Grade 2 Curriculum

Overview

The Second Grade classroom at All Saints nurtures students’ natural curiosity and strong desire to explore and create. Calm, industrious, and determined, Second Graders take pride in their work and strive to do their best. As their confidence grows, they engage enthusiastically in class projects and traditions that foster a sense of unity and collaboration.

At this stage, students show a keen interest in understanding fairness and justice, as well as exploring other cultures. Their curiosity about how things work makes projects such as studying and building bridges and learning about different regions of the United States, especially engaging. Second Grade is a pivotal year in which seven- and eight-year-olds develop the skills to work both independently and cooperatively.

Language Arts

At the start of Second Grade, students are well on their way to becoming fluent, independent readers. This year marks a crucial shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” Throughout the year, students refine their reading skills by applying strategies used by proficient readers, such as predicting, questioning, monitoring, summarizing, and evaluating. They explore a wide range of literary genres, fostering a love of reading and expanding their opportunities for discovery.

Second Grade also brings a stronger focus on written language conventions, including spelling, grammar, and usage. Students engage in the editing and revision process to improve their writing. Major writing projects include poetry using the five senses, formal paragraph structure, letter writing (including addressing envelopes), “how-to” writing with time-order words, biographies of community members, and the creation of personal memoirs.

As they write, students develop key grammatical skills, including homophones, verb endings, punctuation, synonyms and antonyms, proofreading, alphabetizing, compound words, plurals, word families, irregular verbs, and adjectives.

Mathematics

Throughout the year, students engage in a variety of activities to strengthen their number sense, including math games that reinforce their recall of tens and doubles facts. They are encouraged to think critically about math and articulate their problem-solving strategies.

Second Graders are expected to demonstrate proficiency in addition and subtraction facts, with many progressing to multiplication facts up to five by the end of the year. The curriculum covers a range of topics, including addition, subtraction, single-digit word problems, tens and doubles facts, number words, place value (tens and ones), skip counting, even and odd numbers, money, estimation, telling time, graphing, calendar skills, measurement, geometry, capacity, volume, and weight.

Science

In Second Grade, science instruction focuses on developing students’ skills in observation, description, record-keeping, and investigation. Students are encouraged to think and act like scientists, drawing on their real-world experiences to deepen their understanding.

Science labs include hands-on investigations of rocks, soil and erosion, imprints, and matter. Students showcase their discoveries during Open Science Morning. One of the most exciting units takes place at the end of the year when students apply their knowledge of bridge structures to design and build a bridge with a partner. Their bridge must withstand the weight of 50 pennies and a simulated earthquake!

Many aspects of the Science curriculum complement Social Studies learning. For example, the study of conserving Earth’s resources connects to discussions about community sustainability, while the study of bridges ties into the Hoboken-New York unit and the history of the Brooklyn Bridge. These cross-curricular connections reinforce learning and support authentic exploration.

Social Studies

Second Grade Social Studies is a comprehensive course that fosters students’ understanding of their relationship to their neighborhood, community, state, and the world. Students explore the structure of a community, including its people, businesses, and municipal systems that ensure safety and protect rights.

Throughout the year, students learn about influential Americans who shaped history and consider the character traits necessary to be responsible citizens in a democratic, pluralistic society. Curriculum units include neighborhoods, mapping and cardinal directions, landforms, natural resources, government, homelessness, Hoboken-NYC connections, and studies of Rosa Parks and Rachel Carson.

Co-Curriculars

Second Grade students participate in a variety of co-curricular activities, including music, dance, art, physical education, and world language. For more information, please visit our Beyond Core Academics page.

Milestone Projects

Grade 2 ~ U.S. Postcard Project

In Second Grade, learning comes alive for students as they explore their country’s geography, national monuments, and historic landmarks through the collection of postcards from across the United States.