2nd Grade
Tierra Joseph: 2nd Grade Teacher
B.A. in Childhood Education
M.A. in Special
Teaching at Thornton-Donovan since 2023
"I believe that Every student has their own unique way of learning. It is important to differentiate lessons in order to meet the needs of all students. My classroom must be an environment where all students feel safe, loved and important. Cooperative learning and making sure students work together is crucial."
MATH: Students learn to understand addition and subtraction and place value. Students add and subtract two and three digit numbers. Also, students learn how to count money and are introduced to multiplication.
LANGUAGE ARTS: Students practice vocabulary words; learn grammar such as sentence structure, nouns, contractions, and verbs. Also, students learn how to write personal narratives, friendly letters, descriptions, book reports etc. Students learn phonics such as short vowels, long vowels etc.
READING: Students learn about fables, legends, folktales, informational texts, realistic fiction, and poetry. Students have a reading log in order to keep track of their reading every night.
SCIENCE: Students learn about matter, plants, animals, weather and technology. As well as perform experiments throughout the year.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Students learn about people and where they live. Also, students learn how people work together and about our government.
ITALIAN: Students learn basic vocabulary, phrases, grammar. Topics may include a selection of the following: greetings, telling the date and time, telling the weather, telling age, classroom vocabulary, geography, family, adjectives, grammatical gender, singular and plural, personal pronouns, essere, avere.
SPANISH: Students learn basic vocabulary, phrases, grammar. Topics may include a selection of the following: greetings, telling the date and time, telling the weather, telling age, classroom vocabulary, geography, family, adjectives, grammatical gender, singular and plural, personal pronouns, ser, estar, tener.
MUSIC: 2nd grade expands on the 1st grade's lessons, building on that foundation, as well as adding ukuleles and other instruments from around the world. Basic songs are learned on these instruments.
ART: Learning shapes, colors and how to blend them, rainbow sequence. Learning concepts of pattern and symmetry. Basic drawing techniques for animals, plants and figures. Some techniques we explore include: simple origami folding, blot painting, stencil printing, rubbings, crayon/watercolor resist painting, "melted" magic marker painting, model magic sculpting.