Grymes' second graders are busy developing their reading, writing and math skills. The program builds upon the foundation of skills laid in first grade while encouraging independence and higher level thinking skills.
Developing a love of books and reading is our goal. Reading assessments help us tailor instruction to each student. They continue to learn decoding and comprehension skills through the basal reader and a variety of leveled readers. Students write daily through literature response, journaling, and content area projects. They explore writing stories and poems as well as paragraphs with a topic sentence, supporting details and a conclusion. As the year progresses they learn to write in cursive. A word study approach to spelling continues to move students through developmental stages which are assessed using the Developmental Spelling Analysis. The Wordly Wise vocabulary program is introduced to broaden students’ word knowledge.
Second Grade uses the Investigation in Number, Data, and Space curriculum for mathematics. It is designed to engage students in making sense of mathematical ideas. The are nine curriculum units that focus on computational fluency and reasoning and also provide substantive work in important areas of mathematics – rational numbers, geometry, measurement, data, and early algebra – and connections among them. Each daily math session includes from one to three activities, organized as work for the whole class, small groups, pairs, or individuals. Students frequently compare methods and results and share conclusions. In some sessions, students work in a Math Workshop format in which they choose from and cycle through a set of related activities. A strong emphasis on learning through use of manipulatives and games allows children to model and solve problems, explain their thinking, and deepen their understanding.
Social studies is taught twice weekly with an emphasis on world geography, landforms, continents, and oceans. They learn about maps, Native Americans, great Americans, explorers, and pioneers and compare past and present through literature and biographies. Science is taught once a week by our lower school science teacher and covers studies of the geosphere and hydrosphere in earth science; matter in physical science; and birds in life science. Second graders are introduced to community service through an adopted grandparent program at a local nursing home, and they form meaningful relationships with the elderly in our community. A highlight of our second grade curriculum is a musical production presented to the school, family, and friends.