Units and Big Ideas in Grade 2 of InsightMath Texas
Unit 0 (Doing Mathematics) sets the foundation for this course by establishing routines, process skills, and mindsets essential for success in learning mathematics.
Unit 1 (Estimating and Measuring Length) builds a strong understanding of length which students can extend to length models in subsequent units including number lines and bar-type graphs in Unit 2 (Discovering Addition and Subtraction on the Number Line), strip diagrams in Unit 4 (Exploring Addition and Subtraction Within 100), and bar graphs in Unit 7 (Investigating Data). These length models support the progressive development of sequential addition and subtraction place value strategies throughout the course. Comparison language and word problems are also carefully introduced in a length context in Unit 1 so that students can both measure and calculate differences, setting them up to abstractly apply length models to problem-solving in subsequent units.
While Units 1 and 2 set up students’ foundation in length measurement and length models, they also give students the opportunity to cement fluency with addition and subtraction within 20. They explore the use of models and strategies within this familiar number range before extending to greater number ranges in Units 3-6. Units 3 (Discovering Place Value Strategies) and 4 focus on addition and subtraction within 100 as students come into grade 2 with a firm understanding of the place value structure within 100. These units leverage that place value understanding to develop place value strategies for addition and subtraction. Unit 5 (Extending Place Value to 1,200) extends their place value understanding to 1,200 which allows extension of addition and subtraction strategies to problems within 1000 in Unit 6 (Extending Addition and Subtraction to 1,000).
The final four units of the course all provide avenues for synthesizing learning and consolidating skills through relevant contextual opportunities. Unit 7 (Investigating Data) utilizes data contexts for a wide variety of problem-solving combined with rigorous interpretation of the mathematics in context. Unit 8 (Counting in Groups) relies on a strong foundation in addition and subtraction built over the course of the year to introduce the idea of equal groups and repeated addition, paving the road for formal multiplication early in grade 3. The idea of counting in groups is revisited in Unit 9 (Building Financial Literacy), where students apply their understanding of skip counting and equal groups to determine the value of sets of coins. Finally, in Unit 10 (Partitioning Shapes and Time) this thinking about equal groups culminates in applying the same concept to equal parts of shapes. Telling time is viewed through the lens of equal parts of the clock face, giving students the opportunity to synthesize their understanding of many course concepts including equal groups, partitioning shapes, skip counting, and modeling.