Grade 2

CURRICULUM GUIDE
As an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, we at Bonn International School are
committed to the Primary Years Programme (PYP). This is the IB programme designed for
students aged 3–12 years. At BIS, students are in the PYP from Early Learning until Grade 5.
The PYP is the best preparation for the IB programmes that follow, the Middle Years Programme
(MYP) in Grades 6 - 10 and the Diploma Programme (DP) in Grades 11 and 12.

The PYP is an international curriculum framework, based on best practice and research from
around the world. The programme focuses on the development of the whole child, both in the
classroom and in the world outside. We challenge students to excel in their learning and in their
personal growth, and we aim to inspire in them a quest for learning throughout life.

Learning in the PYP is:

Inquiry-based: We believe children learn best through structured, purposeful inquiry. Students
are expected to play an active role in, and take responsibility for, their own learning. Students
are encouraged to ask questions, investigate and find ways to answer these questions, and to
sustain this enjoyment of learning throughout life.

Collaborative: Learning is a social endeavour, and there is great emphasis on sharing, group
work and collaboration at our school. Students learn to communicate well, to encourage each
other, and to develop an open mind so they can learn from each other.

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
Differentiated: The learner is at the heart of our curriculum framework. Children come to school
with a range of experiences, backgrounds and prior knowledge. Teachers in the PYP aim to
design learning to suit children at all different levels of competence or experience, providing
support for those who need it, and extensions for those who need more challenge.

Concept-driven: Students spend their time at school exploring and learning about important
concepts that have relevance in their own lives, and that they can transfer to other contexts. Our
aim is to develop students’ understanding of big ideas, not just their knowledge or skills.

The Learner Profile Attributes

International mindedness is defined by the IB in the attributes of the Learner Profile. The PYP
curriculum design supports students in developing these attributes, which are actively modeled
by all members of our learning community. The Learner Profile attributes help develop
internationally minded people. We want our learners to become:

Inquirers:
We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn
independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning
throughout life.

Knowledgeable:
We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of
disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.

Thinkers:
We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyze and take responsible action on complex
problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

Communicators:
We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many forms.
We collaborate effectively, listening carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups.

Principled:
We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect
for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their
consequences.

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
Open-minded:
We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and
traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow
from the experience.

Caring:
We show empathy, compassion and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to
make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

Risk-Takers:
We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and
cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient
in the face of challenges and change.

Balanced:
We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives — intellectual, physical,
and emotional — to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our
interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

Reflective:
We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand
our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

Concepts
Our aim is for students to develop an understanding of big concepts, to explore these concepts
in different ways, and to be able to apply their understanding of these concepts to new and
unfamiliar situations. Our Units of Inquiry are organized in such a way that they offer
opportunities for students to explore the PYP key concepts multiple times and in lots of ways
throughout the PYP. These key concepts are:

Form (what is it like?)

Function (how does it work?)
Change (how is it changing?)
Connection (how is it connected to other things?)
Causation (why is it like it is?)
Responsibility (what is our responsibility?)
Perspective (what are the points of view?)

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
Approaches to Learning
Students develop a range of transdisciplinary skills throughout the PYP. These skills are divided
into the following sets of skills:

Communication skills
Social skills
Self-management skills
Research skills
Thinking skills

Action
We believe that real learning will lead to some action or some change in attitude or thinking.
Once something is learned and fully understood, it will lead to action of some kind. Student action
in the PYP can be big or small, happen at school or at home, and will develop over time.
Examples of student action might be: including more people on the playground, choosing healthy
foods, trying a new activity, turning off the lights when leaving a room, and lots more.

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
The Programme of Inquiry in Grade 2

Each school year, BIS students explore six different ‘Units of Inquiry’. Each unit of inquiry lasts
for approximately 6 weeks. The units are designed to be relevant, significant, engaging and
challenging, as well as developmentally appropriate. Our units provide the context for much of
the learning in Language and Mathematics, as well as all content within Science and Social
Studies. Units of Inquiry are transdisciplinary and, where appropriate and authentic, connections
are also made between the units and the single subjects Music, Visual Arts, German and PE.

Grade 2 Units of Inquiry

Who we are Where we are in place and How we express ourselves

time
An inquiry into the nature of the An inquiry into the ways in which
self; beliefs and values; An inquiry into orientation in we discover and express ideas,
personal, physical, mental, place and time; personal feelings, nature, culture, beliefs
social and spiritual health; histories; homes and journeys; and values; the ways in which
human relationships including the discoveries, explorations and we reflect on, extend and enjoy
families, friends, communities, migrations of humankind; the our creativity; our appreciation of
and cultures; rights and relationships between and the the aesthetic.
responsibilities; what it means interconnectedness of individuals
to be human. and civilizations, from local and
global perspectives.

Central idea Central idea Central idea

Understanding who we are as Evidence of past civilizations can People use visual codes to
individuals and as a community be used to make connections communicate locally and
empowers us to grow as between the past and the globally.
learners. present.

● How our passions Lines of Inquiry: Lines of Inquiry:

inspire our learning and ● Ways we can find out ● Signs and symbols in
how we learn about the past visual communication
● How we persevere ● Characteristics of past ● How visual codes help
through challenges civilizations in the local us communicate
● Building trust to have a area ● Visual elements of
collaborative community ● Connections between the effective signs and
past and the present symbols

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
 How the world works How we organize ourselves Sharing the planet

An inquiry into the natural world An inquiry into the An inquiry into rights and
and its laws; the interaction interconnectedness of human- responsibilities in the struggle to
between the natural world made systems and communities; share finite resources with other
(physical and biological) and the structure and function of people and with other living
human societies; how humans organizations; societal decision- things; communities and the
use their understanding of making; economic activities and relationships within and between
scientific principles; the impact their impact on humankind and them; access to equal
of scientific and technological the environment. opportunities; peace and conflict
advances on society and on the resolution.
environment.

Central idea Central idea Central idea

People use their understanding Communities are organized People can make a difference to
of motion and mechanics to based on the needs and wants of the environment through various
invent and create. people. forms of action.

Lines of Inquiry: Lines of Inquiry:

● Motion and Forces ● Services and structures Lines of Inquiry:
● Simple Mechanics to meet people’s needs ● Current environmental
● Compound Machines and wants in a issues
● Important and creative community ● Young activists and their
inventions ● How communities are causes
and organized ● Local organizations and
● How people choose clubs
where to live

Languages
Language
English is our shared language of instruction and communication. In a PYP school the focus is
not just on learning language in isolation, but also on the application of language skills across
the subject areas and throughout the Programme of Inquiry. Some language is taught as ‘stand-
alone’, while other aspects of language are taught in the context of our Units of Inquiry. We
believe students learn best when they have opportunities to learn within meaningful contexts,
and when the teaching is in response to students’ needs, interests and previous experiences.
Students at BIS come from a wide range of language and cultural backgrounds, which we view
as a major asset to our learning community.

In a PYP language classroom:

- Students and teachers enjoy using language, and appreciate language diversity
- All students feel supported in taking risks in language learning

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
 - There are close connections with the Media Centre, other classrooms and single subject
teachers
- Students connect to the broader world through technology
- Students have many opportunities to engage with high-quality literature

Students develop skills in the following strands of language learning:

- Written Language: Reading and Writing
- Oral Language: Listening and Speaking

Our English programme encompasses a readers’ and writers’ workshop model, as well as
offering opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills within an integrated programme.

Students develop skills and understandings across the four areas of language learning.

Reading ● Different types of texts serve different purposes

● Checking, rereading and correcting our own reading as we go enable us to
read new texts
● Wondering about texts and asking questions helps us to understand the
main ideas in texts
● The structure and organization of written language in text forms influences
and conveys meaning
● Our prior knowledge and background experiences enable us to understand
what we read

Writing ● We write in different ways for different purposes

● The structure of different types of texts includes identifiable features
● Applying a range of strategies helps us to express ourselves so that others
can enjoy our writing
● Thinking about book characters and people in real life helps us to develop
characters in our own stories
● When writing, the words we choose and how we choose to use them enable
us to share our imaginings and our ideas

● Spoken language varies according to the purpose and audience

Speaking and ● People interpret messages according to their unique experiences and ways
Listening of understanding
● Spoken communication is different from written communication - it has its
own set of rules

Readers and Writers Workshop:

We work with the Readers and Writers Workshop model, based on the resources developed by
the Columbia University Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Project. The workshop model
consists of several components each day, allowing for teachers to teach specific skills and for
students to have lots of time to practice and apply the skills taught. The workshop model also
allows teachers to support and challenge all students, no matter their level of competence. Each
year, we teach four Writing Units of Study and four Reading Units of Study.

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
Writing Units of Study in Grade 2:
● Launching Writers’ Workshop and routines
● ‘Small Moments’ - writing personal narratives
● Authors as Mentors (Narrative/fiction)
● ‘Lab Reports and Science Books’ - information writing
● ‘Writing about Reading ‘ - developing reading responses, opinion writing
● ‘Poetry’

Reading Units of Study in Grade 2:

● ‘Launching Readers’ Workshop’ – Workshop and routines
● ‘Reading Growth Spurt’ - developing fluency
● ‘Becoming Experts’ - reading non-fiction
● ‘Bigger Books mean amping up Reading Power’ - keeping track of longer books,
extending fluency and comprehension
● ‘Book Clubs’ - reading and discussing thinking on books in small groups

Handwriting, Phonics and Spelling:

We work with the phonics programme ‘Letters and Sounds’ to help children develop their
phonetic awareness and the spelling programme ‘Read Write Inc.’. Students in Grade 2 also
develop a fluent and legible handwriting script and this is linked to their spelling programme.

German
All students at BIS study the German Language. Students enter either the German Language
and Literature (for students who speak German at a native language level) or the German
Language Acquisition (for students learning German as an additional language). German
Language Acquisition is further divided into three phases of language acquisition. Students are
carefully assessed and monitored to ensure accurate grouping of students. Students of all
classes within the grade level have German at the same time, as we have three different groups
with three German teachers. Aspects of German culture are explored through our host country
celebrations such as St. Martin in November and Carnival in February. Students in the German
programme also learn other aspects about Germany within some topics/Units of Inquiry in their
language programme.

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
Mathematics
We believe that students learn best through purposeful, structured inquiry. The aim of our
Mathematics Programme is to develop students into confident mathematical thinkers, with a
sound knowledge of number and the creativity to apply this knowledge to solve problems in
many ways. Our main resource for teaching Mathematics is the New Zealand Numeracy
Framework. This framework involves a clear outline of progression in number knowledge and
strategies, as well as rigorous assessment tools for tracking students’ development.
Mathematics lessons are usually differentiated, with students working on a variety of tasks in
various different flexible groupings, in order to challenge and support all students, regardless of
their level of competency or experience. For more information on the NZ Numeracy Framework,
you can go to http://nzmaths.co.nz/families. Please note that Grade 2 at BIS is the equivalent of
Year 3 in New Zealand.

The different strands of Mathematics are:

- Number (addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, proportion and ratios)
- Geometry and Measurement
- Statistics and Probability

In Grade 2, students work within the number strand for about 70/80% of the Mathematics
teaching time. Students in Grades 2 and 3 typically work through Stage 5 of the Numeracy
Framework, though of course some students may work in a higher or lower stage. The
expectation is that students have mastered all outcomes within Stage 5 at the end of Grade 3.
The strategies and knowledge in this phase will take about two years to develop completely, and
some aspects might be consolidated earlier or later than other aspects.

Specific outcomes in Stage 5 are:

Number Knowledge
● Identify numbers on the range 0-1000
● Say the forwards and backwards number word sequence by ones, tens and hundreds in
the range 0-1000
● Order the numbers in the range 0-1000
● Recall doubles to 20
● Recall addition and subtraction facts to 20
● Recall groupings within 100
● Recall the number of tens and hundreds in 100s and 1000s
● Round three digit whole numbers to the nearest 10, or 100
● Identify the symbols for halves, quarters, thirds, fifths and tenths
● Order fractions with the same denominator
● Know the number 1, 10, 100 before and after a given number in the range 0-1000

Number Strategies
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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
 ● Solve addition and subtraction problems by using doubles
● Solve addition problems by using compatible numbers
● Solve addition and subtraction problems by going through tens
● Solve addition and subtraction problems by using place value partitioning
● Solve addition and subtraction problems by compensating with tidy numbers
● Solve multiplication problems by using repeated addition
● Solve 5 times tables by doubling and halving
● Find unit fractions of sets
● Find unit fractions of regions
● Solve division problems by sharing

Geometry in Grade 2
● Explore and describe faces, edges and corners of 2D and 3D object
● Make, name and describe polygons and other plane shapes
● Explain in their own language what line symmetry is
● Describe the process of making shapes with line symmetry
● Name common 2D mathematical shapes
● Give and follow directions using left, right, up, down, North, South, East and West
● Draw and follow a path on a grid to show a route followed
● Label and follow legends on a map

Measurement in Grade 2
● Recognize the need for a standard unit of length
● Recognize a centimetre and a metre length
● Estimate and measure to the nearest metre and the nearest centimetre
● Demonstrate a personal benchmark for 1 metre and 1/2 metre
● Make sensible estimates about the lengths of given objects
● Recognize the length of a minute and of a second
● Tell time to the hour and half hour on digital and analogue clocks
● Solve time problems involving hours and half hours
● Estimate the time taken for daily activities in hours and minutes
● Tell time after the hour by counting minutes

Statistics and Probability in Grade 2

● Make a statement about a data display
● Decide if they agree or disagree with a statement about the data display

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
Personal, Social and Physical Education (PSPE)
Personal and Social Education
The development of a student’s well-being is addressed through all areas of the PYP curriculum.
Therefore students’ social, personal and emotional development is the shared responsibility of
all teachers at BIS. Children are given guidance to help develop positive attitudes and
behaviours in order to meet challenges, make healthy lifestyle choices, and become successful
learners.

Physical Education
Physical Education at BIS is about more than just student participation in sports and games. Its
purpose is to develop a combination of transferable skills promoting physical, intellectual,
emotional and social development. During the PYP, we endeavor to provide meaningful
opportunities for learning about movement and through movement in a range of contexts.

Students in Grade 2 have PE lessons in the Sports Hall two periods per week. Depending on
the time of year, some lessons take place outside on our fields.

PE units in Grade 2 include:

● Invasion Games
● Games from different cultures
● Parkour and Gymnastics
● Movement to Music
● Track and Field
● Adventure challenge – Team Building

The Arts
Learning about and through the Arts is fundamental to the development of the whole child. It
promotes creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and social interactions. Through our
Arts Programme, students develop attitudes such as appreciation, empathy and Learner Profile
attributes such as being a communicator and a risk-taker.

Grade 2 students have three periods of Visual Arts and three periods of Music over a ten-day
cycle. Lessons take place in the Primary Art Room and the Primary Music Room in the Agora
building.

Visual Art units in Grade 2 include:

● Self-portraits
● Printmaking
● Principles of Perspective
● Ancient Wall Murals and Pottery

Music units in Grade 2 include:

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
 ● Learning to play the ukulele
● Singing
● Music Appreciation: World Music
● Musical elements - Rhythm

Seesaw
Students are involved in learning how to assess, and reflect on, their own work. Seesaw is an
online assessment, journal and portfolio tool. Seesaw is used to record student progress, to plan
for their next steps in learning and to document the learning journey. Parents log on to see and
respond to examples of their children’s learning.

Assessment and Reporting

In the PYP, assessment is integral to all teaching and learning. We use assessment data to
inform our planning. This enables us to differentiate our programme so that each student is
included, engaged and challenged at their own level.

Teachers use a range of assessment strategies and tools for formative (assessment FOR
learning) and summative (assessment OF learning) assessments.

We also use a range of standardized assessment tools to keep track of children’s progress, in
Grade 2 these include:

- Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) - administered at least twice a year to give

an indication of reading level
- Spelling/Phonics assessments linked to our programmes
- GloSS (Global Strategy Stage) Mathematics Assessment - administered at least twice a
year to track student progress through the New Zealand Numeracy Framework

Annual Reporting Cycle

There are several opportunities each year for parents to be informed about their child’s progress
at school. In addition to the scheduled conferences, parents are encouraged to engage in open
conversations with their child’s teachers throughout the year, and can make appointments to
speak with the teachers whenever they wish. Teachers may also request additional meetings
with parents if needed. Parents are also kept up to date through regular posts on the digital
portfolios, Seesaw and Tapestry.

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum
Scheduled reporting times are:

September Students in Grade One - Grade Five will participate in a three-way

meeting with the teacher and parent to establish learning goals for the
year.

January Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled where you can discuss the
progress your child is making.

March Parents are invited in for a student-led conference whereby each student
will talk through their learning progress with their parents.

June At the end of the year, parents receive a formal written report for the
academic year.

Student Support
BIS has a range of ways to support our students. We believe that sound relationships between
teachers, support staff and students, as well as between students, are vital to ensure a good
learning environment. Our aim is for all our students to feel safe, to feel accepted, to feel included
and to feel cared about. We have a Primary School Counselor, who works with those students
who need additional emotional or social support. She also works with whole classes on issues
that might impact all children, such as bullying or safety issues.

Our Learning Support Department empowers students with learning differences to become
confident, independent students who can self-advocate and find their own path to success. Our
Learning Support Programme is designed for students with mild to moderate learning difficulties.
The LS teachers work in collaboration with homeroom teachers and parents to ensure that these
students can make progress and show academic growth.

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BIS Grade 2 Programme Information and Curriculum