Addition with Place Value

Addition with Place Value
Posted on 01/08/2020
Addition with Place Value

As adults who learned the standard algorithm long ago, it can feel frustrating to watch our own children using a process that takes a long time, looks messy, or uses up a lot of space. Sometimes they even invent their own approach to a problem and we may want to jump in and show them the “right way” to do it. But if we slow down, watch what they are doing, and allow ourselves to be curious, we get to appreciate the fascinating thinking that our kids can do! If you are trying to resist the urge to “fix it,” here are some questions to try instead:

  • How did you get started on this?

  • How did you decide what to do?

  • What does this part of your work mean?

  • Why does that work?

  • Why does that make sense?

This week’s installment of the Math Corner is another example of place value chart work. I was so excited to catch our second graders solving some pretty big addition problems this week, and I was even more excited that they were able to explain it! Please enjoy this video of some more second grade friends showing us one way to solve addition problems. I hope you notice their attention to making ten, the different ways they draw their hundreds, tens, and ones, and their confidence!