How to Set Up a Math Journal for Grade 2
Math journals integrate writing and reading to create a cross-curricular project. Second-graders get a chance to process math concepts while improving their budding writing skills. Journals also provide the teacher with a glimpse at the struggles and needs of the students when it comes to the math curriculum. Sometimes a journal is more revealing of a child's math comprehension than a homework assignment or test. Customizing the math journal to fit your particular second-grade class is the key to its effectiveness.
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Instructions
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Set the math journal goals. Have students complete practice problems, write about what they've learned, list questions they have or review important concepts.
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Have students write every day. Daily writing helps students regularly process math concepts while improving their writing skills. If you don't have time for daily writing, schedule the journals two to three times a week.
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Create your page templates for the journal. Include a line at the top for the date and time. This helps students practice reading the calendar and clock.
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Create math prompts on the pages such as, "Today I learned..." This gives the students a chance to put the day's lesson in their own words for better understanding. Have them write two to three sentences to summarize the day's activities. The students might write, "Today I learned to add three-digit numbers. I learned to start with the ones column. I also learned about carrying."
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Add a section to each math journal page for daily problem practice. This allows you to see which students understand the problems and which ones need a little extra help. If you are teaching three-digit addition, give students two or three problems to solve.
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Include a section at the bottom of each page for questions the students might have about the day's lesson. For example, they might share that they don't understand how to carry. This section will give you a good idea of how to approach the next day's lesson. Look for common questions from several students.
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Duplicate the math journal page templates to create journals for each student. Staple together the pages of the journal for each student, using a piece of construction paper as the cover.
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Introduce the journals to the kids along with directions on how to use them. Review the process in the first few days until they get the hang of it.
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Have the students fill out the date and time each day. Ask them to complete the prompt about what they learned that day. Give them a few review problems to complete in the journal. Finish math journal time by giving students the chance to write down any remaining questions they have.
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Read the journals daily if possible. Make notes on common areas where students are experiencing problems. Use this gathered data to help reteach the concept or provide additional practice.
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Tips & Warnings
Test out your original layout to determine how well it work with the second-grade students. Make adjustments to the page templates as needed so the journals work better for you.
