Second Grade

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Reading

Using a three method approach of teaching reading to developing readers, each child is supported at their individual level. First, leveled literacy groups are used to teach phonics, decoding strategies, fluency and comprehension. Second, teacher-read aloud novels foster a love of reading and listening skills. Finally, shared reaading through short stories and novel units are utilized to learn story structure and comprehension. As we study characters and story plots, students participate in classroom discussions about their Christian responsibility to make choices that are pleasing to God.

Language Arts

Following the model of Lucy Calkin's Writers' Workshop, our writing units focus on poetry, biographies, friendly letters, and personal narratives. Grammar skills include an emphasis on sentence structure, nouns, verbs and adjectives.

Math

Concepts and skills in our Everyday Mathematics program include addition and subtraction operations and number stories, place value, money, time, geometry, identifying patterns and rules, fractions, measurement and decimals. Children learn best by doing and thus we use a hands on approach to learning math.

Science

Using the science lab, students engage in learning about plants and animals, growth and change, rocks and minerals, measuring matter and forces and motion. In lab, students learn through hands on experience such as planting their own Brassica plant and observing the behavior of crayfish and bess beetles. Students learn how their bodies grow and change.

Social Studies

Our focus answers the question, "Where do I fit in the world?" Units are designed to teach how we belong to many groups and how we work together. Topics include how people make history, the importance of being a good citizen and people in time and place.