2nd Grade Curriculum
Reading
The Carden™ reading program at Grade 2 is designed to enable students to read with expression and comprehension. The primary vowel chart is continually used, expanded and emphasized. Vocabulary is increased enabling students to read literature for both information and pleasure. Sentences are analyzed to find key words. Titles are composed to develop comprehension.
The reading books include Carden™ Junior Book, The Story of Ping, Mother West Wind, Mother West Wind's Children, and The Blue Bird Book. The children are responsible for six book reports.
Spelling
The purpose of the Carden™ spelling method is to teach children to listen to a word, break it down into its individual sounds, and construct the word sound by sound. The vowel chart assists them in sounding out new words. They are taught the primary vowel "controls" which govern the pronunciation and spelling of words.
We take two spelling lessons a week. On Monday and Wednesday, new words are introduced. Tuesday and Thursday is spelling dictation with sentence analysis. Students write questions about the sentences answering who, doing, what, when, where, and why.
The sentences are analyzed for content, grammar, and vocabulary development. Students also locate the key words and compose titles for each sentence. Our dictation paragraphs are based on various subjects.
French
Counting, colors, songs, rhymes, phrases and simple objects
Mathematics
Main thrust on learning to carry and borrow accurately
Two, three and four digit addition and subtraction, with carrying and borrowing
Daily math dictation and writing original word problems
Terminology: addend, minuend, subtrahend, sum, remainder, product
Writing the numbers to 1000
Developing the pairs and adding by endings
Calendar and telling time
Understanding money up to $1.00
Estimating to check answers
Write and identify fractions one-half to one-eighth
Language
Proper use of the period and question mark
When to use capital letters
Identification of adjectives, singular and plural nouns, and proper nouns
First, Second, and Third person; present and past tense
Identification of the who, doing, and when in a sentence
Identification of when, where and why phrases of a sentence
One poem per month is copied, illustrated, memorized, and recited
Writing
Cursive writing with proper letter formation
Students write weekly stories and learn the Carden™ composition patterns that teach proper sequence and help organize the student's thoughts
All work in the second grade is done in cursive beginning in January
Science and Social Studies
Science in Rhyme is read
Information integrated with spelling lesson
Life science: Seeds and plants; Animals (bears, frogs, insects, penguins)
Physical science: Magnets; matter
Earth science: Earth features; the solar system
Human body: Nutrition; keeping healthy
Art and Art Appreciation
Drawing and painting
Special weekly art lesson or project
Discussion of classic art on display in the classroom
Music
Singing and rhythmic movements
Theory: notes, lines and spaces
Appreciation of classical music
Two sessions per week with music teacher
Participation in two school programs per year
Physical Education
The students participate in a structured 45-minute PE class every day with activities, games, and simple exercises. In addition, the students have a 15-minute recess every morning.
Computer
The students attend a 45-minute session each week to learn skills in the Future Kids computer program, which include Table Top, Jr., Word, and Print Artist
