Second Grade
Second graders dive into read-alouds, guided reading, and writing projects that foster their independence and curiosity as they explore new texts and ideas.
Reading:
Second graders transition into becoming more independent readers. Using the Orton-Gillingham (OG)/Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) approach, they continue to build fluency and accuracy while applying strategies for comprehension such as summarizing, identifying main ideas, and making inferences.Teachers scaffold discussions to help students think deeply about characters, settings, and themes. Through daily read-alouds, guided reading, and independent exploration, second graders strengthen comprehension, fluency, and stamina while connecting texts to broader ideas and real-world topics.
Writing:
In writing, second graders explore narrative, informational, and opinion pieces, moving toward greater independence with structure and detail. Teachers guide students in generating ideas, expanding sentences, and refining their writing for clarity. Students write across subjects, creating pieces that inform, persuade, or entertain. The OG/IMSE approach supports spelling, grammar, and handwriting, while frequent opportunities for celebrating their writing builds confidence and strengthens students’ identities as authors.Second graders deepen their math understanding through the Bridges program, which blends daily Number Corner routines, Units of Study, and Math Workplaces. Students investigate new concepts with independence and curiosity, extending their grasp of base ten notation, strengthening addition and subtraction strategies, and exploring measurement and geometry. Through collaborative games and real-world projects, such as creating a scale model of the classroom or measuring and charting the growth of plants, students practice problem-solving in authentic ways. This work builds confidence and a deeper understanding of mathematical principles, inspiring students to think creatively and find innovative solutions.
Second graders become environmental stewards and budding chemists as they investigate ecosystems, properties of matter, and Earth’s processes. Students conduct mini-experiments to test the strength, flexibility, and absorbency of materials and examine how plants and animals depend on one another for survival. They might create classroom terrariums to observe ecosystems in action or test how different materials change when heated or cooled. Vocabulary such as material, property, erosion, ecosystem, and change strengthens their understanding. Hands-on learning helps them see the intricate connections between humans and nature while developing problem-solving skills.
In second grade, students dive deeper into how communities work, both now and in the past. They explore important topics like citizenship, geography, and historical change through units such as Building Community, America Then & Now, and Civil Rights & Heroes. Hands-on explorations and visits to local museums bring lessons to life. Through storytelling and historical accounts, students understand the significance of events like the Civil Rights Movement and their impact on society. By comparing the past and the present, students gain a clearer sense of how history shapes the world they live in. These rich experiences strengthen their sense of fairness and justice.
To view a detailed monthly curriculum click here.