Back-to-School Night

Garden Gate ElementaryRoom 5

2nd gradeMiss Kuykendall

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

Tonight’s Agenda:

Curriculum Information California Content Standards for 2nd grade Common Core Standards Daily Schedule, Procedures, Homework, Book

Reports, Assessments/STAR Test, Field Trips, Birthdays, Volunteers

Questions

2nd grade Curriculum

Text Books Reading, Math, Social Studies

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) tear out practice pages

Marcy Cook Math (supplement) Hands on Problem Solving, Logic, Daily

Challenges Timed Math Tests

100 problems in 5 minutes 98% pass addition and subtraction

Science

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

Social Studies

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

Time For Kids Magazine (supplemental) Asking for a $5.00 donation Current Events, Non-fiction reading,

synthesizing, summarizing

Technology

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

Kid Pix Kidspiration Microsoft Word PowerPoint

Type To Learn Time TBA 20 minutes daily for one month Keyboarding skills

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

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

Spectra Art Every Other Wednesday 10:20-11:30 Taught by two parent volunteers

Training is provided, lesson plans, and supplies provided

Physical Education

Every Week 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 community or 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

Class Rules

Ways We Want Our Class To Be

1) Be Responsible 2) Be respectful 3) Be Safe 4) Do Your Best

California Content Standards

California Department of Education www.cde.ca.gov

Common Core Standards- are consistent across states and are internationally benchmarked- are aligned with college and career expectations- build upon the strengths of the current standards

Formal assessment will change:3 brief performance tasks throughout the year will be scored by teachers, who will use the data to drive instruction 1 “test” (similar to the STAR, but not as time intensive)

Implementation:Full implementation and assessment won’t begin until the 2014-2015 school year CUSD is working closely with the County Office of Education and California Department of Education in our implementation

For more information: California Department of Education website on CCS: http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cc/

Our Daily ScheduleTime Monday Tuesday Wed. Thurs. Friday

7:55-8:30 Morning Work Attendance, Lunch Count, and Word of the Day

8:30-9:15 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 Silent Reading Timed Math Test Math Journal

10:30-11:35 Music Math Computer Lab

11:35-12:20 Lunch

12:20-12:35 Story/Calendar

12:35-1:00

Grammar Social Studies Music 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

Students are working on the same writing topic/project

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

Addition, Subtraction, and Data

Numbers and Patterns to 200

Money

Add 2-digit Numbers

Subtract 2-digit Numbers

Homework

Starts on 9/12 Includes 20 minutes of reading

nightly, Reading Log, Spelling, and Math

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

One Book Report a month Book must be approved by me a month in advance

Genres: October: Mystery November: Non-Fiction December: Autobiography January: Biography February: Historical Fiction March:Realistic Fiction April: Poetry May: Science Fiction

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: Not given to 2nd graders

Grading Class Assignments

After grading an assignment, I give a: + for one/no mistakes for several mistakes, but the child understood - for many mistakes or incomplete work

I try to have the students correct their work in class so I know they grasp the concept

Other times you will see a * or a sticker This indicates that we have graded as a class or the

activity didn’t need to be graded.

Field Trips

Our class will be going on the following field trips together: 4 plays at the Sunnyvale Theater

and Santa Clara University Tech Museum of Innovation

Asking for a $45 donation

Birthdays

District policy states that there is to be NO FOOD for birthday celebrations.

I recommend that you send something that students can use many days after your child’s birthday is over. Stickers, pencils, erasers, etc. are very popular and affordable treats that children can enjoy.

Keep in mind that there are 24 students in our classroom and items will not be distributed

unless there is enough for each child.

Volunteers

We need volunteers! Room Representative P.E. Teacher Project Cornerstone Spectra Art

The classroom wouldn’t run without you! These activities aren’t possible without parent help.

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@cusdk8.org