Welcome to Back to School Night Mrs. Tommaso 2nd Grade Room 26

Goals of the Classroom Help students to “SHINE Brighter Every Day!” Develop a caring and respectful classroom. Help students become independent learners. Differentiate instruction to meet the needs of the students. Teach the Common Core Standards for 2nd grade.

Classroom Procedures and Expectations Every morning, students copy their homework into their planners. Students are required to write their name and number on every assignment, including homework. Homework is always a review of what is taught in class. Board Policy: -Teachers are not allowed to provide homework in advance when vacations are taken when school is in session. We suggest students keep a writing journal and read a book. -After the 2nd day of an illness, homework may be requested. Students are expected to read for at least 15 minutes every night. This is part of their homework. Please remember to initial and record the reading minutes in the planner each night.

Communication The best way to contact me is by email, phone, or written note. My email is ctommaso@warrentboe.org. I can be reached at (908) 753-5300 ext. 6251 Please send in a note with your child for any dismissal changes. If there is a change in dismissal, once your child has arrived at school, please call the office to notify them. My website is updated regularly. Go to Central School teacher pages, click on my name, and then click subscribe to receive the latest class updates through your email.

Language Arts Making Meaning: Teaches comprehension strategies. Reading Workshop: Independent reading activities that enhance the Making Meaning strategies. Students will have access to the on-line reading program RAZ-Kids. Guided Reading: Small group instruction to practice decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills. Fundations- Fundations instructs students in phonemic awareness and word study and contributes greatly to fluency and vocabulary development. Writing Workshop: It’s a wonderful journey that will help your child become an author. At the end of the school year, you will have the opportunity to celebrate their writing with us.

Common Core Standards for 2nd Grade Math Common Core Standards for 2nd Grade Operation and Algebraic Thinking -Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction. -Add and Subtract within 20 (By the end of Grade 2, students must know from memory all sums of two one- digit numbers). -Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication. Number and Operations -Understand place value. -Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract. Measurement and Data -Measure and estimate lengths in standard units. -Relate addition and subtraction to length. -Work with time and money. -Represent and interpret data. Geometry -Reason with shapes and their attributes.

Characteristics of the New GoMath! Program Exploration of concepts before learning the steps to solve problems - Hands-on activities - Critical thinking and problem solving opportunities - Connections to real-life - On-line opportunities for reteach, enrichment, and/or practice .

Science and Social Studies Science and Social Studies are taught as units of study, but they are also integrated into other areas of the curriculum. Most units involve working in cooperative groups to explore our world and its past. An assessment will be given at the end of each unit. A study guide will be provided to help students prepare for the test. Our first science unit is butterflies. Our students get the opportunity to watch and study the metamorphosis of a painted lady butterfly. Balancing and Weighing and Soil are our other units of study. In March, the second grade will enjoy Biography Day. We’ll send home a packet explaining this special day at a later time.

Our Homeroom Moms Jen Archbold Jen O’Sheal Sarah Byrne Thanks for Volunteering!

One more thing… Thank You for coming! Please sign up to contribute items for our class parties. Please sign up for our school e-blast/teacher website. Please sign up for November conferences. Scholastic Book Club books can now be ordered and paid for online only. An instruction sheet was sent home with an activation code. Thank You for coming!