Zearn Math Grade 2, Mission 8: Time, Shapes, and Fractions as Equal Shares of Shapes
In this unit, your child finishes second grade with time, shapes, and equal shares. They tell time to the nearest five minutes with a.m. and p.m., name shapes by their sides, angles, and faces, and split circles and rectangles into halves, thirds, and fourths. It builds on the length, money, and data unit and prepares kids for fractions in third grade.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
What is my child learning in Mission 8?
- Reading clocks with hands to the nearest five minutes by skip-counting by 5s, and writing the time as a digital clock shows it. Learn more: Telling time to the nearest five minutes
- Describing shapes by their attributes, such as a pentagon having 5 sides and 5 angles, and building and drawing them. Learn more: Naming triangles, hexagons, cubes, and more
- Splitting shapes into halves, thirds, and fourths, and seeing that a whole is two halves, three thirds, or four fourths. 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 what time a favorite show or activity starts, then watch a clock with hands together and count by 5s to that minute.
- Build shapes with straws or pipe cleaners. Ask your child to make a shape with 5 sides, then one with 6, and to name each one.
- Fold a paper circle or a napkin into halves, then fourths. Ask how many fourths make the whole, and which piece is bigger, a half or a fourth.
Where kids can get stuck
- Naming the next hour when the hour hand is almost there, reading 3:55 as 4:55.
- Counting the same corner twice when counting a shape's angles, so a pentagon seems to have 6.
- Thinking a fourth is bigger than a half because 4 is bigger than 2.
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
- hour hand
- The short hand on a clock. It points to the hour.
- minute hand
- The long hand on a clock. It shows the minutes.
- a.m.
- The hours from midnight until noon, like 7:00 a.m. for breakfast.
- p.m.
- The hours from noon until midnight, like 6:00 p.m. for dinner.
- attribute
- A feature of a shape, like how many sides or angles it has.
- pentagon
- A flat shape with 5 sides and 5 angles.
- hexagon
- A flat shape with 6 sides and 6 angles.
- half
- One of 2 equal shares of a whole.
- fourth
- One of 4 equal shares of a whole, also called a quarter.
Want to help your child master time, shapes, and fractions?
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 Zearn Math Grade 2 Mission 8 cover?
Zearn Math Grade 2 Mission 8 covers these math standards. Each one links to what it means, sample questions, and teaching strategies.
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.