2^nd Grade Humanities students consider the relationships of communities: the community of our family, the immediate community of Greenhill, the cities in which we live and work, the state of Texas, and the relationships of the states to one another throughout our country.

Students become acquainted with outstanding literary selections; develop skills in reading fluently both orally and silently; reinforce decoding skills while building new reading and speaking vocabulary; build literacy skills by recognizing character traits, plot, and settings; and develop comprehension skills on many levels. A balanced approach to the teaching of reading uses phonics as a springboard to decoding and integrates content areas to provide the interest level necessary for authentic reading opportunities.

Students model good writing through the study of and response to good literature; learn grammar and punctuation through authentic process writing; and apply spelling in their writing. Cursive handwriting is introduced.

2^nd Grade Math extends skills and concepts from the previous year. It also introduces new topics in each strand: Numbers and Numeration (reviewing whole numbers and place-value; comparing numbers; working with fractions; using money to develop place-value and decimal concepts); Operations and Computation (recall addition and subtraction facts; adding and subtracting with tens and hundreds; making reasonable estimates; beginning multiplication and division; calculating values of coin and bill combinations); Data and Chance (extended from 1^st grade); Geometry (classifying polygons); Measurement and Reference Frames (using tools to measure length, weight, temperature; using U.S. customary and metric units; using clocks and calendars); Patterns, Functions, and Algebra (exploring number patterns, rules for number sequences, and relations between numbers).

2^nd Grade Science allows students to explore topics within different disciplines of science.  These include: germs, how they’re spread, and good hygiene; body systems and their functions; plant needs, processes, and adaptations; interactions between and adaptations of different animals; habitats; Earth’s water sources; different star constellations; storms and what conditions create them; ways that forms of matter change; electrical connections; and light.

2^nd Grade Spanish continues to focus primarily on oral communication. Students expand vocabulary and sharpen listening comprehension skills. Correct pronunciation is stressed, and students use complete sentences whenever possible.  They learn about Mexican culture and some other Spanish-speaking countries.

2^nd Grade Art students learn art history and the fundamentals of art through experimentation with materials such as clay, paint, collage, drawing, and printmaking. Our primary focus is on process versus product.

2^nd Grade Music utilizes songs of greater difficulty to expand and strengthen students’ vocal range. Children creatively explore time, shape, space, and force with a given form; and label and identify rhythmic values from earlier grades.  Tempo and meter are defined, as are basic time signatures. Proper vocal and instrumental techniques are emphasized through an age-appropriate repertoire. 

Physical Education students participate in various movement activities designed to promote motor and manipulative development, the understanding of a healthy lifestyle, and a positive self-image.  Emphasis is on enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction within movement experiences.  The curriculum includes an aquatics unit accenting proper stroke development, water safety, and self-confidence during swimming; and a climbing unit designed to promote handwriting skills.

During 2^nd Grade Library time, the librarian reads aloud from a wide assortment of literary genres to help foster a love for literature and to develop good listening skills.  Students review the arrangement of books and how to care for them. Second graders learn to use the automated catalog to search for books.

2^nd Grade Computer students use various programs to enhance their classroom studies. Activities include word processing, creative writing and desktop publishing, Internet research, Internet web quests, graphic design, and special integrated projects. Students explore instructional computer games.