The end of the first trimester marking period has passed at the Academy, and this is a good time to check in on our second grade and see the progress our younger students have made.
Second graders are rapidly changing and they are now adjusted to a more rigorous learning environment. They are able to deepen and expand their skills and knowledge. Mrs. Christine Dencker, our second grade teacher, guides them as they practice skills in more complex and comprehensive ways, helping them become more experienced writers, readers, and mathematicians.
In second grade, Language Arts continues to focus on phonics, reading skills, parts of speech, and sentence structure. Mrs. Dencker had the children tie these skills together by teaching them how to write a letter. The class wrote thank you letters to veterans in early November. This cross-curricular activity required the children to reflect first on what it means to be a hero. Next, they participated in a discussion on why they should thank veterans, and then construct a letter.
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The students have also been enjoying their reading club, led by our reading specialist, Mrs. Maria Auricchio. Each week, the students visit the library to read a book and work on an activity that strengthens their phonics skills and reading comprehension.
Faith formation in second grade builds upon the love of God the students learned in PreK- through first grade, but in a more nuanced way. The students learn that each of them has a conscience and that the choices they make affect their relationship with God and others. They recently discussed how important it is to nurture their relationship with God and when they do something that turns them away from God. They can ask for forgiveness and make amends. After the New Year, the students will start preparing for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion.
