Grade 2 Curriculum Summary

English Language Arts Curriculum

All areas of the curriculum are developed and implemented in accordance with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. Family-friendly frameworks are available HERE.

Readers Workshop is the cornerstone of our ELA program. Students apply purposeful, sequential reading skills and strategies, explore themes, and develop critical thinking skills. Teachers provide opportunities to read in the whole class, small group and individual settings. This supports vocabulary development, reading growth, and also provides many opportunities for students to engage in meaningful literacy dialogue. Students read a variety of genres and use texts as mentors for research and writing.

We use The Empowering Writers Program for writing instruction in the genres of narrative, expository and opinion writing. Through a spiraling of instruction, students build on their previous knowledge of the narrative writing diamond and the expository pillar to produce well developed narratives and expository essays in accordance with the common core state standards. This program highlights the reciprocal relationship between reading and writing. Teachers use the Empowering Writers summarizing frameworks to strengthen both reading and writing instruction.

Fundations is a multisensory and systematic phonic program in place from K-3.  Students learn the sound symbol relationships and apply them to reading and spelling. Heggerty is a phonemic awareness program for students in grades Kindergarten and Grade 1.  

Bridges Math Program

Science

The Scott Foresman Science curriculum has been adopted to teach science concepts, vocabulary, and reading skills. Students progress through three levels of the inquiry process: developing process skills, participating in teacher-guided activities, and conducting hands-on experiments. As scientists, the children are called upon to make observations, record data, form hypotheses, and draw conclusions. Instruction focuses on fundamental concepts of life science, physical science, earth and space science, and technology/engineering. The children explore units of study that include weather, seasons, the water cycle, living things, the life cycle, and properties of matter. 

Technology

Students receive technology instruction in the computer lab setting each week. Activities are designed to allow children to become familiar with the keyboard, engage in writing, drawing, and projects that are connected to classroom themes. All computers in the lab are Internet connected and topic searches are supervised. Technology is also integrated in the classroom to support learning. 

Library/Information Literacy

A weekly library program offers initial exposure to library materials, authors, and resources. Children’s literature is selected from a variety of genres and supports and extends classroom topics. Research skills are introduced and applied to classroom projects. Students begin learning the Dewey Decimal system for classifying and locating library resources.

Social Studies

The Scott Foresman Social Studies program is designed to extend the reading curriculum. Reading instruction and content are combined in units of study entitled Where We Live, Our Earth, Our Country Today, Our Country Long Ago, and People and Places in History. Geography is a major unit of study and mapping skills are developed throughout the year. Children Discovering Justice is a literacy-based civics education program that teaches social studies and history through reading and discussion of high quality children’s literature. The second grade curriculum focuses on our country’s promise of equality and justice for all. Concepts of freedom, liberty, and equality are presented in the context of historical events and through fiction and nonfiction selections.

Music

Music instruction includes singing a varied repertoire of music, reading and notation, and playing instruments. Activities provide opportunities for children to improvise, compose, and arrange music and students use music vocabulary to describe, analyze, and interpret music. Students enjoy performing for parents during the school year.

Art

Students are encouraged to express their ideas and feelings through a variety of media, materials, and techniques. Children use visual arts vocabulary to interpret art and learn about the role of artists in history and culture. Learning experiences are connected to classroom curriculum themes.

Physical Education

A developmental approach incorporates age-appropriate skills and knowledge in the areas of games, dance, gymnastics, and health-related fitness. An equal emphasis is placed on each child’s personal and social development.