increase its stability in water.
- Evaluate the appropriateness of various materials to the construction of watercraft, in particular:
- the degree to which the material is
waterproof (not porous) - the ability to form waterproof joints
between parts - the stiffness or rigidity of the material
- the buoyancy of the material.
- the degree to which the material is
- Develop or adapt methods of construction that are appropriate to the design task.
- Adapt the design of a watercraft so it can be propelled through water.
- Explain why a given material, design or component is appropriate to the design task.
In Grade 2, students learn how to add and subtract numbers from 0-100. We have learned many addition strategies this year with smaller numbers (number buddies, making 10, doubles, doubles plus and minus 1/2), and have also learned the "breaking apart" strategy and "stacking" strategy. We will continue to work with these throughout the year and will begin to learn subtraction strategies as well.
When practicing at home, talk about the thinking process when solving math problems. This is one of the most important parts of math! If a child can walk you through the steps of how to solve a problem, or how to use a strategy, they really understand it. If you have any questions about ways to practice addition or subtraction at home please email Miss Nettleton.
Magnets
We have begun to learn about magnets this week. Here are the different things that your child will be learning about in the classroom:
Students explore the interaction of magnets with a variety of materials found within their own environment. By testing the effects of one magnet on another, they learn that magnets show polarity and that the strength of magnetic effects diminishes with distance. They learn to distinguish materials that are affected by magnets from those that are not and learn how magnets can be used in sorting objects, moving things and holding things together.
- Identify where magnets are used in the environment and why they are used.
- Distinguish materials that are attracted by a magnet from those that are not.
- Recognize that magnets attract materials with iron or steel in them; and given a variety of metallic and nonmetallic objects, predict those that will be attracted by a magnet.
- Recognize that magnets have polarity, demonstrate that poles may either repel or attract each other, and state a rule for when poles will repel or attract each other.
- Design and produce a device that uses a magnet.
- Demonstrate that most materials are transparent to the effects of a magnet. A magnetic field will pass through such materials, whereas other materials interact with a magnet.
- Compare and measure the strength of magnets.
Please continue these conversations at home!
Growing Patterns
We have been learning about different types of patterns since before Christmas. We have learned about 2, 3, and 4 part repeating patterns and have more recently been learning about growing patterns. Growing patterns are patterns that get bigger by following a rule of some kind. There are a few different steps to follow when solving a growing pattern:
1. Identify the rule. How much is the patterns growing by?
2. Continue to fill in the information into the T chart.
3. See if there are any questions that need to be answered.
Sometimes students need to the use their addition and counting skills to figure out the pattern. We have been using 100s charts, if needed, to support this. Sometimes it is easier for students to "count on" using a 100s chart to visually see the numbers in front of them instead of using their fingers or counting on in their heads. Another great strategy is it to use doubles or breaking apart.
Social Studies - Nova Scotia (Acadia)
We are learning about 3 different communities in Canada this year - Nunavut, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. We have talked about Nova Scotia's landscape and some of the activities that they do there and now we are comparing and contrasting the past and present. Nova Scotia in the past was called "Acadia" and people from Europe (France and Scotland) moved there to start a new life. We will be talking about some of the reasons that moving to Canada was exciting and new, and why you might want to move there. We will also be talking about what life would have looked like in the past compared to what life would look like now. Things were pretty different! We will also be discussing the deportation of Acadians and why that happened. While this can be a difficult event to explain to such young children, it is important that they understand the importance of language and traditions and how these persisted through a difficult time in Canada's history. In conjunction with this, students will make personal connections to real life events (immigration, evacuations, moving etc).
Vowel Combinations
We spent the first few months of Grade 2 really getting to know our long and short vowel sounds. Ask me what each of these letters can say - A, E, I, O, U (they can each say 2 sounds!).
Now to assist our reading skills and writing skills we are learning about vowel combinations. In January we will be learning about AI, OA, EE, and EA. These are vowels that when children see them together, they should be read or written as one sound - the long sound of the first letter!
It is often said that "when two vowels go a walking the first one does the talking" however there are instances where this isn't true. Our goal is to help children recognize the above patterns when reading and spelling words. Instead of saying "when two vowels go a walking the first one does the talking" help your child to remember what they pattern in the word is and what sound the letter grouping says.
Robotics
Have you heard!? We've been using Dash to improve our estimation and measurement skills. Students have spent this week completing a variety of tasks to work on getting Dash along a grid (mat) in the Learning Commons. We have talked about how when programming Dash he moves in 10cm increments. This means we have to count by 10s. Each square on the gird is 30cm long - that is the same as 10 + 10 + 10. Students have been working in partners this week to gain a beginning understanding of this.
Next, we will be creating our own paths using a Nunavut landscape and applying out knowledge of Nunavut. Students will create their own travel path to an Inuksuk and then record their voice explaining what the Inuksuk means. As an extension, students will add some barriers along the way!
Here is the plan for creating our path to the inuksuk. Students get to choose where the inuksuk will go and the path their robot will take to get there.
Today we got to start creating and coding our plan into Blockly (the app used for Dash and Dot). Students had to use a growth mindset to accomplish their goals! As you can see, the blue square represents where the inuksuk is on their "map" and then the green lines represent the path that Dash needs to follow to get there. Some students had lots of success with their original plan and were encouraged to go and make a new plan that had more turns and was a little more complex.
Patterns - Repeating
We have been learning about 3, 4 and 5 part repeating patterns. Students have been learning how to identify the pattern core. The pattern core is the smallest part of the pattern that repeats. They have been learning how to identify the pattern using ABCD... to help them better understand and make connections using patterns. They have been working on creating their own 3, 4, and 5 part patterns and explaining their patterning rule. Students have also been working on extending a partners pattern.
We have recently been working on filling in missing pattern parts. This requires a bit of problem solving! First, students have to correctly identify the pattern core and then figure out which part of the pattern is missing. Next, they have to fill in the missing parts. Last, they have to double check their work.
We will begin to work on increasing patterns after the break!
2D and 3D Shapes
Students have been learning about the differences between 2D and 3D shapes. 3D shapes have vertices, edges and faces. 2D shapes do not! Ask your child to point out different 2D and 3D shapes around your house
We have also been working on identifying and counting the vertices, edges and faces for each shape. This is a great skill to practice at home!
Students have been working on using the "Breaking Apart" adding strategy to help them add bigger numbers that have answer smaller than 100. Students are able to use their prior learning from place value (ones and tens) and Making 10 or Doubles to add.
1. Break apart the numbers into the tens and ones places
2. Add the numbers from the tens (think about skip counting!)
3. Add the numbers from the ones (think about Making 10 or Doubles!)
4. Add the tens and ones back together!
This is a great adding strategy because it is step by step and helps students understand why they are adding the numbers they are adding. It also helps them understand the quantity of a specific number and how much bigger some numbers are than others. Lastly, it is extremely visual which is a great help for students at this age. Visuals help them to track where they are, what comes next and self monitor along the way.
CHALLENGE
Start to use this adding strategy while using the CUBES strategy for word problems.
What Makes 10?!
Students in Grade 2 need to have an excellent understanding of the number 10 and the numbers that can be added to Make 10. Today we did an activity with pieces of paper to make groups that added to 10. Then students worked independently to create different ways to Make 10. Check out some of our work! We are working to command these "Making 10" facts to memory by Christmas as this will help us learn to add quickly when we are working with bigger numbers.
Social Studies We have been learning a little bit about Nunavut over the last 2 weeks.
We have been having conversations where we are comparing and contrasting Nunavut to Alberta. We have been looking at different images and watching short videos to help increase our understanding.
Today we created a larger chart with a list of things that are the same or different between Alberta and Nunavut. Ask your child what they have learned so far.
Reading & Writing Strategies We have been working on sounding words out in two ways: Stretchy Snake and Chunky Monkey.
To help with these reading/writing concepts, we've been practicing making and breaking words using letter tiles. This is a great hands on way to practice spelling! While making and breaking words, we have also been learning about the vowel sounds. Right now we are learning that each vowel has a long and a short sound.
Take a look at some of the words we can make. Try it at home!
Number Sense - Numbers 1-100 We are continuing to develop our Number Sense with numbers from 1-100. We are learning about the patterns with these numbers, the ones and tens places and even and odd numbers.
Today we worked on filling in a blank 100s chart. Students began to notice that once the first line was filled in, it was easier to tell which number would go in the ones place. Students began to realize that there was a pattern at the end 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100.
Take a look at some of the strategies that the students used to complete their charts.
Ethan worked on filling out the first 2 lines, and then completed the 10s column and then the 9s column. Way to use an understanding of place value to help with this task!
Oliver worked on filling in the first 2 lines and then completed all of the 1s column, 10s column and then the row with all of the numbers in the 90s row. Awesome strategies!
Leo worked on the first line of numbers and then quickly realized he could complete the 10s column by counting forward by 10s. Great counting!
Adaya filled in the first line and then used the numbers in the ones place to help her complete column. Great strategy!
Hudson worked on filling in the first line and then counting by 1s to 100 and writing each number.
Nixon also worked on counting by 1s to 100 to fill in his chart.
Writing
We have started to work on our writing skills in Grade 2 this week! We are working on making sure that our sentences have 3 important things:
1. Begin with a CAPITAL letter
2. Finger spaces
3. Punctuation at the end (right now we are just using a period)
Take a look at some of the examples below:
