Curriculum

READING
2nd grade reading curriculum has many layers. Students are exposed to reading material in all subject areas and in a read aloud format each day. During the read aloud, the 2nd grade teachers teach a specific reading skill to match the read aloud. These skills are then checked in a comprehension activity called ROCK sheets. Students also have reading strategy practice in their Daybooks. A Daybook is an instructional tool to help student learn and master reading strategies and skills. This activity is completed as a whole group and independently.
FAST phonics is also a large part of our reading program. Everyday students interact with FAST magnetic letters on a cookie sheet to build and practice their ability to read and write sounds and words. Every Friday students are assessed on a list of 18 words that cover a particular skill in the English language. FAST books are introduced to support students with their reading and writing process. Each book covers concepts taught in a FAST lesson. Many students to do not begin working on a FAST book until after winter break or once the major concepts are taught.
Then there is our one on one program at Coyote Hills. Starting at Kindergarten each student will have his or her own reading binder and reading material to meet his or her individual reading needs. The binder and reading material will be tailored to fit each unique reader in our class. Although the reading binders may be organized in the same fashion, each student will be working at his or her own pace with specific reading material to match the reading level and skill. Your student will meet with a 2nd grade teacher about 2 times a week for a reading conference. A teacher may meet with your child more or less depending on the child's needs.
Before the reading conference, each student is expected to read for 20 minutes each night and prepare for their reading conference with his or her teacher. The students will receive reading material to practice at home and then respond to in a written form. During the conference, the teacher checks fluency, comprehension, and high-level thinking skills such as: interpretation and reflection. If the students have successfully completed the reading assignment, the teacher will assign new books for practice and the cycle starts again. If the student struggled during the conference, the teacher will provide support on areas of need and have the student practice the reading material again.
Each child also receives a teaching point during his or her conference. This is a specific skill the teacher would like the student to practice. The teaching point is written at the top of the homework journal located inside the binder. The teaching point may remain the same for a length of time in order for the student to master that particular skill. Each teaching point is designed to support the student in his or her journey of the reading process and help make the student a more successful reader and writer.
WRITING
In Second grade, our students will be learning how to construct a sentence with our Daily Sentence Styling Curriculum.  We will also be editing sentences each day with our Daily Language Instruction.  In this program, the students will have daily opportunities to detect errors in sentences and explain how they know there was an error.  The students will also gain knowledge of the English Language by completing Mountain Language daily.  Mountain Language contains 20 questions focusing on sounds, blends, prefix, root, suffix, compound words, etc.  In addition to practicing Language, the second graders will be practicing their printing with our Handwriting Without Tears Curriculum.  This curriculum teaches the proper way to hold a pencil, proper letter formation, and provides crucial time to focus on “bumping” the top and bottom of the given handwriting lines.
FAST phonics is also a large part of our writing program. Everyday students interact with FAST magnetic letters on a cookie sheet to build and practice their ability to read and write sounds and words. Every Friday students are assessed on a spelling list of 18 words that cover a particular skill in the English language. FAST books are introduced to support students with their reading and writing process. Each book covers concepts taught in a FAST lesson. Many students to do not begin working on a FAST book until after winter break or once the major concepts are taught.
Students will have a variety of written comprehension activities to complete to check for understanding.  Each child will get a Daybook workbook that we use to teach various reading and writing comprehension strategies in class.  As part of our home reading process, students will read for 20 minutes per night, and then complete a written portion to their book.  The second grade team has designed questions for students to answer following their PM readers.  Teachers will strongly enforce neat handwriting, and complete sentences.  Second graders will also be completing ROCK sheets this year.  A ROCK sheet stands for Reading Occupies Cool Kids.  Each ROCK sheet focuses on a specific reading strategy, and is taught in a whole group setting at first, and then is released to individual students to complete in class or as part of homework.  Each ROCK sheet contains a detailed scoring rubric based on the written comprehension of each strategy.  There are examples of all ROCK sheets to help support students and parents.
Students will also be expected to write a 5-sentence paragraph by the end of the year.  We will spend time working on personal narratives, descriptive writing, and friendly letters throughout the year.
MATH
We have adopted the Everyday Math Curriculum at Coyote Hills.  Everyday Math is based on research about how children learn and develop mathematical power.  This curriculum provides a broad mathematical background needed in the 21 century.  In Everyday mathematics you can expect to see a problem solving approach based on everyday situations; an instructional approach that revisits concepts regularly; frequent practice of basic skills, often through games; lessons based on activities and discussion, not a textbook; and mathematical content that goes beyond arithmetic.
In Everyday Mathematics, children develop a broad background in learning concepts and skills in all these six content strands:
1. Number and Numeration
2nd Grade: Counting; reading and writing numbers; identifying place value; comparing numbers; working with fractions; using money to develop place value and decimal concepts.
3rd Grade: Counting Patterns; place value; reading and writing whole numbers through 1,000,000; fractions, decimals, and integers.
2. Operations and Computation
2nd Grade: Recalling addition and subtraction facts;  exploring fact families (Related addition and subtraction facts such as 2+5=7, 5+2=7, 7-5=2, 7-2=5); adding and subtracting with tens and hundreds; beginning multiplication and division; exchanging money amounts.
3rd Grade: Practicing multiplication and division facts extended to multi-digit problems; working with properties; operations with fractions and money.
3. Data and Chance
2nd Grade: Collecting, organizing, and displaying data using tables, charts, and graphs.
3rd Grade: Collecting, organizing, and displaying data using tables, charts, and graphs; using basic probability terms.
4. Measurement and Reference Frames
2nd Grade: Using tools to measure length, weight, capacity, and volume; using U.S. customary and metric measurement units, such as feet, centimeters, ounces, and grams; using clocks, calendars, timelines, thermometers, and number lines.
3rd Grade: Recording equivalent units of length; recognizing appropriate units of measure for various items; finding the area of rectangles by counting squares; using multiplication arrays, coordinate grids, thermometers, clocks, calendars, and map scales to estimate distances.
5. Geometry
2nd Grade: Exploring 2- dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes.
3rd Grade: Exploring 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional shapes and other geometric concepts.
6. Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
2nd Grade: Exploring number patterns, rules for number sequences, relations between numbers, and attributes.
3rd Grade: Finding patterns on the number grid; solving Frames-and-Arrows puzzles having two rules; completing variations of "What's My Rule?' activities; exploring the relationship between multiplication and division; using parentheses in writing number models; naming missing parts of number models.
S.T.A.N.D. O.U.T Math
In addition to Everyday Math, Coyote Hills has adopted the S.T.A.N.D. O.U.T. Math Curriculum.  This curriculum is supplemental to Everyday Math, and teaches the same content through use of movement and chants.  The second grade team teaches Everyday Math Monday through Thursday, and teaches S.T.A.N.D.  O.U.T Math on Fridays.   Coyote Hills was named the S.T.A.N.D. O.U.T. school of the year for Colorado in 2007-2008.
SOCIAL STUDIES
At Coyote Hills, our second grade strives to create a curriculum that prepares children for "the office of citizen" (Thomas Jefferson). Social studies is interdisciplinary, and integrated throughout the curriculum, to promote civic competence. We have two major projects that culminate studies on states and service learning. Both projects are designed to connect learning meaningfully to the outside world. Ensuring, students will grow to make informed and reasoned decisions for the good of our culturally diverse society.
The state project focuses on geography, economics, history, and anthropology. Each student is responsible for researching a particular state. The project is open-ended, and students choose the way in which they present (ex. power point, poster board, i-movie). This also gives each child an opportunity to practice speaking to an audience. The students present at a 2nd grade State Fair, and as always parents are invited!
The service learning project is meant to be fun for students, while teaching them that they can help shape the future. Students learn the importance of civil responsibilities, strengthening individuals and the community. Students choose their projects (ex. changing all light bulbs in your house to energy efficient, bake sale to earn money to donate to cancer research). This project proves to be fun, and makes students feel confident in becoming good citizens. Students then present in our 2nd grade Service Learning Celebration!
SCIENCE
Second grade science explores the world around us with studies in these sub-content areas:
Physical Science- Common properties, forms and changes in matter and energy (Discovery Works unit: States of Matter, Energy and Motion)
Life Science- Characteristics and structure of living things, the processes of life, and how living things interact with each other and the environment (Discovery Works unit: Living and Non-Living Things, Changes Over Time, Germs Make Me Sick)
Earth and Space Science- Processes and interactions of Earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of Earth and other objects in space. (Discovery Works unit: Changes Over Time)
Throughout each unit, students learn to use the Scientific Process to ask questions and state predictions, select and use devices to gather data, and use that data (in addition to observations) to construct an explanation.
In addition to units taught through the Discovery Works Science curriculum, second grade students are fortunate enough to use Coyote Hills' Sci Tech Lab. The Sci Tech Lab is a computer lab that utilizes technology aligned with state science standards. Students attend weekly, and engage in computer-guided lessons that accompany hands-on experiments. Students work with a lab partner and progress is assessed through lesson and unit quizzes. Students LOVE the Sci Tech Lab!
Students also engage in science enrichment activities through many of our non-fiction PM readers. Many have experiments, activities, and technology links that accompany their book. Many kids just can't wait to receive a non-fiction book so they can see what kind of independent exploration comes with it!
Discovery Works Link:
http://www.eduplace.com/science/dw/2/
THE ARTS
Students have many opportunities to express themselves in a creative way here at Coyote Hills. Often times students ask to create, design, or explore activities and projects within our reading program based on a character or non-fiction topic in the PM readers. Students also find that the science or social studies topics spark hidden interests and they bring in projects to share with their classmates. Students are sharing their knowledge with other students to form a very collaborative learning opportunity.
Technology is an exciting tool at Coyote Hills. 2nd grade teachers have experience with blogging, garageband, United Streaming, Brain Pop, Comic Life, Kidspiration, and word processing. Students are constantly asked to stretch their knowledge and integrating technology is one of the ways 2nd grade teachers support their learning. 2 of the teachers in second grade have SMART Boards and this type of technology offers a very interactive and collaborative classroom. Students have the ability to create and demonstrate their knowledge in reading, math, science, social studies, and writing on the SMART Board.
The 2nd graders here at Coyote Hills also have a fabulous specials team: PE, Moving and Grooving, Art, and Music. Each unique class allows the students to test and challenge their skills in a healthy, supportive, and creative way.