Welcome to Curriculum Night! Tonight we will take a closer look at… 2nd grade curriculum Testing Ways to help

Writer’s Workshop Teachers provide direct instruction on the writing process, genre and conventions during the mini lesson. Students are then given time and choice of what to write. During this time the teacher is conferencing with individual students or small groups. At the end of each unit students choose a piece to “publish”. They edit, revise, and illustrate their work. Finally, we have a celebration in honor of their hard work!

Types of Writing Write opinion pieces in which they clearly state an opinion, supply reasons that support their opinion, and provide a sense of closure. Write informational pieces including All About books with research as well as lab reports and Science books. Write personal narratives and fictional stories that are stretched over a series of pages and include details, dialogue, and strong word choice.

Convention Expectations Capitalization : Correct capitalization at the beginning of sentences, in proper nouns, and for the word I are expected. Punctuation: Students should use ending punctuation, commas in greetings and closing of letters, and apostrophes to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives correctly. Spelling: Students will use classroom resources (word wall, sound/spelling cards, dictionaries, etc.) to spell words correctly. Students are expected to spell sight words, CVC words, and words with common long vowel patterns correctly.

Reader’s Workshop Children are explicitly taught strategies to become more skillful at reading and comprehending a variety of texts during the whole group mini lesson. Students are then given time and choice of what to read on their individual level. During this time students are working independently to use previously taught strategies. Students also often read with a partner, share their thinking, and write in reading journals. Teachers work with guided reading groups to meet each reader at his/her level.

Guided Reading Guided Reading groups are held during Reader’s Workshop. Teachers work with a small group of students who are on the same reading level or who need support on the same skill. The rest of the class reads independently. The focus of guided reading lessons range from using strategies to decode and read with accuracy, to making connections to a text and demonstrating comprehension through written response.

Math Investigations Showing and explaining thinking   Showing and explaining thinking Hands on exploration and discovery Students discussing strategies and reasoning Students working in a variety of groupings (whole group, pairs, small groups, and independently) Lots of math games A mix of hands on and written work

Math Skills Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one and two step word problems. Fluently add and subtract within 20 *By end of 2nd grade, know from memory all sums of two one-digit numbers. Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication Understand place value up to 1000 Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract Measure and estimate lengths in standard units Relate addition and subtraction to length Work with time and money Represent and interpret data Describe and analyze shapes by examining their sides and angles.  

Math Workshop During Math Workshop students are working in skill based groups. The activities students participate in during this time support the work done in Math Investigations lessons, build addition and subtraction fluency, promote problem solving skills, and incorporate technology.

Word Work The goal of Word Work is for children to discover generalizations about spelling as well as spelling patterns. They learn how to work with words through hands on activities. They are actively engaged in completing word sorts, building words, and manipulating words. Teachers identify the individual spelling stage and needs of each child and use this information to drive their instruction. Example: Group 1- short vowels Group 2- digraphs and blends Group 3- long vowel patterns Group 4- inflectional endings

Grammar 2nd graders are expected to use the conventions of standard English grammar when writing and speaking. Students receive direct instruction to build knowledge of common and proper nouns, irregular plural nouns (feet, children), reflexive pronouns (myself, ourselves), past tense irregular verbs (sat, hid), adjectives, adverbs, prefixes, compound words, and complete simple and compound sentences. Students will also practice using tools, both print and digital, such as glossaries and dictionaries to determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases

Intervention and Enrichment Intervention and Enrichment is a 45 minute block of time built into our daily schedule. This time will look different from day to day, week to week, and classroom to classroom. During this time students may be working in a variety of groupings on a variety of skills. Examples: Whole group instruction on a particularly difficult concept Small group instruction/activities to support struggling learners Small group instruction/activities to challenge high performing students Small group/individual project work based on the interests of children

Social Studies and Science Units include weather, force and motion, sound, matter, and life cycles. Social Studies Units focus on communities and citizenship, government and history, maps and globes, and historical figures.

Leader in Me We will continue to build 21st century leadership and life skills to create a culture of student empowerment.

Testing mClass The mClass assessment is given at the beginning, middle, and end of year to measure the development of reading skills. The program assesses the development through two main assessments: DIBELS and TRC. These combined tests measure multiple reading skills that children must develop to become proficient readers. MAP MAP, or the Measure of Academic Progress, is a computerized adaptive test that is given at the beginning, middle, and end of year. The MAP is used to measure a student’s growth or progress in school. The results inform teachers and parents of a student’s strengths and weaknesses in Reading and Math.

Ways to Help We need your help to grow our children and build proficiency! Please help support your child’s learning! Read every night! Ask your child questions after reading to improve comprehension. Practice math addition and subtraction facts 1-20. Practice identifying, counting, and adding coins. Have your child write in a journal at home. Encourage independence! .

Questions