Second Grade at Great Hearts Arlington
Second Grade Curriculum Outline
Language Arts – In second grade, the primary focus of Language Arts continues to build upon skills introduced in first grade in the areas of reading, writing, and spelling. The teacher uses guided instruction to train decoding and spelling abilities through the Spalding Method. The secondary focus of Language Arts is an introduction to the parts of speech through diagramming sentences and the practice of grammar conventions through dictation and summarization. These exercises help lay the foundation for skills in composition in later grades. Cursive writing is introduced during the 2nd semester. Students are exposed daily to beautiful language through poetry recitation and enrichment literature such as The Boxcar Children, Sarah, Plain and Tall, The Cricket in Times Square, Charlotte’s Web, and Little House in the Big Woods.
Math – Students continue their studies in Singapore Math, with a focus on such topics as number sense, the four basic mathematical operations, length, weight, money, fractions as part of a whole, telling time, counting money, capacity, geometry, and using tables and graphs. Emphasis continues to be on conceptual understanding and problem solving as they are introduced to word problems.
History – The majority of the year is dedicated to the study of early peoples and ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Ancient Greece. Students investigate the forces that caused these great civilizations to arise as well as some of the issues that these civilizations might have faced. They learn about the influence of these civilizations on our modern societies, particularly with a focus on our American Constitution and government as well as a study of important figures in the American civil rights movement.
Science – Students cover a general overview of the major areas of science, exploring such topics as rocks and fossils, freshwater and saltwater, natural and manmade resources, the water cycle, patterns of the moon, plant and animal needs, effects of the environment, food chains, parts of cells and tissues, and the digestive and excretory systems. Students conduct experiments, observe results, and record data with a focus on learning about the scientific method.
Specials – All 2nd Grade students will participate in PE, Latin, Art and Music.