ACADEMIC OVERVIEW

SECOND GRADE

WELCOME TO SECOND GRADE!

Welcome to Second Grade at TLS, a year of discovery and growth. Here, we delve deeper into the intricacies of reading comprehension, extend mathematical reasoning, and foster inquisitive minds through science and social studies exploration. Our curriculum, nurtures students' moral development while enriching their academic journey. In Second Grade, Bible stories become more nuanced, leading students to a richer understanding of faith. Children also embark on an exciting journey in writing and engage in more complex problem-solving activities. With our dedicated teachers guiding each step, we offer a supportive environment where students can confidently navigate their second-grade journey!

Below, you can find an excerpt of the academics that your child will experience in their second grade year at TLS.

Mrs. Ingrid Huelsnitz

  • I have been teaching elementary school since 1996. I graduated from Mankato State University, Mankato with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and then got a Master’s degree at Cal Baptist in 2004 in Education. I live in Owatonna, MN and married to Andy Steel. I have 4 children, two of them have graduated from MSU as well. I have been teaching at TLS since 2018 in second grade. I am a proud mom of 5 bunnies and a hamster.

    I also have my own photography business in Owatonna, called Steel the Moment Photography. My hobbies are gardening, camping, photography, reading a good book.

  • Yes, he will give a command to his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.. Psalm 91:11

  • The staff is so wonderful to work with! We are like a family and help each other no matter what. I also get to express my faith in God and pray openly with my students.

RELIGION

The faith of second graders is taught using the Concordia Publishing House's One in Christ curriculum. This curriculum consists of nine units (books), and at the end of each unit, the students get to keep their books. Each unit focuses on a common theme, connecting the Bible stories within it. The stories survey God's story of love and salvation for His people as depicted in the Old and New Testaments, with relevance to our lives today. Students participate in a planned memory program, learning scripture verses, hymns, and portions of Luther's Small Catechism.

READING

The Journeys reading curriculum by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is designed to enhance students' reading efficiency and comprehension at a higher level. Within this curriculum, children acquire various skills such as understanding cause and effect, making inferences, using context clues, identifying time order words, recognizing sequence, understanding prefixes and suffixes, and identifying main ideas. By the second quarter, fluency passages are introduced to help students reach the goal of reading 100 words per minute.

HANDWRITING

The students work on enhancing their printing skills and also begin to develop an understanding of how to write paragraphs.

ENGLISH

The Shurley Method is utilized to teach students about sentence structure, types of speech (noun, verb, and adjective), sentence types, and sentence parts (subjects and predicates). Additionally, students learn about capitalization, titles, initials, punctuation, synonyms and antonyms, prefixes and suffixes, and words with multiple meanings. Writing activities encompass various forms such as sentences, paragraphs, stories, descriptions, and letter writing. Students also engage in journal writing and utilize the reading workbook for additional writing opportunities. Furthermore, they acquire research skills including dictionary usage, library navigation, understanding parts of a book, and using encyclopedias.

MATH

In the second-grade year, the Bridges in Mathematics curriculum begins with a comprehensive review of number concepts covered in first grade. Extensive focus is placed on reviewing addition and subtraction facts up to 20. Students also learn skills such as graphing, telling time, reading a thermometer, counting money, writing number sentences, and understanding fractions. They identify measurements, geometric shapes, and practice addition and subtraction with borrowing, ranging from single to triple-digit numbers. Towards the end of the year, students are introduced to concepts of multiplication and division.

SCIENCE

The second-grade science curriculum utilizes the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Science Curriculum. Through the study of science, we gain a deeper understanding of our Creator God, who made the world, redeemed it, and sustains and preserves all things for the benefit of humanity. The curriculum covers various units in the Big Book Series, including Engineering Design Process, Matter, Environment of Living Things, Earth's Surface, and Changes to Earth's Surface.

SOCIAL STUDIES

In second grade, students develop an understanding of and appreciation for patriotism and good citizenship. The Macmillan/McGraw-Hill second-grade Social Studies curriculum covers five units: Our Community, All About Earth, Our Past, All About Work, and Our Government. Throughout these units, students learn about significant individuals such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, and Martin Luther King, Jr.

TECHNOLOGY

Students have access to various online resources and programs such as typingclub.com, Accelerated Reader, and IXL. They can also log on to web-based platforms like prodigy.com and abcmouse.com.

ART

In second grade, students are provided with a variety of media including pencils, crayons, paints, paper, glue, chalk, and more. They engage in activities that involve cutting, gluing, and drawing, while also having the opportunity to express their creativity and personal style through various elements of art. Throughout the year, second graders develop a deeper understanding of formal elements such as line, color, shape, and texture, and practice using these elements to express themselves through their artwork.

CHOIR/MUSIC

In second grade, students further develop their music theory skills. By the end of the school year, they will be able to identify and name all the notes on a music scale, as well as understand the count value of notes and rests on a music staff. Additionally, students work on developing their singing voices and participate in singing to praise God during church and chapel services.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

In Physical Education classes, students receive instruction that combines knowledge, motor skills, and fitness. They also develop appropriate social skills through engaging in various games and activities. Throughout these classes, students gain awareness of the significance of leading a physically active and healthy lifestyle.