Character Education
Second Graders learn about and practice The Core Virtues.
Through literature connections, discussions, and guided instruction Second Graders study and practice seven Core Virtues: generosity, compassion, self-discipline, honesty, patience, perseverance, and responsibility.
As part of Cornerstone’s mission to instruct the whole child-body, mind, and spirit- the Core Virtues are taught and explored explicitly as well as being implicitly embedded into the fabric of our school day.
Portfolios
Second Graders construct year-long portfolios. They work year-long to construct, sew, design, and illustrate individual portfolios to house cumulative work samples from the year. Students learn to value and cherish their work through creative, year-long effort.
Second Graders participate in outdoor education, environmental stewardship, and in curricular extensions and outdoor education through established visits to Longview Farm. Students plant, harvest, participate in the daily life of animal and garden farm maintenance, as well as work on art, science, and theme- related studies—all in an outdoor classroom of 400+ acres of Native Florida habitat.
Community Service
Second Graders serve each other, their school, and their greater community. They help each other and their classroom environment by sharing classroom jobs. Students volunteer from the “inside out,” learning to serve in our classroom, homes, neighborhoods, and increasingly outward to include our local, state and global communities.
Reading
Second Graders will be immersed in a language and literature rich curriculum that encourages children to investigate new reading strategies, practice decoding skills, and read for comprehension.
Self motivation, joyful and informative reading experiences, and the opportunity to practice the refinement of key reading skills are the vital components of our classroom reading time.
Writing
At Cornerstone, Second Graders write for a purpose and an audience. They learn that writing is a way to communicate meaning and also that their writing is shared and enjoyed by others.
Children use writing workshop as a time to pay attention to the details of their lives, learning to record and retell their personal stories and experiences.
Second Graders share their writings with their peers during writing workshop, with other grades during special sharing times, and with their families through their end-of-the-year portfolio and writing celebrations throughout the year.
Science
Second grade scientists continue to refine their observation skills while developing skills for planning and conducting experiments.
An important goal for second grade science is that we retain a sense of joy and wonder while students become more skilled in science and engineering practices. To that end, we collect their questions and wonderings and each year we allow space and time to follow the interests and strengths of the children.
Math
Second Graders use the Primary Mathematics curriculum.
Primary Mathematics (Standard Edition) is a complete program based on the highly successful Primary Mathematics series from Singapore. The program is designed to equip students with a strong foundation in math by focusing on mathematical understanding.
Social Studies
Second Graders study characteristics of their neighborhoods and history of their community.
They investigate the activities of the people in their school community, neighborhood and city; learn to consider the various roles and responsibilities of community members; consider the rules, laws, and governments needed to organize communities and meet communities’ many needs; investigate changes in their communities through historical time.
Art
Second Graders attend formal art classes each week.
The work of master artists are discussed and used as models for students investigations, while students also create freely from their own imaginations. Second Grade studies are enhanced through art integration. Like all of Cornerstone’s arts-based classes, teacher collaboration promotes classroom studies that are enhanced and reviewed through art processes and projects.
Physical Education
Second Graders experience the physical and emotional benefits of physical activity. Through meaningful, appropriate games and activities, the elementary physical education program explores and promotes the development of skill and health related physical activities.
Music
Second Graders attend weekly music classes as well as participating in Cornerstone’s monthly All-School Community Sing celebrations. The class strengthens and integrates basic music skills such as singing and harmonizing, rhythm, reading, writing, and creating music and instrument playing.
Spanish
The Spanish Program in grades 1st-3rd is a conversational approach to language acquisition using thematic units, games, rhymes, movement and picture books. The focus is on listening to the language, developing good pronunciation and responding to Spanish commands or questions.
The written language is introduced in third grade with labels, charts and “libritos.”
