Second Grade Math with Confidence Instructor Guide

Written by Kate Snow, this guide is designed for parents who must teach second-grade mathematics without any prior experience in teaching it. Each lesson is scripted, so the adult can follow the plan without preparing materials from scratch.

Over the year, children practice reading, writing, and comparing numbers up to 1,000, adding and subtracting two- and three-digit numbers, and solving addition and subtraction word problems. They also learn to tell time, count money, measure length, read graphs, recognize two- and three-dimensional shapes, and understand simple fractions. Games and pretend play carry much of the material. Sample activities include Pretend Restaurant, Measurement Tag, and Fraction Bump, which are meant to build number sense and a positive attitude toward the subject.

Lessons are short, hands-on, and suited to young children's development, with clear directions and explanatory notes for the adult. Instruction relies on this guide, a Student Workbook, and everyday objects such as play money, base-ten blocks, a clock, and a ruler. Weekly enrichment lessons are optional and include picture book recommendations and real-life math extension activities. Memory work and daily review help children retain what they have learned, and dozens of black and white illustrations appear throughout.