|
 Language Arts
The classroom focuses on reading skills, including phonetic analysis, decoding, reading fluency, and comprehension. Students read chapter books as a class and complete corresponding activity units. Writing skills focus on self-expression through journal writing, book reports, and weekly spelling quizzes. Classroom language arts lessons use art, cooking projects, music, poetry, drama, and cooperative learning activities. Home reading incentive programs encourage a life-long habit of reading for pleasure.
 Mathematics
Second graders master addition and subtraction to four digits with renaming and problem solving with manipulative materials such as pattern blocks, unifix cubes, money, and hand-held clocks, number patterning, place value to 1,000, graphing and interpreting data, fractions, basic geometry, telling time, identifying and counting money, metric and customary measurement, estimating, and basic multiplication and division of sets. Math is used and practiced in the classroom through baking activities and many math games.
 Social Studies
The curriculum focuses on national holidays, famous Americans, U.S. Presidents, Native Americans, pilgrims and pioneers, Michigan and U.S. geography and history, current events and map skills. In one representative activity, students choose a famous American, read a biography, write a report about him or her and “become” that person in a dramatic presentation to the class and parents. To see a second grade student report on a social studies field trip, click here.
Science
The instructor's goal is to develop a lively curiosity about the environment and its needs. The class studies different animal species through direct observation of live "critters" raised in the classroom; students gain a basic understanding of chemistry, physics, and biology through experimental activities, development of hypotheses, charting of data, and comparison of findings. Visits from scientists and off-campus field trips dramatize concepts taught. Science units include Birds and Bats, Dinosaurs, and Heat, Light and Sound. In one representational activity, students dissected owl pellets to investigate the diet of an owl. They found skeleton remains which they were able to identify with the use of a chart. To see a second grade report on one science unit, click here.
See link to second grade curriculum map.
|
Second grade fosters a sense of fun and adventure in learning. Second graders are taught to question, explore, experiment and discuss. The second grade classroom is alive with hands-on activities and visits from inspiring career professionals in a wide range of disciplines. The curriculum is enhanced by music, drama, field trips, and art. Second graders build self-esteem as they learn to express creative ideas about many aspects of the world. The second grade classroom is a respectful, secure place where students learn to value curiosity and their own learning potential.