2nd Grade Language Arts & Science

[FlyingMOm]

I am trying to decide on several items for second grade language arts and would love to hear any input you all can share with me. I also could use some Science suggestions.

 

Language Arts-

Literature- covered by Tapestry of Grace, Year 3 (The 1800’s)

 

Writing- Daily 6 Trait Writing or Writing with Ease?? (or any other suggestions)

 

Grammar- FLL or Language Lessons for the Very Young?? (or any other suggestions)

 

Spelling- Sequential Spelling

 

Poetry- Favorite Poems Old & New- continue reading aloud & memorizing.

 

We desperately need to get going on Science but I just can't seem to find something that I like.

 

We tried Apologia this year & it wasn't what I was hoping for.

 

I want something EASY and something SHORT without a ton of writing. I've considered getting something like Daily Science & then supplementing it with several of Little Labs Kits or the Mind Blowing Science kit. I'm definitely open to some suggestions of things you've used & loved or things you've used & hated (tell me why!).

[FlyingMOm]

:lurk5:

[texasmama]

My current second grader is using FLL 2, WWE 2 and Sequential Spelling. We are using Apologia so I am no help there.:001_smile:

[TheCoffeeChick]

We're doing God's Design for Heaven & Earth - read a paragraph or two and do a very quick tie-in. Sometimes it's as simple as drawing something other times it takes a few more minutes to mix vinegar and baking soda in a bottle to illustrate a volcano. Quick and painless. :)

 

Next year though, we are doing science even more simply by doing it the well trained mind way. We'll do a quick experiment, discuss a few questions about what happened, write a sentence or two in our science notebooks, and be done. I think during the grammar stage the goal should be more to foster a love of science rather than worry about "learning" a set of skills or information. So, while I loved the God's Design series for 1st and 2nd, I just think I was putting way more effort into it than I had to. I'm all about simplifying our schooling for next year. ;)

[~Kirsten~]

For science, have you checked out either Elemental Science or R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey? We really love ES (and have friends who love RSO). It fits your description of being short and easy to implement, and as a bonus, my daughter loves it. It's not a living book approach like Apologia, but it does follow the WTM science sequence (i.e., one subject per year with readings from encyclopedias, narrations on those readings, and experiments). I do all the writing of the narrations for my daughter; she does the coloring and cutting for her notebook.

 

For language arts, I'm not as helpful. My daughter is ahead of her age in the programs we've used, though. So I'm very familiar with FLL. It's gentle, minimal writing, and thorough. We got a bit bored with it here, though, and since DD has a bizarre love for workbooks, she's enjoying Growing With Grammar now. But I'll use FLL again with my younger daughter.

 

We do absolutely love WWE. It's a very different approach to writing than most programs, so before committing, I'd suggest reading a bit about it (if your library has the text, it's really helpful to read, though you don't need it at all to do the program). As a bonus, our reading list is absolutely huge now. :D I have no experience with Sequential Spelling, so hopefully others can help there.

[Aurelia]

We did WWE1 last year, but Ariel wasn't quite ready to move on to WWE2, so we're doing narration and copywork with the LA suggestions and history in OM2, but as soon as she is ready we will use WWE2 and Galore Park Junior English 1 for grammar and composition. If you haven't done level 1 of WWE, I definitely suggest it. It sounds like you have literature and spelling covered, but I like Apples & Pears for spelling (it also uses some basic dictation, which I like) and I will use my own booklist for read alouds and some of the Moving Beyond the Page literature units because I think they are well done.

 

Why not try something like the GEMS teacher manuals? There's not a lot of planning, just collect the supplies and make copies, if needed. You can also do as many or as few as you like without feeling behind. We're doing Liquid Explorations, Involving Dissolving, Secret Formulas and Buzzing a Hive plus The Animal Kingdom from Royal Fireworks Press, since that's where Ariel's interests lie.

[Trivium Academy]

God's Design Science, it combined everything with not much planning. I felt better knowing there was some type of organization to it all and I wasn't missing anything. We took a more secular approach and this fits the bill if you're Christian or wish for it to be secular.

[hsmom]

 

I want something EASY and something SHORT without a ton of writing. I've considered getting something like Daily Science & then supplementing it with several of Little Labs Kits or the Mind Blowing Science kit. I'm definitely open to some suggestions of things you've used & loved or things you've used & hated (tell me why!).

 

 

Well if you want EASY and something SHORT without a ton of writing. I recommend you look at McRuffy. Lessons are short, easy to do and teach, fun, little to no writing is need. Not too much reading also. Once you get the kit not much more is needed other than that.

 

We really enjoy it.

[FlyingMOm]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone- you've given me lots to think about & look at!