Lower School
Grade 2
In second grade, students explore their own character and interests while building foundational academic skills. In Language Arts, students read chapter books and enhance their comprehension through thoughtful discussion and reflection. Math instruction focuses on reinforcing number patterns and mastering basic operations, laying the groundwork for more complex problem-solving. In Science, students cultivate a sense of wonder and curiosity as they investigate the world around them, studying topics such as the natural landscape of the MCDS prairie and the motion of planetary objects.
Second Grade Curriculum:
Language Arts
Through the Logic of English curriculum, students learn spelling rules and phonograms to build a foundation for more complex reading and writing. Grammar skills, including punctuation, capitalization, compound words, antonyms, synonyms, homonyms, and contractions are taught. Second grade students write independently in journals, responding to topics related to the Unit of Inquiry. Throughout the school year, students write in a wide variety of genres, such as narrative, nonfiction reports, letters, fairy tales, and poetry. Students practice reading fluency with a mix of listening to reading, partner reading, and independent reading. In addition, students read and discuss books as a whole class.
Math
In the second grade Singapore Math program, students build a strong foundation in essential math concepts, extending their understanding of numbers to 1,000. They learn to read and write numbers both in digits and words, and develop fluency in addition and subtraction to 1,000, with and without renaming. The curriculum also introduces key topics such as standard and metric measurement, basic multiplication, money, time, data analysis, geometric shapes, and graphing. Throughout the year, students apply their skills through consistent practice with word problems, fostering critical thinking, and real-world problem-solving abilities.
Social Studies
Social Studies is explored through inquiry and the Primary Years Program units. Students learn about Greek and Roman ancient civilizations, the Middle Ages, the religion of Islam, and the tribes of Ancient Africa through the themes of art, language, social structure, religion, and technology. Students build their background knowledge and make connections with history through discussion, the sharing of related picture books, projects, mapping, and writing assignments.
Art
Students review color, line and shape while they study sculpture and architecture for symmetry and balance. They also study depth, perspective, light and shadow in two-dimensional artworks. They also look at children’s book illustrations and create works in the style of an illustrator. Making clay sculptures and examining topics and activities to complement other class subjects, such as Greek mythology, may be added.
Music
In second grade, students advance their piano skills by applying a deeper understanding of musical concepts covered in their music class, including articulation, dynamics, rhythm, and pitch. They set personal goals and refine their performance techniques in preparation for their spring piano recital. In choir class, students acquire new skills such as beginning solfege, diction, melodic and rhythmic ostinatos, and partner songs. They also prepare for two annual choir concerts. Additionally, students explore the Baroque Era in music history, studying influential composers, their works, and the keyboard instruments of the period, while also revisiting the families of orchestral instruments.
Science
Students in second grade continue to nurture a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world while developing a more concrete sense of the process of experimentation. They learn to hypothesize, observe and study the results of their experiments while utilizing the campus environment to study structural adaptations of plants and animals in a variety of ecosystems. Second graders compare and contrast the moon and the earth, looking at size, rotation and revolution differences. Students also discover how earth’s landforms are shaped over time through the movements of earth’s plates and erosion.
Spanish
Second grade continues to build vocabulary and begins to study sentence construction. Emphasis on building vocabulary uses children’s poetry, songs, and role playing. Topics include a review of first grade material, the alphabet, numbers, the house and house furnishings, entertainment, seasons and activities, food, restaurants and table settings, likes and dislikes, school subjects, instruments, adjectives, buildings, the zoo, and prepositions. Throughout the year, students enjoy learning about the various cultures and regions of the Spanish-speaking world, including units on Cinco de Mayo, Día de los Muertos and Christmas celebrations while they develop competency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
Physical Education
The program emphasizes physical skills that can be applied in multiple sports situations. Through games and drills, students learn basic skill development, fine and gross motor movements, spatial awareness and basic strategy. Students develop confidence and motivation to participate in organized and individual physical activities. Learning leadership, teamwork and good sportsmanship also emphasizes lifelong fitness.
Our Curriculum in Action:
During the second grade unit on Sharing the Planet, students learned about animal adaptations and habitats. Students learned about nonfiction features and used nonfiction books to learn more about an animal. Then, each student completed their own animal research book, as well as a clay tile designed in art class to depict the animal in its habitat. Each second grade student set up a museum exhibit to display their research and art. Third grade students visited the museum so that students can teach others about the animal they researched!
