Curriculum Night2014-2015Mrs. CruzRoom 321

• Born in California• Lived in Costa Rica 1 year and Mexico for 5 years (where I met my

husband )• More than 8 years of teaching

experience between private schools and preschool

• BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Governors University

PBIS SystemEach area of the school has their own

set of PBIS rules (classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, etc)

Students can earn BUCKAROOS to trade in at the PBIS store. Possible

prizes are: lunch with principal, game day, name on marquee, etc.

• Please feel free to come to lunch! You may sit with your child in the cafeteria or at the tables outside the cafeteria. For safety reasons, please only remove your child from the cafeteria.

• See below policy for outside fast food.

Lunch Policies

7:15-7:45 Students arrive and start morning work7:45-7:55 Pledge and Announcements7:55-8:05 Morning Mile8:05-8:55 MATH8:55-9:05 Snack and bathroom break9:05-9:45 Morning Meeting/DAILY FIVE rotation #19:50-10:40 SPECIALS (refer to calendar)10:45-11:30 DAILY FIVE rotation #2 and #311:30-11:45 Writer’s Workshop11:50-12:10 Recess12:10-12:20 Bathroom Break12:21-12:51 LUNCH at Table #12:51-1 Bathroom Break1:00-1:20 Language Arts Mini Lesson1:20-2:15 Science/Social Studies

1. Listen when someone is talking.2. Follow directions the first time they

are given.3. Treat everyone with kindness and

respect.4. Take care of our school and

classroom.5. Work and play safely and quietly.

• Will come home each week• Review them with your child • Please keep them at home

• Please complete and keep any unfinished classwork for practice.

• Daily Papers (Not graded)Stamp, “check”, “smiley face”

Grading Scale

0 90 – 100

S 89 – 80

N 79 – 70

U 69 and below

• Keep homework in “Return to School” (left) side of folder (collected on Friday except communication journal)

• Notes, informational papers, etc. will be placed on “Keep at Home” (right) side by the STUDENT.

• In 2nd grade, we are encouraging our students to be more responsible. It is their job to check their folder each morning and turn in all notes, money, etc. to the designated spot.

• Agendas are part of homework, we are helping the students get ready for 3rd grade.

• We collect and grade homework for completion.

CoGat (Cognative Abilities/Reasoning) (August) Already takenSecond Grade Progress Monitoring1. Weekly tests2. Easy CBM’s and SLO testing.3. Successmaker Reading and Math4. STAR Reading5. No CRCT is planned for 2nd Grade

2nd Grade Testing

• Goal: To have excited proficient readers who enjoy a variety of different genres (types) of books.

• Tests will be given over reading comprehension/vocabulary each week.

• Daily 5 Reading/Language Arts Centers• Media center every 2 weeks. They can check

out 2 books now! • Read at least 15 minutes daily for homework.

Accelerated Readers (AR books)

• STAR tested (vocabulary) at the beginning of the year and each semester. This gives students a reading level to help them choose appropriate books.

• In 2nd grade we like our students to develop a love of reading ALL books! AR is a wonderful program designed to motivate students to read. We will use it to individualize students education and it will be part of our weekly homework.

SPELLING: WORDS THEIR WAY BROCHUREWe will learn about

• Sentences/Types of Sentences• Subjects/Predicates

• Nouns• Verbs (regular/irregular)

• Verbs in past, present and future• Adverbs• Adjectives• Pronouns

• Contractions • And so much more

• Writing process (brainstorm, draft, edit, revise, publish, share)

• Authentic writing projects strengthen skills• Weekly Communication Journal – Friendly Letter

Format Please (Date, Greeting, Body, Closing and Signature)

• Daily 5 Writing Center: Excellent way to allow students exposure and daily opportunities to use the skills they are learning.

• Weekly timed tests: facts to 20 – VERY IMPORTANT! Addition then subtraction. Starts this week! (not graded)

• Our Common Core Math standards include the following:-Extending and applying base 10 understanding-Becoming fluent with addition and subtraction -Understanding measurement, length, and time.-Understanding plane and solid figures.-Developing multiplication

3-4 week units

Themes such as:• Matter• Energy

• Seasonal changes• Life Cycles• Night Sky

2-3 week unitsOngoing Themes-Distribution of Power, Individuals, Groups and Institutions, etc.• Georgia’s Past• Georgia’s Places• Georgia at Work• America’s Government• Studies Weekly Magazine

Feel free to visit this website for more information about common core and for access to the GA standards and

frameworks:

https://www.georgiastandards.org/Standards/Pages/BrowseStandards/

BrowseGPS.aspx

To be determined….

Room Mom: Susan PopeAnybody want to be a co-room mom?

Copy Dad: Clint BrownleeAnybody want to alternate weeks with him?

More Opportunities…• Help with morning math centers 8:10-8:30• Thanksgiving Celebration Coordinator

• Christmas Party Coordinator• Spring Party Coordinator

• End of the Year Celebration Coordinator

My WISHLIST:• small whiteboards

• Jenga game• UNO

• Board Games and Puzzles • Boggle

• Scrabble tiles or bananagrams • Dice

• Small hourglass timers• URGENT: Extra snacks (dry cereal, pretzels,

etc.)

September 15-19: Fall BreakNovember 24-28: Thanksgiving BreakDecember 22-Jan. 2: Christmas Break

February 16-20: Winter Break (possible weather make-up days)

March 30-April 3 Spring BreakMay 28: Last day of school

ECONOMICS DAY

In addition to BUCKAROOS, your child is collecting Mustang Bucks. This something the whole 2nd grade is

doing. Students earn money through following rules and procedures.

There will be 3 economic days in the year.

• Remind 101 is a no-reply texting system that will allow you to receive messages directly from the principal. 

• Please subscribe today.Send a text to:  678-619-2585Message is:  @52da2

Remind 101

Most emails or phone calls will be returned at the beginning or end of the school day.

Kellyann Cruz(404)983-1497

Kelly.cruz@cherokee.k12.ga.ushttp

://mysite.cherokee.k12.ga.us/personal/kelly_cruz/site/default.aspx

• Please join PTA if you have not joined yet!

• Write a note to your child on the an index card.

• Write a wish/dream/goal for your child this year in school.

• Check out the classroom and see your child’s work

Before you leave: