Maple Hill School

Second Grade Curriculum

Growing With Mathematics: This is a new series for Naugatuck Public Schools. The series has been piloted at Western School in grades K-4. We instituted the program in kindergarten and first grade in 2002. In 2003, we added second grade. The program ensures that understanding and skills are developed simultaneously. Growing with Mathematics equips students with a variety of thinking strategies they can use to solve problems effectively and confidently. It supports NCTM Standards and NAEYC guidelines. The second grade topics include working with three digit numbers, solving story problems, addition and subtraction strategies , time, money, patterns, multiplication, fractions and geometry. Manipulatives and literature books are a large part of the program.
Modern Curriculum Press-Phonics- This is just one piece of our literacy program. Skills are reinforced and then strengthened through our reading groups. Vowel and consonant sounds, R-controlled vowels, digraphs, compounds, contractions, endings, prefixes and suffixes , homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms are covered in this series.
Reading- Our students are taught reading on their instructional level using the Rigby Series. The books are leveled beginning in Kindergarten through third grade. Placement in a level depends on the assessment of your child at the start of the year and then throughout the year through running records which assess word attack and comprehension.Strategies and skills are taught in small groups of 4-6 students. Movement into the next level happens as each child progresses. In addition, the whole class participates in group reading experiences using Treasures. Daily books being read to the class and opportunities for students to read are happening each day.
Writing- Writing goes hand in hand with our reading program. Students create more complex sentences and create longer stories. Students work on adding details and giving their stories a beginning, middle and end. Writing prompts are given district wide and we use the Empowering Writers Program to support our activities.

In addition, students have morning math problems, Daily oral language (which highlights editing and punctuation skills), GROW (geography review), analogies, and science units from the Addison Wesley series.