Online Elementary School
2nd Grade English Curriculum at Forest Trail Academy
The 2nd grade English curriculum at Forest Trail Academy follows the Common Core State Standards and is designed to help young learners build a strong foundation in reading, writing, speaking, and grammar. This comprehensive curriculum covers essential Grade 2 English topics and supports students in developing confidence and fluency in both written and verbal communication.
2nd Grade English Curriculum Overview
The 2nd grade English curriculum at Forest Trail Academy is designed to support early learners as they strengthen core language skills in reading, writing, speaking, and grammar. Through a structured, standards-aligned approach, students build comprehension, expand vocabulary, and develop confidence in both written and verbal communication. This curriculum provides a strong academic foundation while preparing students for continued success in elementary language arts.
Homeschool families choose Forest Trail Academy for its flexible learning approach, personalized support, and strong commitment to quality education. The school is fully accredited by Cognia, MSA-CESS, NCPSA, and Accreditation International.
Learning Activities
Students enrolled in the 2nd grade English curriculum at Forest Trail Academy engage in structured learning activities that strengthen comprehension and language skills, including:
Reading grade-appropriate texts and answering questions based on who, what, where, when, and why
Participating in discussions to build understanding of stories and informational texts
Writing narrative pieces, explanations, and opinion-based responses
Practicing grammar and language skills through guided exercises
These activities help students improve reading comprehension while building strong foundational writing habits.
Reading & Writing Skills
Throughout this 2nd grade English curriculum, students develop essential reading and writing skills by learning how to:
Ask and answer questions about texts
Identify key details and main ideas
Understand rhythm, structure, and point of view in stories
Express ideas clearly in complete sentences
Writing instruction focuses on organizing thoughts, explaining ideas, and creating clear, detailed written responses aligned with Grade 2 expectations.
Grammar, Language & Conventions
The Forest Trail Academy 2nd grade English curriculum emphasizes proper grammar and language usage, including:
Collective nouns and irregular plurals
Adjectives and adverbs
Capitalization and punctuation (commas and apostrophes)
Common spelling patterns and word usage
These lessons reinforce correct writing conventions and support the development of strong communication skills.
Speaking & Listening Skills
Speaking and listening are essential components of the 2nd grade English curriculum. Students will:
Participate in guided discussions
Build on classmates’ ideas
Ask thoughtful questions
Practice presenting stories or ideas clearly and confidently
These activities help students strengthen verbal communication and active listening skills.
Forest Trail Academy - Course Goal
The goal of the 2nd grade English curriculum at Forest Trail Academy is to help every student become:
✔ A confident reader
✔ A clear and organized writer
✔ An effective communicator
By the end of the course, students will have mastered key Grade 2 English concepts and be well prepared for more advanced language and literacy skills.
Why Forest Trail Academy Is The
Perfect Online School For You
- Proven Track Record: We are an established online school boasting 10,000+ successful students since 2007.
- Flexible Learning: Enjoy 100% online, self-paced learning from Kindergarten to High School with no live classes.
- University-Ready Graduates: Prepare for higher education with a curriculum designed to help students gain acceptance at top universities and colleges worldwide.
- Credible & Accredited: Learn with confidence from a regionally, nationally, and internationally accredited institution.
- Higher Achievement: Students consistently achieve higher than average SAT and ACT scores.
Course Outline
Course Introduction
- Welcome
- Course Description
- Assessments
- Pretest
- Assignment: Pretest
Nouns, Vowels, Charlotte’s Web
- Vocabulary Introduction and Words 1
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 1
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 1
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions 1
- Vocabulary: Short and Long Vowel Sounds
- Grammar: Nouns
- Grammar: Plural Nouns
- Handout: Nouns
- Assignment: Nouns
- Reading: Charlotte’s Web
- Writing: Charlotte’s Web Journal
- Handout: Charlotte’s Web Reading Journal
- Assignment: Chalotte’s Web Reading Journal
- Speaking and Listening: How to be a Good Listener and Speaker
Simple Sentences, Baby Farm Animals, Asking Questions
- Vocabulary Words 2
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 2
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 2
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions
- Vocabulary: Final -e Sound
- Grammar: Collective Nouns
- Grammar: Simple Sentences
- Reading: Baby Farm Animals
- Reading: Moving Out Day
- Assignment: Moving Out Day Recording
- Reading: Moving In Day
- Reading: Boxes, Books and More
- Reading: No Boxes Today
- Worksheet: Emily Moves
- Speaking and Listening: Asking Questions
Proper Nouns, Sarah Plain and Tall, Bugs
- Vocabulary Words 3
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 3
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 3
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions 3
- Vocabulary: When Two Vowels Go Walking
- Grammar: Proper Nouns
- Grammar: Proper and Common Nouns
- Handout: Proper and Plural Nouns
- Assignment: Plural and Proper Nouns
- Reading Mini Lesson: Context Clues
- Reading: Sarah, Plain and Tall
- Handout: Sarah, Plain and Tall Reading Journal
- Assignment: Sarah, Plain and Tall Reading Journal
- Reading: Busy Bee
- Essay: Busy Bee
- Writing: About a Bug
- Essay: About a Bug
- Speaking and Listening: Busy Bees
Commas, Art, Retelling a Story
- Vocabulary Words 4
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 4
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 4
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions 4
- Vocabulary: 2 letters, 1 sound
- Grammar: Commas
- Reading: Afternoon Art
- Assignment: Afternoon Art Recording
- Reading: Art Museum
- Worksheet: Afternoon Art
- Speaking and Listening: Retell a Story
Pronouns, Morals, Tops and Bottoms
- Vocabulary Words 5
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 5
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 5
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions 5
- Grammar: Reflexive Pronoun
- Grammar: Object Pronouns
- Handout: Pronouns
- Assignment: Pronouns
- Reading: At the Gym
- Reading Mini Lesson: And the Moral of the Story is…
- Reading: Tops and Bottoms
- Writing: Tops and Bottoms Reading Journal
- Handout: Tops and Bottoms Reading Journal
- Assignment: Tops and Bottoms Reading Journal
- Writing: A Story With a Moral
- Assignment: Story with a Moral
- Speaking and Listening: Morals
Verb Tense, Irregular Verbs, Cats
- Vocabulary Words 6
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 6
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 6
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions
- Grammar: Verbs
- Grammar: Verbs in Past Time
- Grammar: Verbs “be” and “have”
- Grammar: Irregular Verbs
- Handout: Verbs
- Assignment: Verbs
- Reading: A Case for Cats
- Reading: Cats Long Ago
- Reading: Choose a Cat
- Worksheet: Cat Stories
- Essay: Cat Stories Questions
- Assignment: Cat Stories Recording
- Writing: A Pet
- Essay: A Pet
- Speaking and Listening: A Pet
Possessive Nouns, A Drop of Water, KWL
- Vocabulary Words 7
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 7
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 7
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions 7
- Vocabulary: Shades of Meaning
- Grammar: Possessive Nouns
- Grammar: Possessive Pronouns
- Handout: Possessive Nouns and Pronouns
- Assignment: Possessive Nouns and Pronouns
- Reading Mini Lesson: Fiction or Nonfiction?
- Reading: Class Show
- Assignment: Class Show Recording
- Reading: A Drop of Water
- Handout: A Drop of Water KWL Chart
- Assignment: A Drop of Water KWL Chart
- Reading Mini Lesson: KWL Charts Review
Prefixes, Adjectives and Adverbs, Rain
- Vocabulary Words 8
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 8
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 8
- Quiz: Vocabulary Definitions 8
- Vocabulary Mini Lesson: Prefixes
- Grammar: Adjectives
- Grammar: Adverbs
- Grammar: Adjectives vs. Adverbs
- Reading: Rainy Day
- Reading: Blue Whales
- Reading: Why Does it Rain?
- Reading: Rainy Days and Rainbows
- Assignment: Rainy Days and Rainbows
- Worksheet: Rain
- Writing: A Storm in the Sky!
- Essay: Storm in the Sky
- Speaking and Listening: A Storm in the Sky!
Abbreviations, Cinderella, Writing Poetry
- Vocabulary Words 9
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 9
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 9
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 9
- Vocabulary: Rhyming Words
- Quiz: Rhyming Words
- Grammar: Abbreviations
- Handout: Abbreviations
- Assignment: Abbreviations
- Reading: Cinderella Stories
- Reading: Who Has Seen the Wind?
- Writing: Poem
- Assignment: Poem
- Speaking and Listening: Poem
- Assignment: Poem Recording
- Midtest
- Assignment: Midtest
Root Words, Contractions, To The Zoo
- Vocabulary Words 10
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 10
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 10
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 10
- Vocabulary: Root Words
- Grammar: Contractions
- Grammar: Negative Contractions
- Grammar: Contractions and Double Negatives
- Handout: Contractions and Double Negatives
- Assignment: Contractions and Double Negatives
- Reading: To the Zoo
- Reading: Zebras News
- Reading: Tiger Tips
- Reading: Only Owls
- Worksheet: At the Zoo
- Writing: To the Zoo
- Essay: Writing: To the Zoo
- Speaking and Listening: To the Zoo
Statements, Questions, Poppleton in the Water
- Vocabulary Words 11
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 11
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 11
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 11
- Grammar: Sentences
- Grammar: Questions and Statements
- Grammar: Writing Questions
- Grammar: The “wh” Question Words
- Handout: Questions and “Wh”
- Assignment: Questions and “Wh”
- Reading: Poppleton in the Winter
- Handout: Poppleton Reading Journal
- Assignment: Poppleton Reading Journal
Exclaimations, Commands, Where You Live
- Vocabulary Words 12
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 12
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 12
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 12
- Vocabulary: Compound Words
- Quiz: Compound Words
- Grammar: Exclamations!
- Grammar: Commands
- Handout: Exclamations and Commands
- Assignment: Exclamations and Commands
- Reading: One City Block
- Reading: What is a City?
- Worksheet: Life in the City
- Assignment: Yard Sale Recording
- Reading: Yard Sale Day
- Writing: Where You Live
- Essay: Where You Live
Subject and Predicate, The Story of Ruby Bridges
- Vocabulary Words 13
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 13
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 13
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 13
- Grammar: Subject and Predicate
- Grammar: Making the Subject Grow
- Grammar: Subject and Predicate Agreement
- Handout: Subject and Predicate
- Assignment: Subject and Predicate
- Reading: Time for School
- Assignment: Time For School Recording
- Reading: The Story of Ruby Bridges
- Handout: Ruby Bridges KWL Chart
- Assignment: Ruby Bridges KWL Chart
- Writing: The Story of Ruby Bridges Journal
- Handout: The Story of Ruby Bridges Journal
- Assignment: The Story of Ruby Bridges Journal
- Speaking and Listening: Ruby Bridges
Writing Letters, Kyle Gets Mail
- Vocabulary Words 14
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 14
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 14
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 14
- Grammar: Sending a Letter
- Grammar: Parts of a Letter
- Grammar: Envelopes
- Grammar: Invitations
- Reading: A Letter From Kyle
- Reading: Kyle Gets Mail
- Worksheet: Writing a Letter
- Writing: A Letter
- Assignment: A Letter
- Speaking and Listening: A Letter
Sequence, How a Seed Grows, From Seed to Plant
- Vocabulary Words 15
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 15
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 15
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 15
- Grammar: Sentence in Order
- Quiz: Sequences
- Reading: How a Seed Grows
- Handout: How a Seed Grows KWL Chart
- Assignment: How A Seed Grows KWL Chart
- Reading: From Seed to Plant
- Handout: From Seed to Plant KWL Chart
- Assignment: From Seed to Plant KWL Chart
- Worksheet: Comparing Two Books
- Writing: Sequence
- Assignment: Sequence
- Speaking and Listening: Sequence
Making Connections, Reasons to Write, Plant Research
- Vocabulary Words 16
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 16
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 16
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 16
- Vocabulary: Connections
- Grammar: Adding Where and When
- Reading Mini Lesson: Reasons
- Reading: Parts of a Plant
- Reading: In the Garden
- Assignment: In the Garden Recording
- Activity: Making Flowers
- Writing: Plant Research Paper
- Assignment: Plant Research Paper
- Speaking and Listening: Plant Research
Main Ideas, Outlines, Moonshot
- Vocabulary Words 17
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 17
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 17
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 17
- Grammar: Paragraphs
- Essay: Writing a Paragraph
- Grammar: Main Ideas of a Paragraph
- Grammar: Outlines
- Handout: Paragraph and Topic Sentence
- Assignment: Paragraph and Topic Sentence
- Reading: About the Moon
- Reading: Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11
- Handout: Moonshot KWL
- Assignment: Moonshot KWL
- Writing: Research Paper
- Assignment: First Draft Research Paper
- Assignment: Final Draft Research Paper
Figurative Language, A Medieval Feast
- Vocabulary Words 18
- Handout: Vocabulary Words 18
- Assignment: Vocabulary Words 18
- Worksheet: Vocabulary Definitions 18
- Vocabulary: Figurative Language
- Reading: A Medieval Feast
- Handout: A Medieval Feast KWL
- Assignment: A Medieval Feast KWL
- Essay: A Special Event
- Speaking and Listening: Big Event
- Post-test
- Assignment: Post-test
Course Evaluation
- Handout: Course Evalulation
- Assignment: Course Evaluation