Welcome Back 2nd Graders!
Hey 2nd Graders!
I can't wait for the first day of school!
I hope you did some reading over the summer and worked on your 2nd grade summer packet!
2nd graders are expected to read for 15 minutes each night...might as well tell you that now!
We have so much to look forward to this year!
ONE THING left off the supply list was a 1 inch white binder with a clear view sleeve. This is for Science and is not needed right away, so if you don't have at the start of school, don't worry-I will talk about this more at Back to School Night if you're not sure what to get!
A few notes about our subjects this year....
RELIGION
Many of you will be receiving sacraments-Please make sure children are signed up and registered for their sacraments with their parish! It's never too early! Many parishes celebrate Reconciliation for the first time with 2nd grade as early as December, while others do it later in the spring. Please check with your parish. Holy Communion will also be celebrated with your parish later in the spring.
St. Mary Academy WILL have a celebration with all sacrament students in the spring, but the students receive their sacraments from their parish church.
Get ready for MATH!
Now that you're in second grade we will review relationships between numbers and recognize mathematical patterns. As second graders you'll become adept at one and two-digit addition and subtraction and learn a variety of methods for solving mathematical problems. We will learn and compare money values, time, analyze and interpret data on charts and investigate characteristics of two and three dimensional shapes, among other things!
LANGUAGE ARTS
Second graders will gain more skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. They will continue to build an understanding of the connection between sounds, letters, and words. They will gain skills in using word roots to help them figure out the meaning of new words. Second graders practice word use and comprehension by writing to express ideas and information.
Foundational skills for second grade readers involve making sure they are able to read carefully and independently for sustained periods of time. They will grow in their ability to comprehend unfamiliar text and to make predictions based on what they have just read.
In second grade, students continue learning how to communicate clearly and coherently with their writing.
Second grade students will grammatically correct sentences and paragraphs. They will continue to review the grammar rules they have learned to this point, and will add new concepts such as; distinguishing between complete and incomplete sentences, identifying and correctly using parts of speech including nouns and verbs, adjectives and using quotation marks correctly.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Second graders explore the lives of people who make a difference in their everyday lives and learn the stories of extraordinary people from history whose achievements have touched them, directly or indirectly. They uncover what a community is and how to be a part of it. Students study people who supply goods and services and gain an understanding of the complex interdependence in our freemarket system. Second graders will be acquiring an understanding of what humans must have to survive (needs vs wants), their place in the world (basic geography skills), their national identity (Patriotism, American holidays, landmarks, and symbols), their community (what makes a community and the jobs that keep it operating).
SCIENCE
Second graders will acquire a broad range of skills for understanding the natural world around them. This year, students will start making detailed observations, drawing conclusions from data, and even learn how to make use of the information they gather. In physical science we will explore states of matter, magnetism and motion and force. In earth science second graders will explore the composition of the Earth, changing landforms, weather and space. In life science, we will learn about plants and animals and their habitats and life cycles.
A fun thing 2nd Graders complete is an Animal Anthology binder-this is what you will need a binder for! (see above) Parents?-You are going to be amazed what your children are going to teach YOU this year. They get so excited about what they learn, they can't wait to get home and share.
Get ready for an adventure-2nd Grade is going to R O C K!