Grade 2 students become more active and independent as learners, as they master skills learned in lower grades. They start to build a strong foundation for future intellectual and creative pursuits. Their curiosity is engaged with numerous field trips in Panama City.
A supportive and engaging learning environment, Grade 2 students learn to care about each other and members of the larger school community. In this student-centered curriculum, learning is inquiry-based, ensuring that each student’s strengths and interests are at the forefront of the learning experience.
Second graders start the year by acclimating to the reading environment of the classroom, as well as developing their independent reading skills. Students consider their strengths and interests when choosing books, with an increased focus on chapter books. Second graders continue to develop their ability to decode and work on their overall comprehension of various texts. We help them navigate by giving them a forum to talk about their reading in one-on-one teacher conferences, peer partnerships, and small groups. Students are encouraged to discuss connections between texts, their own lives, and the world around them. They are also prompted to recognize characters’ feelings and challenges while following their journeys through books. As the year continues, second graders read non-fiction books to improve their research skills and comprehension of informational text.
Within the curriculum, the students also start the year by writing about themselves in their personal narratives. They write about personal experiences, as well as various topics that are of interest to them. Throughout the year, second graders write about things that happen over the weekend, as well as thoughtful reflections at the end of each week. Students learn how to focus on one event and use that knowledge to produce detailed and thoughtful writing pieces. Second graders are given many opportunities to practice using descriptive language, correct writing conventions, and learned skills. They work on these skills through writing autobiographies, historical fiction pieces, persuasive letters, and more. Additionally, they develop a stronger understanding of the writing process by publishing many fiction and nonfiction pieces throughout the course of the year.
In math, students work throughout the year to master their basic addition and subtraction facts. Within each math unit, students develop problem solving abilities through weekly multi-step word problems with a focus on showing and explaining their thinking. Students continue to develop their number sense through an inquiry into place value. Additionally, they learn useful skills for working with money and time, such as making change, and telling time to the nearest five minutes. Students enjoy the inquiry into measurement, where they are provided with the opportunity to move around the classroom to measure various lengths, perimeters, and distances. During the unit on geometry, students explore two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, and partitioning. A popular unit focuses on interpreting data and graphing, where students develop their own surveys to organize their collected data.
Through the second grade science program, students are guided to ask deeper questions that will lead to richer discussion around the unit topics. Second graders learn skills that integrates life, earth, and physical science. The modules are designed to inspire curiosity, investigation, and innovation. Students are also taught to become more proficient at finding answers for themselves by exploring multiple forms of media. There is a strong emphasis on cooperative learning as students use one another as resources and work as a team to make discoveries.
In social studies, students will gain building blocks for critical thinking, develop a strong reading and writing foundation, and learn what it means to be responsible, active citizens. With engaging content students takes a fresh approach to social studies in the classroom. Topics supports students in developing themselves and how they interact with the world.
In second grade, students review previously covered material, while new concepts are presented such as food, colors, countries, languages, habitats, and likes and dislikes. Students begin to write full sentences in Spanish and are able to read short phrases. Through conversations, students learn to create their own personal responses. Students will experience some Spanish traditions throughout the year as they learn more about Panama, our Host nation, the patriotic holidays, celebrate “Fiestas Patrias,” “Three Kings Day,” among many others.
Second graders enjoy creating their own original melodies inspired by the knowledge and understanding. Students continue building their vocal and instrumental skills by combining their singing with instrumental accompaniment. In addition to exploring basic principles of harmony, second graders learn basic techniques of classical and world instruments, such as ukulele, violin, cello, and guitar. The main goal of the second grade music curriculum is to continue fostering and strengthening performance confidence, auditory memory, critical thinking, and collaborative skills in a context of transdisciplinary themes and differentiated approach to learning.
Second grade students develop the ability to solve physically challenging problems, individually, in pairs, and in small groups. They learn to identify different roles and responsibilities in team activities during adventure challenges. Students learn to apply skills and techniques involved in a variety of games-related activities, and lead-up games, as well as invent, present, evaluate, and modify their own tag games. Second graders are exposed to different stimuli of movement composition, and respond through movement to express feelings and moods using imagination and original ideas. They develop traditional gymnastic skills and interpret and answer movement tasks with or without a partner. Students explore and develop basic techniques of jumping, throwing, and running in their track and field unit, and are also introduced to collecting and recording results. Health-related activities are taught throughout the year and students focus on the relationship of nutrition and exercise within an interdisciplinary approach.
In the second grade, students are becoming more proficient at using technology and thinking creatively. Students will continue to have design integrated in their classrooms two times per week where they utilize a variety of media for researching, creating, programming, and presenting that enrich their sense of discovery. Students explore a variety of tools in order to share their innovative thinking, including using Scratch Jr. to demonstrate their knowledge of how living things are connected. One of their favorite units is one in which students use design principles to organize a magazine that demonstrates their knowledge of healthy habits and allows them to express their own topics of interest.
