What Do I Mean By "Daily Math Practice"?
Most primary teachers can surely agree that math is a part of the daily routine. Of course, we're working on math daily! But... what am I talking about specifically in this post? Daily math practice in my classroom looks like an intentional, targeted block of time to focus specifically on number sense skills and place value. And in my room, I actually take this a step further with some predictable, routine activities that we use daily to build upon what we've learned. The goal in using daily math practice is to give students ample opportunities to focus on number sense in a way that's simple and easy to weave into our routine.
Daily Math Practice in My Classroom
This was so important to me that I created a year-long resource that aims to fill this need. In short, it offers a "no-brainer" solution to ensure that second grade students are working on the standards for 3-digit numbers within 1,000 every single day. This method proved tried and true for my first graders, so I decided to apply it to second grade, and wouldn't you know, it was a hit!
Daily math practice in my classroom includes a worksheet for each day of the week that targets a wide variety of math skills focused on numbers within a certain range. For example, we're working on numbers up to 250 during Month 1, but this gradually increases until we're working with 1,000 by the end of the school year.
The activities on the Daily Math Practice pages vary by day to keep it interesting. They include tasks like writing expanded forms, solving equations, solving more or less, skip counting, and more. Each day, the kiddos get a fresh page to work on, which ensures we're spending dedicated time building number sense skills each and every day. This daily practice routine helps my students be successful all year long!
There are so many benefits to using this type of approach in your room, so let's walk through it together. Here are a few of the top benefits that will help you understand the importance of daily math practice in second grade!
1. Daily Math Fosters Independence
Any primary teacher knows the value of structure and routines. Our young students thrive on this, and it helps everything in the classroom run more smoothly. This is why many teachers lean on the reliability of morning work to start their day. Students come in for the day and know exactly what to expect. They sit down at their seats and get to work, reviewing important concepts right off the bat while fostering independence and self-confidence in their abilities.
This is exactly why I like to use predictable Daily Math Practice Pages in my classroom. The concept is the same, except these pages are focused strictly on the math number sense skills we're currently targeting. We have a set time block every day that is reserved for Daily Math Practice. This means that my kids get a daily opportunity to take initiative, follow directions, problem solve, use critical thinking, and work through the activities independently. I love to give them this opportunity because I know it's a valuable skill that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
2. Daily Math Practice Offers Opportunities to Follow Up
In my room, we set aside some time each week to work on a specific math skill in small groups. We use hands-on learning materials and talk through new math concepts together. Small group teaching is one of my favorite things about the primary classroom, as it allows me to tailor my approach by skill level, work 1:1 with students, and see how everyone is doing. Plus, it's just plain fun when you've got engaging hands-on learning activities!
In my Daily Math Practice Bundle, there are monthly resources with the practice pages as well as 2 hands-on learning centers per month. Each month, the concepts build upon each other, so the level of difficulty will increase in both the hands-on learning centers as well as the practice pages themselves.
The idea here is that you'll be able to use the hands-on learning materials to teach specific 2nd-grade concepts in your small groups, and then the students will follow up with the practice pages. I love this approach because it appeals to many different types of learners and ensures that we're getting daily practice with the concepts we're learning! Without daily practice, kiddos are quick to forget, after all.
3. Easy Way to Practice Many Different Math Skills
Under second-grade number sense standards, students will be working on many different math skills as they learn to work with numbers within 1,000. Many of these skills are previously taught in first grade and continue to build as the students work with larger numbers. For many children, place value and other number sense skills are tricky. When you choose to incorporate Daily Math Practice into your routine, you'll find a simple and easy way to practice these skills regularly.
In my Daily Math Practice Pages, students will work with 3-digit numbers within 1,000. They practice place value, compare and order numbers, work with addition and subtraction within 1,000, and so much more! These easy-to-use worksheets offer a simple way to squeeze daily math practice into your routine and make sure everyone is getting adequate practice with a wide variety of math skills.
4. Easy Math Lesson Planning for the Whole Year
Primary teachers have a lot to juggle! One of the biggest benefits I found to using a daily math practice routine like the one we use in my room is that it's one less thing to think about. I can put that part of my lesson plan on autopilot. I already know that each month, we'll continue to increase the difficulty of our number sense lessons by working with larger numbers. There's no worry or stress on my part to plan additional practice activities to fill this need. As long as we continue to utilize the Daily Math Practice Pages, along with the hands-on learning centers, I know we'll be good to go!
Getting Started with Daily Math Practice
So many great benefits, right?! Daily Math Practice pages are one of my favorite ways to ensure that my kids are getting the dedicated practice they need every single day. If that's not something to cheer about, I don't know what is!
As I previously mentioned, my Daily Math Practice Bundle is designed to be used throughout the whole school year. Inside, you get months 1-9, and each one builds upon the last with higher numbers to work with. It will simplify your lesson planning when it comes to number sense and help your students get the practice they need to become confident mathematicians! Oh, and don't forget, aside from the 20 daily pages included for each month, you also get 2 hands-on math centers to work with the corresponding numbers.
If you're ready to simplify math practice in your room, but want to take a peek at what's inside first, be sure to grab this freebie. You'll get a look at the Daily Math Practice Pages so you know exactly what to expect! Have fun implementing this in your classroom. It's been a total game-changer for us!
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