Second Grade Curriculum

Math

St. Monica uses Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley MATH, Grade 2.

Additional math activities include:

• Two step story problems

• Math Their Way activities

• games in base 3, base 4, and base 6

Students

• master addition and subtraction facts,

• regroup in addition and subtraction with three digit numbers.

• tell time to five minutes

• multiply sets of 2’s, 3’s, and 5’s

• solve two step word problems,

• add and subtract money and make change

Hands on math activities:

 cubes, geometric shapes, dominos, tangrams, clocks

Reading/Language Art
The Harcourt Trophies series is the primary text.
First Reader:  Just for You
Second Reader:  Banner Days

The reading curriculum integrates phonics instruction with comprehension skills.
Spelling words are drawn from the reading instruction.
Midyear students are introduced to the Accelerated Reading Program.

Language skills are incorporated in the writing program.  Second grade students use the writing process to write paragraphs and to create stories and poems.
Second grade students give a weekly “afternoon talk” that is an introduction to public speaking.

 

Handwriting
Text:  D”Nealian Handwriting
Students develop their handwriting skills through second grade.  Students do not begin cursive writing until third grade.

Religion
Our Faith First text provides a spiral approach to teaching the Catholic faith.  The four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church—creed, sacraments, morality and prayer-- are taught at every grade level.  In second grade students study the sacrament of Baptism and prepare to receive the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist.  Students live their faith through daily prayer, participating in school masses, praying the rosary with the student body, attending Stations of the Cross, and by participating in school liturgies.

Science
Text: Harcourt:  Science 2
The science curriculum covers life science, earth science, and physical science.
In the life sciences students learn to classify animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish). They learn about animal habitats and adaptations.
In the earth sciences students explore the Earth’s surface, natural resources, and the Solar System.
In Physical science students learn to classify matter, explore light, heat, sound, and motion.

Social Studies
Text:  Living in Communities
Students study Native American communities of long ago, the pilgrims, and famous leaders from the past.  Students learn about communities in current times.

First, second, and third grade students participate in the study of two continents each year.
Students are grouped in multi-age classes and learn of the various countries and cultures on each continent.
This study is augmented by hands on activities, guest speakers, and assemblies as well as sampling native foods.  This study provides hands on experience in both reading and making maps.