Grade 2

WELCOME

The primary goal of second grade is to develop in our students a higher level of independence as learners. More emphasis is put on personal responsibility for remembering to complete work and use time wisely in the classroom. Independent reading and higher level writing skills are the foundations on which growth is built.

mathematics math addition subtraction multiplication division

ACTIVITIES

All School Field Day
Book–It
Chapel
Choir
Family Groups

Field Trips
Grandparents’ Day
Lutheran Schools Week
Mileage Club
Musical

Pep Fest
Prayer Partners
Small Business Day
Spelling Bee
Veterans’ Day

ACADEMICS

RELIGION

The religion program is based on the Concordia Publishing House “One in Christ” curriculum. Students are nurtured in their understanding and living of the Christian faith as they are taught a sequential selection of Old and New Testament Bible stories. Within this context they learn key concepts of faith such as Law and Gospel, confession and repentance, and forgiveness and grace. Second graders participate in daily worship opportunities, which include singing and prayer. They also begin to lead others in worship. Through a planned memory program, students learn Scripture verses, hymns and portions of Luther’s Small Catechism. Every other year, students study the Peacemakers curriculum, based off of the conflict resolution concepts presented in Matthew 14.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Reading

The second grade reading program continues to develop reading fluency, leading to greater comprehension and enjoyment of reading. There is an emphasis placed on the ability to use reading skills and strategies for inquiry and research. The children review phonetic work knowledge and skills. Students explore concepts in science, social studies, literature and the arts. Book reports are completed throughout the year.

Language and Writing

Sentence structure, parts of speech, punctuation and capitalization are all emphasized in 2nd Grade. Writing is practiced as a form of learning and personal communication. Regular opportunities are provided to practice descriptive, persuasive, and imaginative writing genres.

Spelling

The spelling program consists of words taken from the material in the reading text. A pretest is given at the beginning of the week, the words are practiced every day, and a final test is given at the end of the week. The class also participates in a school-wide, monthly spelling bee.

Handwriting

The children practice proper handwriting techniques in their handwriting books and in their daily work. Cursive writing is introduced in the second semester.

SCIENCE

The science program offers students a chance to use text and experimentation to better understand the world around them. The units taught at this level are Plants and Animals, Environments and Energy, Rocks, Soil and Fossils, Weather Patterns, Matter and Energy, and Motion and Magnets.

MATHEMATICS

The students begin the year with a review of first grade number concepts. Addition and subtraction facts through 20 are reviewed extensively. Numbers and patterns to 1000 are discussed. Graphing, money, time, measurement, geometry and fractions are included. The addition and subtraction of two-and three-digit numbers is emphasized and multiplication and division concepts are introduced.

SOCIAL STUDIES

The second grade social studies program helps children understand the working of their community and the world around them. The units studied in the program are Governing the People, Maps and Locations, Seasons and Climate, Land and Water Resources, Early America, Heroes and Holidays, World Cultures, and Producers and Consumers.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Physical Education is five days a week! Students experience a wide variety of activities. Each month there is an emphasis on a particular activity. Students spend time on skills which relate to the emphasis. Activities include movement themes, manipulative skills (beanbags, beach balls, balloons, etc), rope jumping (individual skills, partner skills, long rope skills), tumbling, stunts and combatives, rhythmic movement and dance, parachute, bowling, relays and games, additional manipulative skills (scoops and balls, hoops, wands, paddles, flying discs), Tee ball, scooters, apparatus (playground equipment), and health related fitness.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

The church and school own a parcel of land next to the playground that has been designated by Minnesota's DNR (Department of Natural Resources) as a School Forest. Students use the space in every season for any subject area. In any given week, one might find pre-algebra students using proportions to measure tree height, first graders examining and identifying leaves, fourth graders writing creatively about the sounds of autumn, or eighth graders conducting biological plot studies. Chapel services are also conducted in the forest in the worship area created by a student as an Eagle Scout project.

ART

The seven art elements – line, shape, color, value, texture, form and space are taught in second grade. The elements are incorporated in drawing, painting, cutting, pasting and crafting. Artists that have used these techniques are discussed.

MUSIC

Students in Grade 2 meet as an individual grade for 30 minutes one day a week. During that time, students learn and play many different rhythms and instruments. They study instruments of the orchestra, composers from all different time periods, and are exposed to a variety of genres of music. In addition to their individual class time, Grade 2 combines to create a choir with Grades 3 and 4 twice a week. It builds upon what has been learned in the previous combined choir. Mixed-age grouping provides the younger grade the opportunity to learn from older role models and allows the upper grade to embed their knowledge through teaching. Concepts such as intermediate rhythms, part and canon singing, rhythm notation, world music, Orff Instruments (xylophones), and solfege are taught or continued. Correct posture, breathing, and vocalizing techniques are taught and enforced through sacred and secular songs. All students in this choir participate by singing in worship, services, the Christmas Concert, biannual musicals, and the Spring Concert.