2014-2015

Welcome to Second Grade!

Whole Group Reading

Sound FlashcardsSight Word FlashcardsClassroom Library “Just Right” BooksReading Street Basal TextbookReading Street Leveled ReadersReading Street Decodable ReadersPoetry & Songs

Poetry & Songs

A new POEM is read each week.I read the poem, students echo read, then we

choral read it together.We discuss new vocabulary and the main idea.We find specific phonics sounds in words.We review previous poems to increase

comprehension, fluency, and accuracy.A new SONG is introduced each week and

sung every day, as well, for fluency, accuracy, and comprehension practice.

The poetry & song lessons…

Build vocabulary and letter/sound identification

Teach comprehension strategies.Model what fluent reading sounds like. Provide regular fluency practice.Build the student’s sight word bank.Offer tracking practice and accuracy skills.

Reading Groups

We will level students based on their September reading assessment results (STAR Test and DRA Test)…the testing is one-on-one and takes a while.

Reading Groups will begin the first week of October.

There will be at least three reading groups (on-level, above level, and below level) but students can also conference with me about strategies they need such as Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency, and Expanding Vocabulary.

Reading Groups

Grouping is flexible and based on student needs. Students can change groups at any time based on assessments.

We use the Leveled readers.We use the Phonics readers.We use “just-right” classroom library books.

Sight Words

Sight Words are formally assessed in Sept., Jan. and May.

The May kindergarten sight word goal is 50+ words. Students entering first grade should read 50 or more

of the first 100 Fry words with automaticity. These are words children read without hesitation or

sounding out.The May sight word goal for first grade is 300 words.The May goal for second grade is the first 1,000 Fry

words.Please note: You can find the list of words and phrases on our class website.

Sight Words (continued)

It is important to practice sight words regularly as part of your child’s 20 minutes of reading homework. How you study is up to you. Here are a few suggestions:

Check lists (Checklists and sight word phrases can be downloaded from the “Documents” tab on our classroom SWIFT site.)

Flashcards Point them out routinely while reading together Tape new sight words to the bathroom mirror or to the

back of the seat in your car

This list is of the first 300.

Oral Reading Fluency-Progress Monitoring

Oral Reading Fluency is tested routinely (usually weekly).

The state standard for May in first grade is 50-65+ words correct per minute with 98% accuracy.

The second grade standard for May is 90-110 wcpm with 98% accuracy on a DRA (level 30 or above) unfamiliar second grade passage.***Students are expected to answer comprehension questions when finished. They predict, infer, reason, explain vocabulary, etc. They must pass the comprehension piece to move up to the next level.)

Oral Reading Fluency Progress Monitoring

This is what one of our progress monitoring sheets look like.

d-o-g Spelling c-a-t

Students will be tested on Fridays. The next list of words will always come home on Mondays (unless it’s a holiday).

You will also be able to view a list of the weekly spelling words under the “documents” tab on our class website.

Make sure your child can read the words before you practice spelling them.

Practice ideas are listed on the homework form.

MathOur daily Math Expressions lessons are aligned with the Common Core National Standards.

Both individual and group activities are assigned in class Homework sheets come home Mon.-Thur. & they

are due completed the next day. Flashcards are needed for basic facts fluency at

homeWe also practice math skills using computers – We

use ProdigyMathGame.com and CoolMath.com websites.

Math Expressions is our District Curriculum

It is a complete Kindergarten thru Grade 5 standards-based curriculum offering a variety of methods and strategies to learn mathematics.

It uses objects, drawings, conceptual language, and real-world situations to help students build mathematical ideas that make sense to them. They are often asked to solve a problem more than one way AND be able to explain their work.

Lessons include interventions, on-level practice, and challenge differentiation to support students’ needs.

Core Classroom Structures Needed for Success

Math Talk – lots of discussion

Quick Practice and regular review

Student Leaders

Building Concepts using different strategies

A Helping Community

Writing

Daily Journal Paragraph WritingMonthly writing prompts WORK ON WRITINGPoetryReading Street grammar rules, use of

punctuation and capitalization.Handwriting BooksResponse writing (to a story)

Science

Foss Science KitsLife Cycles of Plants and Animals (Life science kit)Balance and Motion (Physical science kit)Pebbles, Sand and Silt (Earth science kit)

Science Units of Study Weather & Seasons Moon Phases

Frogs The Five Senses

Art

The teacher presents an art lesson at least once a week. Many art lessons are embedded into the other curricular areas.

Classroom Rules

Classroom RulesBe kind. Be safe.Be responsible.Be respectful. Listen to understand.Follow directions the first time asked.

Behavior Stoplight

We use a stop light flip card behavior system in our class… Green: Good to go! GREAT day! White one warning Yellow: Slow down and think! (Following a warning and conference with the teacher,

the student’s behavior continued to disrupt the learning community.) Orange: Inappropriate Behavior continued Red: Stop! (Following three conferences with the teacher, the student’s behavior

continued to disrupt the learning community. The student will owe recess and journal about his/her behavior.

Write-Up: Visit to the principal and parent notification. (After moving to red, the child continued to disrupt the learning environment and made no effort to change his/her behavior.)

Certain behaviors that result in harm such as, fighting, destruction of property, defiance, biting, etc., will result in an immediate red, write-up, and visit to the principal’s office.

*Please review the student handbook, the district’s Harassment, Bullying and Intimidation (HIB) policies and classroom rules with your child.

Behavior Management

*Students will keep a behavior sheet in their daily take-home folders and record their stoplight color at the end of each school day. Students will be praised for green days and students on other colors will spend time reflecting on their behavior and what they need to do differently to earn green days.

*The goal is for all students to engage in pro-social behavior throughout the school day (during various and numerous activities).

General Health Information

Children should practice frequent handwashing!Children should sneeze and cough into their elbow.Keep your child home for at least 24 hours after a

fever or vomiting.Children with a mild cold should attend school…

unless they have a severe cough that is disruptive to others.

Volunteers

Volunteers are greatly appreciated in Room 118.

You must be cleared through the office before you begin working with students.

Please provide the office with a current volunteer form and a copy of your driver’s license… then let me know a good day and time for you to come each week.

(I prefer that my volunteers come on the same day and time each week so I can plan for you.)

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

Lunch Money

I strongly encourage paying for lunches in advance to alleviate the problem of lost lunch money. Second graders handle their own money. It is best if you can write one check at the beginning of each month or pay online if your child buys hot lunch. If you cannot do this, I ask that when you are sending in cash that it come to school either in a sealed envelope or plastic baggie and include the following information on the front:

Lunch MoneyStudent’s Name (first and last)

Also, if your child eats cold lunch on a regular basis, it is a good idea to have 1 or 2 lunches purchased in advance…just in case your

child forgets his/ her lunch at home.

More IMPORTANT info…

Transportation Home Written permission from home (signed by a parent/guardian) is required for any

type of dismissal other than the normal routine. WE CANNOT TAKE YOUR CHILD’S WORD FOR ANY CHANGES IN TRANSPORTATION.

Toys Toys are not allowed at school. Please do not allow your child to bring toys

and costume jewelry to school. Birthday Treats

If you would like to send in a birthday treat to celebrate your child’s birthday please contact me at least one day prior so I can set aside some time in our day. Individually packaged items are easiest to serve. No sheet cakes please.

Birthday Invitations Birthday invitations may only be given out if the entire class or all of the

children of the same gender are invited. If you plan on inviting only a few students from our class, I ask that you pass out invitations outside of school.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Daily Take Home Folder

Your child received a green folder on the first day of school.

This folder will come home every day. This is where your child

will put his/her homework and any papers that need to come home. It is also where you put anything that needs to be sent to school such as notes, forms, checks, etc. Keep it in a safe place.

Please check it each evening, empty old papers, and make sure that your child brings it back to school EVERY DAY! Thank you!

Specialist Schedule

Monday- PETuesday- LIBRARYWednesday-MUSICThursday- PEFriday- MUSICOur specialist times are from 1:00-1:30 p.m. daily.