Curriculum standards are what all grade-level students are expected to know and be able to do by the end of a school year.  Key standards of 2nd grade education are highlighted below.  All K-5 teachers are implementing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) (http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cc/) in both English Language Arts and Mathematics. The curriculum used includes Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop, multiple math resources, the Silicon Valley Mathematics Initiative (SVMI), FOSS Science Program, and TCI History-Social Studies. In 2nd grade, each student will…

Language Arts
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Reading
  • Understand the importance of being an active reader and setting personal reading goals
  • Focus on the combination of decoding, fluency, and comprehension
  • Share evidence from the text to support opinions
  • Read non-fiction on many different topics
  • Grow understanding of new topics
  • Learn resourceful word-solving and vocabulary development
  • Explore figurative language
  • Study the author’s craft through a book series – use of word choice, figurative language, punctuation, and patterns
  • Invent ways to share books with others
Writing
  • Learn to apply their own writing techniques across the genres of Opinion, Information, and Narrative
  • Create engaging narratives by stretching out small moments and writing in detail
  • Utilize inspirational nonfiction texts to design and write about experiments and other scientific information
  • Gather evidence from texts to craft persuasive arguments
  • Explore and savor language through poetry
Speaking and Listening
  • Participate in conversations about grade-level topics
  • Ask and answer questions
  • Tell a story or recount an experience

MathematicsTop of Page

  • Represent and solve addition and subtraction problems
  • Add and subtract within 20
  • Work with equal groups of objects as base of multiplication
  • Understand place value
  • Use place value and properties of operations to add/subtract
  • Measure and estimate lengths in standard units
  • Relate addition and subtraction to length
  • Work with time and money
  • Represent and interpret data
  • Reason with shapes and attributes

Science
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  • Solids and Liquids
    • Discover physical science core ideas dealing with matter and its interactions and engineering design
    • Understand how materials are similar and different from one another and how the properties of materials relate to their use
  • Pebbles, Sand, and Silt
    • Experiment with earth science core ideas dealing with the structures and properties of earth materials
    • Learn about weathering and erosions of Earth’s surface
    • Discover natural resource of water and learn how to represent the shapes and kinds of land and bodies of water
  • Insects and Plants
    • Experience life science core ideas dealing with structure and function of living things
    • Consider the growth and development of plants and animals
    • Discover interactions of organisms with their environment and biodiversity of organisms on land and in water
  • Experience a “living lab” in the school garden

Social Studies
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Woodside Elementary School District adopted TCI’s (Teacher’s Curriculum Institute) Social Studies Alive! curriculum for grades K-8. TCI is located in Mountain View and has been supporting teachers for decades in making social studies come alive for students. Our approach includes Hands-On Activities that engage students in big questions, as well as inquiry-based lessons that help students develop critical thinking skills and master essential knowledge.
 
For Second Grade Students, the textbook is Social Studies Alive! My Community.
 
Chapters include:
  • Why Do Schools Have Rules? (Civics)
  • What Groups Do We Belong To? (Civics)
  • What Do Families Need and Want? (Economics)
  • What Are Family Traditions? (Geography)
  • How Do Families Change Over Time? (History) 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
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  • PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
  • The Wildcat Way - Safe, Respectful, and Responsible
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Self Management
  • Social Awareness
  • Personal Decision-Making Skills

Physical EducationTop of Page

Skills are built upon each other throughout the grades.  Some areas to be emphasized throughout the year are:
  • Movement Concepts
  • Body Management
  • Locomotor Movement
  • Manipulative Skills
  • Rhythmic Skills
  • Aerobic Capacity
  • Muscular Strength/Endurance
  • Flexibility
  • Self-Responsibility
  • Social Interaction
     

MusicTop of Page

  • Play and sing a variety of songs in various keys, time signatures, and genres
  • Gain accuracy in reading and understanding music
  • Explore complex rhythms and expand their vocal repertoire
  • Improvise and compose their own music
  • Learn how music is part of the world around them
  • Explore cross-curricula ideas 
  • Share self-expression through speaking, playing, and moving
  • Experience life skills related to teamwork, respect, and responsibility

ArtTop of Page

The sequential skills based program focuses on the appreciation and production of art, and the study of art history through…
  • Artistic Perception
  • Creative Expression
  • Historical and Cultural Context
  • Aesthetic Valuing
  • Connections, Relationships, and Applications

DesignTop of Page

  • Learn about Design Skills:  Research, brainstorming, sketching, testing, sharing
  • Practice using possible tools:  iMovie for iPad, Makerbot’s Printshop, KidPix, Pages, BeeBots, LittleBits, TinkerCAD
  • Create one grade level project implementing the skills and tools