1. ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM OVERVIEW SECOND GRADE

2. ELEMENTARY SCHEDULING KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 2
Subject
Minutes
Description
ELAR
110
A comprehensive ELAR curriculum includes reading instruction, written expression, spelling, vocabulary, and handwriting. A 110 minute daily ELAR block with 45 minutes of Writing Workshop minimum 3 days per week.
Mathematics 90
The focus of math instruction is based upon conceptual understanding prior to the implementation of mathematical procedures (teaching of algorithms).
A skills time within the 90 minute mathematics block will allow time for differentiated instruction to meet student needs.
Science 40
40 minutes is the minimum per day for science instruction. Students should be exposed to non-fiction literature as well as having multiple hands-on lab opportunities.
Social Studies
40 minutes is the minimum per day for social studies instruction. A strong foundational understanding of the social studies TEKS must be included.

3. ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND READING

4. LITERACY INSTRUCTION PHONEMIC AWARENESS PHONICS FLUENCY
2ND GRADE ELAR
LITERACY INSTRUCTION
Strategic and developmentally appropriate focus on:
PHONEMIC AWARENESS
PHONICS
FLUENCY
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT
READING COMPREHENSION
CRITICAL WRITING
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds-phonemes--in spoken words.
Phonics is the method of teaching beginning readers to connect the sounds of spoken language with letters or a group of letters and teaching children to blend the sounds of letters together to form words.
Fluency is reading text with speed, accuracy, expression and comprehension.
Comprehension is the level of understanding of text that is read.
Writing-Skills and strategies for generating, revising, and editing a variety of texts for different audiences and purposes

5. 2ND GRADE ELAR
CLASSROOMS
Our classrooms are designed to be collaborative, creative, and literacy rich. In our classrooms, you will find: ​
Large/small group meeting areas.​
A classroom library filled with a variety of leveled texts.​
Individual book boxes or bags.​
Ample writing supplies and mentor texts.​
Areas to practice both independent and collaborative reading and writing.​
Teacher and student-created anchor charts.​
Resources to support a gradual release of responsibility (sound linking charts, word walls, writing folders, etc.).​
A display of student products that reflect recent work in the classroom.​
We want our classrooms designed in a way that best supports an authentic workshop. In a workshop, students are engaged in the reading and writing of authentic texts, sometimes collaboratively and sometimes independently. We want to foster independence in our students to have tools and scaffolds close by and available to solve challenges at points of difficulty on their own. As an example, students are provided strategies for reading and spelling unknown words. We model these strategies for students and prompt for and reinforce them during our reading and writing conferences and small group instruction. Spelling and reading strategy charts are available for students to reference in addition to other tools like sound linking charts, personal word walls, etc.)

6. READING AND WRITING WORKSHOP
2ND GRADE ELAR
READING AND WRITING WORKSHOP
During the English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) block, students will:
Receive explicit instruction through mini lessons.
Engage in purposeful student talk.
Explore a variety of genres and participate in shared and modeled demonstrations of effective reading and writing strategies.
Read and write independently for sustained periods of time.
Explore how words work and apply what they learn in the context of reading and writing through small-group, peer, and individual conferences.
Receive timely feedback and set future reading and writing goals.
Share their work with others.
Our ELAR blocks are organized around a reading workshop, writing workshop and opportunities for vocabulary and word study. Organizing in this way allows us to provide our students with very explicit instruction in skills and strategies proficient readers use, students can then practice these skills for sustained periods of time in their own reading and writing, and then share their learning with others. Our students become increasingly more independent and we are able to sit side by side individual students or work with small groups to provide feedback, help set goals, and reinforce the progress each of our students’ is making. The first 4 weeks of school are dedicated to introducing and practicing the behaviors and routines of a reading and writing workshop.

7. GRADE LEVEL FOCUS 2ND GRADE ELAR
During the English Language Arts and Reading (ELAR) block, second grade students will focus on:
Reading increasingly challenging texts with fluency and comprehension.
Deepening understanding of text structure within a variety of genres.
Using multiple sources of information to solve unknown words.
Following characters, their interactions, and changes across elaborate plots and supporting thinking with evidence from text.
Reading flexibly between many genres and responding deeply to text both orally and in writing.
Producing simple narratives and other genres through composing and writing.
Writing more complex sentences with increasing command of conventions and spelling.
Our ELAR blocks are organized around a reading workshop, writing workshop and opportunities for vocabulary and word study. Organizing in this way allows us to provide our students with very explicit instruction in skills and strategies proficient readers use, students can then practice these skills for sustained periods of time in their own reading and writing, and then share their learning with others. Our students become increasingly more independent and we are able to sit side by side individual students or work with small groups to provide feedback, help set goals, and reinforce the progress each of our students’ is making. The first 4 weeks of school are dedicated to introducing and practicing the behaviors and routines of a reading and writing workshop.

10. WHAT SHOULD YOUR CHILD BE BRINGING HOME?
2ND GRADE ELAR
WHAT SHOULD YOUR CHILD BE BRINGING HOME?
Bag of familiar reading material
Reader Response Notebook and/or Reading Log

11. MATHEMATICS
EMSISD

12. THE LAST 4 PROCESS STANDARDS-IT’S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION!
EMSISD
2ND GRADE MATHEMATICS
THE LAST 4 PROCESS STANDARDS-IT’S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION!
(D) communicate mathematical ideas, reasoning, and their implications using multiple representations, including symbols, diagrams, graphs, and language as appropriate;
(E)use mathematical relationships to generate solution and make connections and predictions.
(F) analyze mathematical relationships to connect and communicate mathematical ideas.
(G) display, explain, or justify mathematical ideas and arguments using precise mathematical language in written or oral communications.
Let’s Let’s take a look at the last last4 standards. At this point, the teacher may want to give them a chance to read the 4 and ask what they notice about these standards. Hopefully, they will notice  that communication through explaining, justifying, displaying, etc. for math is new and they were not required to do that as students. Our students are required to do that.
Our primary resource for instruction is a program called Investigations in Number, Data, and Space. We also utilize Number Corner from the Math Learning Center, Number Concepts by Kathy Richardson, Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics, by John Van de Walle, and various resources for conceptual lessons from around the country. Our intent is to make math meaningful and accessible for every child.

13. FOCAL POINTS FOR SECOND GRADE
EMSISD
2ND GRADE MATHEMATICS
FOCAL POINTS FOR SECOND GRADE
Developing proficiency in the use of place value within the base 10 numeration system
Using place value and properties of operations to solve problems involving addition and subtraction of whole numbers within 1,000
Measuring length
Applying knowledge of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional solids, including exploration of early fraction concepts
These are the big ideas that your students will be working with this year in mathematics. These are grade level priorities as identified by the state. Focal points work to bring “connectivity” between the strands of mathematics within and between grade levels.
Students count, represent, compare and order quantities and collections fluently to 120. Students use base10 place value to interpret numbers as groups of hundreds, tens, and ones.
Students continue to develop an understanding of the base 10 place value system and place value concepts up to 1,200. Students use base 10 place value to cou7nt in multiples of thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones and demonstrate number relationships in a variety of ways.
Students will identify length as an attribute that can be measured and select and use appropriate units to measure it. Students understand that the value of a length measurement depends on the size of the unit.

14. STRATEGIES IN PARENT LETTERS
EMSISD
2ND GRADE MATHEMATICS
STRATEGIES IN PARENT LETTERS
The human brain requires experiences to link new learning to prior knowledge. Because mathematics is entirely conceptual and abstract, it is imperative that students experience those concepts in concrete ways prior to learning procedures for efficiency. Conceptual teaching does not do away with procedural learning, it only clarifies it. As students have to articulate new learning in words, pictures and numbers, they are clarifying and organizing their own thinking and making sense of the mathematics. By utilizing materials and strategies that emphasize this model, we will build student understanding in mathematics. There is research to show that learning procedural prior to conceptual actually hinders meaning making in mathematics.  The parent letters will show different strategies that students can use to show understanding of the concept before learning the procedure.  It leads to understanding why the procedure works.

15. EMSISD
2ND GRADE MATHEMATICS
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Support students to make sense of mathematics and learn that they can be mathematical thinkers
Focus on computational fluency with whole numbers
Emphasize reasoning about mathematical ideas
Engage all learners in understanding mathematics

16. We the People of the United States ...
SOCIAL STUDIES
EMSISD

17. EMSISD
2ND GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Throughout social studies in Kindergarten-Grade 12, students build a foundation in history; geography; economics; government; citizenship; culture; science, technology, and society; and social studies skills. The content, as appropriate for the grade level, enables students to understand the importance of patriotism, function in a free enterprise society, and appreciate the basic democratic values of our state and nation.

18. EMSISD
2ND GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
In Grade 2, students focus on a study of their local community by examining the impact of significant individuals and events on the history of the community as well as on the state and nation.

19. 2ND GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
EMSISD
2ND GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
Second graders receive instruction through units that continue to build a foundation in history; geography; economics; government; citizenship; culture; science, technology, and society; and social studies skills:
Unit 1: Practicing Rules and Procedures
Unit 2: Government/Presidential Election Enrichment Unit
Unit 3: Columbus Day
Unit 4: Hispanic Heritage Unit
Unit 5: Our Nation Past and Present/Local History Enrichment Unit
Unit 6: Military Heroes/Veteran's Day
Unit 7: The First Americans & Thanksgiving
Unit 8: Celebrating Cultures
Unit 9: The World Around Us: Maps, Weather, & Climate
Unit 10: MLK Day
Unit 11: The World Around Us: Landforms & Resources
Unit 12: American Heroes & Good Citizens/Black History/Women's History Enrichment Units
Unit 13: Texas Arts, Symbols, Monuments/Texas History Enrichment Unit
Unit 14: Working to Meet Our Needs: Economics
Unit 15: Cinco de Mayo
Unit 16: Taking Action & Problem Solving
Unit 17: Memorial Day

20. ELEMENTARY SCIENCE: LEARNING THROUGH INQUIRY

21. WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY?
2ND GRADE SCIENCE
WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY?
Scientific inquiry allows students to take an active role in understanding science content and processes.
Scientific inquiry transforms learning from teacher centered to student centered learning.
Scientific inquiry engages students in problem solving and critical thinking.
Scientific inquiry is the active construction of ideas and forming connections.

22. 2ND GRADE SCIENCE
WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF A STUDENT-CENTERED SCIENCE CLASSROOM?
Learners are engaged in scientifically oriented questions.
Learners give priority to evidence, which allows them to develop and evaluate explanations that address scientifically oriented questions.
Learners formulate and evaluate explanations from evidence to address scientifically oriented questions.
Learners communicate and justify their proposed explanations.

23. WHAT IS THE STUDENT’S ROLE?
2ND GRADE SCIENCE
WHAT IS THE STUDENT’S ROLE?
Ask a question about objects, organisms and events in the world around them.
Plan and conduct a simple investigation.
Employ simple equipment and tools to gather data and extend the senses.
Use data to construct a reasonable explanation.
Communicate investigations and explanations.

24. SCIENCE NOTEBOOKS IN EVERY CLASSROOM
2ND GRADE SCIENCE
SCIENCE NOTEBOOKS IN EVERY CLASSROOM
Integrates science and language arts skills
Helps students develop cognitive knowledge of science content and processes
Enhances writing skills
Serves as an assessment tool to gather information on students’ thinking

25. EMS-ISD K-5 GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM
PACE
EMS-ISD K-5 GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM
What is PACE?  
Educational program which serves identified gifted/talented students in grades K-5 
2 hour pull-out program for 2nd – 5th graders
Kindergarten and 1st grade students served in classroom with differentiated instructional strategies
Learning Opportunities for GT Students
Students work on a differentiated curriculum with extended activities
Instructional goals focus on helping students to develop critical thinking skills, communicate effectively, reason and solve problems, and value diversity.
Lessons span across all curriculum areas and incorporate a research component in the spring semester
The depth of projects builds as the students progress to the upper grades