American Sign Language
	Building on previous ASL classes in first grade, second graders focus on learning conversational phrases using the grammatical structure of American Sign Language. Topics include the alphabet, greetings, colors, numbers, extended family, animals, pronouns and “wh-“ questions (Who, What, When, Where, and Why). To help students develop both their expressive and receptive sign language abilities, hands-on activities are incorporated into all lessons. This 30-minute class meets twice a week for a quarter of the year. The girls study Mandarin, French and Spanish during the other three quarters of the year.

	Art
	In Lower School art, a student is encouraged to discover her own artistic voice, express herself with confidence, connect with the physical world, and think and feel in new ways. Students are introduced to basic design principles as they mix colors, paint, draw, weave, sew, make books and construct in numerous other ways. The Art teacher works closely with homeroom teachers to plan art projects that enrich and personalize core curriculum themes. Meets once weekly.

	Drama
	Each second grade class participates in a play during the year, with every student receiving a line to memorize and deliver on the stage of the West-Wike Theatre. The performance is coordinated with the academic curriculum and the art department, where students make costumes and design set elements. Drama class provides a fun and confidence-building introduction to the stage, performing, and public speaking. Meets once every three weeks.

	French
	In second grade, students continue to develop their interest and enthusiasm for the French language, people and culture through games, songs, rhymes and other interactive activities. At this stage, while most of the instruction is still oral, girls are also expected to read and write a few words in French. Students are encouraged to actively use the French class commands that are studied. Themes covered include: greetings, colors, numbers from 1-20, body parts, animals and classroom objects. At the end of the quarter, students are enthusiastic about presenting their invented monsters to the class and talking about their families and things they like while drawing on the vocabulary studied in class. This 30-minute class meets twice a week for a quarter of the year. During the other three quarters, the girls study American Sign Language, Mandarin and Spanish.

	Language Arts
	Using several genres, including multicultural fiction, non-fiction, legends, biographies and plays, girls are exposed to the natural rhythm of language. In language arts, read-alouds, mini-lessons, and independent reading time complement whole-class shared reading, flexible small groups and individual instruction at each student's level. Students learn to read with comprehension by focusing on the strategies of making connections, visualizing, inferring, questioning, determining importance, and synthesizing. Students also develop their listening, writing and speaking skills by publishing and sharing their writing. The writing workshop, using mini-lessons, teacher conferencing, and publication celebrations, allow the students to develop a multitude of writing skills. Meets daily.

	Let's Care
	This program is designed to strengthen the girls' social and emotional development. Overarching themes include respect for self, others and community; the importance of empathetic connections, emotional safety and mutual support; the development of effective communication and decision-making skills; the appreciation of differences and diversity in our community; friendship-making skills, bully-proofing strategies and an emphasis on “inclusion” as a community value. Meets once every three weeks.

	Library
	Second graders expand their knowledge of the library by reading many different types of fiction and non-fiction books. Students learn to take responsibility for their books and enjoy sharing favorite illustrations and pages with each other in class. Library terms are used and discussed. Meets weekly.

	Mandarin Chinese
	The second grade Chinese program is designed to have the students use their vocabulary to make phrases and sentences and further their understanding of Chinese culture. Basic conversational phrases are reviewed from first grade and new phrases are introduced.  Vocabulary themes include greetings, numbers, colors, animals and family members, and words to express feelings are taught for the first time.  The themes are taught through songs, rhymes, stories, crafts, games and online activities. There is more emphasis on writing Chinese characters. This 30-minute class meets twice a week for a quarter of the year.  The girls study American Sign Language, French and Spanish during the other three quarters of the year.

	Math
	With the goal of building an understanding of math concepts, skills, and critical thinking abilities, girls explore whole numbers and place value. They learn to master addition and subtraction, including three-digit computations. The concept of multiplication is introduced. Girls work in collaborative groups to solve multi-step word problems, play games, and use manipulative materials. Real world connections help students apply the concepts of time, measurement, money, geometry, simple fractions, and graphing. Meets daily.

	Music
	From the first days of PreKindergarten to the final fourth grade musical performance, students experience and demonstrate the innate joys of singing. A large repertoire of games, folksongs, rounds, and rhymes is presented throughout the Lower School years. Each student also experiences the rewards of performance – from Winter Holiday Concerts to Spring Sings in May. Meets twice weekly.

	Physical Education
	As physical education continues to emphasize the importance of movement introduced in earlier grades, students develop a love for exercise, build confidence in their ability to perform skills, and learn to function effectively in a group. The second grade course teaches increasingly difficult skills through small group activities, dance, cooperative games and large group games. Competition is used positively as a means of self-testing and teaching socialization skills necessary to play team sports. Meets four times weekly.

	Science
	Our Lower School science program uses the BSCS Science TRACS curriculum, an inquiry-based program that incorporates many cooperative-learning opportunities in a modular format. In second grade, this includes a Life Science module on the study of plants, an Earth and Space Science module on weather, and a Physical Science module on position, motion, forces and measurement/capacity. Over the course of the year, students learn about topics ranging from elements that allow plants to grow to how simple machines such as levers and gears can make work easier. Meets twice weekly.

	Social Studies
	Second graders develop an appreciation and understanding of people and cultures as they learn about the westward expansion of our emerging nation. Students examine the history, culture and contributions of Native Americans and Pioneers. They learn about factors that influence the choices people made. Students also build on previously introduced geography skills while learning how to use a compass rose, keys, and symbols to interpret maps. Students are engaged in a reforestation project as part of the Service Learning component of the curriculum. They learn about the importance of trees in today’s world as well as in the lives of Native Americans and Pioneers. Meets three times a week.

	Spanish
	The second grade Spanish program is designed to help students recognize basic instructions in the classroom when given in Spanish and further develop confidence in speaking skills. Reading and writing in Spanish is introduced through worksheets and activities using the SMART board and individual laptops. Many new vocabulary words are introduced in Second Grade. Vocabulary retention is reinforced by singing, reading stories and playing games in Spanish, always with emphasis on a using a good spoken accent. In addition, an important cultural event is presented using the SMART board and discussed in detail. This 30-minute class is held twice a week for a quarter of the year. The girls study American Sign Language, French and Mandarin during the other three quarters of the year.

	Technology
	Early in the year, students work on laptop computers equipped with a wireless network in order to hone their word processing skills and learn to use a file server. To support what they are learning in various subject areas, students also master simple search techniques on the web. By the spring, students are using HyperStudio to create a short multimedia project and Virtual Manipulatives to practice problem-solving skills. They also use online resources for studying an author of the month. Meets once a week, with additional time scheduled as needed.

	Wellness
	In the wellness program, students follow the zany adventures of a character Doofus from The Doofus Stories. This collection puts into plain words the importance of a healthy diet and the benefits of exercise. Students also use hands-on activities to learn about germs, how they can make you sick, and how your body works to fight them. The program features role-playing and puppet shows that promote healthy relationships on the playground and on the playing field, demonstrates cooperative play, and teaches students how to handle successes and disappointments. Meets for 3 weeks on a 9 week rotation.