We use the program, Really Great Reading) that follows the Science of Reading. We will cover the following: oral reading, phonemic awareness, phonics concepts days 1 and 2, and student practice. Students will spend the week practicing a new skill/concept in class and will test their knowledge and understanding with a weekly "spell check" practice. They will not be given a spelling list on Monday to "memorize." Rather, they will apply what they have learned to their weekly practice test at the end of the week. 

At the beginning of the year, we focus on stretching our sentences and adding details to our writing. As the year progresses, we talk about adding text evidence to support our writing. We introduce hamburger paragraph writing (topic sentence, 3 details, and a closing) to help organize our writing. 2nd graders focus on being able to write informative writing pieces, opinion writing, and narrative writing pieces throughout the school year. 

Each week we focus on a grammar skill. We learn about it, then complete an interactive notebook activity. We do a weekly "scoot" around the room using the skill taught and are tested on it on Friday with our "check in."

In second grade, we focus highly on reading comprehension skills (moving from learning to read words to understanding what we just read). We focus on many key concepts such as fiction vs. nonfiction, fact and opinion, text and graphic features, sequence of events, story structure, compare and contrast, cause and effect, author's purpose, main idea and purpose, understanding character, conclusions, retelling a story, poems and fairytales. Each day, we also incorporate a guided reading block where students work on their reading comprehension, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, expression, and writing at their own independent reading levels. We use DRAs, STAR testing, and assessments to evaluate each student's reading level various times throughout the year. 

We use the "Go Math" Curriculum. We begin the year with a first grade math review and assessment. Then, we move into number concepts, numbers to 1,000, basic facts and relationships, 2-digit addition and subtraction, 3-digit addition and subtraction, money and time, measurement, data charts, and shapes. There will be a nightly math worksheet that covers what we learned in class as well as a spiral review on the back. At the end of each chapter, there will be an assessment to check for student understanding. 

We use the "Mystery Science" curriculum. We cover units in animal biodiversity, plant adaptations, erosion and earth's surface, and material properties. 

We will cover map skills, where we are on a map, important people in history, around the world topics, communities and US symbols. We also use a weekly scholastics flyer to cover various topics! 

Students learn about the Catholic Church, the Saints, parts of Mass and different Sacraments within our "Good News" Curriculum. Students will make their Reconciliation within their home churches in the later half of the school year. 

**2nd graders do make their Reconciliation this year (if applicable to your child). This sacrament is run by the church your family belongs to. Please contact Mr. George in Religious Ed. if you have any other questions.