1. Welcome to Curriculum Night
Mrs. Kim Szudy
2nd Grade

2. A little about me…
My husband Ken and I live in New Lenox with our sons Ethan (8th grade) and Aidan (6th grade) and our dog, Gracie.
This is my 20th year teaching at Grand Prairie.
I have taught Kindergarten & Second Grade.

3. Where can I see what my kids will be learning?
District office tab
Curriculum tab
ALL curricular expectations are listed for parents

4. Grading
For the school year all three schools will report grades to parents on a quarterly basis.
We grade based on a 1,2,3 scale of secure, developing, and needs attention.

5. Outcome Assessments
Outcome Assessments will be given in both ELA and MATH on a quarterly basis.
Outcome Assessments are:
    A way to determine how students perform in relation to grade level expectations
    Necessary for teachers to help understand what targets need to be addressed
    A communication tool from school to home

6. Homework Reading and Math Logs- Sent home Monday Raz Kids (website)
Zearn (website)
Math Facts (flashcards)
Weekend Journals- Sent home Friday: returned Monday
Additional homework may be assigned at classroom teacher’s discretion.

7. Eureka Math What is Eureka?
The Eureka Math resource was built around the core principle that students need to know more than just what works when solving a problem – they need to understand why it works.
Why Eureka?
Eureka has received high ratings from educators nationwide and school districts are seeing growth and impressive test scores after just one year of implementation.
Eureka with Growth Mindset
Students with a Growth Mindset aren’t afraid to make mistakes. Brain research shows that mistakes are good and help you to learn more. Kids with a Growth Mindset achieve more.

8. What will Eureka look like in the classroom?
Typically, there are 6 components to each lesson
Fluency – Daily math fact practice which is used to maintain skills, prepare for the current lesson, and/or anticipate skills used in future lessons
Application Problem – Word problem which can lead into the concept development or review a concept from the previous day
Concept Development – Majority of the lesson which teaches a particular skill. Can include a variety of activities (whiteboards, manipulatives, partner work)
Problem Set – Independent practice to apply the skills taught from the concept development. Sometimes students will work on only a few problems
Debrief – Reflection after problem set to review as a whole class a few areas
Exit Ticket – Quick gauge of student understanding of the day’s skill

9. Eureka School/Home Connection
Problem Sets
Problem Sets can come home unfinished and that is okay. It is encouraged to review and complete the Problem Sets with your child at home.
Exit Tickets
Exit Tickets will be coming home frequently and it is encouraged to review the Exit Tickets with your child at home.
Assessments/Rubrics
Assessments can be informal observations, exit tickets, mid module assessments, and end of module assessments. Rubrics will be used to grade and inform you of your child’s progress on the mid module and end of module assessments.

10. Eureka School/Home Connection
Daily Extra Practice
The purpose of daily practice at home is to reinforce skills taught at school and increase the home/school connection. The expectation is that your child will be logging into Zearn and/or completing an extra practice sheet sent home in the fluency bag.
Letter/Login
Please refer to your parent informational letter with your online account login information.

11. Reading Common Core: ELA (English Language Arts)
Reading for Literature (fiction)
Reading for information (nonfiction)
Speaking and Listening
Writing (paragraph and response)
Reading Foundation (phonics, word work, vocabulary)
Language (grammar)
Guided Reading
We will also continue differentiated guided reading. Books we read during guided reading will go into the reading bag to be reread for fluency.

12. Reading Workshop Students will be doing:
Explicit instruction in reading skills and strategies through a daily mini lesson.
Quality time spent practicing skills previously taught in lessons.
Focused time spent in small group instruction.
Students will be doing:
Independent reading while practicing strategies
Reading with a buddy to practice strategies
Writing in response to reading
Listening to reading

13. Writer’s Workshop Aligned to the Common Core standards
There will be mini lessons, small group strategy
sessions, and one-on-one conferences
Each daily lesson is designed according to
research based principles
Students will be writing every day
Students will have goals to work towards
Students will be writing narratives, explanatories, opinion pieces, science books, responses to reading, poetry, and more
“The intent of this series is to support students’ abilities to be strategic, metacognitive writers who use particular processes to achieve purposes as writers”. - Lucy Calkins

14. Science
Our science curriculum is based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
The focus is on students DOING science.
Students will have earth science, physical science, life science, and engineering. (Some topics include volcanoes, weather, erosion, melting and freezing, solids and liquids, plants, habitats, tower building, bridge engineering, and Lego engineering).
Lots of great new resources for hands-on learning.
*Science will not be on the report card this year

15. Words Their Way
Words Their Way is a word study program that takes an active and hands-on approach to learning words. Students will be completing word sorts and looking at sounds, patterns, and meaning.
Purpose: Examine words to find consistencies in written language and help students acquire the recognition, spelling, and meaning of specific words.
Word Study is
Developmental
Learner-centered
Focused on language patterns
Systematic instruction in phonics and spelling
We will be doing a walk to for Words Their Way. The students may have another purple second grade teacher for this.

16. Now on to our classroom…
Some of these things will be special to just our class and other things are done across the grade level and/or Grand Prairie!

17. Behavior Program
Classroom Dojo
Marble Jar
Character count slips

18. Tiger Schedule T I G E R Technology 8:40 Library 9:15 Lunch 11:45 PE
2:10
Music
9:55
Art
8:40
Students should have gym shoes every day.

19. Volunteering
Volunteer ID’s can be made on picture day (9/6) after 7:30 am.
Mrs. Winkler in the Library is ALWAYS looking for help! Just fill out a sheet!
I will send out a Sign-Up Genius link for Halloween, Winter, and Valentine’s Day parties. All families are welcome!

20. Communication
I will the weekly newsletter to you. It will have upcoming events and dates.
I will update my webpage weekly with upcoming events, website ideas, and links to forms.
You can , call, or write a letter if you have any questions or concerns.
My is

21. give. grant. grow.
MISSION: Raising funds throughout the year to fulfill teacher written grants for the classroom. Over $2 million granted to date.
GRANTED TO: Grand Prairie, Chelsea and Hickory Creek
FUNDRAISERS: Annual Dinner Auction, Golf Outing, Coin Drive, Frankfort Fall Fest BETA Tent
RECENT GRANTS:
SMART BOARDS in 20 classrooms at Chelsea
Rebecca Caudill, Blue Stem and Monarch Book Programs
Electronic Signage at Chelsea
Razkids and Math Fact Programs at Grand Prairie
Hickory Creek guitars, music, green screen and PE Equipment
Netbooks and Tablet PCs at Hickory Creek
For more information and volunteering opportunities visit our website at

22. The FSP is the Parent Teacher Organization for District 157-C
The FSP is the Parent Teacher Organization for District 157-C. Our mission is
designed to strengthen the partnership between home and school through parent
volunteer opportunities, student enrichment activities and family fun events.
Some of the ways that we have enriched and supported the curriculum include:
Funding for field trips
Sponsoring special assembly programs
Providing scholarships
Providing curriculum enrichment funding to each school
Coordinating volunteers for all our events and programs
Each year we also hold FREE family fun events such as:
Family Fun Night and Creative Arts Showcase at Grand Prairie
Exploration Night and Family Fitness Night at Chelsea
Come visit our table at Curriculum Night and visit us at
Like us on Facebook at
Contact us via at

23. Thank you for coming! Please make sure that you have signed in!
Conferences will also be done through Sign-Up Genius. Please look for s!