Second Grade

What Should My Child Know When Entering Second Grade?

Entering second graders should be able to:

  • Read 80-100 First Grade Sight Words
  • Decode words with basic phonics patterns (CVC, CVCe, CVVC)
  • Follow 2-step oral directions (turn off the light and shut the door, etc.)
  • Write his/her first and last name correctly with capital and lowercase letters (Sam, not SAM)
  • Write a simple sentence that begins with a capital, ends with a period, has spaces in between words, and has a detailed illustration to match
  • Identify and read numbers from 0-100
  • Know basic Addition and Subtraction facts through 20
  • Skip count (2’s, 5’s, 10’s)
  • Show mastery of all First Grade Florida Standards and Next Generation Sunshine State Standards

 


 

What Will My Child Be Able to Do by the End of Second Grade?

Reading

Second graders will be able to do the following by the end of the school year…

  • Read ALL Kindergarten Sight Words, First Grade Sight Words, and Second Grade Sight Words
  • Read fluently (90 correct words per minute)
  • Demonstrate the ability to decode advanced phonics patterns
  • Demonstrate the knowledge of the alphabetic principle and applies grade level phonics skills to read text
  • Demonstrate the ability to read grade level text orally with accuracy, appropriate fluency (rate) and expression
  • Develop grade appropriate vocabulary
  • Identify, analyze, and apply knowledge of the elements of a variety of fiction, nonfiction, informational, and/or expository texts
  • Show mastery of all Reading Literature (RL), Reading Informational (RI) and Reading Foundational (RF) Florida State Standards

Writing/Language Arts

Second graders will be able to do the following by the end of the school year…

  • Use pre-writing strategies independently (such as brainstorming, graphic organizers such as circle maps and tree maps, etc.)
  • Participate in the writing process through whole group, small group and independent writing
  • Create Informative/Expository, Narrative and Opinion pieces of writing
  • Use appropriate spacing between letters, words, and sentences
  • Apply listening and speaking strategies
  • Show mastery of all Writing (W), Speaking and Listening (SL) and Language (L) Florida State Standards

Mathematics

Second graders will be able to do the following by the end of the school year…

  • Tell if a number is odd or even.
  • Solve addition and subtraction word problems within 100.
  • Fluently add and subtract within 20.
  • Use repeated addition to count objects in rows or columns.
  • Know that three digit numbers are made up of hundreds, tens, and ones.
  • Know that 100 is ten tens.
  • Count by 5’s, 10’s, and 100’s within 1,000.
  • Read and write numbers in many ways to 1,000. 
  • Compare two, three digit numbers.
  • Fluently add and subtract within 100, regrouping when necessary.
  • Add up to four digit numbers.
  • Add and subtract within 1,000 using many strategies.
  • Mentally add or subtract 10 and 100 to and from a number 100-900.
  • Explain how addition and subtraction work. 
  • Use tools to measure length.
  • Measure the length of objects using two different units.
  • Estimate lengths.
  • Compare lengths of objects
  • Use addition and subtraction to solve measurement word problems.
  • Represent whole numbers as lengths on a number line
  • Tell and write time to the nearest five minutes
  • Solve money word problems
  • Analyze measurement data
  • Show data on a picture graph or bar graph, analyze the data on the graph.
  • Recognize and draw shapes based on attributes
  • Divide rectangles into rows and columns of the same size squares
  • Divide circles and rectangles into two, three, and four equal parts and name the parts.
  • Show mastery of all Florida Math Standards (MAFS) in the areas of Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Geometry, Measurement and Data, and Numbers and Operations in Base Ten.

     

Science

Second graders will be able to do the following by the end of the school year…

  • Measure and observe properties of matter
  • Describe and analyze how energy may be changed in form
  • Understand that types of motion may be described, measured, and predicted
  • Recognize patterns in weather
  • Know the basic needs of all living things
  • Understand how living things interact with their environment
  • Use the scientific process and habits of mind to solve problems
  • Show mastery of all Science Next Generation Sunshine State Standards (NGSSS)

Social Studies

Second graders will be able to do the following by the end of the school year…

  • Use simple maps, globes, and other 3D models to identify and locate places
  • Understand that history tells the story of people and events of other times and places
  • Know how various symbols are used to show Americans shared values, principles, and beliefs
  • Understand how individuals and businesses make choices about how to use resources
  • Show mastery of all Social Studies Next Generation Sunshine State Standards 

 

How Can I Help my Child at Home with Reading?

  1. Read a Variety of Texts:  Build an at-home library of children’s stories, non-fiction texts, magazines, recipes, comics, etc.
  2. Choose Appropriate Books:  Help your child pick books that are not too hard but not too easy.
  3. Read to Your Child Every Day:  Model good reading strategies to your child by reading a few minutes each day.
  4. Have Your Child Read to You Every Day:  Spend 15-20 minutes listening to your child read to you before they are tired.
  5. Talk About It:  Ask your child questions about what they read.  Have them retell the story in their own words including a description of the characters and setting and what happens in the book (beginning, middle, end, problem, and solution).
  6. Practice Text Tracking:  If your child is an early reader, encourage them to point to each word.
  7. Reread Favorite Books:  Repeat favorite books over and over to build reading fluency.
  8. Reading Apps:  Download reading apps for your device.
  9. Practice Decoding Strategies:  If your child is having trouble figuring out a word, remind them of the following strategies:
    1. Eagle Eye-Look at the pictures for clues.
    2. Lips the Fish-Get your lips ready and say the first sound.
    3. Stretchy Snake-Stretch out the sounds and then shrink them back together.
    4. Chunky Monkey-Look for chunks in the word that you know and then blend the words together.
    5. Skippy Frog-Skip the word and then go back and re-read.
    6. Tryin’ Lion-Try it again.
    7. Helpful Kangaroo-Ask for help!

Homework Suggestions for All Subjects

Check out this article by Scholastic for homework tips: Successful Homework Habits for Beginning Learners