SECOND GRADE CURRICULUM

Ms. Esposito, Mrs. Guaglione, Mrs. Burnham

Language Arts and Reading
Leveled Books
Harcourt Trophies - Just For You & Banner Days

At the grade two level, the overall objectives of the language arts and reading program are to strengthen the children's understanding and skills in the use of our oral and written language. While continuing to use a multi-model approach in this area, students are encouraged to develop increased confidence and independence in their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking skills.

Spelling & Word Work
Phonics Lessons (Fountas & Pinnell)
Teacher-made Program for sight words

Formal spelling is instituted at this grade. Children learn to spell by using a combination of sight words,phonics, word families, letter blends and digraphs...

Writer's Workshop

Through the writing process, children are learning language mechanics, punctuation and capitalization, and to also express themselves in writing. Children will be exposed to different forms of writing beginning with personal narratives, All About Books, writing to prompts, then moving on to poetry, and finally expository (non-fiction) writing.

Mathematics
Growing with Mathematics

For students, the second grade represents an opportunity to build on prior knowledge and to increase their ability to manipulate numbers. Skills in addition are extended to facts up to 20. Children are expected to know their facts to 20 from memory or using various manipulatives to demonstrate understanding of number sense.  In addition, students learn 2-digit numbers with renaming and 3-digit numbers with no renaming. Further development is achieved by extending concepts in measurement, including measuring time, money and metric, as well as standard measurements. Finally, skills in computation are applied to problem solving where students can utilize newly learned skills.

Science

Through and interdisciplinary approach, the students will gain knowledge of the following units: Nutrition, The Night Sky, Physical Science-properties of Matter; Measuring and Predicting Weather; Life Cycles of Plants and Animals; and Physical Science-Properties of Matter. We will conduct investigations and experiments to enhance our understanding of each science unit. .

Social Studies
Harcourt Horizons - About My Community & Scholastic News

Through an interdisciplinary approach, students will gain an understanding of their role as a member of a community and how they relate to the various communities in which they come in contact. There will also be a study of various holidays and cultural celebrations from around the world. We will continue to focus on the importance of building character and exhibiting good citizenship. In addition, we will study the basic aspects of geography through the use of maps.

Homework

The Norwalk Public Schools has recently adopted a new homework policy, which was designed to reflect purposeful and age-appropriate homework for each grade level. Homework will be given Monday through Thursday. Homework includes reading a book of their choice at their appropriate reading level for 20 minutes each night.