1. Welcome Families A Look Ahead 2 nd Grade 2012-2013

2. A Year At A Glance Science Solids, Liquids & Gases Force & Motion Weather Lifecycles of Animals (Butterflies) Social Studies Communities All topics are integrated in reading and writing. They may also include Home/School Connection Activities

3. Reading is based on Balance Literacy and is a District Adopted Program These are 5 activities students choose from daily to help improve their reading skills: Read to Self, Listen to Reading, Work on Writing, Word Work & Read to Someone Whole Group -Interactive Read Aloud (the teacher models reading and comprehension skills while also providing time for students to discuss questions or participate in comprehension activities either individually, with a partner, or in a group). Shared Reading -students share in the reading of poems, chants, songs, stories or “Readers Theater Scripts.” Guided Reading -the teacher works with a small group to focus on skills or strategies to enable them to become better readers. Author’s Chair -students share their own stories they have written during writing time.

4. Ways You Can Help Read At Least 20 Minutes a Night An adult/older sibling can read to child Child can read to adult/older sibling (especially books sent home) Retell the story that was read Find opportunities for environmental reading every day (cooking, shopping, reading signs, etc…) Read online using Tumblebooks Website at: http://www.tumblebooks.com/library http://www.tumblebooks.com/library Username: mangelou Password: books

5. Writing Modeled Writing - the teacher models her thinking and writes a story in a whole group setting Shared/Interactive Writing -students help the teacher write a story in a whole group setting Independent Writing - Conferencing/Publishing Stories -students write stories usually based on his/her own life. The teacher conferences with students to celebrate what they did well and what they need to work on. Interactive Journals -the teacher and students communicate with one another through writing. Reading Response Journals-students respond to something that was read to them, they have read, or they have listened to. Science Journals-students record their thinking and learning before/after completing science activities.

6. Ways You Can Help Encourage your child to keep a journal Have them write stories to you Keep an Interactive Journal that you and your child use to write back and forth Celebrate their “Published Writing” that is sent home and allow them to read to other family members

7. Word Study Phonics activities/poems, songs and chants to reinforce phonetic skills High Frequency Word Activities-to help read/write sight words Buddy Study (practicing spelling skills through the use of individual list of words that each student needs to learn to spell.) Word Work (Independent)

8. Ways You Can Help Practice words for the week. Help them to recognize spelling words in their reading/writing. Help them to notice words found in their environment (compound words, homophones, antonyms, etc…)

9. Math Several of the activities in math are done in whole group, small group or with a partner. This is how we help in math: Introduce a concept, or present a problem; students practice it, or try to solve it; as a whole group, we share solutions and different strategies used Integrate math into other subject areas to show the connections to the real world (reading, science, etc…) Teach games to help reinforce the skills or concepts being taught Provide additional skills in “Calendar” or daily routines that are not covered in the math curriculum such as: counting by 2’s, 5’s, & 10’s (starting at any number), coins & values, telling time, graphing, and place value Math Intervention Time-students are divided into small groups according to the results of various assessments (Teaching during this time is according to identified needs).

10. Ways You Can Help Discuss math homework Practice math facts up to 20 for addition and subtraction Frequently play games sent home Discuss ways in which math is used in everyday life (shopping, cooking, etc…) Be positive about math (even if math was your most difficult subject).

11. Visitors/Volunteers Needed: Class Helpers/Chaperones Help with activities or assist on field trips Home Helpers Or Wednesday VIPs Things to be cut out Activities to be put together Let us know if you would like to help. *All volunteers must be cleared through the district. Forms are located in the office.

12. Field Trips Weather Station-January or February Communities-Walk to Yokes and learn about different departments May also have additional field trips

13. Homework Read for at least 20 minutes nightly (initial and record minutes read on calendar). Math homework Spelling words Other content areas (occassionally)

14. We Are Looking Forward to a Wonderful Year Full of Learning Opportunities and the Building of Relationships