Course Descriptions for Second Grade Classes
Grade 2 | Reading and Writing
The student will continue to develop into a fluent reader as he encounters increasingly complex texts. He will read daily, practicing new skills and understanding the phonics patterns. The student will apply new skills to read and understand fiction and nonfiction stories presented in Houghton-Mifflin'’ Legacy of Literacy anthologies and Phonics Library. Stories are organized into themes. Examining literature through themes will help the student make connections between the texts and connect reading topics to his personal knowledge and interests. In addition to formal reading instruction, the student will establish a daily reading routine and will complete activities in response to self-selected books.
Writing lessons target grammar skills and teach the writing process. Frequently, writing instruction is tied to the student's reading assignments. Guided instruction and practice in the Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Workbook reinforce manuscript printing and encourage greater speed and accuracy in writing. Daily spelling instruction and practice occur in the student’s Spelling Connections workbook. Language skills and handwriting come together as the student composes journal entries and compositions of increasing length and complexity.
Student Resources
• Rhymes and Verses (Calvert School)
• Reading Work Pages 2 (Calvert School)
• Reading Word Cards 2 (Calvert School)
• Zaner-Bloser Handwriting 2 (Zaner-Bloser)
• Adventures (Houghton Mifflin)
• Delights (Houghton Mifflin)
• Spelling Connections 2 (Zaner-Bloser)
• Phonics Library: Blackline Masters/Take-Home Pads 2 (Houghton Mifflin)
• Take Me to Your Readers CD (Little Planet Learning)
• Reading and Writing D Lesson Manual
• Primary Journal
· Grade 2 | Mathematics
In this course, the student will learn facts and strategies for adding and subtracting numbers in the hundreds with regrouping. The Calvert series textbook, Calvert Math, and the Practice and Enrichment Workbook are the primary resources for this course. By the end of the course, the student will be able to compare and order numbers to 1,000. Additionally, the student will have the chance to work hands-on as he studies time, money, geometry, fractions, and measurement (customary and metric units). The student will gain an understanding of the practical applications of these skills if he helps with activities such as shopping (money), scheduling (time), and cooking (fractions and measurement). Throughout the course, the student is given the opportunity to apply the skills learned in different ways. To assist with this, the student studies the problem-solving process. A four-step problem-solving plan is taught and several problem-solving activities are found in each unit.
Student Resources
• Calvert Math 2 (Calvert School)
• Calvert Math Practice and Enrichment Workbook 2 (Calvert School)
• Math D Lesson Manual
• Blue, Green, Red, White, and Yellow Cubes (each color set of 10)
· Grade 2 | Science
Studying science helps us understand the world around us as well as the world that existed before us. Throughout this course the student will not only be investigating the surrounding environment, but also environments of the past and various environments around the world. The McGraw-Hill/National Geographic series textbook, Science, and the science kit are the primary resources for the course. The student will study the major branches of science as he performs hands on activities. The opening unit introduces him to the responsibilities of archaeologists and continues the exploration of the scientific method. The Life Science unit investigates the importance of vegetation and water. The Earth Science unit examines clues to the Earth's past. The Physical Science units provide the opportunity for the student to measure forms of energy and investigate forces. In this course the student will research like an archaeologist, make a model of a dinosaur skeleton, build a couple of simple machines, create a model of a cave, and do much, much more! The lessons in this course are designed to accommodate a variety of learning styles, and to provide a variety of opportunities for the entire family to participate in the student’s education. Some lessons, or groups of lessons, in each unit are activity-centered, which allow the student to engage the new concepts he encounters through exploration and discovery; others are more traditional, requiring the student to read, research, and reflect on the underlying theory. The student may choose to read and review a fiction or nonfiction book about the subject being studied, undertake a project that reflects a particular personal interest, or participate in an appropriate online interactive experience. The student may include others in a longer-term project such as creating a family garden, or by visiting and reporting on a trip to a farm, zoo, nature center, aquarium, or museum.
Student Resources
• McGraw-Hill Science 2 (McGraw-Hill)
• Science Activity Pages 2 (Calvert School)
• Science D Lesson Manual
• Science Kit
· Grade 2 | Social Studies
Explore your world! In this course, your student will study geography, history, civics, and economics. Biographies of well known figures and their contributions to society, such as Florence Nightingale, George Washington Carver, Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Martin Luther King, Jr., and many more, will enhance your student's understanding of the past as it relates to the present. Your student will examine significant historical events, such as the Louisiana Purchase, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Basic geography skills will be enhanced as your student continues to explore the five themes of geography—place, location, regions, movement, and human/environment interactions—within the context of his surroundings. In addition, your student will learn about the basic concepts of government including rules, citizenship, and authority. Basic economics concepts such as consumers and producers and working and saving will also be introduced. Calvert School’s Explore Your World series and Steck-Vaughn’s Maps, Globes, Graphs provide the basis for instruction. These workbooks offer exercises and activities to enhance and enrich your student's understanding of the concepts discussed in the lessons. This course will make social studies meaningful to your student and will act as a springboard to questions, discussion, and learning.
Student Resources
• Explore Your World II (Calvert School)
• Maps, Globes, Graphs Level B (Steck-Vaughn)
• Activity Pages 2 (Calvert School)
• Social Studies D Lesson Manual