Before We Begin • Go around your table and find out who your child sits with and introduce yourselves.Remember

Volunteer Sign ups, Hopes and Fears Conference to be passed around tonight & $100 for class parties collection

• Look for your child’s Portrait on the wall and read your letter from your childAny orange papers sent from the school must be filled out and returned.

TyphoonsWhen signal is issued before school

starts

• Typhoon 1: all classes are in session

• Typhoon 3 R1 classes canceled.

• Typhoon 8 All schools are closed.

RainstormsWhen signal is issued before school

starts

• Amber Rainstorm- all classes are in session.

• Red Rainstorm-All schools are closed

• Black Rainstorm: All schools are closed

Please stay informed of weather conditions at www.weather.org.hk. Or check our website at www.hkis.edu.hk for school closing

information.

Health Update

Late Arrivals and Early Dismissals

5

6

Welcome to 608

Communication

608 blog updated every week to two weeks with things that are happening in our classroom including important dates, announcements and curriculum soranson608blogspot.hk

Student work will be sent home periodically to give you the opportunity to discuss what we do in class with your child. This work will need to be returned to school as most of it will go in your child’s portfolio.

ssoranson@hkis.edu.hk

Any orange papers sent from the school must be filled out and returned.

All About Homework

Homework is 20 minutes per night for math and reading.

Chinese is in addition to classroom homework.

Reading book and math home link will go home daily in zip pouch, Monday-Thursday.

Zip pouch comes back to school daily.

Students will check their homework at school on Friday mornings and discuss misconceptions

Reading journals will reflect some home reading books

Snacks and Lunches

Please remember to send in a healthy nut-free snack, healthy lunch, and a water bottle every day.

Please make sure all food containers and the bottle are labeled with your child’s name.

BirthdaysYou are welcome to bring in a nut-free treat for your child’s birthday.

Please email me so that we can arrange a time for you to come and celebrate this time with your child

If your child is inviting the whole class to their birthday party at home, they are welcome to pass out invitations at school. If they aren’t inviting the whole class, please think of a different way to deliver the invitations.

Volunteer Opportunities

Math Games (Monthly)

Mystery Reader (every fortnight)

Lunch Bunch (rotating day each month)

Field Trip Chaperones

Grade Two at HKIS

Curriculum

Morning Meeting

Greeting

Sharing

Group Activity

News and Announcements

Workshop Model

HKIS uses a workshop model based on the Teachers’ College of Columbia University Reading and Writing Project

Allows teachers to differentiate instruction so students can work at their just right level

Teachers confer with students one-on-one and in small groups

Readers Workshop

Mini Lesson

Independent Reading

Partner Reading

Read Aloud

End of Workshop Reflection

Readers Workshop

Units of StudyReaders Build Good Habits

Story Elements

Readers Think & Talk about Books

Navigating Non-Fiction Reading

Readers Meet in Clubs

Storytelling/Readers Theater

Poetry

Holding Onto Meaning

Writers Workshop

Mini Lesson

Independent Writing

Partner Writing

Word work/Handwriting

End of Workshop Reflection

Writers Workshop

Units of Study:Launching the Writers’ Workshop

Authors as Mentors

All About Books (writing non-fiction)

Small Moments (personal narrative)

Fiction

Poetry

Writing with a Purpose

Each unit includes work with planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and celebrating

student work.

Authors’ Celebrations

A time to celebrate work in our writing

units and new techniques we’ve

adopted as writers.Not at time to

correct spelling or grammar.

Word Study and Handwriting

Words Their Way is an activity-based word study program. Student learning is based on the appropriate developmental level of the student. In groups, students do word study, spelling, vocabulary and phonics activities in developmental sequence.

Handwriting Without Tears printing and cursive programs draw from years of innovation and research to provide developmentally appropriate, multisensory tools and strategies for the classroom. Research shows that children learn more effectively by actively doing, with materials that address all styles of learning. http://www.hwtears.com/hwt/parents

The Everyday Math program works as a spiral though

the following math content strands:

Number and Numeration

Operations and Computation

Data and Chance

Measurement and

Reference Frames

• Geometry

Patterns, Functions and Algebra

Mathematics

Everyday Math Online

Log-Ins

Resources

everydaymathonline.com

Social Studies

Our units of study are Communities - how and why do we belong? I can Make a Difference to the Environment Economics - I can Make a Difference in the Lives of Others - Grade 2 Economics Fair

Science

The inquiry cycle of learning is used to explore science Lives in the Balance/Habits with a focus and a field trip on Hoi Ha Wan Energy - hands on investigations with a field trip to the Science Museum

Religion

Units are ongoing reading and responding to the Christian Bible stories.

Teachers encourage conversations about spiritual and religious concepts

Our world religion is Judaism

Outdoor Time

Specials in 6 day cycle

Music – 2 x 30 minutes/cycle - Laura Lorentzen

Art – 1x 50 minutes/cycle- Katie Flowers and Claire

Kirk

PE – 3 x 30 minutes/cycle- Brad Connors

Mandarin – 5 x 30 minutes/cycle -

Guidance – 1 x 30 minutes/cycle - Erin Wright

Library – Kids can go as needed during lunch and

during LA rotations.

Checklist for tonight…

Any questions?

$100 party money in envelope

Collect information packet

Write note to your child.

Sign up to volunteer if you are able

Sign up for Hopes and Fears Conferences