When we took back-to-school photos last week, I couldn’t believe how much my middle child has grown! She is now in the 2nd grade.
I’ve always used Timberdoodle to acquire most of my homeschooling materials. They provide complete curriculum kits, which I use as a guide when deciding what materials to use. I use their kit customizer after considering what materials I prefer and what we can afford. We have been very pleased with Timberdoodle’s offerings because they include play-based materials (puzzles, games, building toys, etc.), materials that cover a wide variety of subjects, and materials that teach kids how to learn. Despite the thoroughness of Timberdoodle’s materials, I do use various other materials (documentaries, books, worksheets from educational webpages, etc.) as supplements.
Here are the materials we will use for 2nd grade during the 2023-2024 school year.
Language arts
Grammar and writing
This workbook, designed to aid kids in developing their writing skills, teaches the 6 traits that characterize superior writing (content, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, voice, and conventions). The simple and entertaining worksheets in the book are designed to be completed daily, but we find it easier to complete 2 at a time. She will complete 2 pages on 1 day of each week. She will not complete every page in the book because we are using this as a supplement to a more comprehensive language arts book (described below).
This book is a complete language arts curriculum that addresses topics including reading, writing, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Its worksheets are colorful and fun to complete. It is a very long book (there are several worksheets addressing each concept), so my daughter will not complete every page. However, she will complete 2-3 pages on 2 days of each week.
Zaner-Bloser Handwriting Grade 2
This handwriting program is easy to use. It teaches a vertical manuscript alphabet (like the letter forms most widely used in everyday print). It is engaging because it contains colorful pages and simple activities that don’t feel tedious. My daughter will complete this book a little at a time. She will use it to fill the time when she has completed independent work and is waiting for me to finish with one of her sisters so that I can help her with her next topic. These little waiting periods happen each day, so there will be plenty of opportunities to complete the book before the school year ends.
Reading
This mastery-based program teaches everything kids need to be successful readers (phonics, decoding, fluency, and comprehension). It contains many fun stories. Because it uses a multisensory approach, it also includes numerous interactive activities. My daughter will complete 1-2 lessons each week.
Spelling
As I noted when discussing my eldest child’s 3rd grade curriculum, we’ve struggled to find a spelling curriculum that works well for us. However, we finally found one! I wish we had begun with All About Spelling, but I’m glad we finally tried it and are using it now.
All About Spelling is a logical, pressure-free way to teach spelling. It teaches why words are spelled the way they are. It uses a mastery-based approach, so each student can review until he or she understands a spelling concept, moving on to the next concept when ready. My daughter will complete roughly 1 chapter (referred to as a “Step”) each week.
Social studies
Civics and economics
180 Days of Social Studies for Second Grade
This workbook offers concise daily lessons and activities on civics, economics, geography, and history. Because our state requires homeschoolers to provide instruction in “good citizenship,” we utilize the civics content in the book. I also use it to introduce economic concepts. However, I use other materials to address geography and U.S. history. My daughter will complete 2-3 civics or economics worksheets on 1 day of each week.
Geography
Skill Sharpeners Geography Grade 2
Skill Sharpeners Geography teaches map skills and various geography concepts. It contains colorful images and fun activities, so it teaches these things in an engaging way. We use numerous library books to supplement what is taught in the book because it covers many topics in a somewhat cursory manner. My daughter will complete 1 chapter each week until she finishes the book.
National Geographic Kids United States Atlas and The 50 States: Explore the U.S.A. with 50 fact-filled maps! accompanied by The U.S.A. Regions and States Notebook
With their colorful images and fact-filled pages, these two books provide an engaging look at the 50 states. Using these, along with The U.S.A. Regions and States Notebook (a free document available to print from Becky at this Reading mama), my daughter will learn about each state (location, landforms, culture, natural resources, etc.). My daughter will complete 25 states in the notebook this year; she will complete the remaining 25 states next year.
History
Major Events in American History
This book contains brief, kid-friendly accounts of 50 key events in United States history. Along with colorful illustrations, each chapter provides key information about an event without being so detailed that it overwhelms young readers. I chose this book because it covers some events typically skipped by other elementary-level U.S. history homeschool books (the city of Cahokia, the Nat Turner rebellion, the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, etc.). Because the book only covers 50 events, I will address a few additional ones using other materials. My daughter will complete U.S. history on 2 days each week (she will either read a chapter in this book or read materials I’ve selected that address an additional topic).
The Story of the World Volume 3 and The Story of the World Volume 4
These books teach world history in a read-aloud format. They are an easy way to introduce world history to young learners. Volume 3 addresses the Early Modern Times (Elizabeth the First to the Forty-Niners) and Volume 4 addresses the Modern Age (Victoria’s Empire to the end of the USSR). For many of the stories to be suitable for young kids (in regard to length and content), I abridge them as I read them. We will read a total of 38 stories from these books. The majority will come from Volume 3, though several will come from Volume 4. I decided to do this because the author advises against reading Volume 4 to young students (the rationale being that many of the events that shaped the twentieth century are particularly heinous and difficult to understand). We will read 1 story (and complete its corresponding activities) on 1 day each week.
STEM
Science
Purposeful Design Science Grade 3
I believe this curriculum is one of the reasons why my kids love science so much! Each book contains simple text, colorful diagrams, engaging activities, and instructions for hands-on experiments. The Grade 3 book covers life science, physical science, earth and space science, and the human body. Though she is only in the 2nd grade, my middle daughter will use the 3rd grade book so that she and my eldest are in the same book (this is easier for me). My daughter will complete science on 2 days each week. Each of these days she will complete half a chapter (so she will complete one chapter every 2 weeks).
Math
Math-U-See is a wonderful math curriculum. It teaches math in a way that makes sense. In addition to being multisensory, it is a mastery-based, student-paced program (i.e., students only move on to a new concept once they’ve mastered the current one). It uses blocks (comparable to “base 10 blocks” or “place value blocks”) to demonstrate mathematical concepts. My daughter will complete 1 lesson each week.
Art, physical education, and music
I have not made it a priority to provide formal instruction in art, PE, or music. Our state does not require homeschoolers to address these topics. We do learn about these things (using field trips, library books, documentaries, etc.), but our approach has been casual. We will continue this approach for the coming year, but I have some ideas for how to address these topics that I may implement in the coming years.
Final thoughts
We actually started school last week and are enjoying these materials so far. At first glance, it seems like a lot to cover, but it only takes us a couple of hours to complete school each day. This leaves plenty of time for field trips, educational games, library books, and other things that reinforce our learning.
Have you started school yet? What grades are your kids entering? What things are you excited about for the coming year?
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