Second Grade Homework Help Information

Homework for Second Graders

Though each school has a unique curriculum and homework plan, it's common for second graders to have an average of 15-30 minutes of homework per night. Second grade students are instructed in math, reading, social studies and science, but are commonly expected to complete homework tasks related to math and reading.

During the second grade, students practice at-home reading exercises to reach a basic level of reading fluency. Specific topics may include reviewing the correct pronunciation of age-appropriate words, reading with a sense of expression, identifying central concepts within a passage and locating parts of speech within a sentence.

In math class, your second grader is likely to practice counting and sequencing numbers up to 1,000, adding and subtracting 3-digit numbers, performing basic computations with money and counting by groups of two, five and ten.

Strategies to Help Your Second Grader at Home

At this age, your child may have trouble focusing for long periods of time, thus it can be useful to sit with your second grader while she works on homework assignments. She may also struggle to grasp new concepts addressed in homework assignments; to support her, go over basic reading and math techniques with her during homework sessions. If she continues to struggle with the same type of exercises over time, consider asking her teacher to modify her assignments or to suggest practice activities that can develop her comprehension skills.

Since it's helpful to create good study habits from a young age, consider helping your child designate a particular area of his room as a study area. Encourage him to decorate his study area with images related to what he's learning in school, such as pictures of characters from the stories he's reading or drawings he's completed in the classroom. To minimize distraction, stock his study area with the school supplies he might need, such as pencils, pens, markers, scissors, rulers and paper. If your child has trouble paying attention, encourage him to complete his homework in two sessions with a sufficient break.

Students with strong reading and math skills can thrive in an educational setting, thus it can be helpful to practice these skills in unique ways during non-school hours. On weekends, consider taking your child to a history or science museum, where she can learn about diverse aspects of the world and increase her vocabulary by hearing new words.

Taking your child to the children's section of your local bookstore or library and encouraging her to pick out a few interesting books can be another fun, educational activity. Once she's picked out a few books, you can sit with her and help her practice reading aloud with an appropriate amount of expression. Finally, playing skill-specific math and reading games on educational websites can be an exciting way for your child to improve her academic skills.