11/18/08 Mental Math, Word Order

Part 1 (Reading)

Part 2 (Word Order): Tonight’s homework is simple enough: your student needs to re-order the words on the worksheet to make sentences that make sense. After sentences A 1-3 they need to right the word question or statement depending upon what kind of sentence it is. For sentences B 1-2 They just need to re-order the words in a way that makes sense and pay special attention to using proper punctuation marks.

Part 3 (Minute Math): Minute Math is a daily activity. It is not due until Friday. How is your child doing with subtraction minute math?

Part 4 (Mental Math): We continue to learn little mental ways to quickly add up numbers. The idea is to have the students do quick

mental equations to be able to easily come up with answers when adding and subtracting.  It can be rather tricky to get across to 2nd graders, though.  I need a LOT of help on this one. We’ve been working on a concept called "Making the Next Ten."  The students are learning that when they add numbers together they need to start thinking about how to get to the next "ten" on the number line (10, 20, 30, 40... etc).  Consider this example: I am adding 19+4.  Now, the next ten is 20.  I am one step away from being at 20.  So, using mental math, I change the problem from 19+4 into 20+3!  I just move one of my ones over and the problem gets easier!

If I were adding 57+5 I would go through a similar series of steps:  the next "ten" would be 60 so I know that I need to turn the 57 into 60...  hmmmm....  I "take" 3 from the 5 and move it over to the 57... the 57 turns into 60 and the 5 turns into 2.  The whole problem has changed from 57+5 into 60+2 and is now an easier problem because I made the next ten. Today we worked on adding tens and ones. Here is an example: When Your child gets to problem #20 they need to explain how they add 14+41. For example, they might say first I added the tens... 10 plus 40 is 50. Then I added the ones... 4 plus 1 is 5... then I put it all together: 50 plus 5 is 55! Please check your child’s understanding. Have a nice night!