Second Grade Curriculum
K5-2nd grade can be considered one large unit because in these grade levels the same skills will deepen and expand as you work through phonics, math, and writing at levels K-2. For this reason I really recommend choosing a curriculum program you can learn and use well for these years.
Overview
K5-2nd grade can be considered one large unit of study because in these grade levels the same skills will deepen and expand as you work through phonics, math, and writing at levels K-2. You’re at the end of this journey!
Reading skills - your child will be seeing consonant digraphs up to three consonants and will be sounding out words based on sounds and syllables. If this is confusing, I’d recommend checking out my reading scaffold!
Math - Three of the four processes (add, subtract, multiply) will be introduced by the end of 2nd grade by most curriculums. You will be around early multiplication and skip counting by the end of 2nd grade.
Writing:
Hopefully handwriting skills are ingrained, and good habits have developed! Practice still makes perfect. As does not rushing.
Writing With Ease 2 would be my recommendation. We did use it at this level.
The abeka work I mention below really has more than enough writing to satisfy me.
Fun writing units from curriculum bundles
Phonics continuation:
Abeka Letters and Sounds, Grade 2- we used this for all four children and it didn’t let me down.
Other options to research:
FREEBIES from the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education. They focus on Orton-Gillingham reading trainings for educators, but have a pretty amazing free section on their site for syllables, suffixes, and all the stuff we are learning in 2nd grade!
All about reading - if Abeka doesn’t float your boat, this is hands on and wonderful.
Abeka Language 2 - I love that Abeka language and phonics align, but in truth they felt like too much for a few of my children. So I would use it for a more advanced learner and modify or swap it out for other styles of learning.
Abeka Spelling 2 if you want spelling, I didn’t unless I felt the child could handle the additional work.
FREE McGuffey Readers are amazing for spelling practice and lists. I purchase super teacher worksheets for $25 a year and am able to create my own crossword puzzles and word searches for spelling.
Reading:
Read aloud to them, but have your kids read aloud to you. Poems, children’s books, anything! Library Books are the best here!
Arnold Lobel books are the best, like Frog and Toad for read alouds at this level
Stories based on child’s interest
Simply structured chapter books for reading like The Magic Tree House Series
Chapter book read alouds
Math:
Abeka arithmetic 2 - this does start basic multiplication work at the end of the year. I highly recommend using skip counting games and manipulatives, the worksheets alone will not get enough repetition in.
History/Social Studies:
Story of the World Volume 1/ Moving into Story of the World Volume 2
Pinterest for resources that go with Story of the World, including book lists
Learn about where you live and your local social studies
Science:
Nature Study Club Junior Explorers
Get outside with nature journaling art supplies
Do some Science experiments!
Enrichment/Electives/Extracurriculars:
Over the years we have done golf, museum visits, wild and free hikes, fine arts trips, planeterium shows, and more! It’s great to be able to make the time for these activities! Finding groups local to you can be a big help in locating programs for homeschoolers local to you.
Second Grade: What I wished I would have done & what went well
I wish I had started family style learning really early on. It is not without hiccups and speed bumps, but it is a good way to work together. My favorite subjects to group are Science and History and I really wish I had started at this grade level.
I would have used Writing with Ease 2 and first language lessons 2 given the knowledge it existed!
I was happy to have discovered unit studies at this point for my middle two children. They both really enjoyed the unit study model more than a daily ELA curriculum where you have a page a day (like their math).
Second Grade Resources
Any of our family literature studies will also work for second grade!