Back-to-School NightGarden Gate Elementary School

2nd GradeRoom 4

Mrs. Kim

Curriculum PacketClassroom PacketHomework Packet

In Your Folder:

I. Curriculum Information

II. California Content Standards for 2nd Grade

III. Daily Classroom Schedule

IV. Packet Highlights (Homework, Assessments, Class Procedures, Field Trips)

V. Parent-Student-Teacher Letter Journal

VI. Questions

Tonight’s Agenda:

Second Grade Curriculum

-Text Books-District Programs-Supplemental Books

Houghton Mifflin Series◦ Anthologies (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, plays)◦ Practice book, supplemental activities◦ Focus: reading comprehension (skills/strategies), vocabulary,

decoding/phonics.

Trade Books◦ Reader’s Workshop (GG program based on national research)◦ Focus: reading fluency, applying comprehension skills/strategies

at students’ current reading level

Social Studies Integration◦ (non-fiction, periodicals)

Reading

Step Up To Writing Program◦ Writer’s Workshop (Skills and Strategies)◦ Focus: Writing Genres and the Writing Process◦ (brainstorming, drafting, editing, publishing)◦ Sample Writing Portfolio

Houghton Mifflin, Even-Moor (DLR)◦ Daily Grammar/ “Word Work”◦ Focus: technical writing/word usage

Morning Journals/Letter Journals◦ Responding to various topics◦ “On-Demand” Writing◦ Focus: Strategy application and writing fluency.

Writing

Houghton Mifflin Mathematics◦Practice pages/challenge masters/◦spiral review (see table of contents/standards)

Arithmetwists (supplement/extension)

◦Logic and problem solving

Marcy Cook Math (supplement/extension)

◦Hands on problem solving

Math

District Kit-Based Program (FOSS)◦Life, Physical, and Earth Sciences◦Hands-On◦Focus: Investigation/Experimentation

◦Students record in a science journal

2nd grade units: Rocks and Minerals, Balance and Motion, and Organisms/Life Cycles

Science

Scott Foresman Social Studies Series◦ Consumable text◦ DVD (introduces each unit)

Time For Kids Magazine◦ Current events◦ Non-fiction reading◦ More info in Classroom Packet under “reading programs”

Social Studies

GG Computer Lab (every other week) Curriculum Based Projects:

◦ Kidspiration◦ Microsoft Word◦ Kid Pix

Supplemental Software:◦ Coin Critters, Graph Club, Clock Shop◦ Leveled for grades K-5

Type to Learn Program◦ September-October, every other week for 45 minutes◦ January 4-29th, 20 minutes daily

Technology

P.E Music Once a week (40 minutes)

Timed Lap

Organized sports/games

Students need to wear sneakers on Tuesdays

Dairy Council Nutrition Program (healthy eating and exercise)

Music- Every Tuesday (10:30-11:00)

Primary Music Teacher

Art Art- Every Other

Wednesday (1-1/2 hours)

Trained Parent Volunteers

Garden Gate’s Character Education Program Teaches social/personal skills Once a month (45 min-1 hour) Trained parent volunteers

For more info: www.projectcornerstone.org

Lifeskills: Project Cornerstone

California Content Standards

Grades 1 and 2-Website Resource-Kid-Friendly Standards

Overview

For complete, detailed information, please visit the California Department of Education website at:

http://www.cde.ca.gov/

California Content Standards

For complete grade-level standards, you can also refer to the Kid-Friendly Standards

Written for 2nd graders to understand. Located at the back of the Curriculum Packet.

Kid-Friendly Standards

Testing and Accountability Information: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/ http://starsamplequestions.org

These questions are: Intended as examples of the types of questions used in the STAR

Program. Not meant to be used as a test or for test preparation. Intended to show the level of knowledge and ability a student must

demonstrate to meet state standards.

California Department of Education Website

Our Classroom Schedule

Daily Curriculum Integration

Located in the Classroom Packet and on our class website:

http://teacherweb.com/CA/GardenGateElementarySchool/MsTow/

Room 4 Schedule

Daily Schedule

Monday: Vocabulary/Word Bank focus HM story preview, practice book

Tuesday: Reading Groups HM story, practice book

Wednesday: Buddy Reading (HM) fluency, comprehension focus

Thursday and Friday: Reader’s Workshop

Reading

4-5 students Students have different roles (predictor,

summarizer, connector, etc.) Students complete independent or group

activities/assignments at the end of each reading period.

Reading Groups

Reading Groups

Reading Strategies Reading Skills

Strategies: *predict/infer *question *monitor/clarify *summarize *evaluate

Skills: * Compare/Contrast * Fantasy/Realism * Sequence * Cause/Effect * Drawing Conclusions * Generalizations * Making Judgments * Fact/Opinion * Author’s Purpose

Students choose a book at their grade-level (in more than one genre)

Per time block, students either read independently, read to someone else (classmate or adult), or complete “word work” (vocabulary and grammar integration)

Individual conferences and small group instruction are going on simultaneously.

Reader’s Workshop (Thursdays-Fridays)

Students are focused on meaningful reading/writing. Greater amount of reading time compared to whole-

group reading. Increases motivation and fluency Each student is able to read at his/her current

reading level and apply reading comprehension strategies.(differentiated learning)

Incorporates whole group mini-lessons, small group instruction, and individualized student-teacher guidance.

For more information:

Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller

The Daily 5 by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser

Benefits of Reader’s Workshop

Daily Grammar (Houghton Mifflin, Daily Language Review, Supplemental Books)

Daily Morning Journals (First 15-20 minutes)

Monday: Weekend topic (narrative)Tuesday: True-answer question (expository)

Wednesday: Creative topic (fiction)Thursday: Free write/Look Book (high frequency

words) Friday: Letter Journal

Writing

All students are working on the same writing topic/project. All students are working at their own pace. All students move through the writing process

(brainstorming to publishing). Each student has an individual conference with the

teacher before moving on to the next writing stage (ex: brainstorming to drafting).

Expectations for each student will vary based on current writing ability.

Goal for EACH student is consistent progress and improvement.

By the end of each trimester, every student should meet or exceed grade-level standards.

Writer’s Workshop

Sample Writing Portfolio

2nd Grade

Data and Graphing

Numbers and Patterns

Addition and Subtraction Strategies

Two-digit Addition and Subtraction with Regrouping

Time and Calendar

Geometry, Fractions, Probability

Measurement

Money

Patterns to 1000

Multiplication/Division

Adding/subtracting 3-digit numbers

Math (Houghton Mifflin Chapters)

*Chapter assessments every 2-3 weeks

*Chapter Review will be in the HW packet before a test

Sample Structure:

15-20 minutes: Lesson (review/extension)

15-20 minutes: Practice Page (students receive individual help/guidance where needed) 15-20 minutes: Math Centers (extension/challenge activities/worksheets students

complete when finishing math practice) 5-10 minutes: Review/Wrap Up

A Closer Look: Math

*weekly 5 minute timed “test” (+ and – facts for practice)

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 1:10-1:55 p.m.

Science (hands-on experiments/recording observations/vocabulary)

Social Studies (consumable text, DVD intros, activities, projects, group presentations, vocabulary)

4 second graders from the 2/3 combo will join us on Thursdays for Social Studies

Science and Social Studies

Please refer to the Curriculum packet for more detailed information on classroom tests/assessments.

Tests/Assessments

Packet Highlights-Homework-Assessments-Class Procedures-Field Trips

Starts on September 14th (Second Grade) Homework folders are sent home on Mondays

and are due back on Friday mornings. (If there is no school on Friday, folders are due on Thursday).

* Consists of reading, spelling, handwriting, math, and public speaking practice.

Please refer to the homework packet for detailed information and examples. I will be available after school or by email/phone if you have any questions about the homework.

Homework

In the Class Procedures packet you will find important information on our birthday policy.

The Student Spotlight (student of the week) schedule is also included here.

Field Trip Information (6 field trips) $75.00 make checks payable to Garden Gate Includes all 6 field trips and transportation

Time For Kids 26 Issue Subscription $4.42 per student. Checks payable to Time For Kids more info at timeforkids.com

Class Info/Procedures

Your Partnership*Volunteering*Student-Parent-Teacher Journal

We welcome volunteers in the classroom, especially in the areas of:◦ Spectra Art◦ Project Cornerstone◦ Homework/Green Folders◦ Photocopying/Book Binding◦ Writer’s Workshop, Math Centers

◦ 1st trimester Volunteer Schedule will be sent home in tomorrow’s Green Folder (please notify me if you need to reschedule).

◦ Volunteer Information Session: (optional but recommended) Thursday or Friday, September 10 or 11, 2:15-2:45 p.m,

Room 4◦ Volunteer Schedule will begin Monday, September 14th. ◦ Need current T.B test on file in the office.

Volunteers

2nd Grade Standard: Writing a Friendly Letter

Every Friday, your child will write a letter to you about what he/she learned at school that week.

Please read his/her letter and write a short response in it. Journals need to be returned by Thursday to be used on Friday mornings.

Weekly Letter Journals

Refer to Letter Journal information (yellow packet) for more details.

On the enclosed stationary, please take some time to write a letter to your child with your goals/expectations for him/her this year.

Please return the letter by Wednesday, September 16th. I will be attaching your letter to the inside of your child’s journal.

Letter Journals

Purposes/Benefits:◦ Meets grade-level standards.◦ Allows students to see writing as a form of

communication.◦ Increases positive communication between parent

and child and parent and teacher.◦ Allows parents to know where child is performing

academically in writing.◦ Child sees that parents value his/her education.

Letter Journals

Questions?

Feel free to contact me

*In person after school *Email: tow_cheryl@cupertino.k12.ca.us

*Phone: 252-5414 X 204