Second Grade Curriculum

This page includes descriptions of major themes, skills, and concepts that Greendale students will be working on throughout the school year.  This is an overview of the curriculum in the Greendale Schools and provides a brief description of each academic area.  Although presented separately, a partially integrated approach is often used in the classrooms of Greendale.  Most often, literacy (reading and writing) is taught through social studies or science content.  Frequently, math skills are used in collecting data for science & social studies.  Specific skills and expectations listed within each area represent those to secure by the end of second grade.  The skills and concepts will be introduced and practiced throughout the school year and close attention will be paid to individual growth and development.

Each student will learn at their own pace and in their own way.  Instructional practices in the Greendale Schools are intended to address the varying student needs within the classroom by providing varied activities, instruction, and materials.  Throughout the school day and the school year, students will be grouped based on common needs within the classroom.  Groupings are flexible.  The diversity among students is respected and celebrated within the classroom by applying various strategies to meet the needs of all learners.

The writing program is heavily focused on opportunities to write stories, describing events, and be an author through a Writer’s Workshop approach.  Children will use a combination of pictures, words, and sentences to communicate.  Students will receive direct instruction in staying on topic in writing, organizing writing, using interesting word choices, adding details, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.  Children will write stories independently, revise and edit with adult support, rewrite, and illustrate stories.  These stories will be shared with peers and parents.

Second grade students also participate in formal spelling instruction focused on recognizing patterns in words.  Students will use the “Words Their Way” sorts to explore the nature of words.  Student lists are assigned based on their developmental readiness.  Students will be expected to spell common words correctly and will receive word lists regularly for practice, instruction, and assessment.  Teachers will introduce words and patterns in small groups.

The primary goal of the literacy program is to help children develop a variety of strategies and the confidence needed to become independent readers and writers. Goals and instruction follows similar content throughout development at the elementary level focusing on increasing the challenge and complexity of texts as students grow.

To grow as a reader, second grade students will:

• Recognize hundreds of words that appear most frequently in text.
• Read text on grade level.  Parents will receive specific feedback regarding children’s reading level through conferences and other communication.
• Read grade level text fluently (80 or more words per minute)
• Read grade level texts with 90% accuracy or better.
• Identify the main idea in a book or piece of writing.
• Retell a story (sequence events and identify characters, setting, problem, and solution of a story).
• Use word solving strategies to figure out unfamiliar words.  These may be phonetic clues, picture clues, and context clues. 
• Answer comprehension questions (who, what, when, where, why, how, and what do you think?)
• Make predictions about a story.
• Make inferences.
• Ask questions while reading.
• Make connections between a story and personal experience, other stories, and the world.

To grow as a writer, second grade students will:

• Retell experiences in a journal and in written stories (using pictures and words).
• Recognize that writing is important for communicating and sharing ideas.
• Write on a single topic.
• Write pieces with a beginning, middle, and end.
• Include details in a logical order/ sequence.
• Make strong word choices to communicate their message.
• Write for different purposes.
• Use complete sentences in writing.
• Spell words that appear most frequently in text correctly.
• Use sound blending to write words, ideas and sentences.
• Use capital letters appropriately for names and at the beginning of a sentence.
• Use ending punctuation correctly in writing.
• Read own writing.

Second graders will also be able to:

• Speak clearly and in complete sentences.
• Follow the rules of normal conversation.
• Use appropriate volume and tone of voice.
• Present and share information and experiences in front of a group.
• Use increasingly complex vocabulary and language structure to express needs and feelings, share ideas and experiences, and make comparisons of objects, pictures, and events.

To support instruction and the development of these skills, the Greendale Schools have a large library of leveled books.  These books are part of the Scholastic Guided Reading Program. Teachers will also use the Primary Comprehension Toolkit developed by Stephanie Harvey as a resource for developing instruction.

Parents can access a library of literature options for reading and sharing at home at:

https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bookwizard/

and

http://www.lapl.org/kidspath

Students will check out books from the school library weekly, and you may also search books in the school library by following the link from:

http://www.greendale.k12.wi.us/GHS/schools/ghs/Library/library.html

Math instruction will occur in both a large group setting and a small group setting.

By the end of the year, second grade students will:

• Count forward into the thousands by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s.
• Write numbers to 10,000 and use symbols or objects to represent whole numbers up to 100.
• Compare numbers and put numbers in order up to 10,000.
• Add and subtract accurately single digit numbers automatically.
• Add and subtract two-digit whole numbers and estimate the reasonableness of an answer.
• Collect and organize data.
• Use graphs to answer simple questions and draw conclusions.
• Measure length, weight, temperature, area, and perimeter.
• Know & compare the value of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar bills.
• Make exchanges between coins.
• Model fractions and solve problems with simple fractions.
• Tell time to the nearest 5 minutes.
• Describe, create, and extend patterns.  Articulate the rule for the pattern.
• Read and write problems using +, -, and = and use < and > to solve equations.
• Describe commutative and associative properties of addition and apply them to mental math.
• Identify, describe, and model 2-D & 3-D shapes (including trapezoid, rhombus, hexagon, prism, sphere, etc.).
• Create/ complete shapes having lines of symmetry.

Students will have opportunity to practice math facts online using:

www.everydaymathonline.com

You may also allow your child practice facts at:

http://resources.oswego.org/games/mathmagician/cathymath.html

Lessons in both science and social studies integrate math and literacy skills and require students to be actively involved.  Students will be involved in science OR social studies lessons at least 45 minutes at least three days per week.

Second grade students will:

• Investigate the world around them and objects using the senses
• Observe and understand the life cycle by studying Butterflies & Moths (Delta Science)
• Explore states of matter by investigating Solids & Liquids (FOSS)
• Observe the effect of air, record weather conditions, and understand the pieces of our solar system through Air & Weather (FOSS & Delta)
• Identify healthy habits by exploring Nutrition & Digestion

For greater unit detail, visit http://www.lhsfoss.org/ and

http://www.delta-education.com/dsmgallery.aspx?subID=79&menuID=7

 Second grade students will:

• Read maps and understand the impact of land formations through Geography
• Know branches of government and understand the roles of each branch in the United States by studying Political Science & Citizenship
• Become educated consumers, understanding wants and needs by studyingEconomics
• Understand the challenges of early Americans, explorers, and settlers by consideringAmerica’s Past

Websites to use to support learning at home will be shared in monthly newsletters from the teacher.

Second grade students will:

• Know basic computer terminology and identify functions of a computer
• Use the keyboard and mouse to log in and navigate on the computer
• Navigate to educational internet sites that are age appropriate
• Open and run a software program
• Create a file (Kid Pix software) using text and graphics
• Save & retrieve an electronic file
• Begin to use spell checker and editing tools
• Begin to develop keyboarding skills

Teachers will use lessons and instructional resources from the CyberSmart curriculum at www.cybersmart.org as an integrated component of other content areas.

Second grade students will learn Spanish language to:

• Talk about places in the community.
• Identify jobs that people have/do in the community.
• Discuss where people work in the community.
• Describe the community where they live.
• Discuss events that take place in the community.
• Incorporate vocabulary and grammar taught in previous years.

• Develop hand/ eye coordination.
• Understand how movement helps our bodies.
• Learn and respect the rules of various games.
• Take turns and be respectful of others during games and activities.

• Playing instruments
• Singing
• Listening to and describing music
• The relationship between music, history, culture, and other disciplines

Second grade students will perform in a concert during the month of December.

• Be part of the school Community
• Choose a positive Attitude
• Respect themselves, others, and property
• Demonstrate Empathy for their peers and others.

Social skills and interactions are modeled and practiced everyday in school.  Students quickly become part of a community and focus on working and playing respectfully with peers.  The classroom should be a positive and safe environment, and teachers work hard to make sure that each individual is celebrated, listened to, and appreciated.  As a class, students will meet regularly to engage in community building activities.  During these meetings and throughout the say, students will discuss and practice how to build positive relationships, solve problems, and be good citizens.

Helping at Home

Parents are their child’s best first teacher.  Parents can continue to support learning at home by:

• Reading to and with your child daily or setting a time for children to read independently.
• Practicing math facts to increase speed.  Use flash cards or websites.
• Build your child’s vocabulary and background knowledge by providing a variety of rich experiences.  These experiences don’t have to cost money; they just have to involve exploring the world.  This will have a significant impact on literacy skills.
• Review the agenda/ assignment notebook each night and review take home folder.
• Check teacher websites for updates and review the newsletter.
• Create a consistent time and place for students to work on homework.