Second Grade Curriculum
Second graders at Thrive Academy engage in activities that foster creativity and excitement for learning. They begin the process of becoming responsible students as they develop organization, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills within a nurturing environment. Key curricular areas include reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and character education. This curriculum is accompanied by interdisciplinary units in music, art and physical education. The social emotional curriculum is an integral part of instruction.
Language Arts
Second graders develop their reading and writing stamina through daily practice. During Reading Workshop, students build good reading habits and explore genres as they move from learning to read to reading to learn. During Writing Workshop, students learn how to develop writing pieces across a variety of genres, including narrative (all about me projects), nonfiction and fiction. Students apply grammar and writing conventions, focusing on capital letters and correct punctuation to convey meaning when reading and writing.
Science
The science units in second grade are aligned with their language arts, art, and library curricula and help students make connections across disciplines as they engage in scientific inquiry. Units include space, anatomy, Lego robotics, balance and motion.
Specials
Art: Second graders explore shape, line, color, pattern, and texture. Students hone skills in painting, stamping, paper weaving, sculpting, cutting, folding, tearing, and gluing using materials such as oil pastels, markers, color pencils, dough, watercolors and pipe cleaners.
Physical Education: Second grade students engage in team building through team sports such as basketball, soccer and golf. They participate in strategy games emphasizing group organization and communication while developing cardiovascular fitness. Flexibility is enhanced through dance, yoga, and stretching.
Music: Second grade students expand upon the skills learned in first grade as they practice singing and moving to a steady beat and they learn the difference between rhythm and beat. Students explore the four instrument families as they continue to practice playing instruments.
Mathematics
Through a hands-on approach, using manipulatives, second grade students learn ways to make ten; identify and count numbers to 100; addition and subtraction; counting and comparing; number patterns; identifying greater than/less than/equal; sequencing; position words; sorting; patterning and place values.
Character Education
Character education is an integral part of each day. Emphasis is placed on creating a nurturing environment and the development of social-emotional learning skills through the daily practice of school routines; sharing, collaborating, and problem-solving during classroom meetings and activities; and the development of manners and positive mindsets. Literature, songs, poems, buddy activities, character education assemblies, cooperative learning activities, and “teachable moments" enhance the curriculum.