LFCDS Grade 2 Curriculum

Lower School CurriculumGRADE 2

Lower School Curriculum Guide 2

Overview of Lower School (Grades 1–4) The Lower School curriculum reflects high academic standards, and our faculty is dedicated to giving each student the opportunity to discover his or her physical, creative, social, and academic strengths. Because social and academic skills are inextricably linked, we strive to create a respectful, safe atmosphere where students can explore interests, take responsible risks, and develop academic skills and knowledge. Dedicated faculty members work together in our state-of-the-art facility to create an engaging curriculum, rich with opportunities for deeper thinking as students develop key twenty-first-century skills: communication, cosmopolitanism, collaboration, character, creativity, and critical thinking.

Students benefit from:Our developmentally appropriate, coherently sequenced, and integrated curriculum in language arts,

mathematics, social studies, science, world language, fine arts, physical education & wellness, and library and education technology.

A commitment to developing important Habits of Mind, critical thinking and creative problem solving, collaboration and communications skills, and curiosity and imagination.

Our Responsive Classroom® teaching philosophy which stands apart from other public and private school programs with its emphasis on a positive social and emotional environment as the foundation for academic excellence.

A faculty who understands brain and child development and works collaboratively to engage students in a variety of learning experiences that encourage making connections, building understanding, and taking ownership of learning.

A commitment to experiential learning where students’ learning is enriched with field trips to Lake Forest Open Lands, the theater, the symphony, and historic sites.

A compassionate school environment that values personal responsibility, diversity, and openness to different points of view.

Teaching PhilosophyKnowing the students we teach—individually, culturally, and developmentally—is of utmost importance to us. We also believe in the importance of getting to know their families. We value the input of parents as the child’s first teacher, beginning with intake conferences prior to the start of school when parents share their knowledge of and hopes and dreams for their child.

Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: first, the social curriculum is inextricably linked with the academic curriculum; and, second, how students learn is as important as what students learn. Lower School faculty shares a commitment to the following teaching and learning practices:

RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM®Responsive Classroom® techniques foster a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment for learning.

HABITS OF MINDTeachers promote ways of thinking and behaving that develop self-discipline and strong character.

AUTHENTIC WORK OF THE DISCIPLINESThe curriculum emphasizes academic work that requires critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration and has real-world applications.

DIFFERENTIATIONTeachers focus on each individual student’s learning style and make adjustments as needed to provide support or additional challenge.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNINGStudents enjoy opportunities to engage in hands-on activities and role-play experiences that help them understand abstract ideas.

UNIFYING CONCEPTSIdeas are introduced in the context of central unifying concepts or themes to help students recognize and remember connections in what they are learning in different disciplines.


Lower School Curriculum Overview

Responsive Classroom® ApproachThe Lower School faculty utilizes Responsive Classroom® techniques to create a welcoming, accepting, safe, and nurturing environment. In classrooms where caring communities are created and in which children are valued for where they are on the continuum of learning, students are prepared to face challenges intentionally designed to stretch their thinking and help them develop confidence in what they can accomplish. As students grow and mature, they take increasing responsibility for their own learning, for setting goals, and for evaluating their learning style. By fourth grade, students lead their fall and spring parent conferences, using portfolios to explain their progress, strengths, and challenges.

Children must have multiple opportunities to learn and practice in order to be successful academically and socially. Since the greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction, various social settings (e.g., one-to-one conferences, small groups, whole class, and team experiences) provide opportunities for learning cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.

Every Lower School classroom begins the day with a Morning Meeting. News and Announcements are read by the children as they arrive, building excitement about the day’s events and engaging the students in a meaningful question of the day designed to enhance learning and sometimes just to have fun. During the sharing that follows, students practice essential skills, such as learning to share concisely; actively listening with empathy and understanding; asking increasingly complex questions; and making connections with what they hear. The meeting ends with a fun, bonding activity.

Inherent in the Responsive Classroom® approach is shared ownership of the classroom community and choice. The year begins with cooperative creation of classroom rules based on students’ hopes and dreams for the year and the classroom atmosphere necessary to accomplish them. Guidelines for behavior are

shared with teachers of “specials” such as art, music, science, and physical education & wellness so expectations are consistent throughout the day. Students are taught to resolve conflict with words and to offer amends for any hurt they may have caused.

Teachers use logical consequences for infractions and are proactive about dealing with social cruelty. Students feel heard and safe and understand that these situations are part of growing up.

Because we know that choice is highly motivating, the faculty creates opportunities each week when students determine what they will read, write about, or

Community MeetingStop by at 8:15 on a Wednesday morning to experience a Lower School Community Meeting, a time when students in senior kindergarten through fourth grade come together for approximately twenty minutes. The meetings are designed to:

build community through the sharing of common values and experiences.

provide an opportunity for students to present examples of their accomplishments and work in all disciplines.

celebrate birthdays and reward qualities we value (i.e., persistence, risk-taking, sportsmanship, respect, teamwork, dedication to high-quality work).

share musical and movement selections.

These meetings also provide the opportunity to remind students about important Habits of Mind and shared values that are an integral part of the LFCDS experience, including the value of “filling each other’s buckets.”

Have You Filled a Bucket Today? speaks to the power of our words and actions in making one another feel good about and respected for who we are as individuals. The premise is that each of us carries an invisible bucket that represents our mental and emotional self. The ways we interact with others affect whether one another’s buckets are empty or overflowing with positive energy at the end of the day. Students learn about the ways they can be bucket fillers as well as bucket dippers. Students come to understand that by filling someone else’s bucket, they are also filling their own.



explore as well as how they will go about learning and demonstrating understanding. Students become more engaged, productive, persistent, and excited about learning and sharing their knowledge when they have choices. They are also more likely to think deeply and creatively.

Research indicates that the Responsive Classroom® approach provides a more positive school experience for both students and faculty, improves the social skills of students, increases academic achievement, and leads to more high-quality instruction.

Habits of Mind Habits of Mind are behaviors or dispositions that we believe provide a strong foundation for success in school and in life. Across curricular areas, faculty members discuss their application and provide regular opportunities for students to apply them. For example:

During a fourth-grade mathematics class, a teacher encourages metacognition as students prepare to share a variety of ways to solve a problem.

A world language teacher asks students to strive for accuracy when pronouncing new vocabulary.

Third-grade students think and communicate with clarity and precision as they write essays.

Second-grade students think flexibly in visual art class as they determine the materials and perspective to complete their project.

First-grade students take responsible risks using challenging playground equipment.

For our early childhood students, gathering data through the senses and persisting are part of the fabric of their day.

In science class, students question and pose problems as they create "fair tests" and make inferences from the results.

Throughout the Lower School, students practice listening with empathy and understanding, managing impulsivity, responding with wonder and awe, and finding humor as a community during daily Morning Meetings.

Students learn to think interdependently, be creative, use their imaginations, and be innovative during a myriad of small- and large-group problem solving situations across the disciplines.

Nutrition and MannersLunch is included in tuition and, since LFCDS focuses on the whole child, mealtime is structured as an opportunity for children to learn and practice gratitude, good manners, polite conversation, and healthy eating habits.

Lunches are served family style with six or seven students assigned to a table with an adult or fourth-grade supervisor. Fourth-grade students may sit at self-managed Honor Tables.

OrganicLife provides healthy hot selections, an extensive salad bar, and a sandwich bar daily. Fresh fruit is served four or five times a week for dessert. On one or two days a sweet dessert is offered in addition to the fruit. A water pitcher is on each table, and milk is also available.

Each child has a job to accomplish so that tables are respectfully cleared, cleaned, and prepared for the next lunch.

A music selection is played during which the lunchroom is silent and the focus is on eating.

On occasion, world language immersion tables provide an enriching, authentic, and fun experience for students. They are supervised by world language staff and bilingual volunteer parents.

Parents are welcome at lunch both as visitors and as volunteer table supervisors.



Authentic Work of the DisciplinesAt LFCDS, we emphasize authentic learning experiences—ones that reflect critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and real-world applications. In order to prepare students for a

university education, a meaningful career, and life in general, we work to develop students’ deep understanding of content and issues and ask them to demonstrate their new learning, not just

recite it. The authentic work of real-world learning experiences enables students to develop important lifelong skills and to view their education as relevant and connected to the larger world.

So what does this look like at LFCDS? Second-grade students analyze literature and design open-ended questions to pose to their book clubs. The reduction of carbon footprints on our earth is the focus of fourth-grade students as they develop individual action plans. First-grade students conduct a videotaped oral history with one of their grandparents or special neighborhood friends. Preschool students use cloth napkins for snacks and grow vegetables in their school garden beds. Following student-designed research, third-grade students contribute articles to an online children’s encyclopedia. Learning experiences like these offer intellectual challenge, build work habits of persistence, metacognition, and accuracy, and engage students in the kinds of creative and critical thinking that will serve them well throughout their lives.

DifferentiationDifferentiation is the process of matching instruction to varied students and their interests and needs. It is a cornerstone of high-quality teaching and learning and a practice that pervades LFCDS. We pride ourselves on our ability to deeply know our students as learners and to think outside of the box when it comes to approaching their learning in the most appropriate and effective ways. This is responsive education. Students who exhibit academic talent may participate in a

Knights of the Round Table mathematics think tank experience, read and discuss Junior Great Book classics, and assume editor responsibilities for the Lower School newspaper. Those children who require additional support may receive in-class individual and small-group assistance or instruction offered through our Learning Services department. Ongoing assessment enables us to efficiently and flexibly encourage our students’ interests and to meet their academic and developmental needs.

The LFCDS House SystemFour large flags in the school atrium represent four “Houses” or groups within the School. LFCDS has developed the House System to foster connections within the school community. The objective is to bring together the Upper and Lower School students, faculty, and staff for organized fun that enhances each member’s sense of belonging and builds tradition.

The four houses are named for significant leaders in the School’s history (Bell, Mason, and Farwell) and a founder of the first private day school in America (Alcott). Each house has a signature color.

Students in grades one and five, two and six, three and seven, and four and eight are paired as house buddies.

The House System provides students with enjoyable leadership and mentoring opportunities in a setting outside the classroom.

School spirit is enhanced through friendly House events throughout the year, ending with Field Day activities.

Building connections and developing lasting relationships among faculty, staff, and all students from first through eighth grade, ultimately creates a stronger sense of responsibility for the well-being of each member of the community.



What child wouldn’t want to become a toy designer, a pioneer in the 1850s, a travel journalist making a cross-country trek, a Chinese dragon parade manager or a member of royalty in medieval England? Experiential learning occurs when students investigate and gain understanding through their play. An excellent instructional strategy to engage the whole child—cognitively, socially and emotionally, physically, and

creatively—experiential learning allows students to learn by doing: creating, constructing, planning, solving problems, and collaborating. LFCDS teachers carefully craft experiential, hands-on learning activities that will tap students’ interest and engagement and then allow for divergent thinking, open-ended responses, student choice, and rich understanding. Joyful play and academic rigor can occur simultaneously!

Experiential Learning

LFCDS ROCKSThe Lower School theme is LFCDS ROCKS! This stands for: Lake Forest Country Day students Respect Others, Community, Knowledge, and Self.

Senior kindergarten students and new members to the School community are welcomed during Community Meetings with a gift of two rocks.

One rock taken from the School property represents the uniqueness of each student, faculty, and staff member as well as the importance of rich diversity to a healthy and vibrant School community. Each individual also receives an identical, polished green (School color) one engraved with LFCDS ROCKS. It represents the significance of shared values and the high standards for behavior that allow for a rigorous learning environment.

A catchy cheer is shared to make the theme fun and memorable. Signs in classrooms provide a visual reminder of our commitment to respecting each other, our community, our learning environment, and ourselves.

Unifying concepts provide a structure for organizing and making meaning of the knowledge and information that students learn throughout the school day. Research supports this notion: facts and ideas become usable understandings for children when they are linked to central themes or concepts. Knowing how students learn best, we developed preschool through eighth-grade social studies and science curricula around unifying concepts that build upon and connect to each other. For example, the relationships concept that grounds the preschool social studies curriculum is enhanced by the study of animal-environment

relationships in junior kindergarten; by the contentious relationships between European settlers and native peoples studied in third grade; and by the relationship between individual and government in eighth-grade American history. At the same time, each grade level represents a new layer of unifying concept that enriches and broadens students’ understanding of it and its application in varied contexts. Unifying concepts are integral to ensuring that students make connections within and across disciplines and topics and, as a result, comprehend their learning experiences more deeply.

Unifying Concepts

Lower School Curriculum Guide — Grade 2 7

The Second-Grade Experience at LFCDS Second-grade students skip into school independently, excited to see their friends and start the day. They are immersed in the traditions of LFCDS from regular participation in weekly Lower School Community Meetings to enjoying activities with their sixth-grade buddies. They proudly teach Lower School students the meaning of sophisticated vocabulary in the Pledge of Allegiance at a Community Meeting early in the year. Doing so complements their natural inclination to learn new words and meanings, a desire to share their knowledge with others, and the more precise manner in which they speak. This interest in language spills into a love of writing stories that become increasingly more engaging and fully developed. Readers’ Theatre activities enhance their fluency and tap into their love of dramatic activities. Seven-year-olds are generally more serious, hardworking, and sensitive than they were at six, and a bit of perfectionism or worrying can be evident as they work slowly to complete tasks. They enjoy hands-on activities that allow them to explore how things work, enhancing their investigations in mathematics and science. Second-grade teachers structure the beginning of the day carefully as they know that their students need the security of rules, routines, and physical boundaries. Students are engaged with purposeful activities from the moment they arrive,

and welcoming Morning Messages inform them about what lies ahead that day.

Socially, second-grade students enjoy having and making friends, as well as imitating the actions of their peers in an effort to belong. Friendships may

change quickly, so teachers sometimes hear “nobody likes me”—until another child comes along, and their preference to play alone quickly changes! Second-grade students love to be active and are regularly engaged in ball games or tag games on the playground. They are typically more self-aware and better able to self-regulate, understand other points of view, and explain their emotions.

At LFCDS, we focus on respect and on what it means to be part of a community. Each classroom develops its own group agreement about standards for behavior.

Second-grade students understand and practice what it means to “fill someone’s bucket,” from kindnesses shown to classmates and adults to their Spooky Tales presentations which raise money for UNICEF to their book collection at the holidays. Second grade is the perfect time for families to reinforce the School’s expectations: respecting the learning environment, persisting and giving one’s best effort, using polite table manners, being a good friend, and reaching out to help those who are new to a community, those who may be feeling left out, or those less fortunate.

Highlights of the Second-Grade Experience

Learn sign language.

Create a blueprint and prototype for a toy or musical instrument.

Participate in Reader’s Theatre.

Forge relationships in the school community through House events with sixth-grade buddies.

Read aloud to and mentor junior kindergarten buddies.

Discover how a tall-grass prairie habitat supports rabbits and other animals.

Study the American flag and Pledge of Allegiance and develop their own

classroom pledge.

Delve into the architecture of downtown Chicago through a field trip.

GRADE 2Curriculum


Grade 2 Overview

ScheduleSecond-grade students follow a six-day academic schedule:

Language arts (i.e., reading, writing, word study, speaking): a minimum of two hours each day, allowing for students to make literacy choices throughout the week

Social studies: approximately two and one-half hours per six-day cycle

Mathematics: one hour each day

Physical education & wellness: thirty minutes each day

Science and music: twice in a six-day cycle for approximately forty minutes

Visual art: twice in a six-day cycle for fifty minutes

French: three times in a six-day cycle for twenty-five minutes

Each day begins with a Morning Meeting during which time students greet one another, get to know each other better through sharing, engage in an activity, and read the daily message. Each morning, students have a short snack break. Because we value fresh air, play, and the skills gained through unstructured activities, a thirty-minute recess occurs each afternoon.

HomeworkThe more formal homework in second grade is successfully handled due to the positive organization, routines, and attitudes surrounding homework that first-grade teachers and parents create. They include:

Structure regarding when and where homework will be completed; checking to be certain it is completed neatly and accurately; and determining where work is placed so materials are ready to be returned to school the following morning.

Parents’ availability to answer questions and confirmation of homework as a valued part of learning.

In second grade, students should spend an average of forty minutes on homework.

Word study activities are completed Monday through Thursday.

On Monday through Thursday, there are games or drills to promote fact fluency, problems to practice what has been taught at school, or other mathematics enrichment.

Later in the year, a written response to independent reading is completed two to three times a week.

Reading to or with a child daily is expected for twenty minutes each night as it promotes reading as a lifelong habit and builds fluency and vocabulary.

Standardized AssessmentsStandardized and normed data provided by the following tools, along with classroom-based assessments, offer teachers a more complete understanding of each student’s learning profiles and will guide individual instruction as well as curriculum design.

Three times a year the Fountas and Pinnell Reading Benchmark Assessment System is administered to gauge student progress in reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension.

Three times per year we assess second-grade students’ skills with letter naming, letter sounds, and phonemic segmentation in addition to their reading fluency.


Grade 2 Language Arts

Language ArtsOverview

The Lower School language arts curriculum provides a framework for teaching and learning that is student centered, rigorous, and individualized. Divided into three instructional blocks of reading, writing, and word study, the language arts program enables students to become strong readers, writers, speakers, listeners, and researchers who can think and investigate in critical and creative ways. Students read and write in a variety of genres.

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following language arts skills:

Reading Foundational SkillsDistinguish long and short vowels when reading regularly spelled one- and two-syllable words.Identify words with inconsistent but common spelling/sound correspondences.Recognize and read grade-appropriate high-frequency (irregularly spelled) words.Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.Read on-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression.Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary.

Reading LiteratureAsk and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate

understanding of key details in a text.Recount stories, including traditional tales from diverse cultures and determine their central message,

lesson, or moral.Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration, rhymes, repeated lines) supply

rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or song.Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters.Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate

understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.Compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story (e.g., Cinderella stories) by different

authors or from different cultures.

Reading Informational TextAsk and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate

understanding of key details in a text.Describe the connection between a series of historical events in a text.Know and use various text features (e.g., captions, bold print, subheadings, glossaries, indexes,

electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text efficiently.Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.Explain how specific images (e.g., a diagram showing how a machine works) contribute to and

clarify a text.


Grade 2 Language Arts

Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.Compare and contrast the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic.

WritingWrite informative/explanatory texts that include an introduction, facts and definitions to develop

points, and a concluding statement or section.Write narratives that include a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events; details to describe

actions, thoughts, and feelings; temporal words to signal event order; and a sense of closure.With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed

by revising and editing.Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to

produce a report; record science observations).Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer

a question.

Speaking and ListeningFollow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others

with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).Build on others’ talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.Tell a story or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking

audibly in coherent sentences.Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested

detail or clarification.

LanguageAccurately use parts of speech (i.e., nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs).Form and use frequently occurring irregular plural nouns (e.g., feet, children, teeth, mice, fish).Form and use the past tense of frequently occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).Capitalize holidays, product names, and geographic names.Use end punctuation.Use commas in greetings and closings of letters.Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives.Generalize learned spelling patterns when writing words (e.g., cage/badge; boy/boil).Use glossaries and beginning dictionaries, both print and digital, to determine or clarify the meaning

of words and phrases.


Grade 2 Mathematics

MathematicsOverview

The Lower School mathematics curriculum aligns with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and Common Core State Standards and combines computation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills in a format that ties mathematics to students’ lives. Each year students are challenged with multilevel problems to analyze the structure of questions and discover effective strategies to solve them. Traditional methods of learning quantitative skills are blended with engaging projects to help students enjoy using mathematics for a lifetime

In the 2013–2014 school year, the Singapore program Math in Focus will be implemented in senior kindergarten through fourth grade. Excellent supplementary materials and technology will be used to enrich and differentiate instruction. We are committed to providing students with a strong conceptual background that lays the groundwork for success in the future; procedural understandings and fact fluency that engender confidence and precision; the ability to clearly communicate one’s thinking with models, both orally and in writing, using mathematical terminology; and the motivation to persevere when problem solving.

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following mathematics skills:

Operations and Algebraic ThinkingRepresent and solve one- and two-step word problems involving addition and subtraction

(i.e., adding to, taking from, putting together, taking apart, and comparing) with unknowns in all positions.Demonstrate fluency with addition and subtraction within 20.Use strategies to compute sums and differences (e.g., counting on, making 10, adding 10,

decomposing numbers, using the relationship between addition and subtraction, using doubles).Determine whether a group of objects (up to 20) has an odd or even number of members.Use addition to find the total number of objects arranged in rectangular arrays.Work with addition and subtraction equations, understand the meaning of the equal sign, and

determine if equations involving addition and subtraction are true or false.

Number and Operations in Base TenUnderstand that three-digit numbers represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones.Count within 1,000 by 5s, 10s, and 100s.Read and write numbers to 1,000 with numerals, number names, and expanded form.Compare two three-digit numbers, using greater than, equal, and less than symbols.Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract within 100.Add up to four two-digit numbers using strategies based on place value and properties of operations.

Use concrete models, drawings, and strategies.Add and subtract two-digit numbers with and without regrouping

Measurement and DataMeasure lengths of objects by using appropriate non-standard and standard tools (e.g., rulers,

yardsticks, meter sticks, and measuring tapes).


Grade 2 Mathematics

Estimate lengths, using units of inches, feet, centimeters, and meters.Measure to determine the difference in length between two objects.Estimate, measure, and compare customary and metric measurements Tell and write time from analog and digital clocks to the nearest five minutes.Solve word problems involving dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.Generate measurement data by measuring lengths of several objects to the nearest whole unit.Draw a picture graph, bar graph, and line plot to represent a data set with up to four categories.

GeometryRecognize and draw shapes having specified attributes. Identify triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons,

hexagons, and cubes.Partition a rectangle into rows and columns of same-size squares and count to find the total number

of them.Partition circles and rectangles into two, three, or four equal shares and describe them as halves,

thirds, and fourths/quarters.Compose and extend number, geometric, and other patterns.

Mathematical Problem-Solving Practices (embedded within each content strand above)Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.Reason abstractly and quantitatively (i.e., attend to the meaning of quantities; know and flexibly use

different properties of operations).Construct logical arguments and evaluate the reasoning of others.Model with mathematics (e.g., write equations, draw a picture, make a table).Use appropriate tools strategically (e.g., pencil and paper, protractor, ruler, calculator).Attend to precision (e.g., specify units of measure, calculate accurately, label answers, attend to the

context of the problem).Look for and make use of structure (i.e., discern patterns, recognize and use properties of operations).


Grade 2 Social Studies

Social StudiesOverview

The Lower School social studies curriculum is enhanced through integration with other disciplines and the exploration of topics via the authentic work of social scientists. Unifying themes spiral throughout the grades from preschool through eighth grade, allowing students to build on the skills developed and the lenses through which they have experienced the social studies content. With emphasis on higher-level thinking skills that include chronological sequencing, comprehension, analysis, and decision making, the social studies program offers students the chance to pursue independent inquiry, participate in hands-on lessons and projects, and investigate real-world problems. Through social studies lessons, students develop their capacities to make thoughtful, informed decisions. For participating citizens in our culturally-diverse nation and global world, these skills and understandings are essential.

The unifying theme for second grade is identity. In contrast to the more global perspective of the work in first grade, second-grade students examine the concept of identity within the United States. They begin the year with a study of the American flag and the Pledge of Allegiance as they develop their own classroom pledge; students then enjoy a study of diverse communities ending with a focus on the architecture of Chicago and the completion of an independent project. A study of our capitalist identity, exploring all aspects of running a toy company, is enhanced when each student’s creative energy is tapped to devise his or her own musical instrument in an art/social studies/science project.

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following social studies skills:

CultureDescribe the value of cultural unity and diversity within and across groups.

Time, Continuity, and ChangeIdentify and use a variety of primary and secondary sources for reconstructing the past, such as

documents, maps, and photos.Identify examples of both continuity and change as described in stories, photographs,

and documents.Compare and contrast differing stories or accounts about past events, people, places, or situations

and offer possible reasons for the differences.Use primary and secondary sources such as artifacts, documents, and stories to develop an

understanding of the past and begin to see how knowledge of the past can inform decisions about actions on issues of importance today.Use methods of inquiry of history and literacy skills to research and present findings.

People, Places, and EnvironmentsAsk and find answers to geographic questions related to school, community, state, and region.Interpret information from various representations of earth, such as maps, globes, and satellite images

to inform study of community, state, and region.Define and compare urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods and communities.


Grade 2 Social Studies, Science

Individual Development and IdentityExplore and analyze factors that contribute to one’s personal identity.

Individual, Groups, and InstitutionsProvide examples of the role of institutions in furthering both continuity and change.Show how groups and institutions work to meet individual needs and promote the common good.

Power, Authority, and GovernanceAnalyze and evaluate conditions, actions, and motivations that contribute to cooperation

among groups.

Analyze the significance and symbolism of the United States flag and Pledge of Allegiance.

Production, Distribution, and ConsumptionPredict how consumers will react to prices that rise and fall for goods and services.Identify human, natural, and capital resources.Determine how specialized jobs might facilitate production.Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of distribution methods.Synthesize what successful companies and business people do.

Science, Technology, and SocietyUtilize technology to formulate possible solutions to real-life issues and problems.

Civic Ideals and PracticesIdentify and exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizens.Practice civic participation by addressing issues (e.g., in the classroom, school, community, nation,

and world).

ScienceOverview

The Lower School Science curriculum includes three units of study per year at each grade level that address the three branches of science—physical science, life science, and earth/space science. In a hands-on, inquiry-based setting, students pose questions, explore hypotheses, and form conclusions. Students further their scientific understanding through learning that is relevant to real-life experiences and through spiraling, unifying themes from senior kindergarten through eighth grade.

Second-grade students develop understandings around the theme of patterns of change. They study life cycles, environments, and pollinators ending as entomologists, completing research about an insect and designing it in art class. In the winter, they study sound and light which culminates in the production of a musical instrument, an integration with art and social studies. The final unit explores earth and space, noting patterns related to the sun, moon, and earth.


Grade 2 Science

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following science skills:

QuestionsPose thoughtful questions about the world.

ObservationRecognize the need to observe, record, and measure.Use numbers to represent a physical quantity.Observe, describe, and record the properties of living and non-living things.Observe, describe, and record patterns of change.

CommunicationConstruct precise scientific drawings and/or representations of events.Record written predictions, observations, and results in a journal and on record sheets, class charts,

graphs, and brainstorming lists.Synthesize classroom discussion and offer meaningful contributions.

ComparisonMake comparisons.Compare conditions over time.

ComprehensionIdentify the main topic, focus, and key details of a scientific or technical text.Read on-level informational text with purpose and understanding.Participate in research and writing projects (e.g., read a number of books on a single topic to produce

a report).

Inquiry DesignRecognize that data is collected by scientists and engineers in investigations.Explain fair test.Record observations (e.g., drawing, writing, measurement).Identify factors that vary in the situation under study.Tabulate and represent evidence in a graphical form and look for patterns.Interpret simple data represented graphically (e.g., pie charts, simple graphs). Design and implement a fair-test experiment.Analyze and draw logical conclusions from results.Make a claim or argument and support it with evidence.

Scientific InstrumentsUse simple tools such as rulers, tuning forks, models, and observation boxes to measure the

required data.


Grade 2 World Language

World LanguageOverview

LFCDS offers Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French in the ECC and Lower School. These languages were selected in order to expose our students to a variety of important world cultures and better equip them to meet the challenges of global citizenship. Our design is based on current brain research and best practices in elementary world language education. Adhering to the national standards for the teaching of world languages, we aim to prepare our students to view the world from broader perspectives, compare and contrast languages and cultures, and appreciate the importance of communication in international communities. The benefits of this model lead beyond language learning into the discovery of diverse cultural worlds where these languages are spoken.

The Early Childhood and Lower School curriculum sequence is:

Spanish: Preschool and Junior Kindergarten

Spanish is the most prominent second language in the United States. Often young children have already had some exposure to Spanish expressions and culture. The two-year study of Spanish provides a foundation in Spanish which will also set the stage for the learning of other languages with different sounds and syntax.

Mandarin Chinese: Senior Kindergarten and Grade 1

Chinese represents the fastest growing Eastern language and may be the most important business language outside of English in the twenty-first century. In addition, brain research shows benefits from the study of pictographic and tonal languages, which naturally develop simultaneous use of multiple areas of the brain, enhancing student learning of other subjects. The two-year study of Chinese enriches our senior kindergarten and first-grade cultural studies, especially our first-grade social studies unit on China.

French: Grades 2 and 3

French is an official language in thirty-three countries spread throughout five continents. While learning French, students discover the influence of French on the English language. This awareness deepens their knowledge of our own language as they explore the multitude of French words the English language has absorbed. The two-year study further enriches the third-grade social studies unit on the French voyageurs.

Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French: Grade 4

Fourth-grade students have the opportunity to revisit or become familiar with Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and French. In our global world today, some knowledge of the sound system and basics of each language is critical for a well-rounded education. In addition, an opportunity to compare all three languages over the course of a year allows students, with the support of parents and teachers, to make an informed choice about which single language to study in Upper School. Having experienced all three languages also complements the fourth-grade immigration unit and their culminating study of global warming.


Grade 2 World Language, Fine Arts

Grade-Level Expectations The focus in second grade is primarily on oral and aural skills by making connections to the immediate world of the students through songs, games and hands-on activities. Second-grade students will work to master the following French skills:

Become familiar with the French map, simple geographical landmarks, and a broad overview of French history.Learn basic sound patterns.Learn how to greet others and use courtesy phrases.Recognize and follow simple instructions in French.Use and recognize vocabulary related to numbers to thirty-nine, colors and shapes, classroom terms,

the calendar, names for foods, how to express likes and dislikes, clothes, sports, and words for various parts of the bodyIdentify nouns, definite articles, and gender.Develop an awareness and appreciation of the French culture, and by comparison, gain an

appreciation of their own and other cultures as well.

Fine ArtsOverview

Arts are an inseparable part of an education of the whole child. Children learn to express and interpret ideas through observation and analysis of these art forms. They learn creative modes of problem solving and in so doing develop an array of expressive, analytical, and developmental tools which can be applied to every human situation. Students understand the influences of the arts in their power to create and reflect cultures, both past and present, thus enabling them to make informed judgments about cultural products and issues. They also develop attributes such as self-discipline, perseverance, and collaborative skills. Experiences in the arts develop each child’s imagination and sense of personal fulfillment.

General MusicThe three main components of the Lower School general music program at each grade level are music literacy, performance, and music listening and analysis. Students learn proper performance etiquette (posture, facial expression, singing technique) and audience etiquette (active listening, predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following general music skills:

Read notate and perform unequal divisions of beat in non-traditional/traditional notation.Perform melissmatic vocal warm-ups.Identify and perform melodic intervals building on seconds and fourths.Interpret and apply musical symbols such as time signatures in simple meter, tempo and articulation.Compose a simple theme based on Saints-Saens Carnival of the Animals.Perform with proper etiquette including facial expression.Analyze the characteristics of the Romantic and Contemporary Era.


Grade 2 Fine Arts, Information Literacy

Analyze well-known music, lives of, and influences on the musical output of several well-known Romantic and Contemporary Era composers including Mussorgsky, Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, and Duke Ellington.

Visual ArtsThe three main components of the Lower School art program at each grade level include: art production, art literacy and criticism, and art history.

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following general visual arts skills:

Draw single complex objects from careful observation and develop confidence in expressing ideas through drawing from memory.Depict the illusion of depth (space) in a work of art using overlapping shapes, relative size, and

placement within a picture.Organize space with complex repetition, bilateral or radial symmetry, and positive and negative shape.Form tertiary colors by mixing one primary color with one secondary color.Design a print plate and print multiple copies of a design.Combine scoring, slipping, and welding techniques to attach two clay pieces.Identify characteristics of the work of visual artists (i.e., Kandinsky, Matisse, Nevelson, Miró,

van Gogh, Homer, da Vinci) and discuss ways artists use lines, shapes, colors and textures to communicate ideas and feelings.Categorize works of art by subject matter (i.e., portrait, landscape, and still life) and art forms

(i.e., representational, abstract, and non-objective).

Information LiteracyOverview

Library visits and classes are designed to develop two aspects of students' intellectual lives: familiarity with and enthusiasm for literature, both fiction and nonfiction; and the ability to locate, access, and utilize information for the production of original work.

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following information literacy skills:

Consider new and classic literature and nonfiction of interest at appropriate levels.Begin developing skills to facilitate independent use of the library.Begin to recognize and use reference tools, both print and electronic.Begin to practice smart and safe use of web sites.


Grade 2 Education Technology, Physical Education & Wellness

Education TechnologyOverview

Competence in education technology is requisite for everyday work and personal life endeavors. To prepare students for a high-tech and global world, the educational technology program provides integrated instruction to effectively and responsibly access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate information.

Building upon first-grade skills, second-grade students use additional software (e.g., fact practice, telling time, read and record for fluency, reading comprehension, graphing). They also access and evaluate information for problem solving and research.

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following education technology skills:

Explore information resources and ways to complete tasks using appropriate applications.Begin to use a variety of multimedia resources, including PowerPoint, and work collaboratively with

peers to complete projects. Utilize the online library catalog as well as basic Internet search techniques.Independently and collaboratively use iPads to enrich core curriculum in an engaging, hands-on way.

Physical Education & WellnessOverview

The mission of the physical education & wellness program is to help students develop a lasting appreciation for physical activity and acquire the skills, strategies, and knowledge that lay the foundation for a lifetime of well-being through athletics. Teachers strive to inspire a commitment to health-related fitness and positive lifestyle choices regardless of athletic ability. Our goals are to enhance students’ ability to lead, work together as a team, participate fairly with sportsmanship, and develop respect for peers. We encourage active participation from all students.

Grade-Level Expectations In second grade, students work to master the following physical education & wellness skills:

Demonstrate physical competency in age-appropriate locomotor, non-locomotor, and manipulative skills.Demonstrate physical competency in age-appropriate manipulative skills (i.e., hand dribble, foot dribble,

kick, underhand or overhand throw).Demonstrate knowledge of various directional and pacing terms. Demonstrate an understanding of class rules, safety procedures, and the safe use of equipment.Engage in physical activities on a daily basis that increase heart rate and develop an understanding of

warm-up and cool-down activities.Identify positive behaviors that promote good health and set health-related individual fitness goals.Participate cooperatively in a variety of independent, small- and whole-group physical activities.


Grade 2 Physical Education & Wellness, Resources for Parents

Develop an understanding of cooperative strategies for team activities.Explore feelings associated with failure and success and demonstrate good sportsmanship.Identify healthy life-style practices (i.e., nutritious foods, sleep, physical activity).Follow the LFCDS PE/Wellness Code of Conduct.

Resources for ParentsWe are confident that second grade will be a terrific experience not only for your child but for your family. Beginning with intake conferences with your child’s teacher, an informational coffee in early September, and grade-level social events, there will be many opportunities to establish important connections. As the school year progresses, there will also be several ways for you to volunteer—for classroom activities and field trips, lunch supervision, and in a variety of capacities through the Parent Association and the Auction. We encourage you to join other parents for coffee and conversation on Tuesday mornings at 8:15 a.m. in the Parent Relations Office next door to the Onwentsia Lower School Office. Also, we welcome you to join the Lower School students in the Green Bay Atrium on Wednesday mornings at 8:15 a.m. for Community Meeting. Take a moment to visit in the Parent Association Office as you enter the Green Bay Atrium from the Lower School.

The Panther Portal (www.lfcds.org), as well as the external website (www.lfcds.org), provides a wealth of information:

Parent Downloads, Forms, and Links: This area on the Portal is filled with a variety of helpful information (i.e., online directories and class lists, downloadable medical forms, information on the school dress program, and more).

Curriculum Review Information: Each year a representative task force of faculty examines and revises a specific disciplinary area of study. This Portal page outlines our curriculum development framework and offers a venue for you to share constructive feedback.

Enrichment Activities/Resources: At LFCDS, we believe that summer is an opportune time to balance learning with a bit of leisure. This page provides information about required summer work, book lists for particular grade levels, mathematics and science challenges, and parent resources.

WordPress Blogs: Many classrooms have a WordPress blog set up, which gives a fun glimpse into the classroom. These are also available on the Panther Portal.

Parent Association Information: This tab provides information about ways to get involved in the LFCDS Parent Association and the numerous events they help coordinate.

We believe social media is a timely way to tell the story of Lake Forest Country Day School, and to that end, the School has a Facebook account and a Twitter account that we encourage you to “Like” and “Follow”! Simply search for “Lake Forest Country Day School” on Facebook and follow @LFCountryDay on Twitter. We have a strict social media policy and never post individual student names or information on these channels. You will discover snippets of all of the great things happening at LFCDS on a day-to-day basis!

Your room parents are available to answer questions and help you get involved, and you are welcome to stop by the Lower School Office anytime. Questions? Please contact the office of the Head of Lower School at (847) 615-6188.

Rev. July 2013

LFCDS Grade 2 Curriculum

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