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Math Mammoth Grade 2 complete curriculum

Math Mammoth Grade 2 complete curriculum consists of two student worktexts (A and B), a separate answer key for each, chapter tests and an end-of-year test, cumulative reviews, and an easy worksheet maker (Internet access required) to make extra practice worksheets when needed.

136 pages
121 lesson pages


143 pages
128 lesson pages

2-A contents and samples
2-B contents and samples

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Prices & ordering

Downloads:

Part A alone: $15.50
Part B alone: $15.50
A & B $29.70

Order downloads
at Kagi store

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CDs:

CD alone $32
CD + A & B printed worktexts $54

Order CDs/printed copies
at WinterPromise

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Printed copies:

Part A worktext $12.20
Part B worktext $12.45
(+ shipping; sold at Lulu)

Supportive materials download $15 (at Kagi)
(includes answer keys, cumulative reviews, tests, worksheet maker, and Soft-Pak)

The two books for grade 2 focus on

• memorizing the basic addition and subtraction facts with single-digit numbers
• developing fluency with multidigit addition and subtraction
• place value with 3-digit numbers.

Also included is introduction to multiplication concept, measuring and geometry topics, clock reading and money (US, Euro, or Canadian). Please see the table of contents for 2-A and 2-B for complete lesson lists.

Some main features of the Lightblue Series books are:

• focuses on understanding of mathematical concepts
• uses clear explanations, lots of visual exercises and pattern exercises
• mastery oriented: concentrates fairly long on a topic, with fairly few topics per grade
• emphasizes mental math and developing number sense
• very little teacher preparation needed

AN ADDED BONUS! Buying this in Kagi store (as a download), you will also get Soft-Pak programs completely FREE. The 7 programs in Soft-Pak (4 math, 1 language arts, 2 testing) offer both on-screen and printable activities in a low-graphic, high content format. Read more and see screenshots.

Introduction

The main topics during second grade, as in first grade, are the study of addition and subtraction and place value till 1000.

In second grade, children learn to add and subtract two and three-digit numbers mentally and in columns (under each other). They learn to carry to tens and to hundreds (also called regrouping), and how to borrow either from the tens or from the hundreds. The topics of borrowing two times and borrowing over zero tens are in this curriculum left for the third grade.

Mental math is very important, as it builds number sense and solidifies the understanding of place value. Children learn by heart the common addition and subtraction facts, and understand how to use them when adding two-digit numbers. They practice many kinds of mental math with three-digit numbers as well (in the B book).

Other topics studied are reading the clock to the five-minute intervals; measuring length, weight, and volume; shapes and a few simple geometry concepts; and money topics. These topics are important as well, since they are everyday applications of mathematics.

When you use these books as your only or main mathematics curriculum, they can be like a "framework", but you still have liberty in planning your child's studies. While addition, subtraction, and place value topics are best studied in the order they are presented, you can choose to study clock, coins, and geometry topics in a different order. This does not totally apply to the chapter on measuring, as it uses 3-digit numbers.

Changing the topic might even be advisable if your child is "stuck" on some concept. Sometimes the brain "chews the cud" in the background, and the concept they was stuck on can become clear after a break.

This curriculum aims to concentrate on a few major topics at a time and study them in depth. This is totally opposite to the continually spiraling step-by-step curricula, in which each lesson typically is about a different topic from the previous or next lesson, and includes a lot of review problems from past topics. This does not mean that your child wouldn't need occasional review. However, when each major topic is presented in its own chapter, this gives you more freedom to plan the course of study and choose the review times yourself. In fact, I totally encourage you to plan your mathematics school year as a set of certain topics, instead of a certain book or certain pages from a book.

For review, there is an html page included that you can use to make extra practice worksheets for computation or for number charts. You can also reprint already studied pages using the PDF file on the CD.

The chapter on Money (chapter 5) is included in three currencies: US, Canadian, and Euro money — you will get all three versions when you buy the Grade 2 Complete Curriculum or the 2-A part.

Manipulatives

Here is a list of manipulatives that are needed or recommended for grade 2:

1. An old-fashioned alarm clock or other analog clock where you can turn the minute hand and the hour hand will turn as it is supposed to (for 2-A).
2. A ruler that measures in inches (for 2-B).
3. A ruler that measures in centimeters (for 2-B).
4. A bathroom scales. It is best if you can have one that measures in pounds and kilograms, or one with pounds and another with kilograms; however I realize most people wouldn't normally buy two bathroom scales, so if you decide not to get both kinds, it means you will just need to skip some activities in the measuring chapter (for 2-B).
5. A quart jar and a pint jar (for 2-B).
6. A measuring cup that measures 1 cup (for 2-B).
7. A measuring cup that measures in milliliters (for 2-B).
8. Base ten blocks to illustrate place value with hundreds (optional). The 2-B worktext has pictures that are just like base ten blocks, and most kids can understand the concepts from the visual representation, without a physical manipulative; however for some kids the actual blocks can be beneficial (for 2-B).

9. A 100-bead abacus (optional)
   If you still have the 100-bead abacus from using it for 1st grade math, it is still somewhat useful for illustrating addition and subtraction in the part 2-A.

   At Amazon you can find Melissa & Doug Classic Wooden Abacus at Amazon for around $10. An abacus where the beads alternate colors by fives is even more useful. You can browse Amazon's abacus selection here. Other stores carry abaci as well.

   If you cannot obtain a real abacus, you can probably use this virtual abacus.

Reviews / Testimonials

From a homeschooling parent who has used Grade 2 Complete Worktext with a 9-year old:

Now, my dear son is very bright in many ways, but at the start of the new school year, to my horror, he appeared to have forgotten the math that he had already learned!! Not just the facts, but EVERYTHING!! It was a nightmare to say the least. So the first thing I thought to do was to check out your website to see if you had any suggestions to solve a problem like this. And thank goodness, you did. You suggested to go back to the basics, so to speak. So with a weary homeschool mom's heart, I ordered your Math Mammoth 2nd Grade Workbooks. Although my son is doing 4th grade in other subjects, he is again doing 2nd grade math. But that is okay, because he is now learning how to properly do the mental math!!! I must not have done a good job with that during his foundational learning of math. But now, with your workbooks, he is!! I have always struggled with getting my sons to "see" how math works. But thanks to you, Maria, it has been easier.

I like how your lessons are laid out, with problems to do in many different ways. Plus the word problems are great. They are different from other word problems in that they are a little more challenging than what we have grown to expect. Even I have trouble with some!! I would even like to see more word problems. But right now, we are happy with what we are using now. I certainly will order other books as the need comes. Thank you for your help, for the affordable workbooks, and all of the ways that you help us via your website.

Sincerely,
Homeschool Mom Not Shaking In Her Boots As Much, Shellie
30 November, 2008

From a homeschooling parent who has used Grade 2B Complete Worktext with a 9-year old third grader:

The cost was great and my son does less complaining because he understands!!

Kristy M.
10 November, 2008