Communicating understanding is central to this Second Grade curriculum.  As students develop strategies for learning basic facts, for solving problems, and for communicating, they discover that memory is a powerful tool and they grow to appreciate the variety of ways people solve problems.

Typical Second Grade Day

 A second grader’s day incorporates each of the main subject areas, however topics or themes from one area may be integrated across all subject areas. A routine day usually consists of a language arts block. This includes process writing, reading, spelling, listening and speaking. The day also consists of math and social studies or science. In addition, children attend music, art, physical education, and library classes each week. Each class also has the opportunity for computer lab time. There is a supervised recess time daily. Each classroom operates on its own individual time schedule.

An important part of second grade is teaching the children to become independent and responsible for their work. We work on organizational skills and following multi-step directions. We encourage using common sense to solve problems and risk taking when finding answers. We expect children to use work time wisely and learn to budget their time. We use recess time to finish work that was not completed during the expected time.

Reading

Reading instruction is done in a variety of ways. The children are involved in large group, small group, and self-selected reading times. They will use trade books, magazines, poetry and the second grade basal to meet the reading goals of their individual level. As our progress report reflects, a child moves from being teacher-guided in activities to independent levels of functioning. These are the skills your child will develop:

• Use a variety of reading strategies
• Activating prior knowledge
• Organizing ideas
• Decoding
• Making text to self connections
• Retelling and summarizing
• Evaluating
• Read orally with fluency
• Learn, understand and utilize new vocabulary
• Read with understanding
• Make predictions and find proof to back finding
• Recall main ideas, details and sequences
• Recognize different story forms
• Read independently
• Process Writing

Written expression is a process, which includes pre-writing skills, drafting, revising or editing and publishing. Spelling skills as well as grammar and written mechanics are emphasized in the writing process Skills your child will develop are:

• Initiating their own writing
• Writing fictional and non fictional pieces
• Maintaining focus
• Organizing ideas
• Using support and elaboration
• Using correct mechanics
• Editing and revising writing
• Using reasonable approximations in spelling Using spelling skills in written work

We use the Empowering Writers Workshop model. Students learn the importance of story patterns and the parts of a great story. They take pieces through the complete writing process

Social Studies

 Lake Garda’s Social Studies curriculum for second grade includes exploring what a community is, what makes up a community, and types of communities. Students will investigate Burlington and Harwinton, their histories and make-up. Map skills are a fun part of the curriculum as students explore various ways to represent their communities and the world. Students use various kinds of maps and learn the parts of maps in this curriculum.

Science

 Lake Garda’s Science program uses an inquiry- based model.  Through hands-on exploration and experimentation, the children discover the important concepts and interrelationships among life, physical, and earth science.  They develop scientific skills such as observing, recording, and analyzing data.  The ability to accurately observe is an essential skill in scientific inquiry.

In second grade, the units of study are:

• CHANGES
• PLANTS
• SOILS
• ASTRONOMY                       

 Mathematics

The Mathlands Curriculum provides many opportunities for students to explore the following concepts through manipulatives, problem solving, and exploration:

• Counting and Place Value
• Addition and Subtraction
•  Measurement
• Geometry
• Fractions
• Money
• Time
• Estimation
• Graphing
• Patterning
• Introduction to multiplication & division

Spelling with Cast-A-Spell

 Through Cast-A-Spell, the students learn strategies to help their brains store and retrieve correct word spellings. This is done through three important ways of learning or modalities:

• Visual
• Auditory
• Kinesthetic

Using all three modes of learning is fun, fast, and effective.

The following are "priority words". Children in Grade 2 are expected to spell them correctly:

1. are
2. with
3. they
4. from
5. have
6. what
7. when
8. there
9. your
10. said
11. like
12. very
13. come
14. here
15. went
16. girl

Homework

 Homework is meant to build responsibility, to be done neatly, and to reinforce skills in various curriculum areas.

Approximately 30 minutes of homework will be assigned daily, including routinely reading for pleasure, practicing basic math facts, and occasionally completing or correcting  class work.