Number Corner Grade 2 Advice for April

 

If you have already had your spring break, I hope it was a refreshing one! This is the third month your children will make the calendar markers. Hopefully you have seen increased sophistication each time the children make them.

 

First they generate ideas as illustrated in the photo. If you want to see it larger, right click (PC) or command click (Mac). After choosing two, the children are challenged to figure out how many of each they will need to create the patterns they invent using Unifix cubes. I have seen teachers use a table or desk as a collection point for all the various patterns, leaving it available for several days before deciding on a pattern. Some children may continue to invent patterns, like during Work Place time. If you get a particularly interesting pattern, please take a picture of it and email it to me. Here are two sample calendars. The first one has a complicated repeating pattern – AABBBAAB-AABBBAAB and the second has an AABAB-AABAB pattern.

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, there is a filled-in Number Corner Planner for April on the Support section of the website.

The Hundreds Grid continues this month, but not as much time is spent on discussion of the grid. There are five interesting prompts on page 221 that remind you to do Full and Empty Pockets, put the last day of the year in the appropriate pocket and have the children figure out how many school days are left, discuss approximate fractional parts filled and ask how the grid could be shown with dollar bills and coins.

The Daily Number Chart returns, and after a refresher, students work independently to fill in the grids and write number sentences in the Student Book. These are great challenges for those who developing their writing skills. See pages 224-5 later in the month when you need some new ideas for discussion. Here is an interesting example with 10 equations showing clear understanding of what makes up 100 and beyond.

The magnetic tiles haven’t been used since you studied tile fractions in January. They return this month for a new purpose: finding perimeter and area. Use your overhead pen to put dashes above or beside each tile as you go around the various rectangles students have produced to match the date. This is a commonly accepted form for displaying perimeter. See the illustration on page 209 if this doesn’t make sense. Don’t forget to use the Student Book several times toward the end of the month.

In the Base Ten Bank you continue to make withdrawals until the end of the month or until all the base ten pieces have been used. Don’t forget sketching as illustrated on page 232 if your students haven’t been using it much. It’s “shorthand” to represent the mats, strips, and units, and this skill is continued next year.

The April twist for the Bean Clock is that the egg carton is shaken three times. The first two spins determine the placement of the hour and minute hands, and the third number is the number of hours that are to be added to the time. In other words, the third number determines how much time has elapsed. If you have children still struggling with telling time, get out a set of mini-clocks or run off blackline NC11 (in back of your Teachers Guide) and have the children make clocks.