2nd GRADE Language Arts for Review PDF Print E-mail

What is meant by Language Arts?

Language Arts is the area of the curriculum in which students are taught the range of skills needed to become proficient in using the language. In the elementary and secondary grades, Language Arts is often used when referring to reading and writing. In upper grades, Language Arts usually includes oral communication, as well.

Those from a traditional school background may be accustomed to using the word "English" instead of the phrase "Language Arts". Sometimes, parents may also use these words that refer to all of the different components of Language Arts:

  • spelling
  • vocabulary
  • word study (or phonics)
  • reading (or literature)
  • writing (or composition)
  • grammar

Information taken from Quick Start Homeschool 

Please review the following information with your child regularly. The information listed for each particular month has either been taught or will be taught during that month.

Grammar Glossary - http://www.harcourtschool.com/glossary/grammar/index1.html

 

SEPTEMBER

  • A sentence is a group of words that tells a whole idea. A sentence begins with a capital letter, ends with the correct punctuation mark, has correct word order, and tells the whole idea.
  • A statement is a sentence that tells something.  It ends with a period.
    • Ex: Many tables are in the cafeteria.
  • A question is sentence that asks something.  It ends with a question mark.
    • Ex: Did someone find a lunch box in the cafeteria? 
  • A command is a sentence that gives an order or tell someone to do something.  A command often begins with an action word.  A command ends with a period. 
    • Ex: Show kindness to others. 
  • An exclamation is a sentence that shows strong feeling.  It ends with an exclamation mark. 
    • Ex: Wow, Miss Hemphill jumped high! 
  • PARTS OF A FRIENDLY LETTER

OCTOBER

  • The complete subjectof a sentence is the person, place, or thing that is doing or being something.  The subject is the first part of a sentence.
    • Ex:  My cat ate all of his food. 
      • My cat is the complete subject of the sentence.
  • The complete predicatefollows the subject in a sentence.  The predicate starts with a verb indicating an action or state of being.  The predicate of a sentence tells what the subject is being or doing. 
    • Ex:  My cat ate all of his food.
      • ate all of his food is the complete predicate. 
  • SONG ABOUT SUBJECT & PREDICATE - http://www.teachersdesk.org/sub_pred_song.html
  • Endings
    • - ing - to make a verb mean "happening now"
      • EX:  bike   (biking) 
    • - ed - to make a verb mean "happened in the past"
      • EX:  bike   (biked)
  • Commas
    • Use a comma between the day and year in a date.  Use a comma between the names of a city and a state. 
      • EX:  June 5, 2011
      • EX:  Forestville, Maryland

NOVEMBER

  • Compound Sentences (Combining Sentences)
    • Compound Subjects (Combining Subjects)
      • You can combine two sentences with the same predicate.  Join the two subjects using the word andto make a compound subject.
        • EX:  Jane likes to swim.  Tim likes to swim.   =   Jane and Tim like to swim.
    • Compound Predicates (Combining Predicates)
      • You can combine two sentences with the same subject.  Join the two predicates using the word andto make a compound subject.
        • EX:  Greg likes to eat sausage.  Greg likes to eat pancakes.    =    Greg likes to eat sausage and pancakes.
  • Take a Look at this!Subject and Predicate PowerPoint Presentation, Subject and Predicate PowerPoint Presentation 2
  • Plural Nouns (Adding -s, -es, -ies, or -ves)
    • With some words changing its tense from singular to plural requires just adding an -s.
    • There are a few exceptions to the rule:
      • For words ending with s, f, x, sh, ch, or z, add -es.
      • For words ending with y with a consonant before the y, drop the y and add -ies.
      • For words ending with y with a vowel before the y, add -s.
      • For words ending with o with a consonant before the o, add -es.
      • For words ending with o with a vowel before the o, add -s.
      • For words ending with f or fe, change the f or fe to -ves.
  • Learning About the Suffixes -er and -est

DECEMBER

  • Plural Nouns (Adding -s, -es, -ies, or -ves)
    • With some words changing its tense from singular to plural requires just adding an -s.
    • There are a few exceptions to the rule:
      • For words ending with s, f, x, sh, ch, or z, add -es.
      • For words ending with y with a consonant before the y, drop the y and add -ies.
      • For words ending with y with a vowel before the y, add -s.
      • For words ending with o with a consonant before the o, add -es.
      • For words ending with o with a vowel before the o, add -s.
      • For words ending with f or fe, change the f or fe to -ves.
  • Learning About the Suffixes -er and -est 
  • Summarizing
    • To summarize means to put in your own words a shortened version of written or spoken material, stating the main points and leaving out everything that is not essential. 
    • MORE INFORMATION ON SUMMARIZING
  • Sequence of Events
    • The order or sequence of events that take place within a story.   
  • Proper Nouns are particular nouns of people, places, and things. 
    • Ex:  People = Miss Hemphill   Places = Mount Calvary Catholic School   Things (Our Pet Hamster) = Sweetie Pie 
  • Abbreviations of Proper Nouns
    • Ex:  Mister = Mr.   Missus = Mrs.   Doctor = Dr.    
  • Homophones
    • Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
      • EX:  hair and hare     ate and eight     no and know 

JANUARY

  • Generating questions as you read a story, helps you to understand the story better.  Questions to ask may include What is the main idea of the story?  Who are the characters?  What is the setting?  What is the problem in the story?  How will it be solved?  What do I predict will happen next? 
  • Making inferences is making decisions about a story based on clues in the story, pictures, and what you already know.  Making inferences can help you to better understand story characters and events. 
  • Singular Possessive Nouns
    • A possessive noun shows who or what has something (showing ownership).  Add an apostrophe (') and sto a singular noun to make it possessive.
      • EX:  The ducks egg will hatch soon.
        • Whose egg?  The duck.  The duck has/owns the egg = add 's = duck's
          • New Sentence:  The duck's egg will hatch soon.
  • Plural Possessive Nouns
    • To change most nouns to their plural form, add -s.  Nouns ending with s, f, x, sh, ch, or z, add -es.  To change most plural nouns to their possessive form, add an apostrophe (') at the end.
      • EX:  Two puppies'/puppy's ears are very floppy.
        • Which form of the word puppy is written correctly? The answer is puppies'.  Whose ears?  The puppy. 
          • Follow the rule and drop the y, add ies, and then the apostrope (') to make it possessive = puppies'

FEBRUARY

  • Comprehension
    • Identifying the main idea, details, literary elements (characters, theme, setting, plot), etc.
  • Variety of Literature
    • narrative, expository, text (classics, poetry, magazines, etc.)
  • Context Clues
    • Using clues or hints within the text that suggest the meaning of an unfamiliar word.
  • Cause and Effect
  • Present and Past Tense Form of HAVE
      • Use HAS when the subject is singular
      • Use HAVE when the subject is plural, I or you
      • Use HAD in the past tense with any subject

MARCH

  • Cause and Effect
  • Present and Past Tense Form of HAVE
    • Use HAS when the subject is singular
    • Use HAVE when the subject is plural, I or you
    • Use HAD in the past tense with any subject
  • TERRA NOVA PREP
    • Complete sentences
    • Punctuation
    • Proofreading
    • Fluency
    • Comprehension
    • Phonics
    • Grammar
    • Spelling

APRIL

  • Irregular Verbs (Past Tense)
    • Some verbs are irregular.  That means you do not add -ed to form the past tense.  These verbs have special forms in the past tense.
      • EX: Present - see; Past - saw
      • EX: Present - say; Past - said
      • EX: Present - go; Past - went
  • Monitor Comprehension:  Reading Ahead
    • You monitor comprehension when you stop and check to see if you understand what you are reading.  Reading ahead in a story can include looking at the illustrations.  Looking at illustrations later in a story can help you understand the text.
  • Use Illustrations
    • An illustration is a picture.  Pictures can help you better understand what is happening in a story.  The illustrations can give you many clues about a story.  If there is something in a story you don't understand, try looking for clues in an illustration to help you.

MAY