2nd Grade

The 2nd Grade reading program continues to be taught in flexible, ability-based learning groups to enhance students’ understanding of more advanced decoding skills, including vowel combinations, digraphs, and syllabication. 

Comprehension skills are expanded to focus on identifying the main idea, recalling important details, sequencing, summarizing, comparing and contrasting, analyzing cause and effect, predicting, and inferring. Second Grade children read a variety of short stories from the Fountas & Pinnell curriculum and RazKids program, as well as novels and utilize skill-building materials to enhance their comprehension, vocabulary, phonics knowledge, and spelling.

Students learn to identify texts by specific genre including realistic fiction, fantasy, folktale, fairy tale, narrative nonfiction, and expository nonfiction. We also read current event articles from kid-friendly sources such as Newsela and Time for Kids to apply comprehension skills, and make connections to our own lives and other curriculum areas including social studies and science.

To boost their oral language skills, the students retell stories, participate in readers’ theater, and present book and research reports. In addition, they hone their listening and auditory skills through discussions and other activities.

Our 2nd Grade students continue to participate in the Writers' Workshop program at least three times a week. The goal of the program is for children to write what they know by selecting topics that are personally meaningful and relevant to them. Through focused mini-lessons and individual conferences with the teacher, students will enhance their craft as writers and become independent authors of a variety of literary pieces. At the conclusion of each instructional unit, students will publish a piece of their work and share it in celebration with the rest of the class. The 2nd Grade units of study are Realistic Fiction, Poetry, Informative Writing, and Opinion Writing.

They also develop literary book reports and creative stories, read in class, and choose individual novels and poems to read. 

Furthermore, students are introduced to more complex spelling patterns through our structured program, where, each week, they take spelling tests. They also become increasingly familiar with the standard rules of grammar and punctuation. 

The Singapore Math program enhances students' higher-level thinking and understanding of real-life mathematical concepts, including measurement, patterns, estimation, time, money, charts, graphs, and simple fractions. Working in small, flexible ability groups, the children further focus on place value and regrouping with addition and subtraction. Practical application and problem solving are especially valued, and students use manipulatives and math journals to help them be authentic mathematicians who, as 2nd Graders, develop a basic understanding of multiplication and division and gain a greater comfort with math facts.

In social studies, students benefit from an interactive, online social studies program that extends their understanding of past and present, government, and geography, with specific attention paid to the countries and landforms of North America. Other units of study include different types of communities, economics, and all different types of American heroes.  Students get to deepen their study of American heroes through a book report where they build a paper doll to represent the hero of their choice. Moreover, through song, dance, and music, students develop an appreciation for community in preparing for their WinterFest performance, a beautiful celebration of friends, family, the holiday season, and their sister country.

As part of our Global Education program, 2nd Grade students study The Netherlands and interact with like-aged peers at a sister school there, exchanging letters, photos, and emails and working on interactive projects, including videos, food tastings, and comparing and contrasting cultural events.

Students make a difference in the lives of others through their participation in our Character Education & Service Learning programs. Second Grade students discuss empathy and learn the importance of wearing socks before leading our school-wide "SOCKtober" collection for the Interfaith Food Pantry.

The 2nd Grade science program involves the study of the scientific process, measurement, states of matter, building and engineering, forces that shape the earth, rocks and minerals, dinosaurs, fossils, volcanoes, and plants and animal adaptations. Children learn about the world around them, while studying our interactive curriculum, experimenting, and discussing their findings with classmates. Our state-of-the-art science lab and outdoor ecosystems and gardens provide wonderful places for students to engage in many hands-on learning opportunities. Science-themed field trips further enhance our children’s learning by providing them with real-life, science-centered experiences upon which to draw.

Second Graders' social and emotional growth is fostered through our Buddy program, through which they are mentored by older students in 3rd and/or 4th Grade. Buddies participate in regular, meaningful social interactions and activities, including reading, art projects, playing games, and more.