For the past two years and this year, I have used the Mastering Basic Skills® Second Grade and Mastering Basic Skills® Third Grade books for Morning Seatwork with my second grade students. On the first day of school each week, my students arrive to a fresh Morning Seatwork packet on their desk, and they complete one page (front and back–on the back page, students write their spelling words one time) each morning, after unpacking and before being able to read silently in the library area or trade out their book box books. I love using these books to supplement the curriculum and provide fun and challenging morning work for my students.

This week, one of the challenges my second graders got from the Mastering Basic Skills® Second Grade book was an addition chart! After students attempted to complete the chart on their own (with much guidance), we looked at a completed chart and discussed all the patterns we could find.

This was a great way to get my students thinking bright and early in the morning! How do you get your students working first thing in the morning?