Second grade marks a year of transition as children learn to become self-directed, independent learners. Most children begin to apply the skills they learned in earlier grades with more ease and consistency. Parents are charged with the responsibility to oversee the completion of homework, assist their child in studying for unit tests, and listen to their nightly reading. Many new concepts are introduced in second grade. If they are to be retained, these concepts must be relevant to their world. Parents can assist in making this connection by providing activities at home that reinforce the concepts that are taught in school. To encourage math at home try the following: 1) Using loose change to count money, 2) Tell time by creating a schedule to follow after school, 3) Follow a recipe with your child and allow him/her to measure the ingredients, and 4) Practice measurement by asking your student to find three things that are longer than four inches but shorter than eight inches.