Math and Social Studies this week

Just a reminder that we have library on Friday. Please make sure your child brings their library book so that they can switch it out for a new one! 

Math

As we are launching into learning about addition and subtraction, please note that there has been a shift away from rote memorization of math facts and toward a strategy-based approach for learning math facts.  There’s a big difference between memorizing and understanding. Sure, we want kiddos to have automaticity with their facts, but we want that fluency to be rooted in number sense–an understanding of how numbers are related.  We will be focusing on building that understanding through strategies rather than focusing on algorithms.  

Grade Ones

This week we looked addition strategies.  We looked at adding 0 and using number lines to add 1, 2, and 3

Here are some questions you can ask your child to reinforce their learning: 

• What is the strategy when you are adding zero to a number? 
• How do you use a number line to add 6 + 2?
• Why is using a number line a helpful strategy when adding numbers together?

Grade Twos

This week we looked addition of two digit numbers using number lines and the jumping strategy.  

Here are some questions you can ask your child to reinforce their learning: 

• What strategies do you use to add two digit numbers using a number lines?  (37 + 43)
• How do you know how much to jump on the number line?
• Can you solve a question with a missing addend? (34 + ? = 56)
• Why is using a number line a helpful strategy when adding two digit numbers?

Students have also been practicing their basic math facts to 18. Please practice this with them at home as these basic facts will be super important for the rest of their lives! 

Socials

This week we have been looking at how things have changed over time and will continue to explore this topic next week.  We looked at changes in transportation, communication, school supplies, lighting, and cooking.

Here are some questions you can ask your child to reinforce their learning:

• How has transportation changed over time? (horses - cars -planes)
• Are all changes positive?
• What do these changes allow us to do? (travel farther, communicate to more people, increase speed, more options)
• How have school supplies changed? (e.g. chalkboard - paper/ink- paper/pen, computer)
• Why do things change? (improved technology, save time, new inventions)

If you have any artifacts or photographs from your family's past, please share them with your child to help them understand that their family has a past and that life was different then.