Geography

We always begin every year with a quick unit on Geography. Learning how to navigate maps, globes, and landforms is a critical skill. We start with this unit because throughout the course of the year we will be traveling to many locations in the U.S.A as well as all over the world. In this unit we will examine globes and maps and their importance in our lives, discuss key features of maps and how to read them and create them, learn about a compass rose, and investigate how we negatively and positively impact the land around us.

During this unit, expose your student to as many different types of maps as you can. Point them out when you see them, talk about who the map is useful for and why, and see if they can find the important features on the map (such as: a legend or key, scale, and compass rose). Another very important skill you could work with your child on is knowing their address. This is a skill that gets overlooked but it so very useful and important. Now is a great time to learn it and memorize it : )

Fairy Tale and Tale Tales

This domain will introduce students to classic fairy tales and tall tales and the well-known lessons they teach. The first half of the Fairy Tales and Tall Tales domain focuses on fairy tales and remind students of the elements of fiction they have already learned. In this domain, students will be reminded of the elements of a fairy tale while hearing the fairy tales “The Fisherman and His Wife,” “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Students will be able to relate to the problems faced by characters in each of these memorable tales, as well as learn from the lessons in each story.

The second half of the domain focuses on tall tales and the elements of that genre. Students will be introduced to the tall tales “Paul Bunyan,” “Pecos Bill,” “John Henry,” and “Casey Jones.” Learning about tall tales will introduce students to the setting of the American frontier and some of the occupations settlers had there. It will also prepare them for the Westward Expansion domain, because many of the tall tale characters head west on their adventures. The tall tales in this domain will also introduce students to the literary concept of exaggeration. Below are the Parent Letters for the Unit : )

Ancient Asian Civilizations

This domain will introduce students to the continent of Asia and its two most populous countries, India and China. Students will learn about the early civilizations in India and China and how they were both able to form because of mighty rivers. Students will once again hear about the important features of early civilizations, to which they were introduced in First Grade. These features include the advent of farming, establishment of cities and government, and other practices such as writing and religion.

Students will first learn about early India and will be introduced to the basics of Hinduism and Buddhism—two major religions from this area—as major forces shaping early Indian civilization. They will also hear two works of fiction originally from India: “The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal” and “The Blind Men and the Elephant.” Then, students will learn about early Chinese civilization and the many contributions made by the early Chinese, including paper, silk, and the Great Wall of China.

Ancient Greek Civilization

This domain will introduce students to an ancient civilization whose contributions can be seen in many areas of our lives today. Students will learn about the gods and goddesses of the ancient Greeks, the city-states of Sparta and Athens, and the philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. They will learn about the first Olympic Games held in honor of Zeus, the significance of the battles of Marathon and Thermopylae, and the conquests of Alexander the Great. Students will also learn about the Greek contribution of democracy and how those ideas are used today in many governments, including our own

Greek Myths

Domain 4 focuses on Greek Mythology! This domain builds on The Ancient Greek Civilization domain and will introduce students to several well-known Greek myths and many well-known mythical characters. Students will learn that the ancient Greeks worshiped many gods and goddesses, and that the twelve they believed lived on Mount Olympus, the home of the gods, were the most powerful. Students will learn the definition of a myth: a fictional story, once thought to be true that tried to explain mysteries of nature and humankind. They will also learn about myths that include supernatural beings or events, and that myths give insight into the ancient Greek culture. Students will hear about Prometheus and Pandora, Demeter and Persephone, Arachne the Weaver, the Sphinx, and Hercules, among others. References to Greek mythology are still culturally relevant today, and this domain will give students a frame of reference with which to understand literary allusions and the meanings of common words and expressions, such as herculean. It will also better enable them to understand modern retellings of these ancient stories.

The War of 1812

This domain will introduce students to an important period in the history of the United States—the time during the War of 1812. The War of 1812 is, perhaps, best remembered as the war that gave birth to “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Students will also learn why the War of 1812 is often called America’s second war for independence. Students will learn how the United States was affected by the Napoleonic Wars between France and Great Britain. They will learn about James and Dolley Madison, and their direct connection to the War of 1812. Students will learn about Great Britain’s three-part plan to win back the United States. This includes attacks on Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, and the Battle of New Orleans. This domain will build the foundation for learning about Westward Expansion, The U.S. Civil War, and Immigration later in Grade 2 as well as for learning about other periods of American history in future grades.

Westward Expansion

This domain will introduce students to an important period in the history of the United States—the time of westward expansion during the 1800s. Students will learn why pioneers were willing and eager to endure hardships to move westward. Your class will learn about important innovations in both transportation and communication during that period, which greatly increased the movement of people westward. More specifically, students will learn about Fulton’s steamboat, the Erie Canal, the transcontinental railroad, and the Pony Express. Students will also come to understand the hardships and tragedies that Native Americans endured because of westward expansion. This domain will build the foundation for learning about The U.S. Civil War and Immigration later in Grade 2 as well as for learning about other periods of American history in future grades.

Immigration

Domain 7 focuses on the growth of the United States population as well as the cultural influences that have come with all the immigrants! This domain will introduce students to the concept of immigration in the United States, an especially important topic because the United States is often referred to as a country of immigrants. Students will learn about the biggest wave of immigration to the United States, which occurred between 1880 and 1920. They will discover why people immigrated, what factors pushed them from their homelands and pulled them to the United States, and why many immigrants settled in particular cities or regions upon their arrival. These basic facts about immigration will help students further their awareness of U.S. history. Learning about immigration in the United States is also an opportunity for students to find out more about their family history and what brought them and/or their ancestors to the United States.