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65+ Ideas, Tricks, and Tips for Teaching 2nd Grade

Second grade is first in our hearts.

Second graders are enthusiastic, curious little balls of energy. They have mastered the basics, and their quest for more knowledge is infectious. Whether you are new to teaching second grade or have been in the classroom for years, it is important to have the resources you need to stay organized, while enhancing the learning environment for your active little learners. We have collected the best tips for teaching second grade from real teachers via our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE Facebook group and beyond to help you make this school year the best one yet!

Getting Your Classroom Ready

1. create an inviting classroom.

Need ideas to take your classroom to the next level? We’ve gathered real-life second grade classrooms for you to browse!

2. Gather all the supplies

Not sure what supplies you need for your second grade classroom? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this list of essential second grade classroom supplies .

3. Pick an inspiring theme for your classroom

Image source: Schoolgirl Style

Classroom themes our second grade teachers love include: butterflies, black paper with polka dots, chevron, sock monkeys, owls, orange and teal, minions, and superheroes.

4. Find teacher deals on the cheap

Stores with serious discounts on classroom items recommended by our Facebook followers include Target, dollar stores, Mardel, Walmart, local teacher supply stores, Staples, Michaels, Jo-Ann, Oriental Trading, Amazon, NAEIR.org, NationalSchoolProducts.com, and TeachersPayTeachers.com.

Here are some other tips from second grade teachers on finding deals:

• “Office Depot will match prices plus give an additional discount.” —Kitty R.
• “Don’t be afraid of seeking donations. I once got a case of copy paper donated by a grocery store.” —Carmen B.
• “Yard sales are a great place for prize-box toys and for games for your rainy day closet.” —Sandie N.

Plus, be sure to check out our BIG List of Dollar Store Hacks for Teachers .

5. Try different classroom layouts

Long gone are the days of straight rows of desks lining the classroom. Throw out your seating chart and try one of these ideas instead .

6. Put together an irresistible classroom reading nook

Your second graders are well on their way to becoming readers, so make this time extra special for them by setting up one of these awesome reading nooks .

7. Fill your classroom library with these classic second grade books

Teaching second grade involves a lot of reading! Here are 60 of our favorite books.

8. Get a jump start on lessons

Teacher planning and prep time are precious! It makes life a lot easier when you can purchase existing lessons, bundles, books, and pages. And why not support other teachers while you do it! Check out our favorite Teacher Pay Teachers sellers for teaching second grade.

9. Set up and share an Amazon Classroom Wish List

Teachers spend an insane amount of money out of pocket each year buying classroom supplies. Spend less of your own money to enhance your classroom and curriculum with the Amazon Classroom Wish List feature . This is an amazing and easy way for parents and other members of the community to help you out. Other websites offering wish lists and registries include Target , Oriental Trading , and GiftYou .

10. Stock up on educational toys and games

Second graders absolutely love hands-on activities, especially when they can do them with their classmates. There are plenty of ways to incorporate educational toys into the curriculum to liven things up, while still sticking to those standards. These games are perfect for centers, indoor recess, and free-time choice activities.

The First Days of School

11. revisit the first days of school: how to be an effective teacher.

I always refer back to some pages and checklists in Harry K. Wong and Rosemary T. Wong’s indispensable book The First Days of School: How To Be an Effective Teacher at the beginning of each school year. There is a reason it is still a bestseller and is in its fifth edition. You probably still have a copy from your teacher training courses.  But if not, grab the latest edition on Amazon . The ideas, tricks, and tips are perfect for teaching second grade, and all grades in general.

12. Introduce yourself creatively

Make day one memorable by introducing yourself in a creative way, such as sending postcards over the summer. Here are 36 creative ideas .

13. Get to know each other with icebreakers

Get the kids mixing and moving as they get to know one another. Here are lots of great icebreaker ideas , including a link to fun Would You Rather …? scenarios.

Create a Classroom Community

14. draft a class constitution.

Image source: Kreative in Life

After learning about the Constitution, students can apply their knowledge by creating their own class constitution called “We the Kids”!

15. Establish a culture of kindness

Print these free downloadable posters to remind your students that kindness matters most of all.

16. Build your students’ social-emotional skills

Teaching second grade means building SEL skills. Use these read-alouds to talk about everything from kindness to courage to trying your best.

17. Use transition times for mental health check-ins

Incorporate quick mental and emotional health check-ins with students as a regular part of your classroom routine. Use transition time wisely with these short, mindful activities .

18. What does a “model citizen” look like?

Image source: K–2 Is Splendid

After discussing what makes a good citizen, construct a “model citizen” on poster paper for your classroom. Students can write their ideas about the great qualities a model citizen should have and stick them on the poster to complete the picture.

19. Incorporate Kagan strategies for community building

Kagan is a scientific research-based program focused on student engagement. Kagan strategies help educators build a caring and kind environment to help all types of learners thrive.

20. Encourage good behavior—without giving out treats

Set your expectations very clearly from the start. Start off by reading about classroom management , dive into our second grade classroom management tips , and then check out these fun ideas for keeping your students on track without breaking the bank.

Ideas for Language Arts

21. incorporate daily writing prompts.

We’ve gathered 25 writing prompts that you can download and use to have your second graders practice their writing skills.

22. Use anchor charts to teach reading comprehension

Check out 49 of our favorites  for teaching second grade here.

23.  Use digital research tools to write reports

Research skills are super important, but they can be quite a challenge to teach to second graders. PebbleGo is a research tool specifically designed for K-3 students, and it covers topics in science, social studies, and more. Check out how I made these animal reports happen using age-appropriate research tools with my students.

24. Then show off that research using digital workspaces

Go a step further from written reports by using digital workspaces in your classroom. PebbleGo Create is a kid-friendly program that kids love. If you don’t have a subscription, any digital slide-presentation program will do just fine. See how I used PebbleGo Create with my second graders to make visual interpretations of our animal reports.

25. Incorporate fun reading comprehension activities

Second graders are some of the most enthusiastic readers out there. They are transitioning from the basics into readers looking for meaning. As they build upon their comprehension skills, they are beginning to make connections to themselves and the world at large. These 26 second grade reading comprehension activities will help your students dig deeper into texts on their own as well as with their peers.

26. Introduce chapter books to your students

Help your second graders transition from picture books and easy readers to chapter books. Start by reading aloud a chapter book from a popular series like The Magic Tree House . Your more advanced readers will be able to read these on their own at the beginning of the year, while some will transition midyear. Once second graders gain the confidence to move to the other side, there is no turning back!

27. Get those graphic novels out

Like it or not, graphic novels are here to stay. So get onboard if you haven’t already! Second graders of all reading levels absolutely love them. Lower-level readers gain confidence since they are a step up from picture books, while higher-level readers enjoy having pictures to go along with “bigger kid” books. If you already are stocked up on the popular Dog Man series, here are 16 similar graphic novel series ideas for your stash.

28. Fire up your little storytellers’ imaginations

Image source: Education.com Strips

Create a story jar and let second graders’ imaginations roam.

29. Introduce your second graders to small-moment narratives

Image source: Buggy for Second Grade

Break down the process with this handy anchor chart and then watch them go to town writing.

30. Teach annotation with “thinkmarks”

Image source: Monica Jasso/Pinterest

Encourage students to actively engage as readers by printing or having students create “thinkmarks” they can use to annotate text as they read.

31. Make alphabet picture books

Different editions could include parts of speech, antonyms, synonyms, and homophones, etc.  Create a class library of these! It’s a great way to showcase student learning.

32. Have fun with literacy centers

We love this big list of ideas for grades K-2.

33. Make phonics fun

Phonics is the foundation for reading success. Breaking words into their constituent sounds helps kids understand and build their literacy skills, bit by bit. Check out these 26 phonics activities for teaching second grade.

Ideas for Math

34. teach time creatively.

Image source: Elementary Nest

Students can draw different times on a dry-erase clock—just a Hula-Hoop taped on your whiteboard. Or try one of these other 23 methods for teaching how to tell time .

35. Solve a word problem of the day

Opening your daily math lesson with a math word problem of the day is an excellent way to set the stage for learning. Word problems are difficult for young learners to grasp, even when the mathematical operation portion of the problem is basic. Incorporate these second grade math word problems one day at a time at the start of your math block to build confidence, critical-thinking skills, and a learning community.

36. Build a number of the day

Image source: Turnstall’s Teaching Tidbits

Students can build the number of the day by selecting the correct numerals, words, and units.

37. Play math games

Here’s a big list of math games that are just right for second grade.

38. Watch math videos

Making math more engaging for kids can be difficult. But teaching math will be anything but boring when you introduce students to some of our favorite subtraction and addition videos on YouTube .

39. Teach shapes

Learning shapes is one of the earliest concepts we teach kids. Shapes ready them for geometry in the years ahead, but it’s also an important skill for learning how to write and draw. Get started with these shape activities .

40. Read books about math

Young mathematicians can have a hard time understanding abstract math concepts. Enhancing your lessons with books about math will help your students make connections while having fun in the process. Motivate your students while introducing new concepts, reinforcing ideas, and talking about all things math!

41. Let your students lead

Second grade teacher Stacey S. shares, “I give my kiddos about 10 minutes to complete morning math problems. Then I choose a student to come up to ‘teach’ the first problem by sharing strategies and solutions. That student asks if everyone agrees or disagrees and chooses another student for the next problem, if everyone agrees. If there is disagreement with his answer, they discuss alternatives. The students are in charge for the first 30–45 minutes of the day! My favorite time of the day!”

42. Write in math journals every day

Image source: Smiling & Shining in Second Grade

With math journals, students learn to solve mathematical problems using pictures and words. Check out free entry examples on the blog, which focuses on teaching second grade.

43. Use hands-on activities and manipulatives

Help students learn those tricky math concepts by incorporating hands-on activities and manipulatives whenever possible. Start by trying these ideas for teaching graphing , place value , and solving word problems . There are plenty of other great ideas for teaching second grade on our website, including fun holiday-themed activities!

Ideas for Science

44. get hands-on with science.

Science is the perfect subject for kids to get down and dirty. Try these 50 second grade science projects for inspiration.

45. Try daily STEM challenges

These STEM challenges are designed with your second graders in mind. Try one each day or each week to get them thinking outside the box.

46. Teach the plant life cycle

Plant life cycle is always a fun science unit. You get to talk about growing, planting, and nature. Plus, students love digging in and getting their hands dirty when they plant a seed themselves. Try these plant life cycle activities .

47. Teach states of matter with this simple demonstration

Image source: Education.com

Conduct this hands-on experiment to help students recognize and understand the different states of matter.

48. Conduct gummy bear experiments

In the category of snackable tips for teaching second grade … watch what happens when you soak gummy bears in liquid over a period of days. Find the full experiment—complete with freebie handout—on The Second Grade Shuffle blog .

49. Take a virtual field trip

Advances in technology have paved the way for virtual field trips, which have proven themselves to be a game-changer. They are a great way to expose students to faraway places and even places in their own backyard. Check out this list of 40 amazing virtual field trips to get started. No permission slips needed!

Ideas for Social Studies

50. teach an early lesson on economics.

Second grade teacher Jacqueline Q. recommends, ”Set up a classroom economy! I give my students plastic ‘banks’ from the dollar store. They earn money for specific things throughout the day: one penny for copying down homework, 10 cents here and there. Just keep it consistent and don’t overuse it. Otherwise, they’ll be ungrateful for those random dimes and want quarters instead. On Fridays, they get to go shopping!”

“ My Classroom Economy is a great resource for help getting started,” adds Renee J.

51. Introduce your second graders to American symbols

This awesome mini-book  is FREE!

52. Learn about heroes

Read biographies about famous people in history. Match books to holidays or other commemorations, like Presidents’ Day or Black History Month.

53. Celebrate holidays and other special days

Second graders love any reason to celebrate. Who doesn’t? This calendar of holidays and special days will give you a variety of monthly celebrations. You will also find links to activities, lesson plans, resources, books, and more for each event listed. You can even download this year’s updated calendar to keep on hand.

Ideas for Classroom Organization

54. buy a new teacher planner.

We rounded up the planners teachers recommend most to one another on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE Facebook Group . Take a look and find your own new favorite!

55. Rock that new teacher planner

Read these tips  for keeping your day, week, and year beautifully organized.

56. Manage work submissions with clothespins

Image source: 2nd Grade Stuff

Having students clip their papers will help quickly distinguish who handed in homework and who hasn’t.

57. Use an uncommon organizing method for the Common Core

Create separately labeled folders for each standard, then file activities that align with each standard in the appropriate folders. Genius!

Image source: Teaching in Oz

58. Avoid nameless homework

Image source: Spectacular 2nd Grade

When students highlight their names before handing in work, you’ll never receive a name-free paper again!

59. Make informal assessments easy with these exit slips

Image source: First Grade Nest

Create a “Show What You Know” board. Use speech-bubble-shaped whiteboards for kids to write their lesson takeaways on, or have them write on sticky notes and stick them on their designated bubbles. As a follow-up class activity, students can look at everything their classmates learned!

60. Use a teacher cart

This handy teacher cart has so many uses . From the start, it gives you extra storage space. Use it to organize classroom supplies, centers, or just about anything you can think of. It even has wheels, so you can keep it in place to help organize your classroom, bring materials with you around the room, or take it on the go if you travel around campus. A win-win for everyone!

Ideas for Classroom Management

61. have a procedure for everything.

“It’s really important, in second grade, that you have procedures for everything! My first year, I had procedures for the big things but not the smaller things, and that was a mistake. Tattling and drama were big in my class. Not starting off with a policy and procedure for addressing it took from instructional time initially.” —Donella H.

62. Post your students’ morning routine

Having a routine posted that is illustrated and easy to see will help your second graders remember how to start each day independently.

63. Set up cues to keep class noise down to a low roar

Image source: First Grade & Flip Flops

Use a chart like this to help students understand when to use different voice levels. Use cues like “spy talk” to signal when voices are getting too loud. Make a class goal of going from a five to a three. For more great ideas, see 24 Attention-Getters for the Classroom .

64. Get the wiggles out

Even grown-ups can’t sit still and listen all day! Get your kids up and moving with awesome second grade brain breaks .

65. Use music in your classroom

There are many creative ways to use music when teaching second grade. Music is a great way to mark transitions, teach multiplication facts, or set the tone for quiet reading time. Check out these kid-friendly Pandora stations. There are also plenty of instrumental channels and kid-friendly channels on SiriusXM radio, along with similar streamable playlists on services like Apple Music and Spotify . The Twinkle Twinkle Little Rock Star series has a number of great lullaby versions of some of the greatest rock bands on the planet, providing perfect background music during independent work. Have some fun and play some of your favorite artists too!

Other Ideas

66. build positive relationships with parents.

Here are 10 tips for making working with parents the easiest part of your job.

67. Have students write this fun Who Am I? paragraph for Back-to-School Night

Image source: Smiling in Second Grade

Students can describe and draw themselves. Then parents can guess which child is theirs during Back-to-School Night festivities. Lifting the drawing will reveal a picture of the student holding their name.

What are your top tips for teaching second grade? Come share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook. WeAreTeachers HELPLINE is a place for teachers to ask and respond to questions on classroom challenges, collaboration, and advice.

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Home » Blog Posts » Literacy Centers » Unexpected 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas Students Will Love

Unexpected 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas Students Will Love

You want your second graders to have hands-on practice with ELA skills in a meaningful way. Of course, these activities should be fun so that students aren’t bored! Well this post shares some unexpected 2nd Grade literacy center ideas your students (and you) will love! These activities provide essential ELA practice while keeping kiddos interested. Get your pen and paper ready for notes and inspiration!

Plus, you can grab some free literacy games below to use in your Second Grade class.

*This post contains affiliate links to Amazon for your convenience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which do not cost any extra for you. Please see the  full disclosure here . *

How Do Literacy Centers Work?

Before I became a 4th grade teacher, I spent four years teaching 2nd grade.

Ahhh, my first love…second graders.

I had students whose reading and writing abilities ranged from 1st grade level to 3rd grade level.

So, my mentor teacher strongly recommended that I use more small group ELA activities.

I had zero 2nd Grade literacy center ideas!

Plus, I had no idea how to make them work. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Here’s a quick snapshot of how I set up my centers and eventually had them running smoothly all year long:

• For that first year, I divided my students into 6 groups of 4 students each.
• Since it was too much for them to move around to different locations, I had their desks set up into quads where they faced each other.
• Then I assigned a group leader to retrieve their center materials from my bookshelf to pass out to their group.
• Each group worked on a different literacy activity for 20 minutes, then I would ring a bell to signal that it was time to stop.
• I trained them to clean up (without leaving their desks) and another student had the job of walking that activity to the quad of students beside them.
• This transition took about 5 minutes. Once all materials were rotated, I started the timer again and they would work on a new ELA activity for another 20 minutes.

Having my Grade 2 literacy centers set up this way allowed students to complete at least 3 centers within our literacy block.

Depending on the day of the week, I would also have a small group at my teacher table working on a guided reading activity.

Is That All It Takes to Run Centers?

Do you have to set up your centers just like I did?

Absolutely not! In fact, within those four years, I tweaked my system and eventually starting using choice boards with my 2nd graders.

Running my centers with choice boards allowed the students more autonomy.

Plus, they could move around the room.

But this only worked with students who could handle that level of flexibility. If you’re interested in managing your centers with choice boards, I have this post that goes over that process too .

Of course, there are SO many details that go into making literacy stations work for 2nd graders, no matter what system you use.

If you want more nitty-gritty details on making your centers work, I have this guide book that walks you through different scenarios with time frames for how to set it all up.

But I Need 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas that are Fun!

Maybe you already know how to run centers in your classroom.

If so, HUGE congrats on scaling that big hurdle.

Now you just need some activities that will keep your kiddos interested enough to stay on task while they learn.

Here’s the criteria I developed for fun center ideas:

• They need to include movement –this doesn’t have to mimic indoor recess! But most of the things I incorporate are hands-on.
• Spiraled activities make learning stick –Second graders needs lots of review. This boosts their confidence, which keeps them motivated to complete their centers.
• Choose centers with a game-style aspect –card games, spinners, board games, matching activities…these scream fun for students!
• They can be completed with a partner or group –since I like game-style centers, it makes sense to have friends included.

Now that we’ve briefly covered how 2nd grade literacy centers work plus ways to make them fun, let’s jump into some unexpected ideas you and your students will love.

Spin and Write: Helping Second Graders Who Struggle with Summarizing

The first idea I want to dig into involves spinners and writing! I call it Spin and Write.

The goal of this center is to help students who struggle with retelling and summarizing details from a text.

Here’s how it works:

• Each page has two wheels with reading questions in each section of the wheel.
• Your students will use a spinner that you provide to land on a question.
• Then they will write the answer on their response sheet.

The great thing about this activity is that it can be used with any reading passage in your classroom.

For me, I love using a combination of 2nd grade chapter books and shorter read-alouds . With Spin & Write, students can practice their reading comprehension skill of summarizing after any book we read together.

This is way more fun than back-to-back worksheets where they have to answer questions about the story.

Another great thing about this activity is that it’s also digital! I found a free online spinner that students click and the arrow lands on a different question.

Then your kiddos can type the answers inside Google Slides or another platform you want to use.

Whether it’s a hand-held spinner or a digital one, knowing where it will land feels unexpected and exciting for students.

By the way, I always use these clear spinners from Amazon for ALL my literacy centers that involve hands-on spinners.

Shorts and Longs: An Effective Word Work Station for Vowels

Including games with vowel practice is a must with your 2nd grade work stations. I created an enjoyable ELA activity called Shorts and Longs.

Shorts and Longs is a fun way to help second graders practice telling the difference between short and long vowel sounds.

Students pull cards with different words typed on them from a deck.

Then they sort these words into categories based on the vowel sounds. This activity works for independent and partner work.

As partners, your kiddos can turn it into a little competition. Remember the game-style aspect we talked about earlier?

Practicing vowels with a card game keeps the fun factor high!

As students progress in their reading skills with differentiating vowel sounds, they can add their own words into the mix.

Which is important because that keeps the challenge level growing without extra lesson planning from you.

So, I added in blank cards that students could write on to expand the card deck.

This is a win-win for me because it gives my early finishers a way to stay engaged with the center!

An Extra Tip to Add to Your 2nd Grade Literacy Center Ideas

Since I’m on the topic of having centers that “naturally expand,” let me park here with some advice.

When you choose word work station ideas that have built-in extension opportunities, they provide two things:

• a chance for your students to stretch their knowledge with that skill AND
• less time spent searching for early finisher activities to add to your centers

I love this because it saves my lesson planning time and helps my students grow stronger with their ELA. ❤️

With the Shorts and Longs vowel game example, I add in the extension activity with the blank cards for them to write their own words.

But I also would often add some read-aloud books with this center and challenge students to find examples of short and long vowel words from the book.

That prevented students from yelling out “We’re done Ms. Marshall! What do you want us to do now?”

They already had a meaningful way to continue working on that station so that I could focus on my guided reading group.

In a nutshell, choose centers that have extension activities built into them!

The Noun Matcher : Grammar Games for 2nd Graders

Let’s keep it moving with our third center idea–nouns!

Grade level standards require second graders to identify, spell, and use regular and irregular nouns. Your kiddos need to know:

• the difference between these types of nouns
• singular vs. plural
• how to match them
• and how to use them in a sentence

The Noun Matcher game gives students practice with all of those skills in a card-game style.

This hands-on activity can be completed with a small group of 3-4 students, between partners if you want to just have pairs working together, or individually.

There were times in my class when I couldn’t always have equal groups of 4.

If a student was absent or if my class roster wasn’t an even number, I needed flexibility with my ELA activities.

Card games like The Noun Matcher can be used with different amounts of students.

Students can play it “goldfish style” where they turn all the cards overs face down, then work on matching singular with plural.

Or they can follow the card game rules to play with a classmate to see who gets the most pairs.

Prefix and Suffix Puzzles: Another Word Work Center for 2nd Grade

This is probably one of my favorite 2nd grade literacy center ideas! I love using puzzles for learning.

Do your 2nd graders know how to define a word based on the meaning of its prefix or suffix?

Well, that’s what this center is all about!

Students match base words to their correct affix based on each word’s definition.

As you can see from the video, each word part looks like an actual puzzle piece that students must put together.

Hands-on learning like this keeps students engaged because it’s lively and has a gaming-aspect to it.

Especially the digital version of this center! Your kiddos must drag and drop the word parts to create a full word using each affix and base word.

And of course, just like I explained above, it has to have an extension aspect to it.

To expand this center, students get the chance to write each word in a sentence once they’ve put it together.

Sound Twins: A Reading Center Combined with Word Work

The next idea I have for your centers combines reading with word work again. Except this time, students are focusing on homophones and homographs.

Sound Twins practices matching and understanding homophones and homographs.

Your kids will read several sentences with these “sound twins” and use context clues to determine the meaning of the homophone or homograph.

To really test my students ability to use context clues during reading, I design these in two different ways:

• To read a sentence with a homograph in it and choose the correct definition that matches how the word is being used in the sentence.
• And to also read sentences where a homophone is being used incorrectly; find that incorrect word then write the homophone that fits.

These reading skills can be challenging at first if you have struggling readers. Which is why I introduce this center by completing a few examples during whole group time.

In general, I really like using the I Do, We Do, You Do teaching approach to model my literacy centers for 2nd graders.

This is especially helpful for Sound Twins.

Once your kiddos get the gist of it, they will enjoy telling the difference between each “twin.”

FREE Literacy Centers for Second Grade

Honestly, I could keep going with more fun 2nd grade literacy center ideas!

Over the years, I found several activities that were easy to implement and kept my students interested in learning.

But I know how busy teachers are, so let’s get to the really good stuff… you can use some of these centers for free :

When you sign up to get your free centers, I will also share five more center ideas with you! Plus, I enjoy sharing other teaching tips to help you thrive as a 2nd Grade Teacher.

It is such a wonderful grade level to teach!

If you want access to the games I mentioned above, they are included in my full 2nd Grade Literacy Centers set. You can purchase them here. 👇🏾

Which idea are you most interested in trying with your students? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Teaching 🦋

2 Responses

Such great ideas!! I loved the spin and write activity, I think my students will love it.

Thanks so much Zoe! I hope they will. 🙂

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Second Grade Homework Assignments and Exercises

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In second grade, students don't receive much homework, but they do receive some assignments to help them review and strengthen their understanding of what is learned in class. You can review these with your child and create your own for additional practice.

What Exercises Should I Assign to My Child?

Many teachers expect second graders to read at night for homework and ask parents to sign their child's reading logs. If you'd like to complete this exercise independently, you can print blank reading logs for free off the Internet. In addition to reading logs, second graders typically complete math worksheets. Depending on the unit, worksheets cover skills like addition, subtraction, time, money and measurement. You can find free samples of these online as well.

When assigning homework to your second grade child, you may want to aim for 30 minutes of reading and 30 minutes of practice in a different subject. Approximately 30 minutes worth of work will keep his or her attention and won't be overwhelming. To get started, you can try the ideas below.

Three Homework Assignments for Second Graders

Alphabetizing sight words.

Because second graders are still beginning readers, one exercise you might try with your child is creating alphabetized lists of words. This activity can be done frequently, so you may want to start by creating a schedule and category for each list. For example, you could do a Valentine's Day list in February or a summer-themed list in July.

To set it up, simply type out a list of sight words and other key terms your child has already covered in class in a random order. Then, ask your son or daughter to label the word that comes first in the dictionary with a one, the second with a two and so on. Once complete, take some time to review the results and discuss any errors you find.

Writing Prompts

Although students have just begun to read when they reach second grade, short writing and journal prompts are a great way to encourage learning new vocabulary, practicing proper spelling and getting thoughts on paper. Once a week, schedule some time with your child to write a journal entry or response that you can keep in a file until the school year is over. At such a young age, opinion prompts are best. For example, ask your child to answer questions about favorite pets, food or vacation spots and why he or she enjoys them.

Time Worksheets

In second grade, your child will learn how to tell time. One way to practice this is to provide worksheets that simply list a numerical time and have your child draw the hands on a blank clock. Alternatively, you can also create a paper clock with movable hands for your child to use during review. You can state a time out loud and ask your son or daughter to move the hands on the paper clock to the appropriate position.

Other Articles You May Be Interested In

Second grade math builds upon the skills learned in the first grade. In second grade, homework becomes slightly harder, causing many students to look toward their parents for homework help. Read on to learn more about the math topics taught in second grade classrooms and how you can help your child to succeed.

Second grade is a critical time for children to learn skills such as basic reading. Parents are often encouraged to provide homework help because there is not enough time during the school day to both teach and sufficiently reinforce these skills at school.

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Explore 2nd grade educational resources for Math and ELA. Browse a variety of learning resources, such as games, worksheets, lesson plans, live classes, and more. Learn and master key concepts like addition and subtraction, reading skills, phonics, writing, etc. with ease. Get started today for free!

CONTENT TYPE

• Lesson Plans
• Math (1,740)
• Number Sense (255)
• Counting (19)
• Number Representation (11)
• Represent Numbers Using Place Value Blocks (10)
• Compare and Order Numbers (80)
• Compare Numbers (65)
• Compare Numbers within 10 (2)
• Compare Objects within 10 (2)
• Compare Numbers within 20 (18)
• Compare Numbers within 100 (28)
• Use Place Value Blocks to Compare Numbers (2)
• Compare Two 2-Digit Numbers (10)
• Compare 3-Digit Numbers (9)
• Order Numbers (15)
• Order 3-Digit Numbers (10)
• Skip Counting (37)
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• Skip Count by 10 (18)
• Skip Count by 100 (3)
• Even and Odd Numbers (28)
• Place Value (84)
• Read and Write Numbers (35)
• Numbers up to 100 (10)
• Expanded Form (3)
• 3-Digit Numbers in Expanded Form (3)
• Standard Form (3)
• 3-Digit Numbers in Standard Form (3)
• Unit Form (2)
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• Place Value Chart (13)
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• Addition (570)
• Addition Sentences (22)
• Addition Sentence within 10 (22)
• Add with Pictures (1)
• Add with Pictures within 10 (1)
• Model Addition (7)
• Addition Properties (12)
• Commutative Property of Addition (8)
• Add Using Models (8)
• Addition Strategies (178)
• Addition Strategies within 10 (28)
• Count On to Add Strategy (22)
• Add using number line (10)
• Compose and Decompose Numbers (6)
• Number Bonds (6)
• Addition Strategies within 20 (82)
• Anchor 5 and 10 (9)
• Count On Strategy (16)
• Add with 10 (10)
• Make 10 Strategy (16)
• Doubles and Near Doubles Strategy to Add (25)
• Doubles Facts (10)
• Add Three Whole Numbers (11)
• Addition Strategies within 100 (35)
• Add using multiples of 10 (19)
• Addition Strategies within 1000 (36)
• Add using multiples of 100 (25)
• Addition Facts (114)
• Fluently Add within 10 (22)
• Fluently Add within 20 (92)
• Equal Expressions (13)
• Addition Without Regrouping (168)
• Add within 100 without Regrouping (72)
• Add 2-digit number to 1-digit (17)
• Add 2-digit number to 2-digit (54)
• Add within 1000 without Regrouping (96)
• Add 10 to 3-digit numbers (15)
• Add 100 to 3-digit numbers (16)
• Add 3-digit number to 1-digit (16)
• Add 3-digit number to 2-digit (20)
• Add two 3-digit numbers (34)
• Addition With Regrouping (98)
• Add within 100 with Regrouping (51)
• Regroup and add 2-digit number to 1-digit (17)
• Regroup and add 2-digit numbers (17)
• Add within 1000 with Regrouping (47)
• Regroup ones and add (13)
• Regroup ones and tens and add (13)
• Regroup tens and add (3)
• Subtraction (496)
• Subtraction Sentences (2)
• Subtraction Sentences within 10 (2)
• Model Subtraction (9)
• Subtract using Models (7)
• Subtraction Strategies (135)
• Subtraction Strategies within 10 (7)
• Count Back Strategy within 10 (7)
• Subtraction Strategies within 20 (72)
• Count Back Strategy within 20 (32)
• Relate Addition and Subtraction within 20 (13)
• Doubles and Near Doubles Strategy to Subtract (4)
• Subtract from 10 Strategy (12)
• Subtraction Strategies within 100 (36)
• Subtract using multiples of 10 (20)
• Subtraction Strategies within 1000 (22)
• Subtract using multiples of 100 (11)
• Subtraction Facts (86)
• Fluently Subtract within 10 (7)
• Fluently Subtract within 20 (82)
• Equal Expressions in Subtraction (10)
• Subtraction Without Regrouping (157)
• Subtract within 100 without Regrouping (78)
• Subtract Multiples of 10 (14)
• Subtract within 1000 without Regrouping (79)
• Subtraction With Regrouping (86)
• Subtract within 100 with Regrouping (49)
• Subtract within 1000 with Regrouping (37)
• Multiplication (147)
• Arrays (16)
• Equal Groups (21)
• Multiplication Properties (17)
• Commutative Property (10)
• Geometry (74)
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• Corners (11)
• Shapes (58)
• 2d Shapes (46)
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• Partition into equal parts (17)
• Halves, Thirds, and Fourths (14)
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• Time to the Nearest 5 Minutes (17)
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• Counting Money (81)
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• Penny, Nickel, and Dime (20)
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• Operations With Money (11)
• Add and Subtract Money (6)
• Word Problems (182)
• Addition and Subtraction Word Problems (159)
• Addition Word Problems (67)
• Addition Word Problems within 10 (1)
• Addition Word Problems within 20 (23)
• Addition Word Problems within 100 (34)
• Add to Compare Word Problems (15)
• Subtraction Word Problems (43)
• Subtraction Word Problems within 20 (13)
• Subtraction Word Problems within 100 (19)
• Subtract to Compare Word Problems (10)
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• Money Word Problems (3)
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• Reading (989)
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• Diphthongs (25)
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• Vowels (69)
• Long Vowel Sounds (35)
• Long A Vowel Sound (9)
• Long E Vowel Sound (7)
• Long I Vowel Sound (6)
• Long O Vowel Sound (5)
• Long U Vowel Sound (8)
• Short Vowel Sounds (34)
• Short A Vowel Sound (8)
• Short E Vowel Sound (6)
• Short I Vowel Sound (10)
• Short O Vowel Sound (5)
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• Blending (175)
• CCVCC Words (36)
• Words With Diphthongs (18)
• Words With Three Letter Blends (14)
• Words With Trigraphs (28)
• Consonant Digraphs (4)
• Digraph CH (2)
• Digraph SH (2)
• Digraph TH (2)
• Digraph WH (2)
• Rhyming Words (6)
• Trigraphs (29)
• Trigraph DGE (9)
• Trigraph IGH (7)
• Trigraph SHR (8)
• Trigraph TCH (7)
• Trigraph THR (7)
• Three Letter Blends (5)
• Sight Words (581)
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• Reading Skills (40)
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• Prediction (3)
• Sequencing (3)
• Story Elements (4)
• Authors Purpose (3)
• Compare and Contrast (3)
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• Verbs and Tenses (13)
• Vocabulary (109)
• Affixes (6)
• Figures of Speech (2)
• Alliteration (2)
• Synonyms and Antonyms (6)
• Word Puzzles (63)
• Shades of Meaning (3)
• Sorting Words into Categories (11)
• Flashcards (10)
• Phonics Flashcards (10)

Number Sense

Skip Count by 10s Starting from a Multiple of 10 Game

Practice the superpower of counting by learning to skip count by 10s starting from a multiple of 10.

Count up by 2s Game

Practice the superpower of counting by learning how to count up by 2s.

Count All the Objects Worksheet

Reveal the secrets of math wizardry by practicing to count all the objects.

Compare Using Dots Worksheet

Reveal the secrets of math wizardry by practicing to compare using dots.

Identify Turn Around Facts Game

Add more arrows to your child’s math quiver by identifying turn around facts.

Add using Turn Around Facts Game

Have your own math-themed party by learning how to add using turn around facts.

Apply the Commutative Property of Addition Worksheet

Print this worksheet to apply the commutative property of addition like a math legend!

Apply Commutative Property of Addition Worksheet

This downloadable worksheet is designed to help you apply the commutative property of addition.

Subtraction

Use the Count Back Strategy to Subtract Game

Take the first step towards building your math castle by using the count back strategy to subtract.

Count Back Using a Number Line Game

Take the first step towards building your math castle by learning to count back using a number line.

One More or One Less within 20: Horizontal Addition and Subtraction Worksheet

Dive into this fun-filled printable worksheet by finding one more or one less within 20.

One More or One Less within 20: Vertical Addition and Subtraction Worksheet

This downloadable worksheet is designed to practice finding one more or one less within 20.

Multiplication

Count Rows and Columns Game

Take the first step towards building your math castle by practicing to count rows and columns.

Create Arrays Game

Enjoy the marvel of mathematics by learning to create arrays.

Rows and Columns Worksheet

Print this worksheet to practice rows and columns like a math legend!

Arrays and their Attributes Worksheet

Print this worksheet to practice arrays and their attributes like a math legend!

Identify Halves and Fourths Game

Kids must identify halves and fourths to practice geometry.

Identify Thirds Game

Dive deep into the world of geometry by identifying thirds.

Identify Quarters Worksheet

Put your skills to the test by practicing to identify quarters.

Parts That Make a Whole Worksheet

Learners must explore parts that make a whole to enhance their math skills.

Measurement

Measure Length in Centimeters Game

Take a deep dive into the world of math by learning to measure length in centimeters.

How Many Centimeters Longer Game

Sharpen your math skills by determining 'how many centimeters longer' in this game.

Identify the Unit of Measurement Worksheet

Reinforce math concepts by practicing to identify the unit of measurement.

Estimate Length Using Objects Worksheet

Solidify your math skills by practicing to estimate lengths using objects.

Relate Activities with A.M. and P.M. Game

Shine bright in the math world by learning how to relate activities with A.M. and P.M.

• Tell Time in A.M. and P.M. Game

Kids must tell the time in A.M. and P.M. to play this game.

AM and PM Worksheet

Assess your math skills by practicing AM and PM in this worksheet.

Everyday Activities and Time Worksheet

Combine math learning with adventure by looking at everyday activities and their time.

Who has More Money? Game

Help your child take flight by solving for 'Who has More Money'?.

Add the Same Type of Coins and Compare Game

Enjoy the marvel of mathematics by exploring how to add the same type of coins and compare them.

Compare Amount Worksheet

Assess your math skills by comparing amounts in this worksheet.

Make Enough Money Worksheet

Combine math learning with adventure by solving to make enough money.

Word Problems

Represent How Many More Scenarios Game

Shine bright in the math world by learning how to represent "How Many More" scenarios.

Represent How Many Fewer Scenarios Game

Kids must represent "How Many Fewer" scenarios to practice addition.

Choose the Correct Equation for the Given Problem Worksheet

Solidify your math skills by choosing the correct equation for the given problem.

Solve Story Problems Using Bar Model Worksheet

Reinforce math concepts by practicing to solve story problems using bar models.

Explore Words With Diphthongs - oy Game

Polish your language skills by exploring words with diphthongs - oy.

Explore Words With Diphthongs - ou Game

Polish your language skills by exploring words with diphthongs - ou.

Matching Game: Diphthongs Worksheet

Enhance your kid's phonics skills with this engaging matching worksheet focusing on diphthongs!

Spot the Correct Sound Worksheet

Spark an interest in language in your child by spotting the correct sound.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: world, old, start, well & work Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: world, old, well, start & work.

Learn to Write the Sight Words: long, light, live, grow & people Game

Children must learn to write the sight words: long, light, live, grow & people.

Writing Practice: Common Fruits Mistaken as Vegetables Worksheet

Discover and learn about fruits often mistaken as vegetables with our enjoyable handwriting practice worksheet.

Handwriting Practice: Continents Worksheet

Explore the continents with our exciting handwriting practice worksheet, ideal for geography enthusiasts.

All Resources

Add Three Numbers in Any Order Game

Enjoy the marvel of mathematics by learning to add three numbers in any order.

Adding 3 Numbers Worksheet

In this worksheet, learners will get to practice adding 3 numbers.

Create Addition Sentences Worksheet

Pack your math practice time with fun by creating addition sentences.

Represent 'Take Apart' Scenarios Game

Kids must represent 'Take Apart' scenarios to practice subtraction.

Select the Correct Subtraction Sentence Worksheet

Learners must select the correct subtraction sentence to enhance their math skills.

• Describing Equal Groups Worksheet

Make math practice a joyride by practicing to describe equal groups.

Identify Shapes in Different Orientation Game

Have your own math-themed party by learning how to identify shapes in different orientations.

Least or Greatest Game

Learn to find the least or the greatest data point with this game.

Number of Sides and Corners Worksheet

Enhance your math skills by practicing shapes & the number of their sides and corners.

Recognize the Longer Object Worksheet

Use this printable worksheet to recognize the longer object to strengthen your math skills.

Use Coins to Make the Given Amount Game

Have your own math-themed party by learning how to use coins to make the given amount.

Time of Activities of the Day Worksheet

Look at the time of activities of the day by printing this playful worksheet.

Guess the Price Worksheet

Dive into this fun-filled printable worksheet by practicing to guess the price.

Addition Word Problems on Finding the Total Game

Learn to solve addition word problems on finding the total.

Add or Subtract within 20: Summer Word Problems Worksheet

Engaging summer-themed worksheet to master addition and subtraction within 20 through word problems.

Finding Double of Numbers From 1 to 5 Worksheet

Solidify your math skills by finding the double of numbers from 1 to 5.

Add Using Associative Property Game

Enjoy the marvel of mathematics by exploring how to add using associative property.

Solve 'Take Apart' Scenarios Game

Take the pressure off by simplifying subtraction by solving 'Take Apart' scenarios.

Write Addition Sentences Worksheet

Print this worksheet to practice writing addition sentences like a math legend!

Create Subtraction Sentences Worksheet

Be on your way to become a mathematician by practicing to create subtraction sentences.

Identify Trapezoid, Hexagon, and Pentagon Game

Take a deep dive into the world of math by identifying trapezoids, hexagons, and pentagons.

Representing Equal Groups Worksheet

In this worksheet, learners will get to practice representing equal groups.

Identify Open and Closed Shapes Worksheet

Reveal the secrets of math wizardry by practicing to identify open and closed shapes.

Read and Compare Data using Bar Graph Game

Unearth the wisdom of mathematics by learning how to read and compare data using a bar graph.

Comparing Length Worksheet

Put your skills to the test by practicing to compare lengths.

• Hour Hand and Minute Hand Worksheet

Be on your way to become a mathematician by practicing the hour hand and the minute hand.

Trade Coins with the Equivalent Value Game

Enter the madness of math-multiverse by exploring how to trade coins with equivalent values.

Addition Word Problems on Put-Together Scenarios Game

Use your skills to solve addition word problems on put-together scenarios.

Identify Coins & Values Worksheet

Solidify your math skills by practicing to identify coins & values.

Add or Subtract within 100: Summer Word Problems Worksheet

Summer-themed worksheet to enhance students' skills in adding or subtracting within 100.

Skip Count by 2s on Hundreds Charts Game

Take a look at how to skip count by 2s on the hundreds charts with this game.

Add Numbers within 20 Game

Take a deep dive into the world of math with our 'Add Numbers within 20' game.

Doubles Facts From 6 to 10 Worksheet

Make math learning a joyride by practicing doubles facts from 6 to 10.

Make 6 Worksheet

Be on your way to become a mathematician by practicing to make 6.

Second Grade Curriculum and Educational Resources

In grade 2, for children around 7 to 8 years old, the educational journey advances as they start learning more challenging concepts. This grade introduces more complex math and ELA skills compared to grade 1, such as addition and subtraction with larger numbers and reading comprehension. The curriculum for 2nd graders is designed to strengthen critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

• Grade 2 Math Learning : In math, students learn counting (up to 1,000), skip counting (by twos, fives, tens, etc.), comparing and ordering numbers, even and odd numbers, place value concepts (standard form, expanded form, etc.), addition and subtraction (up to 1,000 with and without regrouping), multiplication as repeated addition (arrays and equal groups), partitioning different 2D shapes,  measuring and estimating lengths, data handling concepts (bar graphs, tally charts, picture graphs, etc.), counting money , reading analog clocks , and much more.
• Grade 2 ELA Learning : In ELA, kids learn essential reading and writing skills. Under the reading curriculum, kids explore important phonics concepts, such as diphthongs, consonant blends, trigraphs, sight words, etc. As a part of the writing curriculum, kids learn different writing strategies, such as learning to write high-frequency sight words.

Types of Grade 2 Learning Resources

Let’s take an overview of the different types of second grade learning resources offered by SplashLearn.

Fun Grade 2 Learning Games

The grade 2 curriculum-aligned learning games primarily cover two subjects — Math and ELA .

• 2nd Grade Math Games : This section features over 350 math games focused on topics like number sense, addition, subtraction, multiplication, geometry, measurement, time, money, and word problems.
• 2nd Grade ELA Games : There are around 400 language games expertly designed to help students improve their reading and writing skills.

Engaging Grade 2 Worksheets

SplashLearn offers printable 2nd grade worksheets for math and ELA.

• 2nd Grade Math worksheets : There are over 950 math worksheets expertly designed to offer hands-on practice.
• 2nd Grade ELA worksheets : There are 650+ ELA worksheets fully packed with systematic and effective language exercises for kids.

Grade 2 Lesson Plans

• Math lesson plans for 2nd graders : There are well-curated lesson plans that cover key math topics, like number sense, addition, subtraction, multiplication, geometry , measurement, time , money , and word problems .
• ELA lesson plans for 2nd graders : This section features educational lesson plans designed for reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, etc. 

Grade 2 Live Classes

• You can join interactive Live Classes on SplashLearn designed for Math and reading. These classes are led by experienced and certified teachers. Parents can choose a convenient time slot for their child. 
• Parents who have an active subscription or trial can effortlessly find the "Live Class" page at the top of the dashboard.
• While our grade-specific apps don't currently have the Live class feature, you can easily participate via our website using laptops, desktops, iPads, Macbooks, or Chromebooks.

What Are the Best Tips for Teaching 2nd Graders?

To explore effective teaching methods for 2nd grade, understanding the curriculum and its goals is key. Check out these blogs and articles for guidance:

• 2nd Grade Curriculum: 5 Things Kids Learn in 2nd Grade : Discover what 2nd graders study in Unit conversions, Reading, Writing, Science, Geometry, and Measurements. Plus, find helpful tips for parents of 2nd graders.
• 100 Fun Writing Prompts for 2nd Grade: Journal Prompts : This blog will be great for finding the best writing prompts and creating a love for writing in kids. Give it a read!

What Are the Best 5 Second Grade Learning Resources?

Here are 5 super-fun learning resources for 2nd graders offered by SplashLearn:

• Count on using a Number Line Game
• Math Lesson Plan — Master Subtraction Word Problems

Your one stop solution for all grade learning needs.

Tic-Tac-Toe Spelling Homework (freebie)

A couple weeks ago I posted about the homework I do with my 2nd graders .  One thing that I send home each week is spelling practice.  The page is set up with a space for the students to write down their 10 spelling words for the week and then there's a 3X3 grid with different activities.  Students are expected to choose 3 to do during the week.  I send this home on Monday so they can do a little each night or (because there isn't regular homework on Thursday) they can do it all on Thursday nights.  (I used to send home 1/2 sheet homework on Thursdays too, but the feedback I got from parents is that it was too much to hassle with all at once.  I haven't noticed a problem since scaling it back so that's what I continue to do.)

There are 6 different sheets that I cycle throughout the year.  If you notice at the top of the page it says "Spelling Homework Week."  I just write the week's number in there.  So students see the first form on weeks 1, 7, 13, 19, 25, and 31.  The second form shows up on weeks 2, 8, 14, 20, 26, and 32.  And so on.  For the 2nd graders at our school it seems like a good mix of predictability (so they know what to do) and novelty (so they don't get bored). 

Each page has 9 different spelling activities.  It was kind of a trick to come up with 54 ways for students to easily practice their words without repeating activities or using the same ideas from the spelling practice in the Morning Work Book!  I also didn't want anything too crazy.  Imagine the friction of kids begging to write their words with shaving cream and parents not wanting that to happen at all!  The most adventurous it gets is to use bleach and a Q-tip to write spelling words on construction paper.  But that is on only one page–and I put it in a corner square so the homework could easily be completed by bypassing that activity (but I did have one little guy last year who was excited to do it everytime it came up!). 

The center square on each page is always a low-key activity that kids can typically do independently.  I try to limit the necessity of parental involvment because a good chunk of my kids have parents who will never look at any of their homework.  It's expected for parents to initial each activity, but for some kids I allow them to mark it themselves (or if they're not always trustworthy) I ask them to bring the papers they practiced on back to school.  Even then there's usually 3 who never bring it back.  Those kids spend Friday morning recess writing their words three times.  They're usually done in less than 5 minutes.  I don't want to penalize them too much because in 2nd grade a parent really should be helping out!     

If you're familiar with this blog you know that I use Words Their Way.  But I don't use those words for homework.  You can read more about the spelling I do for homework on this post .

Also, the research on the traditional method of weekly spelling lists–test on Friday–new list Monday shows that it doesn't do much to improve spelling accuracy (hence I use Words Their Way).  But parents expect spelling words and tests.  It's something they're comfortable helping their child with.  Plus, I figure, practicing extra words is never a bad thing.

You can download the 6 Spelling Tic-Tac-Toe pages at our Teachers Pay Teacher shop.  Happy spelling!

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Make Homework Meaningful & Manageable with Menus

Are you looking for a new homework management solution try homework menus to motivate your students and differentiate through choice read on for tips on using homework menus plus free printables for 2nd and 3rd grade to get you started..

Teacher Homework Confession/Spoiler Alert:

I’ve never been a fan of homework – not as a child and definitely not as a teacher

Homework has been my pet project for awhile, as it’s always driven me crazy that parents, districts, and most administrators required I create and assign something that any research I’ve encountered deemed at worst detrimental or at best only mildly useful. Since I’ve rarely taught in an environment where not giving homework was an option, I’ve attempted to finagle a way to make homework as meaningful as possible for ALL of my students. No easy task, especially when there are so many other things worthy of our time and attention (literacy, math, arts instruction anyone?!)

I’ve tried: *Daily homework – everyone does the same thing, bring it back the next morning *Weekly homework folders – students complete a set schedule of assignments per week (Monday – spelling, Tuesday – math, Wednesday – reading response, etc.) *Homework packets – go home Monday, students finish in whatever order they choose, bring back Friday *Homework point sheets – students earn a specified amount of points for each homework assignment and earn a set amount of points each week

I’ve had varying amounts of success with all of the above as well as a good amount of failure.

The Research on Homework

After reading a variety of research about homework at the elementary level, I strongly believe that the most important part of homework for kids K-5 is reading a just right book. After that, the rest is – just that – the rest.

These two articles are good starting points if you are interested in an overview of the research on homework practices.

Synthesis of Research on Homework The Case For and Against Homework

Here were my takeaways from the articles (from a grade 2-3 perspective)

Homework should:  •Give students a chance to review skills they are comfortable with and can practice independently •Give them an opportunity to do what they enjoy •Give students a chance to be successful at home with academics •Help children see connections between what they do in school and the real world

Homework should not: •Require parents to teach their child something new – let parents do the wrangling, not the teaching •Frustrate kids because of the difficulty of the assignment •Be one size fits all – we don’t teach this way, so why would we assign homework this way?

Homework Menus can be a Solution!

After 14 years of facing this homework conundrum I’ve found that homework menus are the easiest way to differentiate homework in a way that’s easy for teachers to assign and grade.

Plus they give you tons of flexibility so you can include exercise, listening to music, hanging out with family, practicing math facts or mindfulness as menu options.

You are still assigning homework, but getting to choose menu options that you know are really important for kids.

Homework menus give students choice within a structure and can be easily adapted to what you have already taught in class.

You only have to create one menu a month and collect homework assignments once per week (or even per month – although I wouldn’t recommend this – too much room for procrastination).

There are a few different ways to handle turn in of assignments for students who can’t handle the Friday only turn in option.  I use homework bookmarks for 99% of  my kids and a daily homework tracker for the kiddos who need a bit more daily accountability.

Getting Homework Menus up and Running

Want to try out homework menus? Here are a few things to know about getting organized.

At the beginning of every month you will need a new homework menu. Your menu (if you choose to do a monthly one like me) should include around 25 choices. Then you just need the printables and you’re ready to go.  It’s work up front but it saves you time later.

To Do Monthly:

*Get copies of the homework menu ready for every student *Make 15-20 copies of the printable homework options you want to use *Make one set of answer keys for your homework grader (if you are lucky enough to have one) *Find a place to keep homework menu options (you can see some of mine in the pics) – I put them outside my room on plastic shelves so they’re easy to find before and after school

To Do Weekly:

*Make copies of homework bookmarks or trackers to send home *Enter homework in grade book and grade as you would like (If you don’t have a parent volunteer to help you, I say put a sticker on the homework bookmark and send that puppy home!)

To Do As Needed:

As you teach something in class, add it to your homework options folders, crate or shelves. If I have extra copies of a math or reading response assignment I always put them in the homework shelves for students to do as extra practice at home. These have been introduced to them in class and they should be able to complete them at home with minimal support. They can easily fit with the “Complete a math assignment you haven’t already done.” or “Complete a reading response/log” menu options. Even if I have something that doesn’t necessarily fit with a given option, I’ll let students know they can use it as a homework option (and let the parents know too) and write in the assignment they did instead of a number. Easy-peasy!

Homework Menus Frequently Asked Questions

Q: If homework doesn’t really matter anyway, then why even use a menu? Isn’t it just extra work that could be better spend elsewhere? A: I have always worked in schools where there was pressure either by the district, our school administration, or students’ parents to provide some sort of homework . (95% of the pressure came from parents in my experience.)  Providing homework menus with age-appropriate options is my attempt to work within these expectations, while differentiating for every student and honoring their time. This is why exercise, listening to music, practicing mindfulness, and spending time interacting with family members have always been mainstays on my homework menus.  I also like that the menu structure gives me opportunities to include math and reading review assignments that are beneficial for students, since they’re reviews of what we’ve already done in class.

Q: How do parents respond to this type of homework? A: Just like anything else you do in your classroom, some parents are 100% on board and think homework menus are the best thing ever, and others are not so easily persuaded. For the naysayers I use their questions as a jumping off point to explain what research says about homework in elementary grades and that truly my #1 concern is that their child is reading at home. For the most part parents have been very supportive of this type of homework and loved that it gave their child more freedom and less busy work. Kids are busy after school, and they loved that soccer practice and piano lessons (both great uses of after school time!) could be counted toward their weekly homework. Using menus also eliminates complaints from parents who constantly tell you their child isn’t being challenged by the work you’re sending home, since the kids are making the choices.

Q: Parents are concerned that their children aren’t old enough to make choices. What if they just want a homework packet? A: If parents want a packet, I nicely take them outside my classroom (where I keep copies of all the homework choices) with a stapler in hand, randomly take three or four assignments and staple them together. Voila! A homework packet! I don’t think this is the best way to assign homework as it takes responsibility away from the student, but I don’t believe homework is important enough to cause rifts between teachers and parents. I strongly, strongly, strongly (did I say strongly?) disagree that children aren’t able to make choices for themselves.

Q: What if students can’t handle turning in homework only once a week? A: Weekly turn in typically works for 99% of students. For the other 1% I use a Daily Homework Tracker or Bookmark. Students who use these do the same assignments, but turn in a bookmark/tracker each morning with the minutes they read the night before and the menu option they completed (or are working on) so they don’t get behind.

Q: How do you keep track of homework that has been turned in? Do students ever repeat the same assignment? A: I keep track of homework in an Excel document where I record the total minutes of reading and the numbers from the homework menu that students complete each week. At a glance I can make sure students are completing different assignments throughout the month

Q: How do you grade homework? How much time does this take when students are completing different assignments? A: Grading and entering homework into the Excel document is one of the parent volunteer jobs in my classroom. I feel my grading time is much better spent working on reader’s response notebooks or giving students comments on their writer’s workshop pieces rather than grading and entering homework assignments. I have a pack of answer keys that I include in my parent volunteer section of the room for all the monthly assignments, so a willing parent volunteer can do the grading for you. If parent volunteers are scarce, I would grade for completion only. Check! Sticker! Done!

Q: What do you do if students choose only the easiest assignments? A: Parents are usually much more concerned about this than I. Homework is something students should be able to complete independently so technically they should choose assignments that are easy (on an independent level) for them. I talk with my students throughout the year about choosing just right homework assignments and train the parents to do the same. If you can finish it in two minutes it’s too easy. If it makes you want to cry it’s too hard. Since I can’t necessarily control which assignments students pick as this is HOMEwork, I choose my battles. I would rather battle about reading just right books in the classroom than choosing just right homework assignments.

Q: Parents are telling me they have to teach their child how to do the assignment(s). What should I do? A: Remind the parent that there are a number of options for homework. Their job is to provide a calm place, time and structure for their child to work and then congratulate them when their child does their best. Train parents the same way you do students about choosing just right homework assignments (finish in 2 minutes vs. make you want to cry) and make some assignments available online if possible so parents can see what options are available.

Want to try out homework menus? 

Click HERE to download this FREE editable homework menu , homework bookmark , and 4 printables that correspond to the menu and see what you think.  I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Need more homework menus and printables?

If you are ready to get started with homework menus for the year, homework menus with corresponding printables are ready to go for every month of the school year at the Super Teacher stores. If you’re just getting started for the year, you can check out the August Homework pack HERE and the September Homework Menu pack HERE .

You can buy them one month at a time or take the leap and get the entire year bundle which includes EVERY homework pack + extra presents for Super Pack buyers only!

Have you tried out the freebie? Already using menus for homework? Let me know what you think in the comments!

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Great idea!!

• Pingback: But I Don’t Get It! The Late, Great Homework Debate | TWU New Teachers

Do you plan on making different grade levels? I would like to purchase a second grade one!

Thanks so much for your question! For 2nd grade, I recommend using menus as in-class activities rather than homework because all of the choices are a bit too overwhelming for 2nd graders. When I taught 2nd grade we used a more simple homework and it worked well, especially at the beginning of the year. However, I did still have students use menus, but as enrichment or fast finishers.

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2nd Grade Homework- 1st Quarter

Description.

This homework pack contains 9 weeks of spiral review homework to send home for a quick review for students to complete. They are spiral review activities to help second grade students practice Common Core standards and other literacy and math skills. This set is for the first quarter of your school year, including Weeks 1-9.

*The first quarter set now includes access to a digital version. When you download the PDF, you will get a link on page 5 to Google Slides. These Slides are the same work as the paper version offered in the PDF. *

There are 9 weeks of weekly second grade homework. Each weekly set comes with one assignment sheet and four days of homework to complete Monday through Thursday. The set should be turned in Friday, so there is no Friday page!

5 homework sheets for each week: -Assignment sheet and reading log- Nightly -Monday- Math -Tuesday- Language/Foundations -Wednesday- Reading -Thursday- Writing

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2nd Grade Journal Prompts

💾 Print or download a free PDF copy of this page:

Spark your 2nd grader's imagination and improve their writing skills with our engaging journal prompts. Explore a wide range of topics perfect for young minds on our dedicated page.

Journaling is not just a fun experience, but also plays an instrumental role in developing the linguistic skills, creativity, and emotional intelligence of second graders. It’s a powerful and proactive way for them to learn to express their thoughts and feelings on paper.

In this article, we are bringing together a plethora of second grade journal prompts to inspire the budding writers in your home or classroom. Whether your goal is to encourage their imaginations to run wild, help them ponder over thought-provoking questions, or empower them to find clarity around their daily experiences, we’ve got an enriching list of prompts lined up for you.

So, gather your journals, sharpen those pencils, and get ready to dive into an exciting world of writing, exploration, and imagination together. 🌟

Celebrating Friendship

Celebrating Friendship through journaling lets 2nd graders express their appreciation for their friends and understand the value of friendship. Here are 20 prompts to guide young ones in exploring and celebrating their friendships:

• Describe your best friend. What are the qualities that make them special?
• Illustrate a time when your friend made you laugh. How did it make you feel?
• Write about a fun adventure you would love to go on with your friend.
• Write a short story about a day spent with your friend.
• If your friend was a superhero, what powers would they have and why?
• How did you meet your friend? Write your first impressions of them.
• Describe a time when your friend stood up for you.
• Write a thank-you letter to your friend for being there for you.
• If you could give any gift to your friend, what would it be and why?
• Describe a time when you and a friend worked together to solve a problem.
• What's your favorite game to play with your friend and why?
• Write about a moment when your friend surprised you in a good way.
• Imagine your friend is an alien from another planet, describe their home planet.
• Write about a time when your friend helped you learn something new.
• Think about a moment when your friend made you proud.
• If you and your friend could invent anything, what would it be and why?
• Write a poem about your friend.
• Describe a time when you and your friend disagreed on something. How did you resolve it?
• Write about your most memorable birthday party with your friend.
• If your friend becomes the president, what changes do you think they will bring?

Understanding My Emotions

Investigating emotions through journal prompts provides second graders an avenue to develop emotional intelligence early on and learn to express their feelings in a healthy, constructive way. Here are 20 insightful prompts about understanding emotions:

• Write about a time when you felt really happy. What was happening?
• Describe a moment when you felt really angry. What triggered this emotion?
• Think of an instance when you felt scared. What led to this emotion?
• Write about a situation when you felt intensely proud. What had you achieved?
• Recall a moment when you felt extremely sad. What was the reason behind it?
• Think of a time when you experienced frustration. How did you handle it?
• Write about an instance where you felt jealous. How did it make you feel afterwards?
• Describe a situation when you felt embarrassed. How did those around you react?
• Write about a time when you felt very loved. What contributed to this emotion?
• Think of an experience that made you feel nervous. How did you overcome it?
• Describe how it feels to win. Do you like that feeling?
• Recollect a time when you lost at something. How did it make you feel?
• Write about a time when you felt surprised. What was the situation?
• Think about a time you felt disappointed. What led to this emotion?
• Recall a moment when you felt peaceful and calm. What was happening around you?
• Write about a time when you were confused. How did you resolve the situation?
• Describe how it feels when a friend is kind to you. How do you usually respond?
• Recall a situation when you felt ignored. What would you have wanted to happen instead?
• Write about what you do when you feel bored. How do you overcome boredom?
• Describe your feelings when you help someone. Do you enjoy being helpful?

Appreciating Nature

Appreciating nature through 2nd grade journaling offers a vital opportunity to build a deep connection with the natural world, fostering mindfulness and respect for the environment. Here are 20 journal prompts centered around building this appreciation for nature:

• Write about your favorite outdoor activity.
• Describe a new animal or insect you discovered today.
• Record the weather each day for a week, noting any changes.
• Sketch your favorite tree and describe what makes it your favorite.
• Detail a walk in a park or forest, paying attention to sights, sounds, and smells.
• Imagine how a bird views the world from high in the sky. Write about it.
• Write a story about an adventurous journey of a seed.
• Describe the beauty of a flower in your words.
• List the sounds you hear when you close your eyes in a peaceful outdoor spot.
• Draw a picture of a sunset and describe it using sensory words.
• Share why you think it's important to keep our environment clean.
• Write about a day in the life of a butterfly.
• Imagine if you could speak to a dolphin, what questions would you ask?
• Describe what you love most about each season.
• Narrate a sweet conversation between the moon and the stars.
• Record the growth of a plant in your home or school for five days.
• Express your feelings while playing in the first snow of the winter.
• Tell what you would feel if you were a raindrop.
• Write about your favorite fruit's journey from a small bud to your dining table.
• Invent a fairytale about a brave animal living in the forest, and how it uses nature to overcome challenges.

Family Appreciation

With journal prompts focused on Family Appreciation, second graders can encourage their thoughts towards understanding and cherishing their family members better. Here are 20 journal prompts to inspire them:

• Draw a picture of your family and describe each member in a kind way.
• Write about your favourite family tradition.
• Think about a fond memory you have with your family. What happened in this memory?
• How does your family show their love for each other?
• Write about a time your family helped you when you were in need.
• List three things you love to do together as a family.
• Imagine your family as a team. Why makes your team special?
• Write about a time you felt grateful for your family.
• How does your family celebrate special occasions?
• Describe a skill or hobby that you learned from a family member.
• Think about a time when a family member taught you an important life lesson. What was it?
• Write a thank you letter to a family member you appreciate.
• Mention a time when your family overcame a difficult situation together.
• Draw a picture of a family meal you love and explain what makes it special.
• Describe a fun family outing.
• How does your family welcome guests or new members?
• Write about a time a family member surprised you.
• How has your family shown you support in achieving your goals and dreams?
• Scribble down a funny incident involving your family.
• What is something you wish to tell your family? Write it down.

My Imaginary Adventure

My Imaginary Adventure promotes an expansive way of thinking that encourages children to explore their boundless imagination through journaling. Here are 20 prompts to aid them in documenting their own fantastical journey:

• Detail your journey to a magical land. What does it look like and what creatures live there?
• Imagine you have a pet dragon. What adventures would you go on together?
• If you had magical powers for a day, what would you do? Describe your adventures.
• Draw and write about a city made entirely of food. What would you eat first?
• Imagine you're an astronaut exploring a new planet. What does it look like and who lives there?
• Write about a day in the life of a wizard or witch.
• Picture yourself as a superhero. What is your power and how would you use it for good?
• Visualize being a pirate searching for treasure. Detail your journey and what treasures you find.
• Write about an underwater adventure as a mermaid or a merman.
• Imagine you're a tiny creature living in a garden. Describe your world from this perspective.
• What would it be like to live in a snow globe? Describe the things happening around you.
• Picture yourself being able to talk to animals. What conversations would you have?
• Write about a day in your life if you were the king or queen of a castle.
• Imagine finding a door to a secret world in your house. What do you see and experience?
• Write about an adventure with a magical creature as your guide.
• Envision a world where everything is your favorite color. How does this change your daily life?
• Imagine you can travel through time. When would you go and what do you see?
• Write about a wild day where you ride on the back of a giant bird.
• What would an adventure in a cloud city be like? Who are its inhabitants and how do you interact?
• Imagine leading a parade through your town. Describe the floats, music, and people's reaction.

Remembering A Fun Day

Remembering a fun day through journal prompts reinforces the idea of gratitude and gives young learners a chance to reflect on their joyful experiences. Here are 20 prompts that could be used to guide 2nd graders in recalling and writing about a memorable happy day:

• Write about the best day you ever had.
• Describe a time when you laughed so much your belly hurt.
• Share a moment of achievement or success that you're proud of.
• Describe a special day spent with your family.
• Write about a fun vacation day.
• Share an experience of a birthday party that made you happy.
• Write about a day out in nature that you enjoyed.
• Share your happiest memory from a summer day.
• Write about a moment when you felt proud of a friend.
• Describe a day when you learnt something new but in a fun way.
• Explain how it felt to win a game or a competition.
• Describe a fun day you had with your pet.
• Share the happiest moment you've had at school.
• Write about a time you tried a new food and really enjoyed it.
• Record a fun experience where you helped someone.
• Describe a day you played your favourite sport.
• Write about a sunny day spent at the beach or pool.
• Share a memorable day you experienced because of the weather, like a snow or rainy day.
• Write about a beautiful day you spent in a park.
• Describe a day you enjoyed because you made someone else happy.

Role Models In My Life

Writing about "Role Models in My Life" allows second graders to articulate their admiration, and define qualities that they find important in others. Here are 20 prompts to inspire their thinking:

• Write about someone you look up to. Why do you admire them?
• Think of a story about your role model. What makes this story special?
• How does your role model make you feel about yourself?
• Write a letter to your role model telling them why you appreciate them.
• If you could spend a day with your role model, what would you do together?
• List three things that your role model does that you want to do too.
• Write about a time when your role model helped you.
• How has your role model influenced your decisions or actions?
• If your role model was a superhero, what would be their superpowers and why?
• Draw a picture of your role model and write a few sentences on why you drew them this way.
• Describe a time your role model showed kindness towards others.
• How would your role model handle a challenging situation?
• What are the top 5 things you would like to learn from your role model?
• How does your role model make the world a better place?
• Write a story where you and your role model go on an adventure together.
• What can you teach back to your role model?
• Imagine your role model has a wish. What would it be and why?
• Write a poem inspired by your role model.
• What kind of character traits does your role model possess?
• If you could give your role model a gift, what would it be and why?

My Favorite Hobbies

Exploring "My Favorite Hobbies" with 2nd grade journal prompts provides a fun way to inspire self-expression and encourage interest in a diverse range of activities. Here are 20 writing prompts designed around the theme "My Favorite Hobbies":

• Write about your favorite hobby and why you love it so much.
• Describe the first time you engaged in your hobby. What made you want to try it?
• What makes your hobby different from others you have tried?
• If you could teach your best friend your hobby, how would you explain it?
• Write a story about an adventure you could have while doing your hobby.
• How does your hobby make you feel? Use as many sensory words as you can.
• Imagine teaching a class about your hobby. What are the three most important things to know?
• Is there a special equipment or tool for your hobby? Describe it in detail.
• Write a letter to a future friend introducing your hobby to them.
• Create a rule list for your hobby that a beginner should follow.
• What's the biggest challenge you've faced in your hobby and how did you overcome it?
• Write about a famous person who also enjoys your hobby and how cool it would be to meet them.
• If your hobby came alive as a person, what kind of personality would it have?
• Write about a time your hobby made you feel really proud.
• Who introduced you to your hobby? Write a thank you note to them.
• If you could showcase your hobby in a talent show, what would it look like?
• Why is it important for everyone to have at least one hobby?
• Write a poem about your hobby to share with your family.
• Imagine you have to give up your hobby for one day. How would you feel?
• If you could invent a new hobby, what would it be and why?

Exploring My Favorite Book

Delving into a favorite book through journaling offers an incredible opportunity for 2nd graders to delve deeper into the characters, plot, and themes, strengthening their critical thinking skills and enhancing their love for reading. Below are 20 prompts tailored around exploring their favorite book:

• Describe your favorite character from this book. What makes them your favorite?
• Write a letter to your favorite character. What would you like to say to them?
• List five new words you learned from this book.
• If you could change one thing in the book, what would it be?
• Describe the book's setting. How do you imagine it to look like?
• Draw a map of the book's world and describe each part of it.
• If you were in the story, what role would you play and why?
• What is the main conflict or problem in the book? How is it solved?
• How does the story end? Would you change the ending, if so, how?
• Write a brief summary of the book.
• How did you feel while reading the book and why?
• What lesson did you learn from the book?
• Choose a scene from the book and rewrite it in your own words.
• Imagine if you could ask the author of the book a question, what would it be?
• If you could add another character to the story, who would it be? Describe them.
• What was the funniest part of the book and why?
• Write about a time when something in the book reminded you of an event in your life.
• Which character would you most like to meet and why?
• What do you think will happen to the characters next, after the book ends?
• If the book was a movie, which actors would you choose for the roles and why?

Discovering Different Cultures

Discovering different cultures through 2nd grade journal prompts can foster respect for diversity and ignite interest in world geography. Here are 20 prompts to inspire cultural exploration:

• List three interesting facts you learned about a different culture today.
• Describe a traditional dish from another culture and explain why you find it appealing or unique.
• Write about a cultural celebration from another country you would love to experience.
• Imagine you're traveling to a new country. What would you like to learn about its culture?
• Document your thoughts on hearing a foreign language for the first time.
• Write a letter to a pen pal in another country. What would you want to tell them about your culture?
• Imagine learning a traditional dance from another culture. Describe the steps and costumes.
• Write about an invention you learned that came from another culture.
• Describe a culturally significant landmark from another country.
• Write about a cultural tradition you discovered that is very different from your own.
• Imagine if you moved to another country. How would you adapt to the new culture?
• Write a short story using words you've learned in a different language.
• Draw the flag of a country you're interested in and write what the colors and symbols mean.
• Describe a typical day in the life of a child from another culture.
• Write about the favorite sports or games children play in a different country.
• Illustrate and write about a national costume of a culture you find fascinating.
• Write about a music or a song from another culture that you enjoyed listening to.
• Document a new word you learned in a foreign language and its meaning.
• Write a make-believe story set in a country you'd like to learn more about.
• Discuss an interesting custom or tradition you've discovered from another culture and how it is similar or different from yours.

Time Travel Adventure

Exploring time travel adventures provides second graders with a challenging and interesting way to express their creativity and perspective, enhancing their writing skills. Here are 20 time travel adventure-sensitive prompts especially designed for their journaling journey:

• Imagine you could go back to the time of dinosaurs. What would you see and do?
• Pretend that you were able to travel to the future. Describe what you saw and who you met.
• Write a story about meeting your great-great-great grandparents in the past.
• Describe an adventure where you travelled back in time to the first day of school.
• Imagine you meet yourself from 10 years in the future. What would you talk about?
• Suppose you visited Ancient Egypt. Describe the things you saw around the pyramids.
• Write a story about watching a historic event, like the first moon landing, in person.
• Think about travelling back to a past birthday party. Describe how you might change the events of the day.
• Write a dialogue between you and a famous inventor from the past.
• Imagine how a usual school day would look 100 years into the future.
• Describe an adventure where you meet a younger version of your teacher.
• Write a story about heading to Medieval Times. How was your jousting match?
• You found a time machine that can return you to any of your past birthdays. Which one would you choose and why?
• Write about a day in the life of a future, high-tech version of your city.
• Imagine having the chance to change a moment in history. What would it be and why?
• If you could journey back to the moment your parents first met, what would that look like?
• Suppose you could bring one item from the past to the present – what would you bring and why?
• Write a letter to your future self 15 years from now. What advice or questions would you have?
• Describe the moment you stumble upon an ancient map that leads you to a time machine.
• Write about an adventure where you get to see the world’s first flying car.

Fascinating World Of Animals

Infusing the wonders of the animal kingdom into our journaling process can help inspire creativity and enhance our understanding of the diversity in our natural world. Here are 20 thought-provoking prompts for your second-grade journal entries centered around the captivating world of animals:

• Imagine if you were a bird. Describe what a day in your life would look like.
• What does your favorite animal eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
• How would you feel if you were a squirrel gathering food for the winter?
• If you could talk to any animal, which one would it be and what would you say?
• Write a story about a lion who was afraid of mice.
• How would you feel if you had the opportunity to visit the jungle and meet all the animals? Describe your adventure.
• Picture yourself as a frog. Describe the world from your perspective.
• If you could be any marine animal, which one would you choose and why?
• Write about your feelings walking through a forest filled with different types of animals.
• How would your day be different if you were your pet for just one day?
• Suppose you discovered an animal nobody has ever seen before. What does it look like, and what would you choose to name it?
• Imagine if you were a panda in the wild. Describe your daily routine.
• What do you think it is like to be a rabbit and dig burrows?
• Why do you think animals have different sounds to communicate? Create a conversation between two animals using their unique sounds.
• If you were an elephant using its trunk for the first time, what would you use it for?
• Write a short story about a group of animals who teamed up to solve a problem in the jungle.
• If you could transform into a butterfly, where would you fly and why?
• Which five animals would you invite to your birthday party and why?
• Describe a day in the life of a family of emperor penguins in the Arctic.
• Imagine if animals could go to school, which animal do you think would be the best student and why?

In My Perfect World

Picturing your 'Perfect World' is a wonderful exercise in imagination and self-expression, providing an insight into your deepest desires and happiest thoughts. Here are 20 prompts to help explore the concept of 'In My Perfect World' from a second-grader's perspective:

• Describe what would be the first thing you see in your perfect world when you wake up in the morning.
• Who would be your best friend in your perfect world and why?
• What kind of animals would live in your perfect world?
• Write about your favorite meal in your perfect world.
• Imagine the perfect school in your world. What is different about this school from your current one?
• Describe the best day ever in your perfect world. What happens?
• In your perfect world, what fun activity would you do every day?
• What kind of weather is always present in your perfect world?
• Write about your favorite place to go in your perfect world.
• What would your house look like in your perfect world?
• How do people treat each other in your perfect world?
• Are there any special holidays or celebrations in your perfect world? What are they?
• Imagine the clothes you would wear in your perfect world. What do they look like?
• Describe your family in your perfect world.
• What kind of hobbies would you have in your perfect world?
• Are there any kind of magical creatures or phenomenon in your perfect world? What are they?
• What kind of jobs do people have in your perfect world?
• Are there any rules in your perfect world? If so, what are they?
• Draw a picture of your perfect world.
• If you could bring one thing from your perfect world back to the real world, what would it be?

Dream School Day

Creating a Dream School Day through journaling presents a wonderful opportunity for 2nd graders to imagine and articulate their ideal experiences in an educational setting. Below are 20 writing prompts about Dream School Day:

• What would the entrance of your Dream School look like?
• What subject would you like to study first in your Dream School?
• Describe your dream teacher. What makes them special?
• What would lunchtime look like at your Dream School?
• What kind of special classes would your Dream School offer?
• What sorts of fun activities would occur between class hours?
• Describe the perfect playground in your Dream School.
• If you could have any pet in your classroom, what would it be and why?
• How would you spend break times in your Dream School?
• Would your Dream School schedule be different from your current one? If so, how?
• Describe an exciting field trip your Dream School would take.
• Would your Dream School have a uniform? If yes, what would it look like?
• Imagine a school assembly in your Dream School. What is happening?
• What would the rules be in your Dream School?
• Describe a special visitor to your dream school. Who are they and what would they do?
• What kind of sports or games would you play in your Dream School?
• Would your Dream School have a library? What would it be like?
• How would birthdays be celebrated in your Dream School?
• What would your ideal Homework in Dream School be like?
• Finally, draw a picture of your Dream School, illustrating your favorite elements from your previous answers.

Building My Own Wonderland

"Building My Own Wonderland" with 2nd grade journal prompts can stimulate imaginative abilities, inviting young writers to construct their own fantastic realities. Explore the realm of make-believe with these 20 inspiring writing prompts:

• Describe what your Wonderland looks like. What colors can you see?
• What animal or creature would be your best friend in Wonderland? How do they help you?
• Write about a special power you have in Wonderland. What does it allow you to do?
• What's the weirdest food you can eat in your Wonderland?
• Describe a game you would play in your Wonderland. What are the rules?
• Create a magical problem that happens in Wonderland. How would you solve it?
• Imagine you have to invite a friend to Wonderland. What would a day be like with them?
• Draw and describe a map of your Wonderland.
• Write about a holiday you would celebrate in Wonderland. How would you celebrate it?
• Describe a new creature or animal that you discovered in Wonderland.
• What is the funniest thing that could happen in your Wonderland?
• If you were the ruler of Wonderland, what rules would you make?
• Write about you got to Wonderland.
• Imagine you found a secret path in Wonderland. Where does it lead to?
• Create a song or a poem about the beauty of Wonderland.
• How does the weather change in your Wonderland?
• Imagine there's a grand feast in Wonderland. What dishes are served?
• Describe a magical plant or flower that only grows in Wonderland.
• If you could bring one thing back from Wonderland to the real world, what would it be?
• As you leave Wonderland, what is the one thing you would miss the most?

Inventions And Innovations

Fostering the spirit of invention and innovation through journal prompts can inspire creativity in 2nd graders, encouraging them to bring forth original solutions and advancements in their daily life. Here are 20 writing prompts revolving around the theme of inventions and innovation:

• Imagine you invented a machine that could do your homework. What would it look like and how would it work?
• Write about an invention that could help clean up the environment.
• If you could invent a new toy, what would it be and why?
• Describe an innovation that would make school more fun.
• What kind of invention would you create to help people in need?
• If you could invent a new flavor of ice cream, what would it taste like?
• Think about something you use every day. How could you make it better?
• Imagine you invented a device that could talk to animals. Write a conversation you would have.
• If you could modify a device or toy, what changes would you make?
• Write about an invention that could solve a problem you're facing.
• Imagine a future where robots do all the work. What would it look like?
• Create a new sport and describe the special equipment needed.
• If you could invent a new mode of transport, what would it be?
• Describe a device that could help people communicate better.
• Invent something to make bedtime more exciting.
• If you could improve a video game you like, what changes would you make?
• Describe an invention designed to make learning a new language easier.
• Imagine an innovative solution to reduce waste in your school.
• If you could invent a holiday, what would it celebrate?
• Create a futuristic device that could increase the happiness of people around you.

If I Were A Superhero

Exploring the scenario "If I Were A Superhero" serves as a fun introduction to creative writing for 2nd graders, letting them stretch their imaginations and express their innermost aspirations. Here are 20 engaging prompts to kickstart their superhero adventure.

• Describe the superpower you would choose to have and why.
• Write about your superhero's costume. What does it look like?
• Who would be your superhero's arch-nemesis and what powers would they have?
• Explain how you got your superpowers.
• What would be your superhero's secret identity and what is their everyday job?
• Describe a day in the life of your superhero.
• Write about the city or town your superhero lives in and protects.
• How does your superhero help those in need?
• What would your superhero's sidekick be like? What are their superpowers?
• Would your superhero have a secret headquarters? If so, where would it be and what does it look like?
• Write about the time your superhero saved their city from a massive disaster.
• Talk about how your superhero maintains a balance between their superhero duties and their everyday life.
• Describe a challenging situation your superhero finds difficult to resolve.
• Why does your superhero choose to fight against evil?
• If your superhero could change one thing about their world, what would it be?
• What would a holiday look like for your superhero?
• Write about a situation when your superhero used their superpowers in a non-traditional way.
• Describe your superhero's most loyal ally, and explain why they are trustworthy.
• Explain how your superhero handles defeat.
• If your superhero could send one message to the world, what would it be and why?

Meeting Historical Personalities

Exploring the idea of Meeting Historical Personalities through journal prompts enables us to foster curiosity and intrigue into past figures, encouraging a deeper understanding of history. Below are 20 prompts to stimulate your exploration into historical personalities for your journal entries:

• If you could meet Martin Luther King Jr., what would you ask him?
• Describe a day in the life of Amelia Earhart using your imagination.
• How would the world be different if Mahatma Gandhi never protested for India's independence?
• List three things you admire about Rosa Parks and why.
• Write a letter to George Washington asking him about his presidency.
• Imagine you have a dinner with Florence Nightingale. What questions would you ask her about her experiences as a nurse?
• If you could help Thomas Edison with one of his inventions, which one would it be and why?
• Describe what a fun day with Leonardo Da Vinci would look like.
• If you could travel back in time with Albert Einstein, where would you go and what would you do?
• Write a thank you note to Abraham Lincoln for his contribution to ending slavery.
• Describe the first moon landing as if you were Neil Armstrong.
• Imagine you are Alexander Graham Bell. How would you explain the telephone to someone in the past?
• If you could advise Christopher Columbus before his voyage, what would you tell him?
• What would you and Harriet Tubman talk about if you met?
• How would you feel sailing around the world with Ferdinand Magellan? Write about the adventures you might have.
• If you were an apprentice to Isaac Newton, what would you want to learn?
• Write a diary entry pretending to be Cleopatra ruling over Egypt.
• If you met Mother Teresa, what act of kindness would you tell her you did?
• Imagine you have a conversation with Helen Keller. How would it be different?
• Write about a day at school teaching Marco Polo about modern geography.

Routes To My Dream Land

Exploring the theme Routes to My Dream Land through journal prompts allows second graders to ignite their imagination, cultivate their writing skills, and articulate their deepest desires and dreams. Here are 20 inspiring writing prompts revolving around the theme:

• Write about the path you must take to reach your dream land.
• Imagine you can fly. Describe the journey to your dream land.
• What are some obstacles you might encounter on the route to your dream land? How can you overcome them?
• Draw and describe the map that leads to your dream land.
• Try to explain the first thing you see when you arrive in your dream land.
• List three animals or magical creatures you'd like to meet on your journey.
• What kind of food and drink is available on your journey to your dream land?
• If you could take one person with you on your journey to the dreamland, who would it be and why?
• Design a vehicle that can take you to your dream land. Describe it.

10.Write about a special power you gain on your journey to your dream land. 11. Depict a day in the Dream Land. What would you do there? 12. Write about coming across a Dream Land citizen. How does the encounter unfold? 13. What type of clothing do you wear in your dream land? 14. Describe the weather in your dream land. 15. Imagine coming across a magical shop in your dream land. What items are for sale? 16. Write a story about a festival or celebration in your dream land. 17. If your dream land had one rule everyone must follow, what would it be and why? 18. What is the most exciting adventure you could have in your dream land? 19. Write about a problem in your dream land and how you would solve it. 20. If you could bring back one souvenir from your dream land, what would it be and why?

The Magic Of Holidays

Using The Magic of Holidays as a theme for 2nd grade journal prompts inspire creativity and recounting of important family events and traditions, facilitating a deep appreciation of various cultures, customs, and sentiments associated with different holidays. Here are 20 intriguing writing prompts related to The Magic of Holidays:

• Describe your favorite holiday and explain why you like it so much.
• Write about a holiday tradition you enjoy with your family.
• Imagine you can create your own holiday, what would it be like?
• Create a story using Halloween as a setting.
• Make a list of presents you would give to your loved ones if you could give anything.
• Describe how the world would be if every day is Christmas.
• Recount your favorite memory from last Christmas.
• Write a thank you note to an imaginary creature associated with a holiday (e.g., Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy).
• Explain how your family celebrates Thanksgiving and what you are thankful for.
• Write a story about a lost Thanksgiving Turkey.
• Describe your perfect holiday feast. List out the dishes that would be there.
• Paint a picture with words about what your house or town looks like during a holiday season.
• Write about the most special gift you have ever received or given.
• Create a mythical creature that only appears during a special holiday.
• Describe the best decoration in your house during a holiday season.
• Write a letter to Santa expressing your wishes.
• Imagine being a reindeer for a day; recount your adventure.
• Share your thoughts about why it's important to celebrate holidays.
• Write a narrative about celebrating a holiday in a different country.
• Recount a time when a holiday celebration did not go as planned and how you felt about it.

The Joy Of Festivals

Exploring The Joy of Festivals through second-grade journal prompts allows students to celebrate diversity, understand cultures, and cherish fond memories. Here are 20 writing prompts that encourage thinking about various aspects of festivals:

• Write about your favorite festival and why you love it.
• Describe the best festival costume you’ve ever worn or seen.
• Imagine you could create your own festival. What would it look like?
• Recall a funny incident that happened during a festival.
• What kind of food do you enjoy most during festivals and why?
• Write about a festival you want to learn more about.
• Have you ever celebrated a festival from a different culture? Describe your experience.
• Draw and describe a festival decoration you created by yourself.
• Think about a community festival you attended. How did it make you feel?
• Write a letter inviting a friend to celebrate a local festival with you.
• Imagine you're a firework at a festival. Explain what you see and feel.
• Describe the sounds you hear during a festival.
• Write about the most memorable gift you received during a festival.
• If you could rather be a festival performer or spectator, which one would you choose and why?
• How does the celebration of festivals change with the seasons?
• What is one festival tradition you would never want to miss?
• Describe a kind act you witnessed or did during a festival.
• Explain how your family prepares for a festival.
• If a festival had a smell, what would yours smell like?
• Write a short poem about the joy of festivals.

Space Exploration

Through the lens of space exploration, 2nd grade journal prompts can be a thought-provoking way for children to express their ideas, encouraging creativity and understanding of the wider universe. Here are 20 writing prompts about Space Exploration for the 2nd grade:

• Write about what you'd pack for a trip to space.
• If you were an astronaut, what color would your space suit be and why?
• Imagine having a picnic on the moon. What would it look like?
• Write a story about a day in the life of an alien.
• If you discovered a new planet, what would you name it and why?
• What games would you play with your friends in zero gravity?
• Write about your favorite planet and why you like it.
• Imagine you have a pet alien. How would you take care of it?
• If you could send a message to an alien, what would it say?
• Describe what stars look like from your spaceship window.
• Write a postcard from Mars to your best friend on Earth.
• Would you rather live in a space station or on the moon? Explain why.
• Write about a space rocket you're designing. What features does it have?
• Describe the sounds you might hear during a spaceship take-off.
• Draw a picture of your favorite constellation and tell its story.
• Write a poem about the sun viewed from outer space.
• If you were the first child to walk on Mars, what would you say to the people of Earth?
• Imagine you found a space rock. What's special about it?
• Imagine meeting a friendly alien. What questions would you ask them?
• Pen a letter to the astronauts on the International Space Station. What would you want to know?

Learning From My Mistakes

Using past mistakes as learning experiences encourages growth and resilience in young minds, preparing them for any future hurdles along their educational path. Below are 20 prompts to encourage second graders to reflect on their mistakes and learn from them:

• Write about a time when you made a mistake in a game or competition. How did you handle it?
• Describe a mistake you made in your homework or classwork and how you corrected it.
• Recall a time when you didn't follow instructions properly. What did you learn from this?
• Detail an occasion where you forgot something important. How did you resolve this?
• Think of a time when you made a spelling or grammar mistake. How have you improved since then?
• Describe a situation where you lost something. How did you feel and what would you do differently next time?
• Write about a time when you didn't tell the truth. What did you learn from this experience?
• Record a time when you accidentally hurt someone's feelings. How did you apologize?
• Share a time when you made a mistake while cooking or making something. What did you learn?
• Narrate an incident where you handled a conflict poorly. What could you have done differently?
• Describe a situation when you didn't manage your time well. What were the consequences and how would you prevent it from happening again?
• Write about a promise you couldn't keep. How did you explain and make amends?
• Recall a situation where you felt you let someone down. How did it make you grow?
• Narrate an incident of a calibration error in a science experiment or craft project. What lessons did you learn?
• Share a time when you misinterpreted someone's words or actions. What have you learned about communication since then?
• Reflect on a time when you didn't do well on a test or assignment because you didn't study enough. How has your study habit changed?
• Recall a moment when you were not patient enough. What did you learn from that experience?
• Write about a time you made a mistake while trying to learn a new skill. How did this make you progress?
• Narrate an incident where you made a math error. How have you improved your calculation skills since then?
• Share an experience of a wrong decision you made. What did you learn about decision making?

When I Become An Adult

Discussing and imagining "When I Become An Adult" is an engaging way for second graders to hone their creative and explorative writing skills. Here are 20 interesting writing prompts that encourage children to envisage their adult lives:

• Imagine what your job would be like. What would your daily routine involve?
• Talk about a problem in the world that you would like to solve as an adult.
• Write a letter to your future self.
• Describe where you would like to live as an adult.
• Speculate what you want your family to look like when you grow up.
• Discuss three things you are looking forward to doing when you become an adult.
• Predict what your best friend's life will be like as an adult.
• Write about how you would celebrate your birthday as an adult.
• Contemplate how you would spend your free time as an adult.
• Imagine getting your dream job – tell your parents about your first day at work.
• Write about a charity or cause you would start or support as an adult.
• Reflect on a piece of wise advice you've heard and how it would benefit you when you're older.
• Describe what types of pets you would want to have when you become an adult.
• Envision yourself as a parent – how would you deal with a naughty child?
• Imagine planning a vacation. Where would you go and what would you see?
• Write about what your home would look like when you become an adult.
• Think about a skill you want to learn by the time you're grown up.
• Write about your first day of driving your own car.
• Describe an interesting adult you know and why you admire them.
• Imagine that you have become a famous inventor, describe the gadget you created and how it helps people.

The Beauty Of Seasons

Using the changing beauty of the seasons as a thematic guide for journaling encourages us to observe and appreciate nature's inherent creativity and diversity, supporting our sensory, descriptive, and reflective writing skills. Here are 20 prompts that utilize the theme of The Beauty of Seasons for your 2nd grade journal time:

• Write about your favorite season. Why do you love it the most?
• Draw a snapshot of what you see outside your window in the current season.
• Tell a story about a fun adventure you would have in the Spring.
• Conjure up your ideal Summer day. What would you do?
• Write about a memory you have from last Fall.
• Describe how it feels to walk through the Winter snow.
• Imagine if trees could talk. What would they say about the changing seasons?
• Today is the first day of a new season – what changes do you notice?
• Write a poem about waking up to a fresh Spring morning.
• Narrate a Summer picnic with your family or friends.
• Describe the colors of the leaves during Fall.
• Share how you feel when you see the first snowflake of Winter.
• Create a list of five things you look forward to each season.
• How does the weather change in each season? Write a sentence for each one.
• Think about your senses. How does each season influence what you hear, see, feel, smell, and taste?
• Write a thank you letter to Summer for all its fun holidays and events.
• Pretend you are a bird. Describe how the same place looks different as the seasons change.
• Imagine a year without any seasons. How would it feel?
• Describe a family tradition for each season.
• Draw and discuss your favorite season-themed activity. Is it making a snowman, picking apples, or a beach day?

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17 Best 2nd Grade Art Projects Kids Can Do In Class Or At Home

Categories Activities & Ideas

If you’re a teacher, then you’ll already know how much 2nd graders love art.

It seems to always be their favorite subject, and it’s probably due to the fact that they’re getting to explore new materials and produce a wide range of different media.

Because their fine motor skills are improving rapidly at this age, they can also exercise more control over their projects, and subsequently can take part in more complex art based tasks.

But, as a teacher, it can be incredibly difficult to come up with new ideas that your students can participate in. You want to find something stimulating, but also not too difficult that it’s off putting.

When it comes to Google, you’ll find all manner of different art projects out there, some of which seem really cool, but it’s difficult to find a list of ones specifically targeted towards 2nd graders. 

Thankfully, that’s where we come in. Below, we’ve compiled a list of what we believe to be some of the very best art projects for 2nd graders.

These are super diverse, and have some super interesting concepts and ideas.

They’re also transitional, so if you want to set some of these as homework, you can absolutely do so, because they can be done either in the classroom or at home. 

To find out more, simply keep reading below, as we take a closer look. 

1. Painting With Yarn

This is a super and easy fun art project that you can whip out when you need something relaxing for the kids to partake in.

Painting with yarn is one of the simplest activities on our list, and only requires a few materials. 

In order to make this project, all you’ll really need is a piece of paper, and some balls of yarn in different colors.

You tape the piece of paper to the table, then you simply cut up the pieces of yarn you want to use in the desired size, and dip it in glue. 

The glue is then used to stick down the yarn in the shapes that you want to achieve.

The kids will have fun making this project their own, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be a landscape picture, they can enjoy making abstract patterns too, if they desire. 

2. Back To School Calendar

If you’re looking for an art project that’s both fun for the kids, and super practical too, then we’d like to introduce you to this ‘back to school art calendar’.

In this project, the kids will create their own personalized calendars that have the correct dates for the entire school year. This one is great for making just before the summer holidays commence. 

They will then have this calendar ready for them to start the following year.

There are no real rules for this calendar, you can decide what kind of mediums they use to decorate them, be that crayons, stencils, paints, or just coloring pencils. 

Either way, this is a stimulating way to keep the kids preoccupied when their minds are locked in to summer vacation mode. 

3. String Painting

Some of you reading this list might have already come across string painting during your internet journey.

This type of project has become increasingly popular in recent years, and mostly amongst adults wanting to create their own artwork. 

This one however is actually super amazing for kids, and is a really easy way to make something fun and unique that they can take home with them.

All you’ll need are some sheets of black card paper, some plain yarn, and some multicolored paint options. 

All the kids need to do is dip the yarn into the different colors along the length of the string, then simply place them on the black card, and have fun trying to create different shapes and designs. 

The fun part about this one is that each of the projects will be unique, so no two members of the classroom will have the same design. 

4. Bloom Painted Paper Flowers

This art project is a little more complex, and may take several different sessions to complete, but we can guarantee you that the result is most definitely worth it.

It only requires a few items to make, including paints, card paper, and a pair of scissors to cut. 

For this art project, the kids can have fun creating their own designs and patterns on separate pieces of paper.

Then, after they’ve created several different ones on each of the pieces of paper, they can begin cutting out the petal shapes. 

The petals are then all assembled together, and made into a beautiful flower shape. We think that this is a super fun project to partake in during easter time. 

5. Watercolor Fish

We think that this is one of the prettiest designs on our list, and involves your students creating a beautiful watercolor fish.

2nd graders are already well acquainted with acrylics, so it’s fun for them to try painting with a medium that requires a little more attention and preciseness. 

In order to complete this background, all they’ll need to do is create a turquoise scene to act as the ocean. Then, after they’ve done this, they can have fun drawing and painting their own fish.

If your students are struggling a little bit with making their own fishes to paint, do not worry, as this tutorial provides a template for teachers to print out too. 

This project doesn’t just need to be confined to fish, as your students can have fun making any type of sea creature that they like. 

6. 3D Paper Hot Air Balloons

If you’re looking for an art project that’s a little bit fun and different from the others on our list, then we’d recommend that you take a closer look at this tutorial for making 3D hot air balloons.

This one is super fun, and is made using a process called weaving, which is responsible for creating the balloon-like effect. 

Some students may find the weaving process a little bit difficult, and this one can be challenging for 2nd graders, so make sure that you take the time to aid those who are taking a little longer to get the hang of the weaving process. 

Your students can choose multi colored pieces of paper for their hot air balloons, and they can really make the project their own by creating a scene to surround the page. 

7. Jellyfish Paper Plate Craft

If you’re looking for a super fun and somewhat silly craft to make with your 2nd graders, then we recommend that you take a look at this jellyfish paper plate craft.

This one is incredibly enjoyable to make, and can be done in a single art session if need be. 

In order to make this plate craft, all students need to do is cut a paper plate in half, then paint it in the color they desire.

After they’ve done this, you can help them to punch holes in the bottom section of the paper plate, where they’ll then be able to weave yarn through. 

You can have a wide variety of different yarn color options available, so that it matches the color the student has chosen for their project. 

Your students can then have fun personalizing their jellyfish, by creating a face for them. They can use some googly eyes, and make mouths for them too. 

8. 3D Paper Robots

This is another craft project on our list that your students might need a little bit of help in order to complete. This one involves making 3D robots, and is a great way for them to show their creativity. 

In order to make the project a little bit easier, have the students sketch out what they’d like their robot to look like with a pencil.

Tell them not to make it too intricate so that it’s still possible to assemble into a 3D shape afterwards. 

Following on from this, your students just need to draw and cut out each of the different body parts for their robot, and fold the paper accordingly so that it stands up.

They don’t just have to use paper to make this project, but they can utilize paint and coloring pencils too. 

9. Create An Underground World

This one constitutes not just as an art project, but also an opportunity for your students to really get thinking, and let their creative juices flow.

For this project, it might be a good idea to introduce them to some of the artwork produced for the Beatrix Potter book series, in which a group of sentient animals live beneath the ground. 

This will help to provide them with the inspiration they need in order to create their own underground world.

They will need to draw burrows for their animals or people to live in, and within these burrows, they can enjoy making various different rooms within the household. 

In order to create this project, all they’ll need is a few coloring pencils and a sheet of paper. 

10. Cup Shark Art

If you’ve never done any cup art with your students before, then let us assure you that it’s one of the easiest projects to partake in, and they’re left with something super satisfying at the end too. 

This cup shark art simply involves grabbing hold of a couple of paper plates, then painting them.

After this, your students can cut out what will work as the fins, that they’ll then attach to the paper cups using some glue. 

They can also get creative with this project and place some googly eyes on their shark, and draw on some fierce teeth. 

This project is also super versatile, and your kids aren’t limited to just making sharks. They can make pretty any type of fish they like, and can even create an octopus if so desired.

Either way, this is a super fun and quick project that can be made in only half an hour. 

11. Color Wheel Umbrella

This art project is both fun and educational, and can help to teach your students about the different types of colors found in the color wheel.

In order to make this project, your students just need to draw their own color wheel using a ruler. They can then go ahead and create a body underneath it holding the color wheel as though it were an umbrella. 

After they’ve done this, they can go ahead and start filling it in with each of the different colors.

Because this project is a little bit more detailed, they can use watercolors instead of acrylic paint in order to fill it in. 

Whenever your students need to reference which colors to mix together in order to form new colors, they can simply reach for this art project, and it will help to refresh their memory. Fun, easy, and educational!

12. Spring Flower Boxes

If you’re looking for the perfect art project for your kids to take part in ready for mother’s day, then we think that this is the perfect one.

This one takes a few sessions to complete, but is really worth the effort, and the students will love taking these home as presents for their mothers. 

In order to make this spring flower box art project, all your students will need to do is take an oblong box, then paint it with rust colored paint, in order to make it look like a flower pot.

After they’ve done this, they can then go ahead and fill it up with crate paper, which will act as the soil. 

Following on from this, they can go ahead and create their own personalized paper flowers.

They can make these in a variety of different colors and shapes, and the tutorial linked above shows you some different patterns they can follow. 

13. Sponge Sailboat

This one is a super fun project that you can create some activities around.

It involves creating a sailboat using just a few key items, including some pieces of card paper, a household sponge, and a stick to hold everything in place. 

In order to make this project, you’re going to need to educate your students on each of the different parts of a sailboat.

You can show them what the mast, rudder, and sails are, as well as where they belong on the boat.

After you’ve done this, they can then go ahead and start cutting out each of the different parts, and assemble them together. This is a good mini lesson to teach them about boats. 

After they’re done making the sailboats, you can then place them in a bowl of water to show them how they float.

If it’s possible, your class could even take a walk to the nearest lake, where they can have fun racing them in pairs. 

14. Handprint Animals

If you’re looking for a fun and easy activity to do on a rainy day, then this handprint animal project is perfect for such an occasion.

We’ve all heard of handprint turkeys before, but your kids can pretty much make any animal they desire simply by printing their hands with some paint. 

It’s great for developing their fine motor skills, as they’ll need to pay close attention to where they’re placing their hand on the page, and judge how far apart each handprint needs to be, based on the scene that they’re trying to create. 

They can make all sorts of landscapes using this project, and as you can see from the image above, they can enjoy painting around their handprints and making elaborate scenes. 

15. Trace And Color Circle Art

This is an incredibly bold, abstract art project that your kids can have fun participating in. It simply involves tracing a large circle, and then creating smaller circles within.

Depending on the skill level of the child, they can either draw the circles freehand, or they can employ some cups and other various circular objects in order to create their artwork. 

After they’re done creating each of their different circles, they can then go ahead and start filling them in with colors. Encourage them to make these as bold as possible so that they really stand out on the page. 

To give them some inspiration to get started with this project, show them the artwork created by Frank Stella, who makes some amazing abstract pieces that will mesmerize students. 

16. Underwater Art Project

This is another project that’s super easy to do, and involves creating a self portrait of themselves underneath the sea.

In order to create this art project, all you’ll really need is a piece of paper and some coloring in pencils. This one’s great for when you don’t have much time on your hands to prepare something more elaborate. 

This is a chance for your students to express how they see themselves visually, and in their minds, place themselves in different situations. 

If you want to make it a little more fun, you could split everyone in the classroom into pairs, then they can have the challenge of drawing each other’s portraits.

17. Alphabet Beading

If you want to combine an English and art lesson into one, then we recommend that you take a closer look at this alphabet beading tutorial. 

If you’re concerned about purchasing all of the individual beads for this project, you’ll actually find that they’re super inexpensive. 

This project is a great chance for your students to exercise their fine motor skills, and create words and names on their strings. 

You could set the students a challenge of beading the name of their favorite animal, then allow them to try and spell it out.

Once they’re done doing this, they can take the beads off, and you can start a different project using them the following week. 

There are a whole bunch of different things you can do using alphabet beading, and you could even create a word of the day that they can attempt to bead. This project offers a lot of different possibilities. 

Final Thoughts 

So, to sum up, there are a whole bunch of different art projects out there specifically tailored towards 2nd grades .

Some of the ones on our list are more elaborate than others, whilst some are just easy and fun projects to pass the time. 

The reason why the projects mentioned above are so great is because they’re so transactional in nature.

Your students can either make these within the confines of the classroom, or you can set it as homework for them to complete for the following day. 

Either way, we sincerely hope that this list has provided you with some much needed inspiration. 

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Homework Ideas for Elementary Teachers: Save Time and Make Learning More Purposeful for Students in 2024

What’s the first word you think of when I say “homework?” It’s one of those hot topics that people feel very strongly about one way or another. However, more often than not, it’s a requirement. As a result, I am here to share homework ideas that will make your life as an elementary teacher a little bit easier.

I used to send homework home nightly, but found it to add chaos to each and every day. I would spend many lunch periods copying an assignment for that night. Kids would forget to take their copy home. Parents would call or email to get clarification on what the assignment was for that night.

Then I switched to a weekly packet. The packet included all of the pages for the week along with a cover sheet that listed spelling words and assignments. This was an improvement, but still not ideal.

Last year, I started using a separate folder just for homework. This is one of the best homework ideas I have come up with. The folder includes the homework calendar and all of the printables they will need for the week. I sent home a Paragraph of the Week assignment each week. The consistency was outstanding. We really felt like we hit gold because the kids were all working on something meaningful with a purpose. The parents liked it because it was easy for them to understand and help with. I began experimenting with a monthly homework packet. And let me tell you…

It. Was. Awesome! 

We placed everything into a homework folder for the month and included an assignment calendar. The folder stayed at home and the students returned their completed work each morning in the communication folder . Learn about some of my best homework ideas for elementary teachers below!

7 Benefits of Assigning Homework

Do you question the importance of homework? Are you one of the many teachers or parents who feel homework should be banned? The idea of homework just doesn’t make sense to you. If you are part of the growing number of people questioning if the reasons homework is bad outweigh the benefits to homework, then you might find this to be helpful. 

I’m going to be honest, as a teacher (and especially as a parent), I am in the camp of not liking the idea of homework at the elementary level. However, each of the districts I have taught in has required teachers to assign nightly homework in addition to reading for 20 minutes. It often felt like a waste of time and paper.

For some teachers, the word HOMEWORK brings about pangs of dread. Others see it as a necessary evil of learning. For many, it merely represents having to fulfill a district requirement. In many districts these days, homework is not counted towards a student’s overall grade. The debate over homework has been waged for years. The question is: What’s a teacher to do?

No matter where you stand on the topic of homework, here are some ideas related to homework that will make you feel better about assigning homework. They may even make you feel good in some cases! I am hoping the 7 benefits listed below will ease the guilt some teachers feel about burdening their students and their families with tasks to complete at home.

1. Prepares Students for the Next Day’s Learning

A great way to use homework is preparation for an upcoming lesson, whether it’s doing some reading ahead of time, or looking over other assigned material, there’s no doubt that preparing for an upcoming lesson is a beneficial way to assign homework.

2. Increases Responsibility

When a student has a task that they MUST do rather than WANT to do, they learn to be responsible. Homework is the “You do” in the learning model of “I do, We do, You do.”.  It gives the learner a chance to practice what was covered in class and take responsibility for their own learning.

3. Advances Problem-Solving Skills

If the student can’t find an answer to something in their homework, (or even where to look for information to find an answer), what steps will they take to solve this problem? Will they look in a dictionary, online, ask a friend, or go to a library? Homework gives students a chance to flex their problem-solving muscles.

4. Offers Review Practice

Whether it’s a new math skill, or spelling/vocabulary words, homework that involves reviewing material covered in class will help students to remember it and is a very useful assignment.

5. Teaches Time Management

For students with an active extra-curricular life, homework teaches them how to manage their time. This helps them learn to prioritize schoolwork.

6. Strengthens Persistence and Grit

There have been many studies done recently that show a lack of persistence and grit in today’s students. Developing the fortitude to complete homework assignments also helps develop a student’s capacity for grit and persistence. These are necessary for success in many areas of life, not just academically.

7. Promotes Self-Esteem

Students will develop a sense of pride when they learn the value of a job well done and take ownership of their work. This carries over into their personal development as well. It is for this reason that homework should always be a review of skills already taught.

5 Problems with Assigning Traditional Homework

These were five of the problems I faced in my 3rd grade classroom. No matter which grade you teach I’m pretty sure you can relate. The good news is I managed to find a solution that saved me time and reduced my stress each day. Not only that, but my students’ math skills were strengthened and their families were less burdened with random assignments each night. Read on to learn about the problems I had and how I solved them.

1. Mandated to Give Homework

My school required we give homework 4 nights per week. It was a mandate, so my personal feelings made no difference. I had to send it nightly.

2. Emails and Calls from Parents

I often received emails and phone calls from confused parents. They often said they didn’t understand the homework or told me that their child said that they had “never seen this stuff before”. Let’s be honest, our time is so limited. We do not want to spend the afternoon or start the morning returning messages explaining directions or convincing someone that you did, in fact, teach it in class.

3. Wasted Class Time Every Day

I needed to spend some of our instructional time every afternoon going over the instructions because each assignment varied.

4. Drop-In Visits from Parents

I frequently had a parent and child return to my classroom because the homework never made it into the backpack. This often resulted in an unplanned conference at a time when I needed to prepare for the next day.

5. Students Forgot what was Taught

Unrelated to homework, I consistently faced a different problem. I often would teach a concept, the students would demonstrate proficiency…and then they didn’t.

How often do you have students who forget what odd and even (or a prime and composite if you teach higher grades) numbers are, not remember how to round to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000, or sit like a deer in headlights when asked to write a number in expanded form in the spring when they were rock stars of that skill in the fall when it was taught.

This is especially troublesome if you teach in a grade that takes standardized testing at the end of the year because you then need to set aside a lot of class time for review and test prep.

How to Grade Homework

Determine if correcting homework is an effective use of your time. Teachers don’t know how much assistance a child had with an assignment so it isn’t always an accurate representation of their abilities. Checking the homework for effort and general understanding may be sufficient. If you are assigning worksheets, consider selecting a few questions to go over in class.

Homework Incentive Ideas

Homework should be completed because it is an expectation and not to receive a trinket. However, some teachers do find that extrinsic rewards are motivational to their students. If you choose to make those a part of your homework procedure, here are a few easy-to-manage suggestions:

Students earn a ticket when they complete an assignment. Have them place the tickets into a container. Draw one ticket a week to win a No Homework Night Coupon.

Certificate

Honor perfect homework efforts with a certificate. This could be done monthly or by marking period.

Offer a “No Homework Coupon.” These are like gold!

Ideas for Homework Consequences

First, check with your school and district to see if there is a policy in place. Next, determine a plan for how you will handle homework that is incomplete, missing, poor quality, etc. and be consistent. Be cautious about using recess as a punishment for not doing homework. Often the kids who are not doing their homework are the ones who most need recess .

10 Homework Tips for Elementary Teachers

Below are homework tips for elementary teachers to consider. You are bound to find some helpful homework ideas on this list that you can implement.

1. Assign Tasks Students can do Independently

The first tip on this list of homework ideas is to strive to find easy-to-manage, yet effective assignments. Although it is true that you shouldn’t be sending home tasks that students can’t complete on their own, you also need to be careful not to give them “busy work” either.  Having them complete an assignment for a skill they are proficient in also creates unnecessary work for the teacher. Time is a teacher’s greatest obstacle so be careful not to spend it copying, correcting, managing, chasing, etc sheets of paper that students are not gaining anything from. 

2. Keep Homework Assignments Consistent Across the Grade Level

The second tip on this list of homework ideas is to strive to be consistent with your grade level colleagues. Ideally, the assignments and policies should be identical.

3. Collaborate with Your Team

The third tip on this list of homework ideas is to save time by teaming up with the other teacher(s) at your grade level. Alternate prepping the packet for the week or designate different subjects to different teachers.

4. Communicate Expectations with Your Students’ Families

Communicate your expectations with parents from the beginning. Discuss them at open house and make a hard copy available for students who may transfer in later in the year.

5. Change the Way you See Homework

Use homework as an opportunity to teach organization and responsibility. While homework may not always be a reflection of a student’s abilities, it can be a valuable learning tool for time management and work habits.

6. Keep a Simple and Consistent Format

Design a simple and consistent format for homework. It could be reading and a math page every night or you may have students work on a different subject each night.  When I taught 2nd grade I used to do Math Monday (computation), Teacher Choice Tuesday (a spelling activity), Word Study Wednesday, Thinking Thursday (word problems).

7. Create a System for Collecting It

The seventh tip on this list of homework ideas is to create a system for collecting it. It’s important to have some sort of turn-in system and procedure so students know what to do with their homework each morning.

8. Implement an Efficient Routine for Checking Homework

Consider implementing an efficient routine for checking homework. If you are just going to check for completion and spot check the homework you could have students place it on their desk while they do morning work and you can circulate and check the pages.

9. Communicate Homework Progress with Parents

Determine how you will communicate homework progress with parents. In general, no news is good news, but I do have a homework alert that gets sent home as needed. It needs to be signed by an adult at home so the families know if they are not meeting the expectations.

10. Consider Creating a Menu of Optional Homework Activities

The last tip on this list of homework ideas is to create a menu of optional homework activities. Some parents find homework to be a burden and others want more. One way to make everyone happy is to send home a basic assignment that is required for all students and a list of optional enrichment choices for those who want additional assignments.

How I Implemented Homework in My Classroom

There are tons of homework ideas out there, but this is what worked for me.

As a public school teacher, I was required to give out nightly homework to my third graders. I found myself spending a lot of time picking out assignments, making copies, communicating directions, answering emails and phone calls from parents who did “not understand the new math” (aka the math workbook pages), distributing, collecting and correcting what essentially was just busy work sent home to meet a requirement I did not agree with. 

My biggest concern was (and continues to be) that many of the assignments from the workbook included 10-20 of the same type of problem. That meant that if a student was struggling with subtraction with regrouping and completed 20 problems incorrectly, that misconception and error became so much harder to fix. 

Parents were signing reading logs, but the kids weren’t actually reading.

I was frustrated by feeling like my time, the students’ time, and the parents’ time was being wasted. I knew there had to be a better option, so I set out to fix the problem. I’m thrilled with the results I must say.

I began creating spiral review math pages for each day for my own 3rd graders. These pages proved to be important and meaningful work. This resource is best if not one of the best homework ideas I have ever come up with.

What are the Spiral Review Math Pages?

The spiral review math pages are a tool for teachers to use to ensure students are having continued practice with previously taught skills. They are available for 1st-5th grade. The spiral review packets were designed to have 25 pages per month, which gives you the flexibility to assign them for homework every night plus have extras. The 1st grade version is set up a little differently, but still has 180 pages so you’ll be covered for the year.

Each of the spiral review pages follow the same daily format, cover skills from each area (e.g. computation, measurement, geometry, data, and word problems) and continuously spiral previously taught skills. This consistent format of 10 standards-based questions focused on topics we’d already covered provides an important spiral review of all the grade-level skills. This helped students to retain previously taught skills. The added benefit was that students who had not demonstrated proficiency earlier in the year had the opportunity to do so over time through repeated practice and instruction.

Using these spiral review math pages makes homework more purposeful and easier to manage. My students became much stronger in all math concepts, the parents expressed gratitude for the consistent format, and the phone calls and emails asking for assignment clarification completely stopped. It was so effective that it completely eliminated the need for any test prep in the spring. My students’ test scores were even much higher than previous years.

These worked so well for myself and the other 3rd grade teachers who were using them, that (by request) I created them for 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade too. Each was designed in consultation with and piloted by experienced teachers in those grade levels. They have since been used the past few years by thousands of teachers who have reported great success as well. I most recently added first grade.

This is one of my favorite ideas for homework of all time!

What’s Included in the Spiral Review Math Resources?

The 2nd-5th grade packets all have monthly/seasonal themes. September targets many of the skills that were required at the end of the previous grade level. It was designed to be used as a review for the new year and to pinpoint important foundational skills that your students must be proficient in before moving on to new standards. The following months build in a systematic, sequential order with lots of spiral review built in so that students retain important concepts. They include the following resources:

• 250 print and go pages (plus 10 bonus pages) that will cover you for the full school year
• answer keys to make grading quick and easy for you
• 2,500 review problems (plus 100 bonus problems) based on the Common Core, which will help you rest easy knowing your students are practicing the math concepts and skills they need to
• 250 Google Forms so students can access them digitally from home or in school
• Recording sheets for students to show their thinking
• Item analysis data trackers to make it easy to see which students need to be pulled for small groups or if it would be beneficial to reteach the concept to the entire class
• Projectable answer keys so students can check their own work

The first grade version is a little different. It’s format has only 5 problems to better meet the developmental needs of our younger learners. It has 180 printable pages instead. In addition, this resource does not include seasonal pages, which allows you to use them at any time of the school year.

Learn more about the spiral review math resources for your grade level below.

• 1st grade spiral review math activities
• 2nd grade spiral review math activities
• 3rd grade spiral review math activities
• 4th grade spiral review math activities
• 5th grade spiral review math activities

Where Can I Learn More about Spiral Review Math?

You can learn more about spiral review in this post: Spiral Review Math .

The Benefits of Using Spiral Review Math Pages

There are tons of benefits to using the spiral review math pages for homework.

• The spiral review pages provide multiple opportunities for students to become proficient in a skill instead of just teaching it and forgetting it
• The repeated spiraling practice of foundational grade level skills ensures they were ready to build upon them when y ou introduce new skills.
• You’ll no longer need to waste hours of valuable class time on standardized test prep in the spring because the spiral review throughout the year ensure your students are always ready for the exam.
• It constantly shows you if there are skills you need to reteach either to the whole class or to a small group of students. 
• Students complete them with ease because the skills and the format of the pages are familiar to them.
• The variety of 10 different problems eliminates the risk of students cementing a misconception into their minds.

Why You’ll Love it as a Teacher

Not only will the nightly spiral review math pages provide your students with meaningful practice of important skills, increase their confidence as learners and make them stronger math students, they will also solve many of the problems you face as a teacher and make the parents’ lives easier too. It’s one of the best homework ideas I have ever come up with!

• You’ll longer needed to scramble to find homework for each night. Instead, simply print each month’s pages at the start of the new month and copy them all at once into weekly packets for the students.
• Your lesson planning will become much more intentional and focused because you are able to easily identify which skills your students need to work on more.
• You will no long waste valuable time correcting busy work. Instead, you’ll go over these important skills as a class.
• Parents will feel better about being able to help their students and became true allies and partners in their learning.
• Students and their families will be able to better enjoy their evenings together as a family because they know what to consistently expect for homework each evening.
• Distributing the week’s packet all at once enables students’ families to support my goal of teaching time management because they can work ahead when they know there is a busy night coming up on their calendars.
• Homework will be easier for you and more meaningful for your students.
• The homework assignments will be systematic and routine so parents and students will always know exactly what the expectations are and understand the instructions.
• You will constantly review all prior skills so that your student reach mastery over time. This will prevent students from forgetting what they learned earlier in the year.

How to Implement them in Your Classroom

I used a separate folder just for homework. It included the homework calendar and all of the printables they will need for the week. We placed everything into a homework folder for the month. The folder stayed at home and the students returned their completed work each morning in the communication folder .

I assembled the homework packets for the entire year in one afternoon and didn’t have to think about it again the rest of the school year. I sent them home on Friday afternoons.

The students simply completed one page each night beginning on Monday afternoons and returned only that one page to class in the morning. The other nightly pages remained at home. 

This meant I no longer needed to take any class time to explain the directions or check to make sure the papers made it into the backpacks.

The next morning I projected the answer sheet onto my smart board and reviewed each problem with them. This daily quick review made them accountable and reinforced all of the math skills regularly. Going over it in class sent the message that the work they did outside of school was purposeful and they would be accountable for it. They no longer felt homework was a waste of time so they demonstrated increased effort.

I also created data collection sheets to use either with one specific student’s page, or to examine the class as a whole. The pages were so easy to use and let me see at a glance where I needed to focus future instruction. 

How Can I Use the Extra Spiral Review Pages in the Packet?

There are 25 pages per month in each of the spiral review resources. Since you’ll never need to use all 25 for homework purposes, consider using the extra pages in the following ways:

• formative assessment to monitor progress
• morning work
• math center activity (“at your seat” activity during Guided Math Workshop )
• Emergency sub plans  activity

Where Can I Buy the Math Spiral Review Pages?

You can purchase the math spiral review pages from my Teachers Pay Teachers store . They are also available in my Elementary Math Resource Collection and grade level math clubs, which you can find below.

What Teachers Who Used these Packets Have Said

Thousands of teachers have used this homework idea in their classroom. Read some of the reviews below!

• “WOW! I’ve been teaching for 16 years and this has been the most useful thing I have used. My students really understand all of the skills and I loved knowing I wasn’t moving on without all my kids being proficient. The beautiful layout, structured format, and clear expectations made it so easy to make these become part of our daily routine. I highly recommend them to everyone.” (Thank you Jocelyn P.!)
• “I started using your monthly spiral review pages in October and never looked back. Not only did they provide us with quality daily work, but I just got my end of year scores back for the district math assessments and my entire class crushed it. I attribute their success 100% to these pages combined with your guided math book that opened my eyes to a whole new way of teaching. I can’t thank you enough. My administration has taken notice. I’m so proud of what we’ve done.” (Thank you Kerri K.!)
• My teammates and I had the opportunity to see you present about guided math and math workshop and excitedly jumped right in with your guided math format the next week! We have been using the spiral review pages as homework and in the “at your seat” station during our daily math workshop. OMG!!! We ALL agree that between the new teaching routines and the use of these pages, our students are consistently performing above average and truly understand the math. It’s not just our opinion either because we just received our test scores from last year and they were not only MUCH higher than ever before, but we outscored the district and student growth from the previous year was amazing. That was what prompted me to finally leave a review. I/we can not recommend these enough. Thank you for not only making our jobs easier, but so much more enjoyable as well. (Thank you Jessica R.!)
• These are absolutely wonderful for my students! I use them for a variety of things including review and homework. (Thanks Tony C.!)
• “Love the data sheets! Great way for me and my students to monitor their learning.” (Thanks Kelsey!)

In closing, we hope you found these homework ideas for teachers helpful! If you haven’t already checked out this post about spiral review math , please be sure to do so!

• Read more about: ELEMENTARY TEACHING , PLANNING ASSESSING AND TEACHING

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 Spelling Homework Ideas

Need some ideas for spelling homework? Check out the gigantic list below of great ideas! You'll find the first 20 ideas here, and the remaining ones here . Each idea can be used with any list of weekly spelling words. Choose the ones that work best for your grade level. Vary the activities frequently.

Note: You might also want to consider our new  AnyWord Spelling Practice eBooks . They are full of ideas for lots of spelling practice with any spelling words. The 3 eBooks provide practice with creative writing, word play, and partner games.  Check them out !

Printable List of Spelling Homework Ideas

1. Write each word 5 times, using a different color each time.

2. Type your spelling words 10 times, using a different font each time.

3. Create a comic strip. Add captions that use 5 of your words.

4. Write the words in ABC order.

5. Write the words in reverse ABC order.

6. Write a TV ad for a product that uses 5 of your spelling words.

7. Find each word in the dictionary. Copy a definition for each one.

8.  Cut each spelling word out of a newspaper or magazine. Glue all the words on a piece of paper.

9. Write a sentence for each spelling word, but leave out the spelling words. List all the words on the page. Ask a family member to add the correct spelling word to each sentence.

Remember: Spelling homework not only prompts students to practice their spelling words. It can also help engage family members in the learning process.

10. Find each word in the dictionary. Write the page number on which it appears and the guide words at the top of the page.

11.  Write each word in a sentence. Make pictures for 3 sentences.

12. Write your spelling words. Add a rhyming word next to each one.

13. Write a story that uses 10 spelling words. Remember: Spelling homework not only prompts students to practice their spelling words. It can also help get family members involved in the learning process.

14. Scramble each spelling word. Have a family member unscramble the words and sign your paper.

15. Spell your words with alphabet pasta. Glue them onto paper.

16. Cut out paper letters for half of the words and glue onto paper.

17. Make a word search puzzle in which you hide all of your spelling words. Give it to a family member to solve and sign.

18. For a different type of word search, draw a Boggle-type game board. Make sure it contains at least 5 of your spelling words. See if a family member can find the spelling words.

19.  Make two copies of your spelling words on index cards. Use the cards to play a memory or "Concentration" game with a family member.

20. Write each word forwards and backwards.

Find our next 20 ideas here .

Ideas for using our list:

At the beginning of the week , give students a written list of 5 of these  ideas. Ask them to complete them in any order throughout the week.

Or, make a monthly spelling calendar. Write a different idea on the calendar for each school day in the month.

For more spelling homework ideas:

Need more ideas? See this list of 20 more homework ideas and/or our AnyWord Spelling Practice eBooks . 

Fun spelling practice ideas - Great ways for kids to help each other practice writing almost any spelling words. Time saver for you!

For additional spelling practice, try our spelling worksheets and spelling word games . 

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