Language Arts
Our language arts program supports the interconnected development of language processes such as reading, writing, listening and speaking. Our goal is to develop confident, enthusiastic and skilled readers. We provide children with a broad range of instructional approaches, materials, and experiences within a literature-rich environment, including mysteries, biographies and myths, to support a variety of abilities and growth rates. Guided reading in small groups focuses on reading strategies, comprehension, vocabulary and fluency. The reading of nonfiction books related to our science and social studies themes provides children with the opportunity to develop skills for reading in the content areas.
A significant component of our writing program involves a writing workshop where children “free write” books based on their personal interests and experiences. Students write using complete sentences, standard spelling, capitalization, and punctuation appropriate to their level of development. In penmanship, second graders review alphabet as learned in first grade and learn individual letters of the cursive alphabet. Learn more about the Language Arts Curriculum.
Mathematics
The second grade mathematics program is activity based. Developing children’s mathematical thinking and reasoning abilities occurs through age-appropriate problems and investigations in number skills, geometry, probability, data analysis, patterning, and measurement. The children work on computation with regrouping, multiplication and division and have numerous opportunities to collect, organize, and record data during math/science. Also, measurements, observations, and graphing skills are incorporated into the program. Daily interactive calendar activities provide a basis for ongoing instruction in arithmetic, place value, money, time, measuring, sorting, patterning, and geometry throughout the year. Learn more about the Math Curriculum.
Science
Cycles of nature, cells, digestive and excretory systems of the body, weather, and the physical science topics of simple machines and magnetism are major units, which are integrated with reading, writing and math throughout the second grade year. Throughout the year we encourage students to “think like scientists” and to seek answers to their own questions through a hands-on approach.
Social Studies
Students will broaden their understanding of early and current communities through a study of modern Japan and the ancient civilizations of China, India and Greece. They will also learn about becoming a member of a community through immigration, citizenship in America. Geography is woven throughout the social studies unit to help build knowledge of place. Through this curriculum, an attitude of international-minded begins to develop.
Mandarin or Spanish
In Mandarin or Spanish, students increase their language production within a structured, limited context. While stories, songs, rhymes, and plays continue to be the core of the program, reading and writing are able to be used with more ease along with the communicative skills of listening and speaking. Songs, games, and stories from Chinese/Spanish culture are a key component of the program, as well as occasional integration with the classroom curriculum. Students memorize and rehearse a play as a class and in groups.
Art
Studying elements of art, architecture and landscape paintings from around the world are the ways that students learn about art in second grade. Art lessons are often integrated with classroom instruction and reflect the interests of the children.
When children study the art of various cultures, they begin to gain insight into the beliefs and origins of their own culture and their place in the global society.
Music
The music program at the second grade level begins with the basic elements of music: rhythm, melody, timbre, texture, dynamics, and form. Instrumental activities use speech, body percussion, and elementary pitched and unpitched instruments. The development of a lifelong love and appreciation for music is one of the major goals.
Physical Education
Movement education is the primary focus of the second grade curriculum, including activities to develop locomotor, non-locomotor, perceptual-motor, rhythmic, manipulative, fitness and body management skills. Many different kinds of developmental games and activities are planned to provide students with opportunities to work together to improve social and cooperative interaction skills. Continued focus will be on developing appropriate social interaction, sportsmanship and safety skills.
Technology
The goal of technology instruction is to enable students and teachers to effectively use the computer and other technology tools to enhance, support and extend students’ learning across the curriculum. Through whole and small group as well as individual instruction, the children develop a vocabulary of basic terminology, learn proper use and care of computers and other tools with increasing independence, and use developmentally appropriate software.
Library/Research Skills
The primary goals of the library curriculum are to inspire students to develop a lifelong love of reading and to help them become information literate.
Second graders become familiar with library routines, locating books of interest to them, and developing age-appropriate information literacy and library skills. When they visit the library for their regularly scheduled classes, second graders listen to books being read aloud, become familiar with authors and illustrators of children’s books, recite poetry, sing songs, participate in choral readings, and retell stories with props. The children become familiar with a variety of reference materials and how to use them to effectively locate information. These reference materials include nonfiction books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, newspapers, phone books, and the Internet.
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