Language Arts
The Language Arts curriculum for Grade 2 consists mainly of Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop, Phonics.
Reading Workshop time is made up of a mini-lesson and the workshop. The mini-lesson is a brief, whole-class lesson for about a reading skill, strategy, or text feature. During workshop time, students read independently, with a partner, with a teacher, or in a small group. During this time, students practice and receive additional instruction about the strategies they have learned.
Students will meet in a small guided reading group with a teacher two to four times a week to practice skills and strategies targeted to their particular group's needs. Guided reading consists of explicit and differentiated instruction for very small groups of readers (2-5 students) reading at the same level. These groups may change throughout the year.
Writing Workshop at Shutesbury Elementary School is based upon four principles: students begin writing by writing about their own lives, they use a consistent writing process, they work in authentic ways, and they learn through independence.
Similar to Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop also consists of a brief, whole-class mini-lesson followed by time when students are able to write independently. Students have a large amount of choice in their topic and style of writing. The teacher acts as a mentor author, modeling writing techniques and conferring with students as they move through the writing process. Conferring in Writing Workshop takes place during the time when students are actively writing. The teacher circulates around the room and meets with individual students to discuss their writing progress and give individual instruction. Each writing workshop unit ends with a celebration and sharing of student work.
For phonics, students have explicit phonics instruction using the Fountas and Pinnell Phonics Program. This program provides whole-class instruction in phonics, spelling, word structure, and word meaning.
We will also continue handwriting instruction and practice with the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. The HWT program focuses on letter, word, and sentence writing skills. The goal of the program is to help students develop proper handwriting habits and then apply those habits naturally and automatically to all writing experiences.
Lastly, we will read a large number of texts together as a class, during our Interactive Read-Alouds. During this time, we will model and practice some sophisticated comprehension strategies and text analysis.
Math
Shutesbury Elementary School uses the Investigations in Number, Data and Space math program. The Investigations program allows students to create and choose their own problem-solving strategies while providing frequent and varied opportunities to practice applying them. Units of study for Grade 2 include…
Counting, Number Strings and Story Problems: Addition, Subtraction, and the Number System 1
Attributes of Shapes and Parts of a Whole: Geometry and Fractions
How Many Stickers? How Many Cents?: Addition, Subtraction, and the Number System 2
How Many Tens? How Many Hundreds?: Addition, Subtraction, and the Number System 3
How Far Can You Jump?: Linear Measurement
Partners, Teams and Other Groups: Foundations of Multiplication
Enough for the Class? Enough for the Grade?: Addition, Subtraction, and the Number System 4
We will also have regular Number Talks, during which we model, share, and practice mental computation strategies.
Science
Grade 2 will complete the following units in Science:
Plant Adventures: This unit develops the idea that plants are truly alive and face challenges every bit as dramatic as those of animals. Students will learn that plants have needs, and will reason from evidence to understand how plants meet their needs.
Animal Adventures: This unit helps students develop a sense of wonder for biodiversity: the sheer range and variety of animals found on earth. Students gain practical experience in identifying animals and sorting them into scientific groups, and apply their knowledge in an engineering design challenge. This unit introduces two critically important concepts in biology: “habitat” and “species,” foundational concepts which will be revisited and refined at higher grade levels.
Material Magic: Properties and Phases of Matter: This unit develops the idea that by taking advantage of the properties of materials, we can solve many problems in our lives. Students will develop an appreciation for the manmade materials of everyday objects, and learn to recognize that those materials are chosen based on their properties. Through hands-on investigation, students will explore the material properties involved in meeting basic needs (such as clothing and cooking). They’ll consider the solid and liquid states of matter to understand why plastic was invented. The unit ends with a brainstorming activity about futuristic inventions that might be possible using new materials.
Work of Water: This unit helps students develop the idea that water is a powerful force that reshapes the earth’s surface. Students see that water isn’t just something we drink. It carries sand to create beaches, carves out canyons and valleys and, as ice, scrapes entire areas flat.
Social Studies
The Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework describes the Grade 2 Social Studies curriculum as the following:
Second graders learn world and United States history, geography, economics, and government by studying more about who Americans are and where they came from. They explore their own family’s history and learn about distinctive achievements, customs, events, places, or landmarks from long ago and from around the world. The chief purpose of the grade 2 curriculum is to help students understand that American citizenship embraces all kinds of people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, and national origin. American students come from all countries and continents in the world. A history and social science curriculum should help students acquire a common understanding of American history, its political principles, and its system of government in order to prepare them for responsible participation in our schools and civic life.
The social studies curriculum at Shutesbury Elementary School also includes the anti-bullying curriculum Second Steps: Skills for Social and Academic Success. The program promotes school success, school connectedness and a safe and respectful school climate by directly teaching students skills that strengthen their ability to learn, have empathy, manage emotions and solve problems. Through stories, songs and discussions the program works to develop students’ self-regulation and social-emotional competencies.
