Grade Level Objectives

LANGUAGE ARTS

READING

A second grade student:

• Recognizes and reads different types of literature (nonfiction, fiction, poetry)
• Previews, predicts, and summarizes literature
• Participates actively in literature discussions and activities
• Compares and contrasts literature
• Reads orally with fluency and expression at an independent reading level
• Pays attention to punctuation when reading orally
• Uses 2 to 3 of the following word strategies simultaneously:
• Picture clues
• Content clues
• Phonics
• Consonants: digraphs (th, sh, wh, etc.), blends (cl, bl, dr, etc.)
• Vowels: long, short, pairs, r-controlled
• Diphthongs (ow, oy, etc.)
• Word structures
• Endings (ing, ed, er, es, s)
• Prefixes, suffixes, root words
• Compound words, contraction
• Reads sight words at grade level
• Demonstrates vocabulary growth
• Identifies story elements (character, setting, problem, solution)
• Sequences events
• Understands cause and effect
• Follows written directions

Resources:

Signatures, Harcourt Brace, 1999, http://www.harcourtschool.com

WRITING/GRAMMAR

• A second grade student:
• Expresses ideas clearly in spoken language
• Expresses ideas through the writing process
• Constructs complete sentences
• Capitalizes proper nouns, sentence beginnings, and the pronoun "I"
• Uses ending punctuation correctly
• Relies increasingly on conventional spelling
• Recognizes parts of speech (nouns, verbs, pronouns)
• Recognizes synonyms and antonyms
• Selects and organizes information to give oral or written reports
• Writes for a variety of purposes
• Writes a complete paragraph
• Utilizes story elements when writing a story
• Character
• Setting
• Problem
• Solution
• Begins to self/peer edit
• Begins to use reference skills
• ABC order
• Dictionary skills
• Table of Contents
• Listens for information and direction

Resources:

English, Houghton Mifflin, 1995, http://www.eduplace.com/

SPELLING

A second grade student:

• Sorts words using spelling patterns
• Knows how to form endings, possessives, plurals, contractions
• Spells correctly on weekly tests
• Relies increasingly on conventional spelling in daily work

Resources:

Spelling is incorporated in the Signatures Reading Program http://www.harcourtschool.com

HANDWRITING

A second grade student:

• Forms letters and numbers neatly

Resources:

Palmer Method Handwriting, Macmillan, 1987

MATH

A second grade student:

• Skip counts backwards and forwards
• Recalls addition and subtraction facts through 18 (9 + 9 = 18)
• Adds and subtracts 2 and 3 digit whole numbers with and without regrouping
• Reads, writes, and orders numbers in several different ways
• Uses and understands basic geometric concepts
• Understands basic concepts of time, money, and measurement
• Collects, reports, and interprets data using charts, graphs, and tallies
• Uses problem solving strategies
• Uses estimation as a problem solving procedure
• Develops and awareness of the multiplication process

Resources:

Everyday Mathematics, Everyday Learning Corporation, 2002 http://www.wrightgroup.com/

SCIENCE

The second grade student explores science through the following units:

• Life Science: Interactions of Living Things (themes: constancy and change, models)

• Needs of living things
• Plant and animal adaptations to various habitats
• Effect of living things and natural forces on environments

• Earth Science: Changes Over Time (themes: models, scale, constance and change)

• Characteristics of different dinosaurs
• How trace fossils and fossil remains provide clues about the earth's history
• Changes in the day and night
• Daily and seasonal weather patterns

• Physical Science: Solids, Liquids, and Gases (theme: constancy and change)

• Properties of solids, liquids and gases
• The changing of materials from one state to another

Resources:

Discovery Works, Houghton Mifflin, 2003, http://www.eduplace.com/

SOCIAL SCIENCE

A second grade student explores the concepts of communities, including a hands-on unit on Mount Prospect. Lessons explore:

• Role of town government and its leaders; the development of communities and businesses
• Community services
• Types if communities
• Evolving communities
• How communities share
• Geography concepts; globe, map elements, human features, local ecosystems, land use

Resources:

Social Studies Alive! My Community, Teachers Curriculum Institute, 2005, http://historyalive.com/curriculum/curriculumSSA.asp

TECHNOLOGY

A second grade student:

• Uses the keyboard, mouse, and disks
• Locates home row and neighboring keys
• Begins to use a word processing program
• Uses different types of educational software

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

A second grade student:

• Develops basic ball skills (kick, throw, roll, shoot, catch, dribble - hands and feet, etc.) through continued practice, and organized games and activities
• Understands body relationships through rhythm and dance activities
• Participates in an environment that promotes physical fitness, maximum effort, enjoyment, and sportsmanship
• Understands basic rules and strategies to enhance participation and emphasize safety
• Develops basic skills to manipulate and control objects such as hoops, ropes, bean bags, bats, balls, parachutes, and scooters
• Has opportunities to work in partner activities using basic offensive and defensive strategies
• Displays control in educational gymnastic skills through the practice of stunts, tumbling, balance, and movement sequence
• Respects others' space by moving with control for safety considerations

MUSIC

A second grade student:

• Identifies and works with rhythmic concepts of duple and triple meter, duration, and patterns
• Understands basic melodic concepts (direction, moving by step or skip, and question/answer musical phrases)
• Identifies two-part and rondo forms and uses them to compose original music
• Sings alone and with others in unison, canons and partner songs from America, Africa, and other cultures
• Demonstrates an understanding of the science of sound and families of instruments by designing and making an original instrument
• Identifies and demonstrates patterns in movement including partner, changing partner, alley, and circle dances
• Identifies and performs music in both major and minor tonalities
• Reads music from a two-line staff using quarter, eighth notes, and rests
• Demonstrates performance skills by singing, playing, and dancing together in a concert setting

Resources:

Share the Music, McGraw-Hill, 1998, http://www.mhschool.com/

ART

A second grade student:

• Identifies primary colors
• Identifies line, shape, color, and space in a composition
• Understands the use of repetition and pattern in a composition
• Develops basic skills of drawing, painting, construction, and weaving
• Identifies and uses tools in a safe and responsible manner when painting, drawing, and constructing
• Recognizes ways that art can be used to express ideas

 CHARACTER COUNTS in District 57

http://www.charactercounts.org
A person of character is trustworthy, treats people with respect, is responsible, is fair, is caring, and is a good citizen.