September 2013

Reading, Writing, Listening, & Speaking

 Phonics & Decoding Skills  Sight Word Recognition  Fluency ; end of year expectation at level M, 90 to 100 words per minute, reading with expression, phrasing & attention to punctuation, and accuracy.  Vocabulary ; explicit instruction in specific words to enhance comprehension  Comprehension ; apply appropriate strategies before, during, and after reading to construct meaning. Provide evidence from text to support responses about text.

 A minute structure is designed to provide students the essentials they need to flourish as readers. ◦ Mini- lesson (about 10 minutes)  Skills  Strategies  Habits of Readers  To lift the level of students’ reading work ◦ Engage in Ongoing Reading Work (35-45 minutes)  Independent Reading  Small-Group Work (Strategy Lesson/Guided Reading  Teacher-Student Conference ◦ Teacher Share (5-7minutes)  Little Teacher Talk  Partner-Share (read aloud, acting out parts, word-solving  Celebration of readers ◦ A part of Balanced Literacy Approach

 Reading, Reading, and more Reading  Habits of Reading ◦ Not for Today…for Forever! ◦ Deep and Wide Reading  Community of Readers ◦ Sharing of Ideas (Accountable Talk/Discussion) ◦ Book Clubs  Supporting Readers Where They are as Readers!

 DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)  DRA 2 (Developmental Reading Assessment)  CMT Reading Comprehension Strands  Sight Words  Writing Samples: Fall, Winter, Spring  Words Their Way Spelling Assessment

 Different Types of Writing o Narrative – personal and fictional narratives with a clear beginning, middle, and end, includes story elements with elaboration and fluency o Informational – letters, thank you notes, how to explaining a process, one or more paragraphs about data o Persuasive – students state an opinion, gather and analyze information and use supportive details o Word work to apply spelling skills in their writing o Throughout the year we are focusing on building writing stamina – end of year goal is to be able to write for 45 minutes.

In writing activities, 2 nd graders will practice these skills throughout the year:  Proper use of periods and question marks  Commas  Quotations marks  Capitalization  Contractions  Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives  Subject-verb agreement  Pronouns  Complete Sentences  Compound Sentences

1. Algebraic Reasoning: Patterns and Functions  Finds missing numbers in addition and subtraction number sentences. 2. Numerical and Proportional Reasoning  Recognizes, writes, compares and orders whole numbers to 999.  Identifies place value of a digit  Fractioning reasoning: identifying and partitioning geometric shapes  Adds and subtracts facts to 20 using mental math.  Solves one and two step addition and subtraction story problems.  Adds and subtracts two and three digit numbers using open number lines, pictures of models, and place value. (No algorithms.) “Math Makes Sense”

3. Geometry and Measurement  Tells time to the nearest 5 minutes  Makes and counts a given amount to $  Measures and draws lengths to the nearest inch or centimeter 4. Working with Data: Probability and Statistics  Uses and creates bar graphs, line plot graphs, and picture graphs from data in tables and charts * Math Calculation Fluency – fact fluency assessments given every month

1. Maps and globes * Identify N, S, E, W, Equator, Northern & Southern Hemisphere 2. Neighborhoods and Communities * Understands the parts of a community. * Understands the needs for rules. * Understands the difference between goods and services. 3. Holidays * Compares & contrasts historical celebration of holidays to current celebrations.

1. Properties of Matter * Describes the differences between solids and liquids. 2. Life Cycle of Plants * Describes the life cycle of flowering plants. * Explains the effects of water, sunlight, and soil on plant growth 3. Soil 4. Nutrition * Lists and describes the basic food groups.

 BOE recommends minutes of homework a night for 2 nd grade students.  Homework packets accommodate busy lives as well as allowing students to practice skill of planning ahead.  Homework will include a Reading Log and Math fluency or other practice. During the year, other opportunities for special projects will require completion at home.  Please check your child’s work before returning to school. Homework should represent your child’s best effort. Most work should be completed in pencil (not crayon or marker) unless it is a special project.

 Field Trip: Bushy Hill Nature Center  Fairy Tale Plays  “I Am An Author” End of Year Celebration

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, And I wanted to paint another one. When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, And I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me, And I knew that little things are special things. When you thought I wasn’t looking, I heard you say a prayer, And I believed there is a God I could always talk to.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I felt you kiss me goodnight, And I felt loved. When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes, And I learned that sometimes things hurt, But it’s all right to cry. When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be Everything that I could be. - Author Unknown

Thank you for coming! The 2 nd Grade Team Erin Crowley Celeste Formica Donna Jones Diana McKenzie