1. Welcome to 2nd Grade Curriculum Night!
Ann Wertz
While we are waiting to get started, please find your child’s desk and take a seat. Please read the letter that your child wrote to you today, and write a response to your child on the “Note from Home” paper to leave on his/her desk for him/her to find in the morning!

2. Meet Mrs. Wertz… 13th year teaching 2nd year at Briarwood
Have taught K, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 3 years as a literacy coach
BA in Elementary/Early Childhood Education, MA Language and Literacy, Ed.S. Literacy, NBCT Literacy
Moved to WA from SC last summer with family!
Married to Drew, mom of Grace and Andy
4 pets! 2 dogs and 2 cats

3. Daily Schedule A.M. (before lunch) Morning Meeting Reading Workshop
Snack
Specialist
Social Studies/Science/Second Step
P.M. (after lunch)
Math Workshop
Recess
Writing Workshop
Read aloud
*Subject to change due to Title/LAP/ELL schedule

4. Day/Time varies each week
Specialists…
Music
Library PE
Computer Lab
Monday/Tuesday
10:20-10:50
Wednesday
10:20-10:50
Thursday/Friday
10:20-10:50
Day/Time varies each week

5. Literacy… Reader’s Workshop
Curriculums: Making Meaning, Calkins’ Units of Study for Reading Workshop
Mini-Lessons based on comprehension, accuracy and fluency strategies
Independent reading, partner reading, small group and one on one with teacher to practice strategies
Share our thinking
Literacy Stations (word study, listen to reading, writing, reading response journals)

6. Superheroes read Good-Fit Books
When looking for a good-fit book, 2nd graders find a book, read 2 or 3 pages and then ask themselves these three questions…
Am I interested??
Do I know the words?
Do I understand what I’m reading?

7. Math Curriculum: Eureka Math Aligned with Common Core State Standards
3rd year of district adopted curriculum
Daily Lesson
Fluency Practice (happy counting, sprint)
Concept Development (new concept taught)
Application Problem (reasoning, show mathematical thinking)
Problem Set (work book, do problems)
Student Debrief (review of new concept)
Exit Ticket (shows student level of understanding)

8. Math Workshop Daily rotations may include…
*Hands on manipulatives or games
(partner or small group)
*Work on my own (problem set, math journals)
*Teacher time (small group or one on one)
*Math on the Computer (Zearn, Prodigy, Reflex Math, IXL)

9. Writing… Lucy Calkin’s Units of Study
Personal Narratives (start with crafting true stories)
Informational Writing (Lab Reports and Science Books)
Opinion Writing (Writing about Reading)
Poetry
Writing Process (prewriting, writing, revising, editing, publishing)
Students are assessed on…
Overall, lead, transitions, ending, organization, elaboration, craft, spelling, and punctuation
Rubric scoring

10. Writing…
Word Study
Teaching spelling patterns and high frequency words (Fountas and Pinnell Word Study curriculum)
Inventive spelling is okay
Encouraging students to sound out vs. make sure they spell it right.
Conventions and grammar taught during writing workshop
Common Core State Standards

11. Science … Social Studies… Fall Winter Spring
Physical Science (Force and Motion)
Earth and Space Science (The Sun’s Daily Motion)
Life Science (Life Cycles and Changes in Ecosystems
Social Studies…
Fall
Classroom Rules
Community Citizenship and Government
Winter
Community Economics
Spring
Community History and Geography

13. Superheroes always know…
The Briarwood Way:
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be a Problem Solver
*Superhero expectations
*Clip chart (only positives)
*Purchasing fun incentives using coin system
*Team points
*Bear tickets (school wide)
*Class of the Week (school wide)

14. Class of the Week…
Goal:  Celebrate more students on a weekly basis for following school-wide expectations and the Briarwood Way.  ​
Specialists and Support Staff will vote each week.​
A Primary and an Intermediate Class will win​
The winning classes will:​
Care for a bear mascot for the week​
Have their class announced on the intercom​
Have their class listed on the reader board​
Receive a 30 min. reward time with Mrs. Kepford and/or Ms. McD.​
Celebrating two classes each week allows us, as a building, to reward more students on a regular basis over the small amount of students honored at Student of the Month.​

15. Homework
Our belief is that kids work hard enough at school that they should be a kid when they get home! So here is what we ask…
Read or being read to at least 20 min. (4x/week)
‘Be a Kid’ activities (example on next slide)
How Was My Week? Reflection sheet (example 2 slides from this one)
Planners
Sign planners Monday-Thursday
$4 fee- please pay online

16. Homework “Be a Kid” HW Sports practice Color a picture
Sports practice
Color a picture
Cook with a family member
Write a letter to a special person
Call a family member and have a chat
Have an unplugged evening
Sit down and eat dinner with your whole family
Take a walk outside
Volunteer
Play catch outside
Go for a bike ride
Ask a neighbor if they need help with a chore
Participate in a after school program or club
Make a card for someone
Teach a sibling something new
Draw a picture of what you see outside your window
Have your parent tell you about something special from their childhood
Make up a skit for your family
Construct something cool out of Legos or blocks
Go to the public library
Help your parent with a chore
Write a poem or song
Family game night
Fill someone’s bucket
Spend quality time with your family
“Be a Kid” HW

17. “How Was My Week?”

18. Communication
SeeSaw - QR code and directions on the handout in your packet. I will also send an link. SeeSaw is a digital platform that I will use, and the students will use, to share what we are working on, pictures, projects, and is also where I will post my class newsletter twice monthly.
- quick reminders, fastest communication method
Classroom phone- I can’t answer the phone while teaching, but if it is a non-urgent message, feel free to leave a voic and I will respond as soon as possible. If it is an urgent message (such as last-minute change of transportation), please call the front office and they will let me know.

19. Volunteers…
Please fill out the volunteer form for days/frequency, etc.
I would like to start the 1st full week of October.
Our class still needs an art docent- we could have more than one person split the position! Sign up on the back table.
***Please make sure that you have completed the online volunteer application through the school district so that you are background checked and cleared- this has to be done every year.***

20. One of the BEST ways to volunteer…
Mystery Reader…
One of the BEST ways to volunteer…
Surprise your child and read his/her favorite book/s to the class
Anyone can do it… Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, etc. (fill out volunteer form)
Great way to get to know your child’s class!
Would only take about 15 minutes of your time!
If interested, please sign up tonight (back table) or me to set up a date and time!

21. Wednesday, December 5th and
Conferences
Conferences will be
held on…
Wednesday, December 5th and
Thursday, December 6th .
Sign-ups will be through Family Access sometime in November 

22. Report cards… Standards based… Behaviors are based on frequency…
4- Exceeds Standard
3- Meets Standard
2- Approaches Standard
1- Well Below Standard
Behaviors are based on frequency…
*Consistently *Sometimes
*Often *Rarely

23. Assessments in 2nd grade…
ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills)- Late January
CogAT (Cognitive Abilities test)- 1st week of March
Fountas & Pinnell- Fall/Winter/Spring

24. Field Trips…
Science To-Go: In-house field studies that correlate with our science units of study (November and April)
Carco Theater: “The Princess and the Pea” (April)
Possible 2nd off-campus field study (TBD)

25. Miscellaneous…
Super Student of the Week
Book Orders
Orange Ruler

26. For coming this evening!