Second Grade Expeditions

A World of Communities
Topics:  Community , environment, government, safety, creating and problem solving with maps, local history, geography, money. Persuasive writing about community sites through informational brochures and commercials. Flat Stanley project and letter writing.

Guiding Questions:

1. How could we describe the environment, geography, and community surrounding ECCS?
   
2. What are the “working parts” of community government?
   
3. How does our history influence our present and our future?

Core Texts
Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown
Asheville ABC’s
T is for Tarheel
Mapping Penny’s World
Me on the Map
Jack Tales: Appalachian Folk Tales             

Whatever the Weather
Topics: Weather, seasons, states of matter, scientific method, measurement. Weather report writing and broadcast; weather folklore in history and weather in the news. Construction of weather instruments and models.

Guiding Questions:

1. How is weather reported in history, stories, and the news?
2. How does weather affect where and how people, animals, and plants live?
3. How do scientists investigate, predict, and measure weather?

Core Texts
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett
White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt
Cloudland by John Burningham
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Who Took the Farmer's Hat? by Joan Nodset
The Big Storm by Bruce Hiscock

H2Oh!*
Topics: Water flow of Haw Creek to the Gulf of Mexico, native western N.C. plant & animal habitats, travel log, computer research

Guiding Questions:

1. Where does the Water from Haw Creek originate and end?
2. What kinds of habitats support plant and animal life in our area?
3. How does too much water or too little water affect our surrounding community?

*After the 2007-2008 school year, the H2oh! Expedition will only be taught in first grade.

Language Arts Overview:
Students work toward mastery in decoding text and begin to focus on comprehension strategies through guided reading in small groups and literature circles. Students are assessed regularly throughout the year so that every student is challenged to grow as a reader.  Writing is integrated into every part of the curriculum.  Using Lucy Calkins’ writing workshop and a traits-based approach to writing, students learn to personalize meaning as they develop written texts about themselves and the world. In addition, second graders learn to research information from books and the internet based on our learning. Students synthesize those facts into a research paper that they present on exhibition night. They also write short stories, letters and poetry.

Math/Science Overview:
In second grade, math offers students a variety of challenges, encourages thinking and reasoning skills, and stresses the use of problem-solving strategies. Some of the topics include numerical operations, spatial sense, measurement, geometry, patterns, relationships, functions, data probability, statistics, money, and multiplication.

Field Work:
Mapping on the urban trail, court house, apple orchard, landfill, Nature Center butterfly exhibit, post office, Beaver Dam Bird Sanctuary, National Weather Service visit (NOAA), water authority, end-of-year overnight campout on campus.

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