Welcome to Second Grade

Exciting and magical things happen in the second grade, as they operate the lower school Imaginarium, a type of maker space, as their school job.

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This is also the first year that students go off campus for an overnight camping trip with their classmates. Second graders also learn about Changemakers and Simple Machine Inventions as they learn about research and reporting skills.

Second Grade Social and Emotional Standards (C.A.R.E.S.)

Cooperation: The ability to establish new relationships, to maintain positive relationships and friendships, to avoid social isolation, to resolve conflicts, to accept differences and to be a contributing member of the classroom and community in which one lives, works, learns, and plays
Assertiveness: The ability to take initiative, to stand up for one’s idea without hurting or negating others, to seek help, to persevere with a challenging task, and to recognize one’s individual self as separate from the environment, circumstances, or conditions one is in
Responsibility: The ability to motivate oneself to act and follow through on expectations; to define a problem, consider the consequences, and choose a positive solution
Empathy: The ability to recognize, appreciate, or understand another’s state of mind or emotions, to be receptive to new ideas and perspectives, and to see, appreciate, and value differences and diversity in others
Self-Control: The ability to recognize and regulate one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in order to be successful in the moment and remain on a successful trajectory

Second Grade Mathematics

A Blue Oak math classroom features a combination of whole-group, small-group, and independent activities that are problem centered. In second grade, students focus on addition and subtraction, place value, shapes, and length measurement. Math games and explorations are key elements of the math curriculum.

Counts by 2s, 5s, 10s and 100s within 1,000
Understands place value to the thousands and writes in expanded form
Adds fluently within 20
Subtracts fluently within 20
Represents and solves addition problems to 100
Represents and solves subtraction problems to 100
Represents halves, thirds and fourths in pictures and identifies the fraction name
Recognizes and draws two and three dimensional shapes
Measures and estimates using standard and metric units
Reads analog clock and can tell time to the nearest five minutes
Represents thinking with visual models, equations and words
Mentally adds and subtracts 10 or 100 to or from numbers 100 – 900
Solves word problems using addition
Solves word problems using subtraction
Makes change within one dollar
Constructs and reads picture and bar graphs, solving problems using information from the graphs
Demonstrates understanding of key concepts and uses language introduced when explaining mathematical thinking

Second Grade Literacy

Speaking and Listening

Participates in discussions and conversations in small and large groups following expectations
Links comments to the remarks of others
Describes key ideas or details from a text read aloud or information presented orally
Asks and answers questions to clarify comprehension, gather additional information or deepen understanding of a topic or issue

Reading

Utilizes various reading strategies; asking questions, making predictions, summarizing
Describes the overall structure of a story, including describing how the beginning introduces the story and the ending concludes the actions
Describes character motivations and plot to better understand the main ideas and supporting details
Reads and comprehends second grade fiction and informational texts
Identifies qualities of fiction and nonfiction
Applies grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words
Reads words with common suffixes and prefixes
Reads common grade level high-frequency words by sight

Writing

Second grade follows the writing process (Planning, Drafting, Revising, Editing, Publishing) as students write fiction stories, informational texts, and personal narratives. Writers are encouraged to employ multiple sentences about the same topic, organizing them into basic paragraphs. Our second grade class celebrates the writing process by holding publishing parties for family members and friends.

Writes about reading, opinion pieces and informative/explanatory text
Follows the stages of the writing process
Listens to others’ writing and offers feedback
Writes multiple sentences on the same topic
Writes a variety of sentences using different parts of speech
Correctly uses capitalization and end punctuation
Uses more conventional spelling than inventive spelling of high frequency words
Prints capital and lowercase letters legibly
Writes words with common suffixes and prefixes

Second Grade Spanish

Uses basic salutations and expressions of courtesy according to time of day
Uses TPR with movements, visual, aural, and tactile approaches to infer meaning
Reiteration of previously learned vocabulary, builds upon by including basic foods, clothing and animal body parts
Responds accurately to yes/no and either/or questions
Communicates on some familiar topics using single words and basic phrases
Demonstrates comprehension of simple sentences and/or phrases in the target language
Comprehends basic classroom directions provided in the target language
Responds accurately to yes/no and either/or questions
Practices cultural components through music, games and celebrations

Second Grade Music

Sings songs and simple canons using in tune singing voice
Responds to and demonstrates melodic contour
Recognizes and performs rhythmic patterns in simple and compound meters
Demonstrates understanding of musical phrases, patterns and ostinato patterns
Performs simple patterned accompaniments, simple melodies and ostinato patterns
Incorporates dynamics, tempo and timbre in performances
Demonstrates a willingness to improvise
Participates in creative movement activities and performs a variety of multicultural folk dances with enthusiasm

Second Grade Body and Movement

Shows awareness of teammates during games
Passes an object to a moving target
Dribbles with dominant and nondominant sides
Throws a ball with increased focused on accuracy
Works collaboratively with teammates during strategy games - communicates, listens, expresses opinions
Shows increased understanding of a Warm-up/Stretch
Demonstrates respect for individual differences in physical abilities
Participates effectively and demonstrates effort in sports games and fitness activities
Engages in sportsmanship and accepts wins and losses with awareness of others

Second Grade Science

Makes hypotheses from observations and information
Writes or draws descriptions of a sequence of steps, events or observations
Gives reasonable explanations for conclusions
Conducts simple experiments and follows directions using scientific tools
Makes predictions and draws reasonable conclusions based on observed patterns
Explores and identifies qualities of the natural world including the interactions between plants and animals
Explores and identifies evidence that earth’s changes can be slow or fast
Explores and identifies properties of simple machines

Second Grade Social Studies

Identifies similarities and differences in people’s habits and living patterns
Identifies ways the environment affects how people live and work
Recognizes how people affect their environment
Recognizes some ways people rely on each other for goods and services
Shows some understanding of time and how the past influences people’s lives
Demonstrates simple mapping skills to represent familiar locations (room, home, neighborhood, city)
Demonstrates understanding as to why there are rules and laws and how government functions
Participates in/takes responsibility for class and school jobs
Demonstrates awareness about state and country

Second Grade Visual Art

Understands relationships between primary and secondary colors; Identifies and understands complementary, contrasting, warm and cool colors
Sustains observation for longer periods of concentration and connects what they see with what they create
Self directs creative process, perseveres and explores solutions to art problems
Discusses thoughts, feelings and experiences expressed in artwork; Begins to discuss and reflect with peers about creative process
Identifies and communicates work of art that connects to personal life and community
Explores use of tools and media in a variety of ways to create works of art
Uses art vocabulary to describe creative process
Begins to demonstrate safe and appropriates uses for art tools

Second Grade Library and Information Technology

Identifies a simple question that needs information.
Understands the concept of keywords.
Identifies two sources of information that may answer the questions.
Independently checks out and cares for library resources, both fiction and nonfiction.
Alphabetizes beyond the initial letter to locate resources.
Identifies parts of a book: table of contents, glossary, index and dedication.
Uses computer software graphic elements and navigational tools.
Identifies main ideas in texts in preparation for note taking.
Draws meaning from illustrations, diagrams, photographs, charts, maps, graphs and captions.
Understands the Internet contains accurate and inaccurate information.
Demonstrates the ability to discern the difference between advertisements and information.
Demonstrates proper procedures and good citizenship in the library and online.
Adheres to privacy and safety guidelines when using the Internet.
Uses information and technology creatively to answer a question, solve a problem, or enrich understanding.
Reads widely and use various media for information, personal interest, and lifelong learning.