Second Grade

Language Arts

Fables, folklore, and legends are the main focus of the reading and writing program in second grade. The teacher will share stories of exemplary people and the tales of noble actions performed by noble people will make an impact on the children as they explore literature from a variety of cultures.

Second graders will focus on reading, writing, spelling, and grammar as they work to master the following skills:

• read grade-appropriate materials with understanding and enjoyment
• re-read for meaning and self-correct when necessary
• oral and written poetry and storytelling
• use a variety of phonetic, semantic, and syntactic cues to decode new words
• identify elements of a story
• summarize and give the main idea of a story
• relate some details from a story
• read with expression and fluency from selected materials
• read a variety of fiction and non-fiction materials
• use a variety of strategies when writing to engage reader
• write independently with fluency; stay on topic throughout the draft
• compose in different writing types across the curriculum (e.g., poetry, story, writing to share information)
• spell grade level words correctly
• write legibly using capitalization and ending punctuation
• begin to edit own and other’s work
• follow multi-step directions
• take part in class discussions and stay on topic
• express ideas with clarity

Mathematics

Students in second grade will work to master the following mathematical concepts:

• counts, reads, and writes whole numbers to 1,000 and identifies the place value for each digit
• uses flexibility in representing a quantity
• knows addition facts (sums to 20)
• knows subtraction facts (up to 20)
• uses mental arithmetic to find the sum or difference of two two-digit numbers
• uses a variety of strategies to add two-digit numbers with and without regrouping
• uses a variety of strategies to subtract two-digit numbers with and without regrouping
• creates models and solves simple problems involving multiplication and division
• recognizes, names, represents and compares commonly used unit fractions
• adds and subtracts amounts of money using decimal notation and the $ and ¢ symbols
• recognizes, describes and extends repeating and growing geometric and number patterns
• measures the length of objects using a nonstandard and standard unit
• recognizes and makes reasonable estimates in measurement
• tells time to one-minute intervals and knows relationships of
• describes and classifies 2D and 3D shapes according to the number and shape of faces, edges and vertices
• collects numerical data and records, organizes, displays, and interprets the data on bar graphs and other representations
• explains and justifies solutions and strategies using mathematical vocabulary

Science

Life Science

Plant Life Cycles

Animal Life Cycles

Earth Science

Earth’s Materials (Rocks)

Earth’s Past (Fossils)

Earth’s Resources

Physical Science

Objects in Motion

Forces at Work (Magnets, etc.)

Projects: Formulate own hypothesis and simple experiment

Science Process Skills

• use scientific tools, such as the hand lens, ruler, balance scale, and thermometer
• compare and classify objects based on their attributes and characteristics
• participate in investigative classroom activities and discussions
• communicate scientific information verbally and in writing or drawing
• begin to develop and use descriptive language
• make estimates and predictions
• make models to represent an object

History

A. Map Skills

• Making a map of the school
• Making a map of home
• Explore a map of North America(also discuss how the U.S. came to be)
• Project: Make a map using clay or flour and water mixture, paint, etc.
• My Ancestors: locate on a map where they lived, when and why they moved to the local community(also explore the use of artifacts, photos, objects, stories, etc…)
• Basic land use in urban, suburban and rural environments in California

B. Long Ago vs. Yesterday

• A Family Tree Pictoral History: Share a story about a family that immigrated to the United States/California
• My Family Tree Pictoral History Project: collect stories, photos, artifacts, objects, etc… (this may take two weeks, including sharing with the class)
• American Heroes/Sheroes
• Muslim Heroes/Sheroes
• Muslims who contributed (inventors, etc…)
• U.S. History
• Where do laws come from and how does the United States enforce them?
• Basic Economics (supply and demand, limited resources, consumption, etc…)

C. The Long Road to Freedom in the United States (also explored as art)

• Sitting Bull
• Native American History
• Railroads: History through music (slavery)
• Al Hajj Malik El Shabazz (Malcolm X)
• Sojourner Truth
• Harriet Tubman
• Waves of Immigration
• Civil Rights
• More on Muslim Contributions to the United States

D. World History and Cultures

• Early Civilizations
• Modern Civilizations
• Influences

Art

Visual Arts

• begin to identify the elements of art in the environment, and in works of art, emphasizing line, color, shape, form and texture
• mix secondary colors from primary colors and describe the process
• form drawing – identifying patterns, shapes, lines
• create artwork based on observations of actual objects and everyday scenes
• select something they like about their work of art and something they would change

Physical Education

• improve in balance, hand-eye coordination, ball skills
• increase body strength through physical activities
• participate in group games and winter martial arts
• demonstrate good health practices (e.g. nutrition, exercise, rest, and health care)

Qur’an

In the second grade the main concentration in the Qur’an class will be on reading. It is our aim at Northstar School that most of our students are inshAllah reading Arabic (the Qur’an) by the end of second grade. The student will complete memorization of Juz Amma.

Arabic

InshAllah the students will learn to read Arabic in the second grade. Students will learn about themselves, their families, and their environment through oral dialogue, spelling and vocabulary, storytelling, poetry, and Arabic songs. The year has been divided into ten themes for each month, the teacher will concentrate on teaching subject matter pertaining to the selected theme for that month.

Islamic Studies

Islamic Studies Overview:

The Five Pillars

• Shahadah: Testimony/Declaration of Faith
• Salat: 5 Daily Obligatory Prayers
• Sawm: Ramadan
• Zakat
• Hajj

Stories of the Prophets (Lessons will incorporate Art, Language Art and/or History)

Seerah

• Projects: The Family Tree of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallualayhiwasalaam), artwork
• Explore various poems about the prophet. Memorize a selected poem and recite it orally.
• Qasidas and Nasheeds

Articles of Iman

Adab: Emulating the Characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallualayhiwasalaam)

Importance of Cleanliness and Salat

2nd Grade Blog