SECOND GRADE

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
- Matthew 5:14-16

Mrs. Shelly Day

Mrs. Day graduated from University of Washington with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and earned her Master's in Education from Western Governors University. Prior to teaching 2nd grade at St. Nicholas, she worked with youth and their families in the profession of social work. Mrs. Day has been a St. Nicholas school parent since 2009 and finds great joy in now being part of the education team.

Mrs. Day and her husband Jaremy have three children: Joey, Antoinette and Titus, and she has one granddaughter: Rayanna. Her family has been parishioners at St. Nicholas for many years. She loves exploring the great outdoors, cooking, and reading.

mday@sncsgh.org

2nd Grade HIGHLIGHTS

  • Preparing for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist

  • Leading the Marian May Crowning

  • Collecting the school’s recycling weekly

  • Performing a reader's theater for an audience

  • 2nd graders act as role models during monthly reading buddy time with Kindergarden

  • 2nd graders enjoy being mentored by a 4th grade buddy as they do a variety of special projects throughout the year

CURRICULUM

Math

In second grade students begin to practice critical thinking, and will be able to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. We model with mathematics and reason abstractly and quantitatively. Students construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others. Students represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction, and begin the foundations for multiplication. Students learn practical life-skills such as counting money, measuring and estimating lengths in standard units, telling time, and reasoning with shapes and their attributes.

Science

Students will use mystery science to explore. Second graders learn about Animal Biodiversity, Plant Adaptations, Erosion & Earth's Surface as well as Properties & Phases of Matter.

Social Studies

In second grade, students learn more about our nation, and becoming honorable citizens. Students will be able to recognize that a government makes laws to help people be safe and get along and begin to identify the rights and responsibilities of a citizen. We study how people use the land and its resources, focusing on differing geology, properties of water, and natural habitats. Students recognize that our country is comprised of a variety of people and cultures. Students also study economics, and understand that producers and consumers depend on each other for goods and services.

Religion

In second grade, students have the honor of preparing for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. We prepare for mass each Friday and celebrate Holy Days of Obligation. Students recite grade-level prayers, including the Morning Offering and the Act of Contrition. Together we participate in daily classroom and school-wide prayer.

Language Arts

Students will develop their writing process to improve their language skills, and will publish a variety of writing pieces that include: stories, personal narratives, poems, procedural texts, reports, a letter and response to literature. Students learn to identify and apply the traits of writing-ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions and presentation. Students also begin to properly use parts of speech such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and contractions.

Reading

Second graders practice reading aloud to improve their oral reading fluency. Students utilize comprehension strategies such as predicting, inferring, making connections, creating mental images, determining importance, and asking questions while reading. Together we identify and read a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. Students also study an author’s purpose for writing a text and distinguish the difference between literary genres.

Technology

In second grade students will be able to practice proper hand placement on a keyboard and improve typing skills. Students will use Chromebooks to create and share Google Docs and Google Slides. We also teach students how to prudently use the Internet to support research.