1. Welcome to Open House!! Please sign in Sign up for Teach-in Look through the papers on your child’s desk Fill out the heart and leave it in your child’s desk Get ready to learn some important information for this year For your child’s privacy, please remember this is not a conference- you may sign up for a conference at the front table if you would like to discuss your child’s progress

2. Daily Schedule  8:45- 9:00 Announcements (Copy Homework)  9:00- 9:30Whole Group Reading (with Social Studies Integration)  9:30-10:30 Small Group (with Social Studies Integration, and Snack)  10:30-11:00Science  11:00-11:10Writing/Language Arts  11:12-11:37 Lunch  11:40-12:05 Physical Movement/Recess (Recess/Writing on PE days)  12:05-1:05Mathematics  1:10-1:40Reading Enrichment/Intervention  1:50-2:30Specials  2:30-2:50 Pack up/ Silent Reading/ Chapter Book read Aloud  2:50 Dismissal

3. School & Classroom Rules  Be prepared  Be respectful  Be safe  Be responsible

4. Student Organization Each student should have: 1. A 1” 3-ring binder Any homework that is in worksheet form will be in the pockets of this binder, along with any notices from school, and the weekly newsletter. 2. Student planner a. Please check and sign planner nightly. 3. Friday Folder Tests from the previous week will be sent home in this folder. Please look over these papers, sign them and return the folder on Monday or the next school day.

5. Grading Scale 100%-90%=A 89%-80%=B 79%-70%=C 69%-60%=D 59%-0%=F Students will be receiving letter grades in all classes including: Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies There will be a weekly homework grade for Spelling (Language Arts), Math, and Reading Logs. There will be weekly tests in Reading including an open book comprehension test and vocabulary. As well as weekly tests in Language Arts including grammar and spelling.

6. HOMEWORK  Homework is assigned everyday of the week, except on Fridays. Sometimes you will have projects for the weekend.  Your child should be writing their homework assignments in their planner.  ALL homework is due the day after it is assigned, unless otherwise noted.  Reading Logs are a part of NIGHTLY homework. They should be completed daily, and will be checked on Fridays  Your child may need your help to ensure they are doing the assignments correctly. I am checking to see that they complete and turn in their homework daily.  Homework will be part of your child’s language arts, reading and math grades. They will receive a weekly grade for homework in these areas. This grade will be based solely on completion and effort, not on correct answers.

7. Mathematics Everyday Math will be taught in a new order this year. You will find that we will continue to work on one skill over the period of a few weeks. This year our standards are categorized into clusters. These clusters are named Big Ideas and Supporting Ideas. The Big Ideas for each grade show the content emphasis for our grade; the Supporting Ideas complement this emphasis. Students will be tested on both Big Ideas and Supporting Ideas.

8. Math Big and Supporting Ideas  BIG IDEA 1: Develop an understanding of base-ten numerations system and place-value concepts.  BIG IDEA 2: Develop quick recall of addition facts and related subtraction facts and fluency with multi- digit addition and subtraction.  BIG IDEA 3: Develop an understanding of linear measurement and facility in measuring lengths.  SUPPORTING IDEA 4: Extend number patterns to build a foundation for understanding multiples and factors - for example, skip counting by 2's, 5's, 10's; Classify numbers as odd or even and explain why. Generalize numeric and non-numeric patterns using words and tables. Describe and apply equality to solve problems, such as in balancing situations. Recognize and state rules for functions that use addition and subtraction.  SUPPORTING IDEA 5: Use geometric models to demonstrate the relationships between wholes and their parts as a foundation to fractions. Identify time to the nearest hour and half hour. Identify, combine, and compare values of money in cents up to $1 and in dollars up to $100, working with a single unit of currency. Measure weight/mass and capacity/volume of objects. Include the use of the appropriate unit of measure and their abbreviations including cups, pints, quarts, gallons, ounces (oz), pounds (lbs), grams (g), kilograms (kg), milliliters (mL) and liters (L).  SUPPORTING IDEA 6: Solve problems that involve repeated addition.

9. Social Studies Themes that are covered: People & Places Where We Live Our Earth Working Together Our Country Today and Long Ago Our Social Studies Units are at times incorporated into our Language Arts Block. This series provided us with leveled guided reading books that can be used during our guided reading groups.

10. Science Big Ideas that are studied:  Body of Knowledge: Earth and Space Science Big Idea 7: Earth Systems and Patterns Big Idea 6: Earth Structures  Body of Knowledge: Physical Science Big Idea 8: Properties of Matter Big Idea 9: Changes in Matter  Body of Knowledge: Physical Science Big Idea 10: Forms of Energy Big Idea 13: Forces and Changes in Motion  Body of Knowledge: Life Science Big Idea 14:Organization and Development of Living Organisms Big Idea 16: Heredity and Reproduction Big Idea 17: Interdependence

11. Green card- Good Behavior! 1 st warning; student changes card to yellow 2nd warning; student changes card to orange, note goes in planner and some privileges may be removed Final warning. Student changes card to red. A phone call will be made or a note sent home. A conference may need to be scheduled to discuss how we can positively change your child’s behavior. Behavior is indicated in your child’s planner in the parent signature box. Greens and yellows get a sticker or stamp. Oranges and Reds will have a note. Please check and sign it every day. Behavior Plan/Conduct Grades

12. Healthy Snacks When do we eat snack? In the afternoon around 1:00. Some examples of healthy snacks are:  Yogurt  Fruit/Vegetables  Animal crackers  All types of crackers  Low fat cheese ***Please do not send candy or chips to school for a snack. Please remember that this is not a lunch—just a snack.

13.  The Accelerated Reader program is a computerized program that tests reading comprehension.  Students select books on their reading level, read independently or with a buddy  They then take an independent comprehension test on the computer. Students get a percentage of these points based on how many of the test questions they get right. The program tracks their progress over the course of the school year. What is AR?

14.  Each student at Vista Lakes has been assigned two reading goals by their teacher.  The first goal is their “Silver Star Goal”. For the First Quarter all second graders have been asked to participate as a class to read 3 AR books, and take the tests for those books scoring an 80% or better. Once the students are familiar with the program (the second quarter), this goal will be an individual goal.  Their second goal is their “Gold Star Goal”. This goal is more individualized to fit your child’s reading level. You will find this goal on your child’s desk (purple paper). This goal is in addition to their Silver Star Goal. (Example: If the Silver Star goal is to read 3 books and take 3 tests, and the Gold Star goal is to read 3 books and take 3 tests, then this student would need to read a total of 6 books and take 6 tests.) EVERY STUDENT IS EXPECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN AR What is an AR Goal?

15.  You will be able to monitor your child’s progress on AR from home via the Accelerated Reader Home Connect Website. You will find this information on your child’s desk tonight (yellow paper)  You can check to see if books that you may have at home are in your child’s reading range and if our school has the test for that book by going to the Renaissance learning website: http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx. http://www.arbookfind.com/UserType.aspx How Can I Monitor My Child’s Progress in AR?

16. FAIR (Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading) Two brief Broad Screening/Progress Monitoring Measures are used for all students in order to identify those most likely to be on or above grade level in reading by the end of the school year and to assist in guiding instruction including: Letter Sounds, Phonemic Awareness, Word Reading  The Broad Diagnostic Inventory is used in order to gain useful information about student abilities in the areas of phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension including: Listening Comprehension, Reading Comprehension, and Vocabulary  The Targeted Diagnostic Inventory is used for further assessment if performance on the Broad Screening/Progress Monitoring measure indicates the need for additional information to assist in guiding instruction including: Print Awareness, Letter Identification, Phonemic Awareness, Letter Linking,Word Building  Ongoing Progress Monitoring Measures will be available to assess student progress between administrations of the Broad Screening/Progress Monitoring measure in letter sounds, word analysis, word building, and oral reading fluency.  By fall 2009, the Florida Assessments for Instruction in Reading will broaden the use of technology to better assist schools. The K-2 assessments will be available for web-based score entry and scores from the Grades 3-12 computerized assessments will be directly imported into the Progress Monitoring Reporting Network (PMRN).

17. Lunch & Recess Lunch: 11:12-11:37 Recess: 11:40-12:05

18. Specials We are on an 9 day rotation schedule.  Day 1 PE 2  Day 2Computer Lab  Day 3PE 1  Day 4Story Time  Day 5 Computer Lab  Day 6PE 4 Day 7Music  Day 8 PE 3  Day 9 Art

19.  Jump ropes  Nerf balls  Puzzles  Games  If you would like to make a donation to the class, and you are unsure about what to donate feel free to give me a call. Wish List

20. Thank you for attending Open House!