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SECOND GRADE

Developmental Characteristics of Seven and Eight Year Olds

Children are hard workers who are beginning to learn how to manage their feelings and thoughts.  As they move towards eight they may take on bigger challenges but lack patience.  There is an increased desire to talk about ideas and a developing sense of humor.  Single gender play becomes more attractive.  Physical growth spurts may begin to occur, as well as a keener interest in logic and justice.  Most are still full of energy and find opportunities to play and work hard.

English Language Arts - Reading

Second graders begin to show tremendous development as readers as they learn to appreciate a wider variety of print materials and literature.  They are transitioning from learning to read to reading to understand.  Throughout the year they are continually introduced to new reading strategies to further enhance their ability to comprehend and understand texts.

Curricular Materials and Resources:
  • Wilson Phonics
  • Guided Reading and Leveled Library
  • Lucy Calkin’s Units of Study
  • Balanced Literacy including Reader’s Workshop

 

STUDENTS WILL:
  • Read with stamina and focus
  • Use strategies to deal with difficult words and meaning
  • Use a variety of print and comprehension strategies appropriate for texts
  • Use story elements to increase comprehension
  • Synthesize text for deeper understanding
  • Use text features and strategies such as skim and scan to understand nonfiction text
  • Set personal reading goals and follow through independently
English Language Arts - Writing

Through the use of writer’s workshop approach, students become familiar with the writing process.  Their knowledge of this process includes reflecting on their writing, accepting feedback and making changes.  They are learning to communicate their writing by presenting to and sharing their work with an audience.

 

Curricular Materials and Resources:
  • Guided Reading and Leveled Library
  • Step Up To Writing
  • Lucy Calkin’s Units of Study
  • Six Traits of Writing
  • Balanced Literacy including Writer’s Workshop

 

STUDENTS WILL:
  • Use prewriting strategies to plan for and organize writing pieces
  • Write narratives to share small moments and personal stories
  • Write pieces with a clear, beginning, middle and end
  • Use a variety of sentences when drafting and organizing writing pieces
  • Revise and edit writing pieces as needed with guidance
  • Use a variety of tools to publish their writing
Math

At this level student are learning to further develop their mathematical knowledge and sense of number.  Mental math becomes a focus, as well as simple computation and algorithms.  Students learn to reason logically and apply their knowledge to real life and real world problems.  Math classes are tiered to meet individual student learning needs.  Instructional practices include small group work, hands-on manipulatives, independent practice and homework assignments.

 

Curricular Materials and Resources:
  • Various math manipulatives and tools
  • Simple Solutions
  • McGraw Millhaven Textbook Series
  • Envisions Math Program

 

STUDENTS WILL FOCUS ON THE FOLLOWING STRANDS:

 

OPERATIONS AND ALGEBRAIC THINKING
  • Use addition and subtraction within 100
  • Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies
  • Begin to determine missing numbers in equations
NUMBER SENSE

 

  • Count within 100, skip-count by 5s, 10s, and 100s.
  • Read and write numbers to 100 using base-ten numerals, number names and expanded form.
  • Compare three digit numbers using >,< and =.
  • Understand place value when ordering numbers to 1,000
MEASUREMENT AND DATA

 

  • Measure the length of an object by using appropriate tools.
  • Represent and interpret data utilizing various forms of graphs.
  • Tell and write time from digital and analog clocks.
  • Solve word problems utilizing dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies.
GEOMETRY
  • Reason with shapes and their attributes.
  • Understands properties of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes.
PROBLEM SOLVING

Traditional story problems integrated throughout each unit of study.

 

Religion 

 

STUDENTS WILL:
  • Identify the Trinity and discuss the roles of God the Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.
  • Show respect and participate in prayer: morning, meal-time, afternoon, and in school mass.
  • Express an understanding of sin and define the two types of sins.
  • Identify and apply the Ten Commandments as an examination of conscience as preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
  • Explain and recite the Act of Contrition, the Ten Commandments, and the Seven Sacraments from memory.
  • Express feelings of sorrow and contrition and relate Reconciliation to healing and forgiveness.
  • Profess a belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.
  • Read and discuss scriptures that reveal preparation for the coming of Jesus, forgiveness, and the institution of the Eucharist.
  • Explain and demonstrate Virtues of obedience, bravery, caring, commitment, and fairness towards classmates and teachers.

 

Theme Studies - SOCIAL STUDIES

Curricular objectives based upon the College, Career and Civic Life framework developed by the National Council for Social Studies.

Principles of the Republic
  • Explain and apply the concept of majority rule
  • Explain the rights of citizens
  • Principles and Process of Government Systems
  • Explain the importance of promoting the common good
  • Explain how disputes can threaten peace in a community and how they can be resolved peacefully
  • Describe how authoritative decisions are made, enforced and interpreted in local communities
Missouri United States and World History

Compare and contrast the habitats, resources, art and daily lives of native American Peoples, Woodlands and Plains Indians

Economic Concepts and Principles
  • Explain or demonstrate how people trade using money and bartering
  • Explain how to make decisions using cost-benefit analysis
Elements of Geographical Study and Analysis
  • Construct maps with title and key
  • Identify and locate the world’s seven continents and four oceans
  • Identify and describe physical characteristics in the world (landforms, water bodies etc.)
  • Describe how transportation and communication systems have facilitated the movement of people, products and ideas
  • Relationships of Individuals and Groups to Institutions and Traditions
  • Describe how people have common, physical, social and emotional needs

 

Theme Studies - Science

Curricular objectives based upon the Next Generation Science Standards and in partnership with Washington University’s MYSCI units of study.

Life Science Domain
  • What do plants need to grow?
  • How many types of living things live in a place?
Physical Science Domain

How do the properties of materials relate to their use?

Earth Science Domain
  • How does land change and what causes it to change?
  • What are different types of lands and bodies of water?
Engineering and Design
  • Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change
  • Develop a simple sketch, drawing or physical model as needed to solve a problem
  • Analyze data tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem