Hello sweet second graders and amazing parents! Thank you for taking the time to read this post about NUMBER BONDS.

I have to make a very strong point- if your child does addition and subtraction without number bonds, but can get the correct answer, that is FABULOUS. There are so many wonderful strategies out there- such as using touch dots, a number line, or the old regrouping method that we learned as kids. However your child WILL be tested on using number bonds to add and subtract. So while this may not be your child’s strategy of choice- it is still one that they are expected to master in second grade.

Before I started teaching again I had heard about how tricky and different the common core math is for not only students but for parents… and I can see why! It is now my mission to make it more understandable for you and your child. I have spent hours pouring over our number bond lessons and even made some power points to help us understand the purpose of number bonds in regards to addition and subtraction. I turned these power points into a video screen cast (audio wasn’t working for some reason though).

The first one is showing how we can “construct”  number sentences (or equations) with number bonds when adding within 20. I have told our class that we love to build groups of 10. That is why having mastery of all the facts that equal 10 is so important (1+9, 2+8, 3+7, etc). Please watch this with your kiddo before doing number bond homework. (You can also watch this fun video on the friends of 10) We will watch it in class, too… as soon as our projector is working! I strongly feel after looking over homework that these number bonds are a challenge for a majority of our class.

The second video is showing number sentences with number bonds when adding within 100. This is more difficult- and a concept we haven’t covered in class YET but we will be within the next week or two.

I will be posting our 2 subtraction presentations soon, so look for those in the near future.

Again- thanks for reading this post!

We have been so fortunate this year to work with a kind and loving teacher; Mrs. Alsup.  She has worked hard to teach our class so many things!  We are so grateful to have her in Room 203! Here are some reasons why we think she is incredible.

The composer this month is Antonio Vivaldi. He is most famous for his songs titled The Four Seasons. As a fun music and art project, we drew our most vivid mental images while we listened to each of the four seasons. I was so impressed with the fabulous and unique images they came up with!

Pictures of Us Creating

The Final Results!

Our class has been learning about one of my personal favorite things… ROCKS! Why are they so incredibly amazing, you might be wondering? Besides the fact that they are extremely old, each rock is a little clue about what geological events have taken place. Take, for instance, the beautiful Wasatch mountains. We can tell by studying their layers that sediment that was once horizontal, is now diagonal! Rocks not only tell us about our earth’s history, but they are also fun to collect! I have been collecting rocks for over 12 years!

Let’s share our knowledge about rocks by completing the survey below. Good luck, have fun, and keep on ROCKin’!

Rock Survey

Our second grade class is preparing for our end of year testing. To help with this review, I have included a link to our very own class UTIPS webpage. This is a site with specific review tests, specifically designed for second grade, to help aide your child in taking this assessment. As we get closer to the end of April, PLEASE help your child review for this test by visiting our UTIPS website! Also, remember the last week of April your child needs to come to school on time, well rested, and ready to do their very best! Thanks for all you do!!!

Do you feel LUCKY room 203?

In order to find the treasure, read the newspaper clipping below! Some of the article got cut off, so we are going to have to make some smart guesses to solve the puzzle!