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Curriculum Letter Classroom Goals/Behavior Plan August 26, 2008 As your child's new teacher, I would like to tell you some things the children will be doing in reading, math, spelling, English, science, and social studies. Our curriculum is based on the Ohio State Standards, Benchmarks and Indicators for second grade. I spend the majority of the day in some form of Reading Instruction. Reading Instruction consists of Reading, Word Work, Writing and Language. We will be using the Houghton Mifflin, Reading Instruction series this year, plus various trade books. The anthology (reader) and the leveled readers are collections of outstanding, authentic literature. The selections are grouped into themes - groups of selections that share a common subject or idea. We will use the selections to build comprehension, vocabulary, and phonics skills while developing fluency. In Word Work we will work on spelling and vocabulary. Weekly spelling words will be composed of high frequency words and story words. They are also from our phonics lessons. We will have fifteen spelling words each week and twenty words on review units plus several challenge words. We will generally have a spelling word test on Wednesday and a spelling sentence test on Friday. The children will create the sentences for Friday's spelling test on Wednesday. Vocabulary activities will relate directly to our spelling words and story words each week. For Writing and Language we will be working on grammar, writing, and listening/speaking/viewing skills. In grammar we will be discussing sentences, sentence structure, sentence punctuation, nouns, pronouns, verbs, and adjectives. In writing we will be working on journal entries, stories, messages, invitations, informational paragraphs, learning logs, comparison writings, research reports, friendly letters, thank you notes, instructions, character sketches, and problem-solution paragraphs. For Listening/Speaking/Viewing we will do choral retellings, group discussions, banners, illustrations, presentations, plays, and persuasive talks. We will also work on penmanship. Another major area of study is math. Our math series is Everyday Math. Everyday Mathematics emphasizes the application of mathematics to real world situations. Each lesson includes time for whole-group instruction as well as small group, partner, or individual activities. It also provides numerous methods for basic skills practice and review. Throughout the curriculum students are encouraged to explain and discuss their mathematical thinking, in their own words. For grades 1-3, daily Home Links provide opportunities for family members to participate in the students' mathematical learning. The curriculum includes many activities in which learning is extended and enhanced through the use of calculators. The children will skip count by 1's, 2's, 3's, 4's, 5's, 10's, 25's, and 100's; compare and order numbers; identify ordinal position to tenth; identify sorting and patterning rules; solve routine and non routine problems; master all basic addition and subtraction facts; identify commutative and associative properties of addition; identify place value in a three-digit number; master multiplication facts to 5; add and subtract two-digit numbers; picture and name fractions; measure to the nearest half inch, centimeter, and foot; compare volume; compare and measure mass; measure perimeter and area; tell time to five-minute intervals; count pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters; show change from $1.00; multiply by 0; identify geometric solids; identify lines of symmetry; identify angles; and tally, and create, read, and write observations from real graphs, pictographs, bar graphs, Venn diagrams, and line graphs. We will have science and social studies every week. Our social studies text combines political science, population problems, economics, history, and geography with focus on community life. Our science book is by McGraw-Hill. In science we will discuss weather, our solar system, heat, light, sound, force, moving objects, water, plants, animals, and habitats. We will use our classroom computers each day to practice skills; write stories, poems, and letters; create class Power Point/Local Web Site presentations; and work on research. We will also work on several Internet projects with other classes around the world. At this time we are registered to participate in the Room with a View,Journey South Monarch Project and Gingerbread Exchange. We have a classroom web site at this address: http://www.genevaschools.org/austinbg/class/gray Your child's work and tests papers will be sent home weekly in a blue folder. I will write a brief note on your child's folder each week. This note will indicate how your child is doing in school and any area you may wish to practice. Because papers can be lost on the way home, there will be a place on this folder for you to sign your name which will indicate to me that you have seen the papers. Your comments are welcomed and please feel free to respond on the folder. You may keep the work papers and test papers. Please discuss these papers with your child. Please praise your child for his/her good papers and help him/her correct his/her mistakes. Then your child will return the folder to me. Basically your child will have two kinds of work papers. The first is practice and independent papers which are usually done by the child on his own. For these kinds of papers I use the following marking system: * -the paper is finished, it is neat and at least 90% correct. + -the paper is finished, it is neat and at least 80% correct.  -the paper is finished, it is fairly
neat and at least 70% correct. - -the paper is finished, it is fairly
neat and at least 60% correct.I -the paper is finished, it is less than 60% correct and/or sloppy. On tests and other related types of papers, I will use a % and a letter grade: 100%-90%-A 89%-80%-B 79%-70%-C 69%-60%-D 59%-0%-F or I for Improvement Needed Practice papers determine work habits and study skills. Tests and other related papers help determine the basic grade in a subject on the child's report card. Each week I will be sending home a letter on things happening in our room and school. I hope it will help to keep you aware of your child's education. This letter will generally be sent home on Mondays. It will also be posted on our web site at http://www.genevaschools.org/austinbg/class/gray/newsletter/index.htm Your child will also have a red (Ready Every Day) hometask folder which he/she will bring home each day. Papers in the left pocket are papers that will be left home. The papers in the right pocket are to be completed and returned the next day. In the center of the folder there will be a plastic pocket for the reading log record. Please have your child read for at least 15 minutes each day or a total of 75 minutes a week. Your child may read silently or orally. Also please ask your child questions about what he/she has read. This helps develop comprehension skills. Remind him/her to use the cause-effect words (because, so, since) in his/her answers. Please do not send in party invitations for your child to pass out in school unless you are inviting all the girls in the class, all the boys in the class, or the entire class. Passing out invitations to only a few children causes hurt feelings and often tears. If you wish to only invite a few children, please mail the invitations, email or phone their homes. Your child will need the following school supplies: three or more pencils, an eraser, crayons (no magic markers please), white glue, glue stick, pencil box, folder for papers (no trappers please), 12 inch ruler, three 70 page spiral notebooks, and scissors. As the year progresses please check with your child to see if he/she needs to replace any of these items. Pencils and the basic colors of crayons are especially important and tend to be used up the quickest. Please have your child bring in 2 boxes of tissues. I will save them for class use throughout the year. Your child will also need tennis shoes for gym days and an old shirt for art on painting days. Please write your child's name on his/her school supplies, lunch box, coats, book bag, and tennis shoes. This will help identify these objects if they become lost or misplaced. If you have any questions please feel free to write me a note or call me. If you call me at school, please call before or after school. The school phone number is 466-4831 ext. 169. You may also contact me at my school e-mail address, roberta.gray@neomin.org . If you would like a conference, I would be glad to arrange one. Sincerely, Roberta Gray Our classroom houses a small community. Each student is a citizen who acts in accordance with expected goals of behavior. Our class has the following classroom goals: A. To keep our classroom/society a nice place to be, by: 1. Doing our best at all times. 2. Trying to follow directions. 3. Sharpening pencils before the tardy bell. 4. Keeping our desks and room neat and clean. 5. Lining up without talking or pushing. B. To keep the room quiet during work times, by: 1. Doing our work. 2. Not talking to our neighbors 3. Raising our hands for questions or help. 4. Remaining in our seats as much as possible. C. To respect the rights and feelings of others, by: 1. Trying to be kind at all times. 2. Not pushing or hitting. 3. Listening and following directions of all teachers and adults. 4. Helping whenever we can. D. To be thoughtful of others, by: 1. Walking quietly in the halls. 2. Behaving in the restrooms. 3. Thanking people who help us. With this in mind, rewards are not given for expected behavior- just as a community does not give rewards for behaving properly. Also, irresponsible behavior is seen as an opportunity for growth, rather than for punishment. Discipline is a tool for teaching responsibility. The ultimate goal of discipline is self-discipline or self-control. Instead of thinking of discipline as punishment, discipline should be a positive way of helping and guiding children to achieve self-control We will be working on the Raise Responsibility System which encourages children to exercise self-discipline through reflection and self-evaluation. Students learn to control their own behavior, rather than always relying on the teacher for control. We want our classroom to be encouraging and conducive to learning at all times. In this way, children develop positive attitudes and behavioral skills that are so necessary for successful lives. Attached please find a list of “Levels of Behavior.” Our classroom goal is for each student to be at Level C or Level D each day. I look forward to helping your child become more responsible at school as well as at home. Sincerely, Roberta Gray Four Levels of Social Development D Deciding to be Responsible on your own Highest level of social development *Develops self-discipline *Shows kindness to others *Does good because it is the right thing to do The motivation to be responsible is INTERNAL. You decide to be responsible because it is the right thing to do - without being asked or told C Cooperation Appropriate and acceptable level of behavior *Listens *Practices *Cooperates The motivation to be responsible is EXTERNAL. A person of authority is present. B Bossing/Bothering Neither appropriate nor acceptable level *Bosses others *Bothers others Breaks classroom goals Only obeys when confronted with greater authority. A Anarchy Lowest level of behavior *Noisy *Out of control *Unsafe No one is safe or happy! |
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Send comments and suggestions to: roberta.gray@neomin.org
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