Fluency Focus: Addition and Subtraction Within 20 for Second Grade

Integrating a fluency focus on addition and subtraction within 20 in second grade is essential. A student-centered, differentiated math block can support this by offering a variety of engaging activities that meet students where they are. This post shares how to create a fluency focus on addition and subtraction within 20 for second grade.

What is Fluency for Addition and Subtraction Within 20 in Second Grade?

Fluency means the ability to quickly recall addition and subtraction facts through conceptual learning, fact strategies, and memorization. The four key components to determine mastery are flexibility, appropriate strategy use, efficiency, and accuracy. Way more than timed tests, a fluency focus means we are integrating meaningful math activities for our learners.

Laying the Foundation for Fluency in Whole Group Instruction

Whole group instruction involves the entire class in short focused lessons. These lessons involve students in laying a foundation of understanding with the vocabulary, strategies, and procedures for addition and subtraction within 20. For example, teachers and students will communicate using academic language while modeling a strategy for solving through a series of lessons that build upon each other. Engaging the class in interactive lessons, visual aids, and hands-on experiences lays a solid foundation with a fluency focus in second grade addition and subtraction.

For instance, below in these addition and subtraction within 20 interactive teaching slides, students are focused on a specific strategy and procedure to solve. Each lesson provides multiple problems to build conceptually and then add or subtract.

Each lesson provides multiple problems to build conceptually and then add or subtract.

Small Group Learning: Differentiating for Individual Needs

Small group instruction allows teachers to tailor lessons to each student’s needs, providing differentiated practice to support fluency development. Whether students need more scaffolding or are hungry for greater challenges, our small group activities focus on a range of learning targets.

Workstations Build Fluency for Addition and Subtraction in a Variety of Formats

Workstations offer students multiple ways to practice addition and subtraction, helping them build fluency through a variety of engaging formats. First, we build a well-rounded experience for students, and then students work independently or with peers reinforcing fluency through repeated practice.

Workstations provide a fluency focus with a flexible approach that allows students to deepen and authentically engage with the skills and concepts of addition and subtraction over and over while staying motivated to master their facts in fun ways.

Math Warm-Ups and Reflections Promote Flexibility in Thinking

To truly possess fluency in addition and subtraction, second graders should be able to think flexibly and solve accurately. One way we can support this journey to fluency, is to initiate frequent math discussions for our class. Whether we do a digital math warm-up or a lesson reflection to wrap up the lesson, these discussions provide students with a way to both share and listen to math understanding.

Ready-to-Use Resources for Addition and Subtraction in Second Grade

A fluency focused math block gives second graders the tools needed to master addition and subtraction. Further, by incorporating whole group, small group, and cooperative learning experiences, teachers create a math environment where every student builds a strong foundation of fluency.

Purchase Orders and Direct Invoices for Total Math Curriculum

Click any of the links in this post to find the resources shown. We can also help your school or district purchase directly using a purchase order or invoice for payment as a vendor. For help with this, email [email protected]. To check if we are already an approved vendor, search our vendor name, Tunstall’s Teaching Tidbits, LLC. Please note that purchase orders must meet the minimum licensing requirement.

Continue the Math Learning for Second Grade

Building Math Community Second Grade Unit 1

Place Value Second Grade Unit 2

Addition and Subtraction Concepts and Models Second Grade Unit 4

Addition and Subtraction Algorithms Second Grade Unit 5