Curriculum Highlights: Second Grade
Language Arts
- Phonics: short vowels, blending, dipthongs, diagraphs, vowels, blends
- Spelling: plurals, syllabication, rules
- Reading comprehension: vocabulary building, facts, paraphrasing, context, sequence, summarization, inference
- Word analysis skills
- Vocabulary skills: homophones, antonyms and synonyms, prefixes and suffixes, context clues, use of dictionary
- Proofreading
- Handwriting
- Grammar and usage: nouns, verbs, pronouns, capitalization, punctuation
- Critical thinking
- Listening skills
- Speaking skills
- Composition skills
- Creative writing
- Reports and letters
- Independent reading
- Junior Great Books
- Summer workbook
- Summer reading
Mathematics
- Numeration: sequence through 10,000; writing to 100
- Measurement: weight, length, capacity
- Geometry
- Operations: 2-, 3-, and 4-digit addition and subtraction, multiplication, division
- Fractions
- Relations
- Patterns
- Functions
- Money
- Clocks: digital and analog
- Calendars
- Problem solving
- Place value: regrouping, standard form
- Conversion of metric units
- Decimals: comparing, addition, and subtraction
- Rounding numbers
- Summer workbook
Social Studies
- American holidays
- American flag
- Pledge of Allegiance
- Native Americans
- Pilgrim pioneers from England
- English pioneers
- Columbus
- Other explorers
- Colonial America
Science
- Plants
- Animals
- Living together: populations and communities
- Nutrition and health
- Earth science
- Space science
- Matter
- Work and machines
- Frequent hands-on activities/lab
Geography
- Globe
- Four hemispheres
- Cardinal directions/compass rose
- Lines of latitude and longitude
- Map features, including scale, symbols/keys, boundaries, intermediate directions
- Cities and capital cities
- Counties and states
- Map grids
- Different kinds of maps
- North American continent
- Bodies of water
- United States and its five regions
Physical Education
- Daily P.E. class
- Fitness and conditioning
- Body control: agility, flexibility, endurance, balance, gross motor coordination, hand-eye coordination, spatial skills
- Movement skills, including dance
- Manipulative activities
- Game skills
- Good health habits: hygiene, diet, safety
- Respect, cooperation, confidence
Visual Arts
- Dedicated art studio
- Art class twice weekly
- Exploration of various forms of media
- Drawing and coloring: pencil, eraser, markers, oil pastels, pastels, crayons
- Painting: tempura paint, watercolors, watercolor crayons
- Sculpture: plasticene, air-drying clay
- Collage: paper, glue, scissors, fabric
- Self expression, respect, confidence
- Annual, school-wide art contest
Performing Arts
Music
- Listening to a variety of music
- Rhythmic speech in counterpoint
- Choral speech: focus on diction, dynamics, and interpretation
- Group singing
- Reading and writing musical notation
- Recorder
- Percussion: hand drum, piccolo blocs, soprano xylophone and others
- Performance: two music programs each year
Drama
- Attendance at dramatic productions
- Speaking role in class play
- Develop acting skills
- Use of costumes and props
- Ensemble/solo singing, choreography
- Public speaking, confidence
Modern/Classical Languages
French
- Basic parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and articles
- Declarative and interrogative sentences
- Nutrition/fruits/vegetables
- Paris geography and monuments
- Planets/solar system
- Continents
- Body parts
- Weather/clothing
- Time
- French breakfast
- Shopping
- House/neighborhood
- Native Americans and French explorers
- Comparisons between American/French cultur
Library
- Types of libraries, librarians
- Introduce Dewey Decimal System
- Independent library time
- Genres: historical fiction/biographies, folk tales, fairy tales, myths, science
- Use of table of contents, index
- Use of dictionary
- Non-fiction research skills
- Oral book reporting
Technology
- Star Boards in each classroom
- Rolling computer cart for classroom computer use
- Basic familiarity with computers
Field Trips
Several field trips per year; recent examples include:
- National Gallery of Art
- Rock Hill Orchard
- Maryland Science Center
- Colvin Run Mill
- Bull Run Park
- National Zoo