At Corvian, while we teach isolated skills, we strive to continuously give students meaningful and purposeful opportunities to use those newly learned skills. All students at all grade levels are always participating in multi-disciplinary, integrated units of study that allow the students to participate in meaningful, purposeful, and relevant studies. Rather than memorizing isolated facts, students will ponder and reflect upon big ideas that truly matter in the larger picture of life. For every unit, there are one or two of the core commonalities studied as threads that tie our learning together. We adhere to the brain research that supports helping students find connections across all learning.

2nd grade Thematic Study is divided into four multi-disciplinary, integrated units that are taught continuously throughout the school year.  NCSCOS Standards for Science and Social Studies, as well as Basic School Core Commonalities, are integrated into each unit through relevant and purposeful learning activities. 

Beginning of Year: Community Building: 

Students build community by writing a class promise, learning the Creed, and participating in group activities. Students study fairy tales as a part of this unit and locate the geography of each fairy tale, with settings in multiple countries of Europe.

• NSCOS Science Standards: Structures and Functions of Living Organisms

• NCSCOS Social Studies Standards: Geography

• Basic School Core Commonalities: Membership in Groups

Unit 1: Fighting For a Cause: 

Students learn about the U.S. Civil War, immigration, and Civil Rights movements in the United States. Students share their learning of important historic moments and people throughout this unit with the play, ‘Fighting For a Cause.’

• NSCOS Science Standards: Force and Motion, Structures and Functions of Living Organisms

• NCSCOS Social Studies Standards: History, Culture, Geography, Civics & Government

• Basic School Core Commonalities: Membership in Groups, Use of Symbols, Producing & Consuming, Sense of Time & Space

Unit 2: Art History: 

Students study Early Asian and Ancient Greek civilizations, as well as Westward Expansion. Famous artists are also introduced and studied, and students will replicate pieces and use art mediums similar to those of the artists. Students celebrate and share their learning throughout this unit with an Art Crawl. 

• NCSCOS Science Standards: Force & Motion

• NCSCOS Social Studies Standards: History, Geography, Culture, Economics, Civics & Government

• Basic School Core Commonalities: Membership in Groups, Use of Symbols, Producing & Consuming, Sense of Time & Space

Unit 3: The Circle of Life: 

Students study cycles of Earth, animals, insects, and the evolution and genetics of humans. Healthy eating and exercise habits are introduced. Students celebrate and share their learning throughout this unit with the play, ‘The Circle of Life’. 

• NCSCOS Science Standards: Earth Systems, Structures, and Processes, Structures and Functions of Living Organisms, Evolution and Genetics, Force & Motion

• NCSCOS Social Studies Standards: Economics and Financial Literacy

• Basic School Core Commonalities: Life Cycle, Producing and Consuming, Connections in Nature