Getting ready for 2nd grade

Want to prepare for the next school year?
Keep the learning going over the summer. Below are suggestions of skills families might explore together during the school break.

Physical Health and Wellness
With parent/caregiver support...)
Knows the difference between right and wrong (conscience mostly developed)
Shows basic problem-solving skills in social situations
Begins to work together well in small groups
Begins to focus and tune out distractions
Has skills to move through space with confidence; is working on throwing, catching, dribbling with hands and feet, volleying, striking, jumping rope
Uses movements in games and activities; changes speed, height, direction, and type of movement (skips, slides, etc.)
Participates in safe and vigorous physical activity daily; understands that moving quickly increases heart rate and breathing
Follows directions alone and in a group; respects self and others during physical activity
Understands that physical activity is good for health, fun, challenge, self-expression, and/ or social interaction
Understands concepts that improve health (ex. handwashing)
Explores influence of family, friends, and media on health behaviors
Uses decision-making skills to improve health
Sets goals to improve health

English Language Arts
With parent/caregiver support...)
Knows who is telling a story in a text
Knows the main idea and can retell main parts of a text
Reads 1st grade texts and poems
Writes about experiences in his/her own words using different resources (picture dictionaries, Internet, books) and strategies
Describes familiar people, places, things, and events; expresses ideas and feelings
Speaks in complete sentences
Begins to use standard grammar (capitalization, punctuation, spelling) when writing; knows common spelling rules and understands that some words do not follow the rules
Uses words and phrases learned through conversations and books (read alone and read-to)
Participates in shared research and writing; uses a variety of resources (uses a few "howto" books on a topic to write instructions)
For activity ideas to practice these skills, go to gpb.org/learn.

Getting Ready for 2nd Grade

Page 2

Mathematics

Social Studies

With parent/caregiver support...
Uses addition and subtraction to solve word problems
Uses properties of operations (commutative, associative) to use for addition and subtraction problems within 20 (ex. if 8+3 = 11 is known, then 3 + 8 = 11 is also known)
Adds and subtracts within 20 (the sums of numbers in problem are less than 20)
Uses equations to solve addition and subtraction problems; knows which of the following equations are true and which are false: 6 = 6, 7 = 8 1, 5 + 2 = 2 + 5, 4 + 1 = 5 + 2
Counts to 120 starting at any number less than 120
Understands that the two digits of a two-digit number represent the amounts of tens and ones
Uses place value and properties of operations to solve addition and subtraction problems
Measures objects by comparing the length to another object used as a measuring tool (ex. measures how long a piece of paper is by using paper clips)

With parent/caregiver support...
Talks about how their choices can help or harm others; talks about how historic figures* improved the lives of others
Explains why people like historic figures* make choices based on where and when they live
Explains ways that life in the past is different from life today; tells you how their lives are similar to and different from the lives of historic figures*
Explains the meaning of patriotic words and songs (liberty, freedom, pride, My Country `Tis of Thee, America the Beautiful); shows respect for others and their environment
Explains why they have to make choices when resources are limited
*Historic figures: Thomas Jefferson, Ruby Bridges, Lewis and Clark with Sacagawea, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington Carver, Theodore Roosevelt

Science
With parent/caregiver support...
Observes weather, records observations, and uses data to identify patterns of weather Observes how light is required to make objects visible; compares light sources; investigates
shadows; explores how vibrating materials make sound and that sound can make materials vibrate Uses knowledge of light and sound to design an emergency signal to communicate over distance Describes how magnets are used in everyday life; understands how magnets interact with other
magnets and other objects Names parts of a plant; knows the basic needs of animals and plants; compares and contrasts the
needs of plants and animals
These skills were identified by the Georgia Department of Education's division of curriculum and instruction based on the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE). This list is not required, and students won't be expected to know all of the information part of a teacher's job is meeting all students where they are at the beginning of the school year.

For activity ideas to practice these skills at home, go to gpb.org/learn.