HEBREW
The 2nd Grade Ivrit curriculum focuses on the following areas:
V Blending letters and vowels to read two-syllable words
V Reading with aid of whole-word, context, and picture cues
V Forming cursive letters
V Writing simple sentences
V Prefixes/suffixes/roots
Themes:
V Greeting each other by first and last name
V Describing classroom activities and routines
V Tov bakitah (in the classroom) - becoming familiar with fellow students
V Tov babayit (at home) - focus on daily routines at home, clothing, cleanliness, proper nutrition, life skills, and corresponding mitzvah observance
JEWISH STUDIES (CHUMASH & JUDAICS)
Lessons on each Jewish holiday will fill the calendar as we proceed from Rosh Hashanah and the High Holidays through Chanukah, Purim, Passover, Shavuot and other special days. The students will gain practical instruction in the traditions through arts & crafts and hands-on learning. They will also learn about the meanings of each holiday and their relevant customs and importance today.
V Parshat Hashavua: Student will understand the story and details from that week’s Torah Portion. Student will also bring home questions to discuss the Parsha at home
V Yamim Meryuchadim: Student will identify the date and significance of specific special days on the calendar
V Chagim (Jewish Holidays): Student will identify date and significance of Jewish Holidays. Students will also learn customs and blessing of the holiday
V Tefila: Students will learn to be fluent in reading the morning prayers and understand the significance of specific blessings. Students will progressively learn new blessings for their morning prayers throughout the unit
V Pirkei Avot Unit: Students will understand the background, lessons, and stories of Pirkei Avot
V Yidios Klaliyos: Students will gain knowledge in Judacis, and various other general topics
V Shabbat Unit: Students will understand the importance of Shabbat and some of the
laws that apply on that day
LANGUAGE ARTS (ELA)
Reading: Reading is continuing to be the most important part of 2nd grade English. Students are asked to read in small groups, and one on one with a teacher, while nightly word/phonics repetition and spelling practice help to reinforce newly learned reading “rules”. 2nd graders transition from learning to read into reading to learn.
Writing & Oral Expression: Writing in class is designed to reinforce reading skills and to allow students to express their ideas, to reflect understanding of read materials, and to create excitement in being able to express thoughts.Writing will start moving towards three paragraph essays.
Grammar: At this stage grammar skills should, like all writing, reflect the child’s developing reading and comprehension.
Spelling and Vocabulary: Weekly spelling units and frequent reading are used to build students’ knowledge of spelling and vocabulary. Spelling units focus on teaching spelling rules, instilling an understanding of the structure of the English language, and building vocabulary. Vocabulary skills are also built by teaching dictionary skills, and learning how to work with new vocabulary when it is encountered in reading. Students will be asked to write sentences weekly during their spelling tests, so comprehension and writing development is incorporated into the use of spelling work.
Handwriting: Using daily tri-write practice and grip focus in cursive. Students learn paper placement, letter formation, and good handwriting habits, both in formal handwriting practice, and in every area of written work.
MATH
V Two-digit numbers. Mental Addition and Subtraction, general revision
V Multiplication and division facts by 2 and 3 review. Tips for mental Addition
V Time: Reading time, calculating the elapsed time. Converting hours into minutes
V Identification of Money. Coins and Bills. Adding and subtracting money. Word problems.
V Reading Picture Graphs. Word problems with picture graphs. Creating our own.
V Introducing Fractions. Using real life situations to identify Fractions. Comparing Fractions.
V Shapes and Patterns – Identification and Relation to Fractions. Shapes and Patterns - Creating our own.
V Manipulation of Numbers to 1,000
V Introducing Long Division
V Number patterns and skips counting. Multiplying 2-digit numbers by a 1-digit number mentally. Long division with remainder.
SCIENCE
Using the many materials from the PEARSON Interactive Science Curriculum, all classes will cover basic information on Scientific Inquiry, Experiments, and Research. All students will have some level of information about the formation of the earth, planets, evolution, and global warming. We will all do a series of lessons on the use of water & will have the Boston Water Department in to do presentations on the use and conservation of water, tied in with the water cycle, weather etc…
Each week will be working through pages from the Interactive Science Workbook, supplementing with National Resource Materials provided by groups such as NASA, as well as working towards hands-on science experiments at the culmination of each chapter. There are approximately 10 Chapters in each science book, as well as a myriad of extra materials available to supplement the study work. Please read your child’s tracker for the most up to date information regarding the chapters we are reading and discussing. This month we will be focused on the formation of the earth, which will fall in nicely with discussion of geography in Social Studies.
Grade 2 will go through the process of writing up a group experiment in the last semester.
SOCIAL STUDIES
In 2nd Grade Social Studies, we will learn about communities – how they are organized and led. We will learn about people who have made a lasting impact on the United States of America, symbols that help identify America, and traditions that celebrate our country. We will study the various forms of local, state and federal government and how it works. The “big picture” goal of this course is to develop the student’s knowledge of this country, how it evolved, and how it works today.