Physical

In second grade students are approximately the age of 7 years.  The students in this grade have a variety of characteristics.  Listed below are a few of these characteristics:

· Able to manipulate small tools well
· Able to tie his or her own shoe laces
· Can print his or her own name
· Has developed a good sense of balance
· Developing permanent teeth
· Can catch small balls
· Likes testing his or her own strength and skills
· May feel awkward because of having long arms and legs

Intellectual

Students in this grade level are experiencing an increase in representational activities and abilities.  Some of the activities and abilities are listed below:

· Is very interested in magic and tricks
· Develops an increased ability in problem solving
· Commonly reverses letters (b's become d's)
· May develop a strong interest in reading for pleasure
· Develops a longer attention span
· Is able to tell the difference between left and right
· Understands days of the week and time
· Enjoys planning and building activities
· Is interested in doing things correctly
· According to Piaget, a second grade child is nearing the end of the preoperational stage, which states that the child's ability to represent things increases
· Child still shows signs of preoperational egocentrism (unable to distinguish the symbolic viewpoints of others from one's own".
· Children of this age usually have a vocabulary of 10,000 words or more

Emotional / Social

Students in this grade level are developing socially and emotionally.  It is important to be familiar with the below characteristics:

· Wants to be with friends more often
· Often has a best friend and an enemy
· Wants accomplishments to be recognized
· By this age, most have developed three separate self-esteems:  academic, physical, and social
· Child has a strong desire to perform well
· Child often thinks of things as black and white (little abstract thought)
· Child enjoys caring for and playing with younger children
· Child is interested in rules and rituals
· Child may seek a sense of security in groups, clubs, and organized play

Teacher Tips

· Encourage a child's sense of accomplishment. Provide such opportunities as woodworking, playing an instrument, cooking, making crafts, etc.
· Encourage child to explore their community by taking him or her on field trips to other neighborhoods, work places, or museums.
· Provide many opportunities for active play.
· Provide opportunities for child to participate in non-competitive activities such as making a craft or planting a garden.
· Promote child's creativity by allowing him or her to produce an original story and act it out or put on a puppet show.  Allow the child to do things such as create music, conduct experiments, or produce a newspaper.
· Provide opportunities that allow the child to develop an understanding of rules. (Example: Card games, dominoes, checkers, etc.)

Resources

· National Network for Child Care - Offers wonderful information for children of all ages in an easy to
                                                    read format.
· Parents Place - Provides great examples of how to work with children of different developmental stages.
 
 

· Berk, Laura E., Child Development, 4th Edition. Allyn and Bacon, 1997. Pages 225-354.
 

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