Second Grade

Language Arts

The second grade language arts curriculum includes reading, writing, spelling and hand-writing. Students continue to build their reading and writing skills through a blended curriculum incorporating Readers and Writers Workshop, Words Their Way, Handwriting Without Tears, IXL and Open Court Reading Program. Greater importance is placed on independence as students develop strategies to be more fluent readers and bold writers. This differentiated approach continues to build phonetic awareness, grammar, spelling, vocabulary and reading comprehension skills. Students apply these skills throughout the year when working on individual and collaborative assignments and projects. 

Math

Students explore ways that math is used in daily life through the Everyday Math Program. The second grade Everyday Mathematics program continues and focuses on problem solving skills and strategies that allow students to reach solutions in multiple ways. The curriculum contains a distributed practice effect, as mastery is not expected the first time a concept is introduced. Students will be introduced to a variety of concepts (i.e. money, place value, geometry and number stories) as well as skills (i.e. numeration, operations, exploring data, spatial sense, measurement, recognizing patterns and variable use). This program will be supplemented and extended through a variety of rich resources and fact practice will be reinforced through an effective and engaging web based program, Reflex Math. 

Science

Our science curriculum is called FOSS Next Generation. FOSS stands for: Full Option Science System. Students continue to build their understanding of science concepts through the second grade FOSS Next Generation science curriculum. This program includes a wide range of experiences that develop scientific habits of mind. The course of study is divided in three units: Solids and Liquids; Sand, Pebbles, and Silt; and Plants and Insects. These topics provide a connection to the natural world the students experience every day. Students are actively engaged and have ownership of their learning by asking questions, gathering information, testing ideas, observing surroundings, recording data, and communicating discoveries. Every year students and parents attend the Second Grade Guacamole Party to celebrate the kick-off to their unit on seeds and plants. 

Social Studies

In second grade, the students gain valuable insights into their communities which helps them make connections to the larger world. By using literature, biographies, maps, globes, charts, diagrams, timelines, iPads, and web-quests as resources, children are introduced to people and events in other times and places. Current events are highlighted through the use of Scholastic News Magazine. For a global project, the students will be “buddying” with schools in Miramichi, New Brunswick, Canada to plant tulips with over 500 schools participating with the Journey North Project and studying weather patterns and temperatures.  

World Languages

In second grade Spanish, the objective is to build students’ confidence via speaking and listening while further developing their reading and writing skills in Spanish. Students read and write simple phrases while responding orally to phrases and questions in the target language. Through answering warm-up questions, listening to stories, playing games, singing songs, responding to listening activities, completing written work, and performing skits, students will interact with the instructor and each other by using the target language to communicate.