The St. Paul School curriculum gives students a solid foundation of skills to help them master each subject. St. Paul supports students on both ends of the learning spectrum – those who need additional help and those who need additional challenges.  

Religion

• Second Graders study Baptism and prepare to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist.
• Highlights of the year include the Candle Mass and a Tasting Celebration shared with their families.
• Students learn the parts of the Mass and begin to pray the rosary.
• Students continue to practice known prayers and learn new ones, such as the Act of Contrition.

Language Arts

• The language arts program integrates a phonics-based reading and writing program.
• Guided reading, silent reading, reading centers, and group discussion are used to build a love of reading.
• Students begin learning the writing process and editing skills.  They incorporate an increasing vocabulary, apply word analysis to spell/define words, and extend patterns found in written and spoken language.
• They spell frequently encountered multi-syllable words and other words using structural cues.
• Students compare & contrast texts, and learn how to choose skill-level books.
• Students practice summarizing skills, using identification of beginning, middle, and end.
• Students use more complex sentences, commas, contractions, capitalization, and correct verb tenses.

Math

• Concepts are developed using concrete manipulatives and examples from the real world.
• Students learn concepts such as place value, equal sets, variables, fact families, & common fractions.
• They use bar graphs, line graphs, and tables to analyze data.
• Students learn suitable units of measurement, calendar, time, temperature, weight, and volume.
• They add/subtract three digit numbers, with and without regrouping using a variety of strategies, work story problems with two digits, and compare numbers up to 1,000.

Science

• Students learn about the needs of plants, the life cycle of flowering plants, and characteristics of plants that are passed from parent to young.
• Students learn and create research projects about animal habitats.
• Students experiment with states of matter, including solids, liquids, and gasses.
• Students learn about weather, air, and climate changes.
• They learn major landforms and bodies of water found on Earth. They focus on water in its three states and the motion of water over land.

Social Studies

• Second Graders learn social studies through the context of “The Local Community.”
• In history, students use a timeline of local events to demonstrate chronological thinking. They learn about important people using biographies and autobiographies.
• In geography, they use maps to learn symbols, labels and legends. Students learn about landforms & regions.  Students learn how their community is part of a larger region such as a county.
• In civics, students explore the US government. They describe how the Pledge of Allegiance reflects the core democratic value of patriotism. They learn how a person’s culture and traditions affect them.
• In economics, they learn how the economy affects their community, and make connections between local business and the economic wants of other businesses.

Specials and Extracurricular Activities

• Second Graders attend weekly classes in art, library, music, Spanish, gym, and computers. They can choose from a wide variety of after school activities, including chess, gymnastics, dance, scouts, and art.