Content

Reading:

Students practice reading through a variety of differentiated learning activities. Students will participate in reading activities in individual, small group, and whole group settings each day. Our focus during the first few weeks will center on setting reading routines, building stamina, reviewing strategies, and becoming familiar with both the iReady and Accelerated Reading (AR) programs.

2021/22

AR Marking Periods:

TBA

Writing:

Students practice writing during all content areas. Our official writer's workshop provides students daily opportunities to examine a variety of writing genres. Students explore mentor texts, observe modeled writing, participate in shared writing experiences, and then work through the writing process as authors themselves. Students also spend time in teacher guided writing conferences and practice self and peer reflections centered improving the writing craft. During our first weeks in second grade, students will focus heavily on personal narratives and building stamina as writers. Students will explore writing fiction narratives, reports/nonfiction writing, friendly letters, How to/instructions, opinion writing, and poetry.

Are you interested in helping practice writing at home? Writing letters can be a fun and easy way to do it! Write a letter to your child that includes all the official parts of a letter (date, greeting, body, closing, signature) and have them write a letter back. It would also be fun to write letters to family and friends who live far away! Journals are another great practice idea! Help your child keep a daily journal. Not only will it be a great way to practice but it can be a fun keepsake! You can even have your child help you write to do lists or grocery lists.

Spelling:

We follow The Benchmark Phonics curriculum.

Spelling Training and Kids Spell are both fun ways to practice spelling words. Both sites will allow you to type in our week's spelling list for practice. Both sites have several fun games to use!

Math:

Ready Math is new to second grade this year. More information will come soon.

Science

Our science curriculum includes mass/matter, landforms, fast and slow changes, and erosion. We follow STEMSCOPES.

Social Studies

Our social studies curriculum includes citizenship/character education, geography, economics, and history

Garden Projects:

Second graders are the gardeners for our Cougar Run Community garden! Throughout the year, our class will observe and learn within the garden on a regular basis. Students will tend to the garden and harvest the produce that will be sold by the third graders at our "farmer's market." They will also use the garden as our inspiration for a variety of research opportunities. Students will also winterize the garden after the growing season ends. Students will participate in many science lessons about the garden as they explore habitats, adaptations, worms, and plants. During the winter students will plan the next year's garden. They will be responsible for selecting a new theme, determining what plants will be planted the next year, and how plants will be arranged. In the spring the students will sprout seeds within the classroom. Finally at the end of the year the second graders will plant the garden.