Second Grade Overview
Second Grade Curriculum Overview
Reading Comprehension: The core resource for comprehension instruction is the Making Meaning program. This program uses literature and informational text from texts read-aloud to teach students nine different comprehension strategies while also creating a supportive community of readers. In the classroom students receive direct instruction through teacher modeling, time to practice, an opportunity to share and, most critically, an opportunity to apply at their level what was learned.
- The Reading Life: Fiction and Narrative Nonfiction
- Making Connections: Fiction, Visualizing and Story Elements
- Making Inferences and Following Characters Through Text
- Self Questioning as a Means to Interact with the Author
- Text Features: Exploring the Structures of Nonfiction Texts
- Determining Importance
- Book Clubs
- Revisiting the Reading life
Writing: Written language instruction is based on Being a Writer. This core program uses trade books for genre immersion and author studies that encourage young writers to consider author’s craft. It also integrates writing instruction with regular community-building elements and guided partner work to develop in students a sense of autonomy, belonging, and competence. Being a Writer combines the use of explicit strategy instruction with student empowerment, cooperative learning and reflection to create a writer’s workshop that is engaging and powerful for the learner.
Units of study in Second Grade include:
- The Writing Community
- Telling More
- Fiction
- Nonfiction
- Letter Writing
- Poems and Words
- Revisiting the Writing Community
Guided Reading and Small Group Instruction: Regular guided reading and other small group instruction allows students to practice and apply what they are learning in language arts. The purpose of guided reading is for students to have time to read and apply strategies and skills that were demonstrated by the teacher during read aloud and shared reading instruction.
Handwriting: Cursive writing is introduced in grade two using the Zaner Bloser Handwriting program.
Math in Focus is a K-8 comprehensive mathematics program published by Marshall Cavendish. Math in Focus provides rich and engaging resources based on 20 years of Singaporean success as a world leader in mathematics education. The framework presented in Math in Focus follows the same framework developed by the Singapore Ministry of Education. The instructional approaches emphasize real-world, hands on experiences through a concrete-pictorial-abstract learning progression.
Content
- Counting, comparing and writing numbers to 1000.
- Adding and subtracting 3-digit numbers with and without regrouping to 1,000.
- Solve multi-digit addition and subtraction problems, including real world problems, by using a bar model.
- Understand the concept of multiplication and repeated addition and division as grouping or sharing. Use objects and pictures to show the concept of division as finding the number of equal groups.
- Multiply with tables of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 using models and known multiplication facts.
- Measure and compare length in meters and centimeters. Add and subtract length with the help of bar models.
- Measure and compare masses in kilograms and grams. Add and subtract masses with the help of bar models.
- Measure and compare volume in liters using identical containers and measuring cups. Add and subtract volume with the help of bar models.
- Develop mental math strategies using number bonds to add and subtract two- and three-digit numbers with and without regrouping Round numbers to estimate sums and difference and check the reasonableness of answers
- Show and count money amounts in bills and coins. Solve real-world problems involving addition and subtraction of money amounts.
- Use halves, thirds, fourths, to describe equal parts of of a whole. Use models to compare, add, and subtract halves, thirds, and fourths.
- Estimate, measure and compare lengths using metric and customary units.
- Add and subtract to 1,000 and use bar models to solve real-world problems involving lengths in the same unit.
- Read and write time to the nearest 5 minutes using skip-counting by 5s strategy.
- Read and write using A.M. and P.M. Tell how much time has elapsed.
- Multiply and divide the tables 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10 using models and known multiplication facts.
- Use bar models to solve multiplication and division problems on measurement and money.
- Use multiplication and division to solve real-world problems.
- Read and make picture graphs with scales, bar graphs, and line plots to solve real-world problems.
- Identify properties of parts of lines and curves in plane shapes and flat and curved surfaces in solid shapes.
- Identify, classify, and combine plane and solid shapes.
- Make and extend repeating patterns with plane shapes.
General Overview
RTSD uses Science and Technology Concepts (STC) program modules developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center, a division of the Smithsonian Institution. The STC Program is a set of inquiry-based science curriculum kits that cover life, earth, and physical sciences.
Young children are naturally interested in everything they see around them. During the elementary years, students are encouraged to observe, note properties, and develop explanations. As children become more familiar with their world they can be guided to observe changes and make predictions. Each year, students will use three hands-on modules that provide for opportunities to develop abilities of doing and understanding science. The students will focus on a four stage learning cycle:
• focus on what they know about a topic and what they want to learn
• explore a scientific concept (this is usually done in groups of four)
• reflect on their findings and record the information in science notebooks
• apply their new learning to real-life situations and other areas of the curriculum
Second grade students will be using three science modules which focus on three content areas of science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Life Science. Descriptions of the modules are below and are excerpted from www.carolinacurriculum.com/stc.
Organisms
Soils
Balancing and Weighing
The social studies course will help students gain an understanding of the elements that help to shape a community. Citizenship, geography, and economics will be investigated to demonstrate how communities develop and change over time. Students will learn how citizens can impact a community and how the community can impact individual lives.
Unit I: Community and Citizenship
Unit II: Geography
Unit III: Economics
Unit IV: History, Historical Figures and Landmarks
Second grade art students attend art class once in every 5-day cycle for 50 minutes. Art classes introduce the vocabulary that is intrinsic to producing and talking about art. The elements of art are imbedded in lessons that demonstrate how to use a variety of media, techniques, processes, tools and materials to create art. Major understandings include: artists make thoughtful choices when creating works of art and often repeat a task many times to learn a new skill; visual art is created for a variety of purposes; art can communicate ideas, express emotions and relate experiences; visual art is displayed; and art elicits a response from the viewer.
Major Topics:
- Students will continue to understand how to create art work using the elements of art: line, shape, color and texture, with a variety of materials and tools.
- Students will continue to use basic visual art vocabulary when talking about art.
- Students will continue to understand that visual art is exhibited.
- Students will continue to understand that art is part of everyday life.
Units of Study:
- John James Audubon;
- Clay Slab Work; expanded pinch pot experience
- Yarn weaving on cardboard loom
- Introduction of warm and cool color families
Sandy's Circus: A Story About Alexander Calder by Tanya Lee Stone and Boris Kulikov
- The safety unit focuses on safety while riding the bus or other means of transportation, participating in sporting or exercise activities, and in the home or school.
- The emergency unit prepares the students to act appropriately in an emergency situation by learning the correct numbers to call and the information that is needed to aid in an emergency.
- In the first aid unit, the students learn basic first aid procedures for minor injuries, including cuts, burns, nosebleeds and joint injuries.
- During the hygiene unit, the students learn the basics of grooming and maintaining good health through procedures such as hand washing, brushing teeth and wearing clean clothes.
- Stress reduction is the focus during the relaxation unit where students practice progressive muscle relaxation, mental imagery and yoga to deal with life stressors.
- The circulatory system, the skeletal system, the nervous system, the muscular system and the respiratory system are the focus of the body systems unit. The students learn the major organs of each system and ultimately how the systems work together.
- The drug prevention unit allows the students to discover the care that must be taken when using a medicine and the definition of the word drug. The dangers of smoking are the focus of this unit.
- Making good choices when it comes to meals and snacks is the main point in the nutrition unit. Students are introduced to foods that should only be consumed occasionally and those foods which can be eaten daily.
Elementary students receive instruction in Library once in every 5-day cycle for 50 minutes, with the exception of Kindergarten classes which are 30 minutes in length. The library curriculum is closely aligned with the English Language Arts Pennsylvania Core Standards and the American Association of School Librarians.
Students in library learn to:
1. Ask questions to find knowledge
2. Work with others to create new knowledge
3. Work as a cooperative library citizen
4. Read widely and make personal connections
· Life of a Reader
· Selecting Informational and Literary Text
· Preparing and Publishing Multimedia Presentations
· Responsible Library Citizenship
· Research
· Digital Citizenship
Elementary students experience music by singing, playing,moving and improvising. Students are assessed on singing by memory, playing both rhythmic and melodic ostinati, reading and notating quarter notes, quarter rests, paired eighth notes, and half note, as well as identifying AB and ABA form. Children explore the musical elements: melody, harmony, rhythm, form and timbre, as well as expressive elements through a varied repertoire of music from diverse cultures and genres. Students regularly have the opportunity to perform music using Orff instruments and multicultural instruments.
Texts/Resources
Silver Burdett’s Making Music, Grade 2. 2002 edition.