Focus this week: Year 2 Addition Huge progress is expected with the understanding of addition during the course of Year 2, with mental addition being the key element. To begin with children will apply their knowledge of addition facts with numbers up to 20 before moving onto larger 2-digit numbers. Our worksheets using number lines and bar models are both great ways to help children with this understanding. During the year children will be expected to: • add mentally a 2-digit number and ones (e.g. 25 + 6 =) • add mentally a 2-digit number and whole tens (e.g. 25 + 20 =) • add mentally two 2-digit numbers (e.g. 23 + 32 =) • add three small numbers (e.g. 2 + 3 + 7 =) • know by heart pairs of numbers that total 20 • respond rapidly to oral questions such as ‘What is the total of 23 and 10?’ • solve missing number problems such as 12 + ? = 17. • understand addition as combining sets to make a total and that it can be done in any order • understand that addition is the inverse of subtraction and use this to check answers • continue to solve one-step problems that involve addition using concrete objects and pictorial representations • begin to add using written methods in columns There are a number of skills to help with attaining the above targets that children need to be made aware of. These include: • putting the larger number first (e.g. arrange 6 + 45 as 45 + 6 and count on) • looking for pairs that make 10 when adding three small numbers (e.g. 3 + 5 + 7 = 10 + 5 = 15) • being able to partition numbers to make them easy to add (e.g. 12 + 23 = 12 + 20 + 3 = 32 + 3) • using knowledge of doubles to make addition easy (6 + 7 is double 6 plus 1) • mentally adding 9 by adding 10 and subtracting 1 • understanding place value and the importance of the tens digit is crucial to making good progress with addition of 2-digit numbers. The understanding that ten ones is the same as one ten is essential once children begin to cross the tens with addition e.g. 16 + 7 Our Year 2 addition worksheets are second to none, combining clear layout, lively graphics and perhaps most importantly, each set concentrates on just one skill. There are usually four pages for each set. If your child finds it tricky it is well worth using more of the sheets to consolidate learning. Don’t forget our on-screen activities; ideal for constant practice and reinforcement. Go to Year 2 Addition worksheets Go to Year 2 Addition games/onscreen activities