In addition to strengthening their arithmetic skills, our second-grade mathematicians begin to learn about the components of geometry and measurements.
Our little scientists-in-training will explore several of the most captivating branches of science, including biology, chemistry, and earth science. Using a curriculum founded on a comprehensive collection of reading and writing units, teachers will guide students through the diverse world of language arts.
With continued exposure to the arts and purposeful physical, emotional, and social development, our second-grade graduates will be more than ready to take on any challenges in the upcoming years.
Curriculum
Second-grade reading instruction is grounded in the Science of Reading, which synthesizes research from cognitive science, linguistics, and education to inform evidence-based literacy practices. Instruction emphasizes the development of both word recognition and language comprehension.
Foundational skills are taught explicitly and systematically through the integration of Foundations and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness. Foundations provides structured, multisensory phonics instruction that targets phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and spelling. Daily Heggerty lessons supplement this instruction by reinforcing students’ phonological and phonemic awareness skills, ensuring a solid foundation for accurate and automatic word recognition.
Language comprehension is supported through whole-class interactive read-alouds, strategic mini-lessons, small-group guided reading, and individualized teacher-student conferences. Students are taught to engage in meaningful discourse about texts, apply metacognitive strategies, and deepen their understanding through discussion of vocabulary, text structure, and the author’s purpose.
Reading logs are introduced as a tool to promote student accountability, track reading volume, and foster independence in daily reading habits.
In second grade, students develop increasing independence and confidence as writers through frequent writing opportunities and guided instruction in the writing process. Emphasis is placed on revising and editing, encouraging students to modify, reconsider, and improve their work with growing ease.
Students investigate elements of good writing across a variety of genres, focusing on both foundational skills—such as structure, attention to detail, and coherence—and the author’s craft. Core units of study include personal narrative, realistic fiction, expert projects (informational writing), poetry, and writing to teach and learn about topics of personal knowledge.
In addition to these core units, Mystery Writing is offered as a supplemental unit to further enhance narrative, informative, and opinion writing skills. Mystery writing reinforces critical thinking, sequencing, and descriptive language, enriching students’ overall narrative competence.
Technology integration is a key component of the writing curriculum. Chromebooks are utilized as essential tools for drafting, revising, publishing, and storytelling projects that blend traditional writing with multimedia elements, thereby fostering creativity and digital literacy.
Pioneer Academy provides CCSS aligned Singapore Math Program for elementary students. Mathematics program at Pioneer gives students a deep understanding of math concepts, emphasizing skills and strategies to solve problems in multiple ways. The curriculum makes math meaningful by connecting lessons and projects to everyday life and by building “math esteem,” which is crucial for every student.
The Elementary Mathematics program allows for the appreciation of children’s intuitive mathematical thinking, emphasizes problem-solving, and builds mathematical understanding through a CPA approach. The Concrete Pictorial Abstract (CPA) approach is a system of learning that uses physical and visual aids to build a child's understanding of abstract topics.
Second Grade students learn addition and subtraction with renaming (carrying and borrowing), multiplication and division, place value, measurement, money, introduction of fractions, writing numbers in words, time telling, graphs, and very introductory geometric shapes and areas. Students begin to use various Web-based games and software programs to enhance agility with math facts.
STANDARDS AND SKILLS
- Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction
- Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication
- Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract
- Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units
- Work with time and money
Our inquiry-based science program encourages children to satisfy their curiosities through experiences. Presented with open-ended questions, students gather evidence, conduct experiments in the lab and in the field, propose solutions, and collaborate with one another to defend their thinking. Experiential lessons deepen content knowledge in relevant ways. Students gain awareness of the natural world while enhancing skills needed in a world of rapidly expanding scientific knowledge. Students connect concepts, develop critical-thinking skills, and gain confidence in communicating their ideas clearly.
Second graders use questioning, observing, measuring, and concluding skills while exploring the properties of matter.
Students begin to build a knowledge of the world's animal biodiversity in second grade science. They look into animal taxonomy and the characteristics that distinguish each group.
The attention then shifts to habitats and how the surrounding environment influences which creatures live in a given habitat. Through hands-on research, students continue to investigate the needs of plants. They investigate why and how plants disseminate their seeds, as well as what those seeds require to grow and what adult plants require to survive and prosper.
Students investigate the effects of water on the Earth's surface. Students build and use mountain models to explain how water flows downhill, transforming massive rocks into the little grains of sand found at the beach. Students also build and use model hills to figure out what causes erosion and how to solve erosion-related problems. Students investigate the properties of matter and materials! They characterize and classify many types of materials based on qualities such as hardness, flexibility, and absorbency, and they look into how these properties might help meet basic human needs (such as clothing and cooking). They also look into how heating and cooling alter material qualities.
MYSTERY SCIENCE is a curriculum aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and supports Common Core. It features rigorous lessons in science and engineering that inspire students to love science. Each Mystery begins with a question that is explored through hands-on scientific investigations, discussion questions, engaging videos and experiences that connect to real-world phenomena.
Grade 2 Planning Guide
All students will acquire the knowledge and skills to think analytically about how past and present interactions of people,cultures,and the environment shape the American heritage. Such knowledge and skills enable students to make informed decisions that reflect fundamental rights and core democratic values as productive citizens in local, national, and global communities.
In grades K-4, students learn fundamental concepts about government, citizenship, geography, economics, and history. The focus of instruction is on developing an understanding of core democratic values, the rights and responsibilities of American citizens, and how key people and events contributed to the development of the American heritage. Exploration of cultural universals enables students to realize how the availability of resources, the changing environment, and innovation impact everyday life.
Grade 2 Social Studies builds on the topics covered in Kindergarten and Grade 1. In the first unit students will closely examine their community with an emphasis on types of communities, needs and wants, goods and services, producers and consumers, and earning and using money. Students will gain an understanding of how a proper running community functions and operates.
The second unit will concentrate on using maps and globes in connection with the world. Students will participate in numerous activities using maps and globes to tell direction, relationship between physical features, and specific locations. Students will also examine the causes of night, day, seasons, and different climates.
The third unit will explore the United States of America and New Jersey's history and government. Locations of neighboring countries and states will be examined, as well as the location of capitals. Past important leaders and historical documents will also be discussed in detail. Students will examine other cultures from around the world and be able to highlight any differences or similarities.
STANDARDS AND SKILLS
- Understand need for community norms
- Appreciate differences and similarities
- Understand influence of climate and location
- Understand and use time-sequence terms, change over time
- Understand concept of goods to market
Physical Education at Pioneer Academy offers students a dynamic environment that grows beyond the traditional classroom. Through a variety of physical activities, students are encouraged to be creative, cooperative, and competitive while navigating diverse challenges as individuals and as members of a team. The curriculum is intentionally designed to promote locomotor development, teamwork, communication, and cooperation—essential foundations for both physical and social development.
A key benefit of physical education is its positive impact on mental well-being. A well-rounded workout helps reduce anxiety, tension, and stress, leading to better focus and improved academic performance. Lower School Physical Education classes foster this holistic development by integrating movement and mindfulness into students’ daily routines.
The Pioneer Academy Physical Education program emphasizes the development of lifelong skills that extend well beyond the gymnasium. Students build physical fitness and motor skills while also learning valuable life lessons through active play. The program nurtures good sportsmanship, helping students practice positive social behaviors through interaction and movement. It fosters skill acquisition in areas such as throwing, catching, striking, and kicking, and encourages students to develop a healthy self-image by understanding and expressing themselves through physical activity.
Classes typically begin with warm-up routines, including jogging, jumping rope, tumbling, parachute games, and dance activities—all designed to build aerobic and anaerobic endurance. Students engage in group games that develop agility, balance, coordination, spatial awareness, directionality, and creative movement.
Through a fun and non-competitive approach, students learn foundational sports skills such as jumping, catching, throwing, kicking, dribbling, volleying, and striking. These activities are always supervised to ensure a supportive environment where every child can build confidence, self-esteem, and positive interpersonal skills. Physical education at Pioneer Academy empowers children to enjoy movement, value fitness, and carry a love of healthy activity throughout their lives.
At Pioneer Academy, our 2nd grade STEAM program offers young learners a dynamic and engaging experience that integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and math into meaningful, hands-on learning. Our curriculum encourages students to explore real-world challenges through inquiry, experimentation, and collaboration.
From building greenhouses to study plant growth, to constructing anemometers to measure wind speed, students are consistently engaged in projects that connect classroom learning to the world around them. We also use Strawbees, an innovative building tool, to design and prototype a variety of creative structures that reinforce engineering and design principles. Through platforms like CodeMonkey, students develop foundational coding skills in a fun, game-based environment, building both logic and confidence in computer science from an early age.
Across each grade level, the STEAM classroom becomes a space of discovery and innovation where students ask questions, test ideas, and refine their thinking through trial and error. Projects are designed to be open-ended, allowing for creativity and personal expression while reinforcing core scientific and engineering practices. Students learn to use tools, materials, and digital resources to build prototypes, conduct experiments, and communicate their findings with peers. These experiences not only promote problem-solving but also encourage resilience, collaboration, and curiosity.
Art plays an integral role in STEAM by helping students express their ideas visually and creatively. Whether they are drawing their designs, crafting with recycled materials, or integrating artistic elements into digital projects, students learn that creativity and logic are deeply interconnected. By providing opportunities to explore, create, and innovate, STEAM at Pioneer helps K–4th grade students build a strong foundation for future academic success while developing the skills and mindset needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
At Pioneer Academy, our 2nd grade STEAM program offers young learners a dynamic and engaging experience that integrates science, technology, engineering, art, and math into meaningful, hands-on learning. Our curriculum encourages students to explore real-world challenges through inquiry, experimentation, and collaboration.
From building greenhouses to study plant growth, to constructing anemometers to measure wind speed, students are consistently engaged in projects that connect classroom learning to the world around them. We also use Strawbees, an innovative building tool, to design and prototype a variety of creative structures that reinforce engineering and design principles. Through platforms like CodeMonkey, students develop foundational coding skills in a fun, game-based environment, building both logic and confidence in computer science from an early age.
Across each grade level, the STEAM classroom becomes a space of discovery and innovation where students ask questions, test ideas, and refine their thinking through trial and error. Projects are designed to be open-ended, allowing for creativity and personal expression while reinforcing core scientific and engineering practices. Students learn to use tools, materials, and digital resources to build prototypes, conduct experiments, and communicate their findings with peers. These experiences not only promote problem-solving but also encourage resilience, collaboration, and curiosity.
Art plays an integral role in STEAM by helping students express their ideas visually and creatively. Whether they are drawing their designs, crafting with recycled materials, or integrating artistic elements into digital projects, students learn that creativity and logic are deeply interconnected. By providing opportunities to explore, create, and innovate, STEAM at Pioneer helps K–4th grade students build a strong foundation for future academic success while developing the skills and mindset needed to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
At Pioneer Academy, all Lower School students take Music twice weekly. During their music classes, students sing, play instruments, dance, and learn music history and literacy. By the time they reach Middle School, all students will have experience playing a variety of percussion instruments and the recorder. Music classes focus on experiencing and creating music, rather than solely learning about it. Students will improvise, compose, and prepare concerts every year. Lower School students typically perform two concerts a year to showcase their musical development.