Back to School Night Agenda
Ms. Rivera-Olds
2nd Grade
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Classroom Goal
Common Core
2nd Grade Curriculum
Homework Policy
Discipline Policy
Student of the Week
Miscellaneous
Questions?
Welcome!
Welcome to 2nd grade in room 19! Tonight’s purpose is to go over our second grade educational program so that you will be able to support your child in his/her academic efforts at home.
Classroom Goal
My goal is to create a positive, hands-on learning environment that will promote independent learners and academic growth. I also hope to improve organizational skills, social skills, and study habits. Finally, I plan to instill the ‘love of learning’ in my students.
Common Core Curriculum
Common Core Standards: This is our first year fully implementing Common Core Standards. These standards are now recognized almost nation-wide. The CCSS are designed to provide a coherent, rigorous curriculum to prepare students for college and career. Rigor does not mean increased work or difficulty. What it does mean is deeper understanding. The goal of the Common Core Standards, in a nutshell, is depth of understanding, brought about through more project-based learning and an increased focus on communication and collaboration.
Children will be expected to express their thinking to others by discussing, writing, creating, etc. in all subject areas.
2nd Grade Curriculum
Reading/Language Arts: We are required by the district to spend 2 1/2 hours per day instructing the students in the curricular area of reading/language arts. California Treasures is our current program adopted by the district. It promotes “continuous formative assessment”, the process by which teachers monitor a student’s progress frequently and consistently. This process diminishes the likelihood that a student will fall behind without the teacher’s being aware of it and having an opportunity to provide further instruction.
Treasures has several components that help children become fluent readers and writers. The different components are:
•Phonemic Awareness and Phonics Skills
•Decodable Stories
•Comprehension Skills
•Spelling and Vocabulary
•Student Anthologies/Wonders
•Writing
•Small Group Instruction
•Science and Social Studies Integration
The children will be assessed many times throughout the year. They will be given:
•Lesson Assessments throughout the unit. The students will be assessed on comprehension, selection vocabulary, and spelling. The selection vocabulary and spelling will be reviewed in class and in the homework.
•Trimester Assessments this will be given every during each report card period. The district will provide further information about the assessments.
* If your child earns below 75% on any of these tests, this is a strong indicator that he/she needs to show improvement!!!!
Each of the following Units consists of 6 weeks:
Unit 1: Friends and Family
Unit 2: Community Heroes
Unit 3: Let’s Create
Unit 4: Better Together
Unit 5: Growing and Changing
Fluency (Words Per Minute) Benchmarks:
1st Trimester: 41-61 w.p.m.
2nd Trimester: 62-82 w.p.m
3rd Trimester: 79-99 w.p.m
* Fluency includes children reading with expression. Please keep in mind that each time your child’s fluency is tested, the text will become more challenging.
Treasures Reading Strategies: To help your child build better comprehension skills we will be using 7 reading strategies. All of which build upon a child’s schema. Schema is all the information that is already inside a person’s head, like the places they have been, the things they have done, books they have read, and all of the experiences they have had to make them who they are. You can help your child at home by: 1. continuing to build their schema and, 2. becoming familiar with the strategies below and using them nightly when your child is reading or you are reading to your child.
- Making Connections- Good readers make connections between what they are reading and what they already know from past experiences or previous readings.
- Visualize- Good readers visualize what is happening in the text. They form mental images as they read. They picture the setting, the characters, and the action in the story.
- Predict- Good readers predict what will happen next. When reading fiction, they make predictions about what they are reading and then confirm or revise those predictions.
- Monitoring and Clarifying- Good readers constantly monitor themselves as they read in order to make sure they understand what
they are reading. They note the characteristics or the text, such as whether it is difficult to read or whether some selections are more challenging or more important than others. They also become aware that they do not understand and they take appropriate actions, such as reading in order to understand the text better.
- Monitoring and Adjusting Reading Speed- Good readers understand that not all text is equal. They will continuously monitor what they are reading and adjust their speed accordingly.
- Summarizing- Good readers sum up to check their understanding as they read. Sometimes they reread to fill in gaps in their understanding. Good readers use this strategy to keep track of what they are reading and to focus their minds on important information.
- Ask Questions- Good readers ask questions that may prepare them for what they will learn.
Writing: Structures of writing involve the effective development of sentences, paragraph, and compositions. In Treasures, the structures of writing are taught within the context of the writing process (Pre-writing, Drafting, Revising, Proofreading, and Publishing).
Prewriting:
•Brainstorm topics or ideas that they would like to write about.
•Choose one idea and begin to plan how ideas are going to be
organized.
•Use a list or web to write all the information on their topic.
Drafting:
•Express all their ideas in the first draft without worrying about
mistakes.
•Ideas are written in a logical sequence.
•Evaluate and alter ideas while drafting.
Revising:
•Identify problems with focus, giving enough information, clarity,
and order.
•Identifying ideas that need elaboration.
Proofreading:
•Edit work to allow the readers to understand and enjoy the words.
•Correct most errors in English Language conventions
•Use resources or seek assistance to address uncertainties in
English Language Conventions.
Publishing:
•Present the work in a way that makes it easy to understand.
•Shows pride in finished work.
Math
Second Grade Math Expressions: This is our first year with our CCSS math program entitled “Math Expressions”. It is a comprehensive Kindergarten – Grade 5 mathematics curriculum that offers new ways to teach and learn mathematics. It combines the most powerful elements of standards-based instruction with the best of traditional approaches. Treasures uses objects, drawings, conceptual language, and real-world situations to help students build mathematical ideals that make sense to them.
Here are some of the main components:
•Quick Practice: This is a quick 5-min activity intended on activating prior-knowledge at the beginning of the lesson.
•Daily Routines:Student Leaders lead these 10 minute daily routines, which focus on place value.
•Drawn Models: Students are moved from using physical manipulatives (concrete) to conceptual drawings (abstract) which helps them explain their thinking and helps teachers gain insight to students’ understanding.
•Language Development: Students are encouraged to write their own problems and describe their problem-solving strategies in writing through journal prompts.
•Student Leaders:Each day different Student Leaders are asked to help lead in various ways. This encourages participation & helps with children gain independence.
•Math Talk: As children communicate about math, they gain insights into their thinking and others. They reflect on their learning and organize and consolidate their thinking about math.
Timed Tests
As part of the standards your child is required to memorize addition and subtraction facts to 20. To help your child attain this goal, we will be having timed tests a few times each trimester. Each test will consist of 100 problems of mixed addition or subtraction facts through 20. They will have 4 minutes to complete each test. 70% or above is considered passing. Additionally, one addition and one subtraction timed tests will be included in the homework packet for additional practice at home. Please have your child complete each test while being timed. When your child is done, record the time it took him/ her to finish on the page. Then, help him/her correct the sheets.
Science/Social Studies: Social studies and science will be integrated through thematic units throughout the year.
Physical Education: Our P.E. days will be on Tuesdays and Fridays. Mrs. Dotzeva will be our P.E. instructor this year. Please make sure that your child is wearing appropriate shoes and clothes for P.E. on our P.E. days.
Library: Room 19’s library day is on Thursdays from 8:30-9:00. During our scheduled library time, our librarian, Ms. Becky, will read a story to the children and they will be allowed to check out 2 books. The books are due on Wednesdays. If a child does not return his/her books on time, he/she will not be allowed to check out books until they are returned. Parents are responsible for the cost of missing books. Please help teach your child to be responsible for taking care of his/her books and returning them on time.
Computers: Ms. Comendant is our computer teacher who will teach the students basic computer skills, research skills, and expose the students to a variety of software each Wednesday.
Homework Policy
Homework is important because it helps teach your child organizational and time-management skills. It is also valuable in helping students make the most of their experience in school. The district requires students to have 40-120 minutes of homework per week (10-30 minutes a day with an additional 10-15 minutes per night of outside reading).
Each week, I will create a homework packet that reinforces the skills that are being taught in the classroom. For the majority of the students in the class, the homework should be completed independently. However, some students may require parental help in completing certain areas of the packet. The packet is designed for the average second grader. If your child is struggling because of the difficulty of the packet (not because he or she lacks motivation) please let me know and we can discuss ways of modifying it. If your child needs a challenge, I would suggest using online resources, assigning your child to a research project at home, or asking your child to write out several different strategies to solve one or more of the math homework problems. I would suggest that you sit down with your child on Monday evenings and discuss when each assignment will be completed.
The homework is explained in class and sent home in a Homework Folder each Friday. It is due the Friday of the following week. On Thursday night, please look over your child’s packet to be sure that all pages have been completed correctly and initial the bottom right corner of each page. This packet is designed to be completed over a four-night period. If a child is absent, he or she will have the same number of days (as days absent) to make up the work. However, a student simply chooses not to do his/her homework, it will reflect on his/her report card. A signed note from the parent must explain a legitimate reason why the homework was not finished on time.
I hope you will support the homework policy and provide a positive and quiet environment for your child to complete his/her homework.
Discipline Policy
In this classroom, I hold each child accountable for his/her own actions. Throughout the year, I will be modeling and we will be practicing our three rules: 1. Show Respect 2. Make Good Decisions 3. Problem Solve. Students exhibiting these positive behaviors will be acknowledged by earning teacher notes/awards, receiving team points, and receiving praise. If a student chooses not to follow the rules, he/she will receive a “time out” and/or I will contact his/her parents.
Remember to discuss with your child his/her behavior each day and support our classroom discipline plan by praising or reprimanding your child appropriately.
Student of the Week
The “Student of the Week” will be randomly selected and will begin in soon. I will send a poster home with your child on the Friday before his/her special week. I would suggest using family photos, and magazine pictures to make his/her poster more attractive and interesting to the other students. This is a great chance for the students to feel extra special. It also helps the children practice speaking in front of the class and helps us get to know each other a little better. Your child will also be asked to fill out an interview sheet and have a family member write a letter about him/her. Please make sure these items are brought in on Monday so we can stick to our tight schedule!
Miscellaneous
Volunteers:I would like parents to volunteer for buddy activities, field trips, and weekly classroom helpers. If you are interested in signing up to volunteer in our classroom, there will be a sign up sheet on the table near the front door.
Field Trip/Special Events:Buddy Program: This year our class will participate in a Buddy Program with Mr. Bass’ 6th grade class. This will give the children an opportunity to make friends with older students at Warm Springs. The children always look forward to seeing their buddies and the program makes the transition to Warm Springs in third grade much easier. Our buddy activities have been tentatively scheduled as follows:
•Oct. - Pumpkin Math
•Nov. - Friendship Feast
•Dec. - Gingerbread Houses
•Jan. – Chinese New Year
•April - Spring Egg Hunt
•June - Visit to Warm Springs
A reminder note will be sent home (at least a week prior to each activity) which will request donations needed for the activity and parent volunteers.
Field Trips/Special Events: Depending on transportation and reservation availability, we plan to arrange the following field trips/special events:
*Class t-shirt making (Sept./Oct.)
*Play (October)
*Colonial Day (November)
*Science Workshops (Winter/Spring)
*Science Field Trip (Spring)
*Bug Presentation (Spring)
*Cloverleaf Bowling Field Trip (May/June)
*2nd Grade Picnic (June)
Donations:I am asking for voluntary donation of $75 (to cover the cost of classroom supplies/materials, but does not include upcoming field trips/special events), or $150 (which will cover ALL Rm. 19 donations for the year). Remember to let me know if your company matches and submit all of the paperwork! Thank you to those of you who have already contributed!!!!
Birthday:Please do NOT bring any food items to share with the class this year! We have students with SERIOUS food allergies and we do not want to jeopardize their health! If you’d like your child to share a treat with the class, I would suggest donating a book, or providing non-food good bags. Please remind your child not to share any food with classmates for this reason! Thanks!!!!
Parent/Teacher Communication:I will be communicating with you on my class web page. I will post my monthly newsletters in which I will highlight upcoming events such as field trips and activities. I will also keep you informed of different curricular items on which we will be focusing and offer suggestions on how you can support this learning at home. Each week, I will send home corrected work/tests in the Leitch Folder. This will keep you posted on your child’s progress. If you ever need to talk to me, we can arrange an appointment. I am available after school on most days. You can also leave a message on my school voice mail at 657-6100 ext. 44019 or you can email me (). Let’s work together to make sure your child receives the best quality education! Thanks for coming!