1. WELCOME TO OPEN HOUSE Please feel free to take a look around the room at all of your child’s work. The presentation will start at 6:00. Thank you, Mrs. Proctor kimproctor@ncolonie.org

2. EXPECTATIONS High expectations Good behavior Behavior Plan Positive reinforcement

3. CLASS SCHEDULE We have math, reading and writing blocks every day Science or social studies are also taught every day We have an hour of special area classes every day except day 5 which is only a half hour Our specials are scheduled according to the number day. Calendar in packet. SNEAKERS EVERY DAY! Intervention/enrichment block new this year to the schedule - a ½ hour dedicated to small group re-teaching or enrichment time in either math or reading depending on class needs.

4. MATH CURRICULUM Go Math textbooks will be used We will concentrate on place value, addition and subtraction strategies and word problems Our math book and many great lessons and activities are available through the internet at www.thinkcentral.com. Class rosters are being set up and each child will be assigned a log-in to access this at home.www.thinkcentral.com Mad Minutes XtraMath – Practice at home and at school

5. READING CURRICULUM The district has adopted a “balanced” approach to literacy and literacy instruction. Components of this include a combination of guided, individual and shared reading. Students will be introduced to a variety of authors, genres, themed, and leveled books throughout the year. We utilize centers during our reading block. Children work independently at math, reading and writing centers. As they are working independently, I will work in small guided reading groups based on your son/daughter’s ability.

6. SPELLING CURRICULUM The spelling program in second grade is an individualized program based on common phonetic skills or patterns. The goal is on learning patterns and strategies to become better spellers and not simply memorizing words. Each week children will be pre-tested on ten words that focus on one skill (for example, short a). Then individual lists will be given to every child based on the pre-test and words from his/her writing. This allows for every child to be working at learning new words every week. The children will be evaluated on their own words once a week. Your child’s spelling words will be sent home to you on Monday. Our weekly test will be on Friday.

7. WRITER’S WORKSHOP This year we are piloting a new writing curriculum called Units of Study by Lucy Calkins. We will be focusing on narrative, informational and persuasive writing during the year. These are the three types of writing the Common Core Standards require that students write. As we are working on these different units, there will be times we celebrate and clean out our folders. You will see work come home in many different stages of writing - some independent, some edited and some published. Even work that we publish will not be perfect since second graders are still learning the conventions of English.

8. SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES We alternate between science units and social studies units Topics we will cover include  Buoyancy  Plant and Animal Life Cycles  Simple Machines  States of Matter  Citizenship  Types of communities  Holidays

9. HOMEWORK Check and clean out Blue Take Home Folder and check Planner Nightly Monday-Thursday review of spelling/math concepts Weekly reading logs go home every Friday and they are due back the following Friday. Students should fill out the information about the books. A parent signature should be next to each title. Home/School Journals should be written in every weekend and returned to school. Please print because students read them.

10. SECOND GRADE ACTIVITIES Birthday Celebrations – monthly NUT FREE (Sign up in the hallway) – Read Birthday Celebration book On actual B-Day – Special class made book Discovery Days – Students pick a topic to share with their friends (Sign up sheet in packet)

11. REMINDERS One NUT FREE snack every day, send in proper utensils Sign in with your email and phone number Sign up for birthday celebrations, conferences, holiday parties in hallway Sign up for School News Notifier Sign up for PTA

12. CONTACT INFORMATION E-mail – kimproctor@ncolonie.org this is the quickest way to reach mekimproctor@ncolonie.org Phone – 785-7451 ext 4450 Website - http://teacherweb.com/NY/BlueCreek/MrsProctor/http://teacherweb.com/NY/BlueCreek/MrsProctor/ You can also write a note in your son/daughter’s planner Email is the best form of communication for me.