A

Focus

On

 

 

Second Grade

 

 

 

 

 

Language Arts

Reading

s Use general skills and strategies of the reading process

• Use word structures (syllables, basic prefixes, suffixes, root words) to decode unknown words
• Understand and use strategies to gain meaning from print such as sight vocabulary (commonly used words), phonetic skills (silent letters, digraphs), and context clues (synonyms, antonyms)
• Use strategies to read for comprehension (titles, headings, pictures, main idea, cause and effect and compare and contrast)

 

s Read, interpret, and respond to literary and nonliterary texts

• Read a variety of texts (fairy tales, folk tales, fiction, nonfiction, legends, fables, myths, poems, picture books, dictionary, informational books)
• Make inferences regarding the order of events and possible outcomes of stories
• Know basic story elements (setting, characters, plot, theme) and understand that connections exist between characters and events in stories
• Read for fluency in age appropriate books using table of contents, glossary, pictures and charts

 

Writing

s Use general skills and strategies of the writing process to write

for a variety of purposes and audiences

• Write for enjoyment
• Write in a variety of forms (journals, poetry, letters, stories)
• Use the steps of the writing process (prewriting, writing, editing and rewrite to publish)
• Use the mechanics of writing (rearrange words, sentences and paragraphs to clarify meaning; add descriptive words and details, edit errors such as: spelling, punctuation, spacing, capitalization)
• Know basic rules for spelling and use spelling resources (word lists, dictionaries, charts)
• Improve in manuscript handwriting and introduce lower case cursive letters

 

 

 

Speaking and Listening

s Speak and listen for a variety of purposes

• Use listening strategies (eye contact, face the speaker)
• Speak clearly, (use specific vocabulary, volume, pitch and rate)

 

At Home Activities

• Read to and with your child everyday
• Read a variety of materials – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc.
• Preview stories prior to reading and have your child make predictions about story content
• Reread known stories several times striving for fluency (smoothness).
• Ask questions about the content of the story
• Help enhance and develop your child’s vocabulary by explaining words, ideas, and concepts in books
• Visit the library regularly and have your child select books
• Provide a variety of reading materials for your child such as magazines, comics, newspapers, etc.
• Have children write for real purposes – letters to grandma, invitations, thank-you notes, grocery lists, phone messages
• After reading stories, have your child write a short response (I liked the part when…)
• Have your child write about family trips or vacations. Ask him/her to write the captions for favorite photos in your family albums.
• On a regular basis, practice and review the spelling lists sent home from school
• Play spelling games with your child
• When your child has spelling problems, have him/her say it slowly. Put down the sounds he/she hears. Help him/her think of known words that might be useful (“it starts like “the”). Always have him/her put down as many as he/she can; you can provide the remainder

 

 

Math

• Know facts through 18
• Use addition & subtraction strategies
• Understand place value & graphing
• Recognize coins and count money
• Create and solve story problems
• Add 2-digit numbers with and without regrouping
• Subtract 2-digit numbers with and without regrouping
• Work with geometry and fractions
• Tell time to 5 minute intervals
• Measure objects using both standard and metric units
• Introduction to multiplication and division
• Explore probability

 

You Can Build Your Child’s Math Skills at Home by:

• Playing games that encourage memorization of addition and subtraction facts to 18
• Counting coin values to $1.00
• Calculating the price of two items from a catalogue
• Comparing team scores, prices, temperatures, etc.
• Cooking and letting your child measure in fractions
• Helping your child measure things around the house

using inches and centimeters

• Identifying shapes in the environment
• Looking for series of numbers (house numbers, phone numbers, calendar dates)

 

Art

 

• Develop drawing skills using basic shapes and

proportion

• Create art work using elements and principles of design
• Develop skills using mixed medias
• Understand and recognize two and three dimensional art
• Learn vocabulary related to their art projects
• Continue to develop skills of cutting, gluing, drawing

and painting

• Learn to recognize groups of warm and cold colors

 

Physical Education

• Demonstrate mature form in all locomotor movements (skip, hop, gallop, slide, etc.)
• Demonstrate mature motor patterns, sequences, and transitions between sequential motor skills
• Use feedback to improve performance
• Engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity outside of physical education class
• Identify at least one activity associated with each component of health-related physical activity
• Work cooperatively with another to complete an assigned task
• Perform a self-assessment on a specific or general skill
• Record daily steps and uses the information to track daily physical performance

 

Science

Learn About Life Sciences

• Animals
• Plants
• Ecology

 

Introduce Physical Sciences

• Magnets
• Energy (heat, light, sound, motion)
• Machines

 

Learn About Earth Sciences

• Dinosaurs/Fossils
• The Solar System

 

Know More About Keeping Healthy

• Nutrition, Sense Organs
• Dental Health, Safety

 

You Can Increase Your Child’s Understanding of Science Concepts by:

• Taking nature walks
• Catching and releasing insects for temporary study
• Recording insect findings (drawings, tape record, paper and pencil, etc)
• Collecting and categorizing spinning, rolling and balancing toys
• Encouraging your child to build balanced systems
• Creating mobiles and building toys that roll using household items
• Looking for pebbles, sand and silt around your home
• Starting or continuing a rock collection
• Using rocks to create

 

Social Studies

To Study Map and Globe Symbols (Map Key)

• Continents & oceans
• Grids, north, south, east, & west directions
• Symbols

 

To Read About Economics

• Producer/Consumer
• Goods & services, needs & wants
• To set up and conduct a consumer/producer factory

 

To Read, Discuss and Demonstrate Heritage

• Traditions, history
• Family
• Holidays

 

Become Aware of Our Country

• The Democratic process at different levels of government
• Patriotism & symbolism

 

To Know About Community

• Groups (urban, suburb, rural)
• Rules

 

You Can Help Your Child Become Better Aware of These Concepts by:

• Making neighborhood maps or mapping out your next vacation together
• Discussing current events with your child
• Involving him/her in family economics:

-discuss family needs vs. wants

-help him/her plan a budget for his/her

allowance

-use raw materials to make gifts

 

 

Music

• Continue developing vocal skills
• Continue with rhythm and beat (note value)
• Introduce notes as the symbols of pitch
• Begin developing the ability to describe what is being heard when listening
• Begin the study of music history