Back-to-School Night

Garden Gate ElementaryRoom 5

2nd and 3rd gradeMiss Kuykendall

Class Website: teacherweb.com/CA/GardenGateElementarySchool/MsKuykendall/t.stm

Tonight’s Agenda:

Curriculum Information California Content Standards for 2nd and 3rd

grade Combination Class

Benefits, Daily Schedule, Procedures, Homework, Book Reports, Morning Talks, Assessments/STAR Test, Field Trips, Volunteers

Questions

2nd/3rd grade Curriculum

Text Books Reading, Math, Social Studies, and Science

(3rd grade) District Programs

Writing, Science Kits, Health Supplemental Books

All subjects Used to enhance lesson plans Student reading

Reading

Houghton Mifflin Text Read Alouds, Stories, Comprehension

Questions, Related Activities and Projects Focus Strategies: Phonics/Decoding, Predict,

Infer, Monitor/Clarify, Question, Summarize, Evaluate

Reader’s Workshop Garden Gate program used based on national

research of how students become lifelong learners

Focus Strategies: Schema, Predict, Infer, Question, Visualize, Determining Importance

Writing

Expository Step Up To Writing Focus: organization, details, varying

sentence structure, transition words, multi-paragraphs, research

Personal and Fictional Narrative The Most Wonderful Writing Lessons Ever

(Scholastic) Focus: sequential, important details,

character building, Writing Process

Writing Continued

Poetry Mentor Text Focus: Word study, creativity, voice

Letter Writing Teacher Modeling, Student Samples, Books

Studying writing for purpose Focus: 5 parts, friendly, formal, thank-you, and

invitation

Math Houghton Mifflin Text

Assessments, daily lesson, cross-curricular connections, games, centers, workbooks (intervention, English learners, advanced learners)

2nd: tear out practice pages 3rd: text book-students write answer on graph

paper Marcy Cook Math (supplement)

Hands on Problem Solving, Logic, Daily Challenges Timed Math Tests

100 problems in 5 minutes 98% pass 2nd: addition and subtraction 3rd: multiplication and division

Science

District Kit-Based Program (FOSS) Life, Physical, and Earth Sciences Hands-On Focus: Investigation/Experimentation Students record in a Science Journal

2nd graders will be taught by myself 3rd graders will go to Mrs. Lee, Mrs.

Amarnath, and Mrs. Pearson two days a week

Social Studies

Scott Foresman Social Studies Text Consumable text DVD (Unit introduction, song, and video)

Time For Kids Magazine (supplemental) $4.50 Current Events, Non-fiction reading,

synthesizing, summarizing 2nd Graders will go to Mrs. Kim and Mr. Casey

one day a week 3rd Graders will be taught by myself

Technology

G.G. Computer Lab (every other Thursday) Curriculum Based Projects

Kid Pix Kidspiration Microsoft Word

Type To Learn January 4- January 29 20 minutes daily Keyboarding skills

Supplemental Software Coin Critters, Graph Club, Clock Shop Levels for grades K-5

Music

Every Wednesday 11:00-11:30 Teacher: Mrs. Morris End of the Year Performance

Spectra Art

Every Other Wednesday 8:30-10:00 Taught by two parent volunteers

Training is provided, lesson plans, and supplies provided

Physical Education

Once a Week (TBA) for 30-60 minutes Taught by one or two parent volunteers

Lessons and equipment provided Organized sports/games Movement, body management, locomotive,

manipulative, and rhythmic skills Students need to wear sneakers on P.E. day Dairy Council Nutrition Program

Food groups, exercise, healthy lifestyle

Life Skills: Project Cornerstone

Garden Gate’s Character Education Program

Teaches social and personal skills Taught by a parent volunteer

Training provided once a month (1 hour) Lessons and books provided

Once a month for 45-60 minutes For more information:

www.projectcornerstone.org

California Content Standards

California Department of Education www.cde.ca.gov

2nd/3rd grade standard comparison chart

Benefits of a Combo Class Develop responsible work habits Have access to positive role models Develop teamwork skills Opportunities to preview and review

concepts Develop independent learning skills Exposed to a broad and varied learning

environment Participate in smaller grade level

groups with student/teacher ratio

Benefits for older students:

Studies show that when older children teach information and skills to younger classmates, their academic performance improves because their understanding increases

They take on more responsibility and develop leadership skills

Benefits for younger students:

They have an opportunity to observe, emulate, and imitate a wide range of behaviors modeled by the older students

Older children can intellectually stimulate lower-grade children

Exposed to a a higher grade

Our Daily ScheduleTime Monday Tuesday Wed. Thurs. Friday

7:55-8:20 Daily Paragraph Editing,

Attendance, Lunch Count, Word of the Day Journal Write

8:20-9:15 Reader’s Workshop

Spectra Art Class Meetings

9:15-10:00 Writer’s Workshop

Library 9:30-10

10:00-10:20 Recess

10:20-10:30 Math Journal Timed Math Test

10:30-11:35 Math 3rd grade first/2nd independent

2nd grade second/3rd independent

Computer Lab

11:35-12:20 Lunch

12:20-12:35 Story/Calendar

12:35-1:00

Grammar Social Studies Handwriting Phonics Art Project

1:00:200 Science Early Dismissal 1:30

Science Social Studies Fun Friday

Reader’s Workshop

Students choose books from different genres at their reading level

Students read independently, with a classmate, or with a teacher

Focus is based on the daily mini-lesson

Benefits of Reader’s Workshop

Students are focused on meaningful reading Greater amount of reading time compared to

whole group reading Increases motivation and fluency Each student is able to read at his/her current

reading level and apply comprehension strategies (differentiated learning)

Incorporates whole group mini-lessons, small group instruction, and individualized student-teacher guidance

Closer Look: Reader’s Workshop

Sample Structure Thursday and Friday

8:20-8:30 Mini Lesson (read story, strategy, teacher model)

8:30-9:10 Independent Practice of strategy

9:10-9:15 Students share reading experiences, observations, what they noticed, learned, etc.

Writer’s Workshop

All students are working on the same writing topic/project

All students are working at their own pace

All students work through The Writing Process

All students conference with teacher before moving on to the next stage

Each student’s goal is consistent progress and improvement

Math: Houghton Mifflin Units

2nd grade 3rd grade

Addition, Subtraction, and Data

Numbers To 10,000

Numbers and Patterns to 200

Addition and Subtraction

Money Multiplication Facts

Add 2-digit Numbers Geometry and Measurement

Subtract 2-digit Numbers Division Facts

A Closer Look: Math

Sample Daily Structure

10:20-10:35 Math Journal Whole Class

10:35-10:50 3rd grade lesson with teacher

(2nd: practice worksheet from previous lesson)

10:50-11:05 2nd grade lesson with teacher

(3rd: daily assignment)

11:05-11:35 Both grades finish daily assignment

Finished Early activities: challenges and centers

Science Monday and Wednesday 1:00-2:00

Four 3rd graders will go to Mrs. Lee (room 25)

Four 3rd graders will go to Mrs. Amarnath (Room 27)

Four 3rd graders will go to Mrs. Pearson (Room 30)

2nd graders will remain in Room 5

Social Studies

Thursday 1:20-2:00

Four 2nd graders will go to Mrs. Kim (Room 3)

Four 2nd graders will go to Mr. Casey (Room 16A)

3rd graders will remain in Room 5

Homework 2nd Grade

Starts 9/14 Includes 15 minutes of reading nightly, Reading Log,

Spelling, Math, Grammar or Vocabulary 3rd Grade

Started on 8/31 Includes 20 minutes of reading nightly, Reading Log,

Spelling Contract, Writing Assignment, Math, Cursive Homework folders go home Monday and are due back

Friday morning. If there is no school on Friday, it is due on Thursday.

Parents need to check for accuracy as I will only check for completion.

Book Reports

Four Book Reports Book must be approved by me a month in

advance 2nd: minimum of 25 pages 3rd: minimum of 50 pages

Genres: October: Mystery December: Fiction January: Biography March: Poetry

Morning Talks

Each student is required to give 6 talks (2 per grading period)

May be any topic of interest to the student

3-5 minutes long, but no longer than 10 minutes

Must bring at least one prop or visual aid

Assessments/Tests

Pre-Assessments will sometimes be given in Math to determine students current knowledge and future needs

Chapter and Unit tests will be given in Math and Social Studies

Weekly timed Math tests District spelling and reading assessments are

given throughout the school year as students improve and progress

Science journals will be graded each trimester STAR test: April 26- May 6

Field Trips

Our class will be going on the following field trips together: 2 plays at the Sunnyvale Theater Tech Museum of Innovation

3rd graders will be attending these field trips with other 3rd grade classes: McClellan Ranch Deer Hollow Farm Fishing in the City Planetarium

Unpaid dues: a notice will be sent home shortly

Volunteers

We need volunteers! Two Spectra Art teachers One P.E. teacher One Project Cornerstone teacher Parents to grade math tests each

month The classroom wouldn’t run

without you!

Questions?

Please feel free to contact me : In person: After 2:05 pm By phone: If I miss your call, I will

return it as soon as possible. (408)252-5414 Ext. 205

Email: I check my email several times a day.

kuykendall_casey@cupertino.k12.ca.us