Illustrative Mathematics Grade 2, Unit 6: Geometry Time and Money
In this unit, your child explores shapes, time, and money. They name shapes by their sides, angles, and faces, split rectangles into rows of squares, and divide shapes into halves, thirds, and fourths. Then they connect halves and fourths to the clock, tell time to five minutes, and solve money problems. Adding and subtracting within 1,000 comes next.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
What is my child learning in Unit 6?
- Telling time to the nearest five minutes, using half past and quarter past, and choosing a.m. or p.m. Learn more: Telling time to the nearest five minutes
- Counting coins and dollar bills to solve story problems, writing totals with $ or ¢. Learn more about solving story problems by counting bills and coins: Solving story problems by counting bills and coins · Learn more about solving story problems about how much money is left
- Sorting and drawing shapes by their attributes, like the number of sides, angles, or faces. Learn more: Naming triangles, hexagons, cubes, and more
- Partitioning rectangles into equal rows and columns of squares and counting the total. Learn more: Splitting a rectangle into rows of squares
- Splitting circles and rectangles into halves, thirds, and fourths and noticing that equal shares can look different. Learn more: Halves, thirds, and fourths of shapes
Sample questions to try together
These are real questions from our practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
The hour hand is on the 8 and the minute hand is on the 12. What is the time?
- 12:40
- 8:00
- 8:12
How you can help
- Ask your child to find shapes with 3, 4, 5, and 6 sides around the house or on a walk.
- Count the coins in a pocket or jar together, starting with the biggest coins, and write the total with the ¢ sign.
- Point to a clock at half past or quarter past the hour, and ask how the clock face is like a circle split into halves or fourths.
Where kids can get stuck
- Counting a dime as 5 cents and a nickel as 10, because of their sizes.
- Reading the hour wrong late in the hour, so 7:55 becomes 8:55.
- Drawing a grid inside a rectangle with rows of different sizes.
Practice makes perfect
Bobby's Math Club has practice problems that adapt to your child’s level, each with a detailed explanation and an easy-to-follow video, so your child can build confidence in these skills one step at a time.
Words your child will hear
- angle
- The corner where two sides of a shape meet.
- face
- A flat side of a solid shape. A cube has 6 faces.
- hexagon
- A flat shape with 6 straight sides and 6 angles.
- third
- One of three equal shares of a whole.
- fourth
- One of four equal shares of a whole, also called a quarter.
- half past
- Thirty minutes after the hour, when the minute hand points to the 6.
- quarter
- A coin worth 25 cents.
- dime
- A coin worth 10 cents, even though it is the smallest coin.
- nickel
- A coin worth 5 cents.
Ready to build your child’s confidence with shapes, time, and money?
In Bobby's Math Club, your child practices these skills at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free.
Join the club
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
Which math standards does Illustrative Mathematics Grade 2 Unit 6 cover?
Illustrative Mathematics Grade 2 Unit 6 covers these math standards. Each one links to what it means, sample questions, and teaching strategies.
- 2.MD.C.7: Tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes.
- 2.MD.C.8: Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.
- 2.G.A.1: Recognize and draw shapes having specified attributes.
- 2.G.A.2: Partition a rectangle into rows and columns of same-size squares.
- 2.G.A.3: Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares.
For teachers: Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence. Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow.