Dear Parents,
On Monday we will be starting the second half of Putting Together and Taking Apart, a unit on addition
and subtraction. While our class is working on this unit, you can help in several ways:
*Encourage your child to use his or her own strategies for addition and subtraction. We will use many
strategies in class.
*Also visit the Wellesley homepage. On the Math Curriculum page read the Algorithm Handbook to
understand some of the strategies we will be using in class
*For homework, your child will be writing various story problems. Encourage your child to use words,
pictures, and numbers in any explanation. Also encourage your child to include a complete answer
statement.
*Your child will be bringing home some of the games that we are playing during math class. Take some
time to play these games with your child.
* Children will be working with problems involving money. Use some change to investigate ways to
make $1 or $2 with your child.
* Look for addition and subtraction situations at home and share them with your child.
The one thing to keep in mind with these problems is the size of the numbers. Numbers under 100 are
about the right size for most second graders. Some children may be comfortable using counters to
solve problems, while others might want to write their thinking on paper or solve problems mentally.
I will be encouraging all of these approaches as the children work with addition and subtraction in
class.
Thanks!
Rachel
