Grade 2 serves students who have turned seven by October 1.  As students become more independent in their learning, grade two builds on the basic literacy skills acquired in grade 1.    Each week students also attend specialist classes in ECE, physical education, art, music, library, and Arabic language, counseling.

Student Expectations

All AIS-R Elementary school students are expected to follow the AIS-R EAGLE Honor Code, which defines what it means to be an AIS-R EAGLE:  Ethical, Adaptable, Global, Learning, and Environmental.

Reading and Writing Workshop

To achieve a balanced literacy program, second grade students practice language skills within the workshop model.  Students will read to self, read to someone, listen to reading, and participate in interactive read alouds.  They will also work with words, sketch, draft, revise, edit and publish written work.  Students also learn how to select "good fit" books.

Math

The AIS-R Elementary school uses the Everyday Mathematics program.  Everyday Mathematics connects math to real-world situations through the spiraling practice of basic skills and the use of manipulatives for problem solving and mathematical thinking. This program allows us to use cooperative learning, differentiated instruction, and approaches that meet the needs of multiple intelligences within the class.

With our math program, regular reinforcement of skills will appear multiple times and throughout a course of study. The key principle in regards to spiraling and spacing out skill practice is that proficiency in basic skills are goals that should be achieved long after they are first introduced, giving students needed time for repetition and review.

Program goals in grade two include skip counting forwards and backwards, reading, writing and modeling with manipulatives numbers to 1000, place value, reading and writing money amounts in dollars and cents notation, using manipulatives and drawings to model fractions, recognizing numbers as odd or even, demonstrating automaticity with +/- 0, +/- 1, doubles, sum-equals-ten facts and proficiency with all addition and subtraction facts through 10+10.  Further program goals include using manipulatives, number grids and other tools to solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of 2-digit whole numbers, making reasonable estimates, collecting and organizing data to create tally charts, tables and bar graphs and using them to answer simple questions, estimating length, exploring area, reading temperature, telling and showing time to the nearest 5 minutes on an analog clock, identifying, describing and modeling plane and solid figures, and creating two dimensional shapes or designs.

Science

The units explored in second grade science include "Magnets," "Animal Habitats", "Treasures from the Earth" in which the students will learn about rocks, soil and fossils, and "Motions in the Sky".  Each unit of study involves investigations an experiments.

Social Studies

In second grade, students will examine local and regional communities in the present and past and how these communities meet people's needs.  They will describe their basic rights and responsibilities as citizens through history, geography, economic and civics/government and look at cultural celebrations.  We will also be learning how to use and interpret maps and learning about land forms.

Homework

All second grade students are responsible for knowing what their homework is!  From Saturday through Tuesday, second grade students will have approximately 30 minutes of homework each evening.  The homework will be math Home Links, practice of math facts and math games taught in class, and practice spelling words.  In addition, students are expected to read for about 15 - 20 minutes each evening and we ask parents to read aloud with your child often. Students are also expected to write in their reading log.

Birthdays

We love to celebrate birthdays at school but please keep it simple.  Large cakes are difficult to serve.  Small bars, cookies or cupcakes make a birthday easy to celebrate in our busy school day.  Please provide any napkins, plates or utensils needed to help serve your child's treat.

Reporting and Assessing

Grade two teachers collect learning data through formative and summative assessments.  Formative assessments may be in the form of homework , class work, anecdotal notes, observations, questioning, discussion, etc.  Summative assessments will take the form of unit or chapter tests, final assessments, final rubrics, performance assessments, etc.  Progress Reports may be sent home up to four times a year and Report Cards are sent home at the end of each quarter.

Special Events

Grade two students enjoy a wide range of special activities through the year such as the Fall Parade, UN Week, Eid Lunch, field trips, Holiday Concert, Splish 'N Splash Day and much more.  Each grade level performs in an assembly at least once a year.  This year our assemblies will be based on our AIS-R EAGLE Honor Code with each grade level responsible for one letter in the code.  Students and teachers work together to create the show with singing, dancing, speaking parts.  Student-made videos are often incorporated into the shows.  Specialist teachers are also involved with the music, the backdrops, props, costumes or other artwork.  The technology teacher is often involved with the video production.  Every student is involved in the creation and performance of these assemblies.  Assemblies are performed in AIS-R’s beautiful Larkin Theater for parents and the elementary school student body.

If you would like to find out even more about or elementary school, please visit our ES Blog at http://blogs.ais-r.edu.sa/jcanar/