The theme for the second year of school is, "Jesus shares God's love with us through the Church." Of course, the primary focus for students will be the sacraments, beginning with Baptism and centering on Reconciliation and Eucharist. Students will learn the important role the sacraments play in the life of the Church and its members.

Using a series of separate magazine-style units, students cover skip counting, number patterns and lines, word problems, graphs, zero as a place holder, adding and subtracting three-digit numbers, concepts of quantity and size, multiplication, money value, ordinal and cardinal numbers, and fractions.

Second graders improve their reading and listening skills by organizing ideas, writing letters and book reports, and creating stories and poems. They also expand their vocabulary, practice discussion skills, and master homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms. In preparation for the future, students also learn how to use a table of contents, an index, and reference books, such as the dictionary.

During this year, your child will strengthen his or her phonetic skills by learning vowel rules, diphthongs, contractions, and compound words. To improve spelling, your child will learn techniques for studying and master dictionary and thesaurus skills. As part of the second grade curriculum, students also learn cursive writing, practice manuscript writing, and refine writing skills.

The music series begun in kindergarten and progressing through grade eight emphasizes rhythm, tone color, form, melody, harmony, listening, and music appreciation. During class, students enjoy singing, playing rhythm instruments and musical games, dancing, listening for enjoyment, and listening for analysis.

Children in second grade participate in the Spring Musical.

In the primary grades, the emphasis in gym is on rhythmical activities, including spatial awareness and exercises, tumbling, athletic skills, such as throwing, catching, kicking, and striking, and games like tag, relay, and ball games.

Using guidelines established by the Diocese of Pittsburgh, teachers introduce students to the uses of computers in schools, businesses, and government. In addition, students become familiar with the keyboard and practice spelling.

Second graders expand their basic knowledge of the world around us by studying life cycles, water cycles, climate, air, atmosphere, plants, animals, food chains, gravity, science methods and inquiry, dinosaurs and extinct animals, space, magnets, and forces. Their knowledge is also enriched through the DASH program, a hands-on approach to science.

During this year, students develop a keen awareness of their roles in families, neighborhoods, and communities. The second graders also tackle citizenship, the interdependence of people, and social responsibilities. Your child also learns about holidays and festivals, basic geography, and map skills. Social studies curriculum is supplemented by Houghton Mifflin resources.

This series enables your child to know and understand the richness of the English language and how it can be used. Nothing is taught in isolation. Language Arts Today weaves together critical thinking, listening, speaking, grammar, and writing throughout the program.

Students in second grade have the opportunity to participate in the Pizza Hut Book-It Program, Scouts, and Brownies.

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Page last updated on June 25, 2010
St Valentines - 2709 Mesta St - Bethel Park, PA 15102
"So Very Special"