Welcome to Parent Night 2015

Everything you need to know about Mrs. Evenson’s Second Grade

About Suzanne Evenson• I grew up in Rockford, IL and currently live in Crystal

Lake with my daughter Fayth, my husband Jon, and my dog Lucy.

• I received my bachelors degree from UW-Whitewater in Early Childhood Education and my masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University.

• This will be my 15th year of teaching.– 1 year in Second Grade and 9 years in First Grade in Cary, IL– 2 years in Preschool at Cary United Methodist Preschool– 2 years at South Elementary in First Grade

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PBIS • Positive Behavior Interventions and

Supports• A proactive, systematic approach to

teaching students expected/acceptable behavior for school

• Be Safe• Be Respectful• Be Responsible

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PBIS• Positive Paws– classrooms can earn these for

displaying expected behaviors in the hall, cafeteria, playground, bus line, etc.

• Golden Paws – 25 positive paws earns the classroom a golden paw. Golden paws = reward.

• Cubs Cash – individually earned for expected behavior

• Cubs Corner – monthly store• Raffle – students can purchase tickets for weekly raffle

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Schedule• 8:45-9:15 – Morning Routine /Journal• 9:15-9:45 – Language Arts Units of Study Block

(shared reading, writing, “think pair share”, presenting)• 9:45-10:45 – Guided Reading/Stations• 10:45-11:05 – Book Boxes and Snack• 11:05-12:05 – Math (Gym and Music on Tuesdays)• 12:05-12:15 – Word Work/Spelling• 12:15-1:05 – Lunch/Recess• 1:10-2:10 – Specials (Except Math on Tuesdays)• 2:10-2:40 – Writing Traits• 2:40-3:25 – Science/Social Studies• 3:25 – Dismissal

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Fine Arts Schedule

• Monday– Library with Mrs. Pomis

• Tuesday/Wednesday – Music and PE with

with Mr.Muehling and Mrs. Grantham

• Thursday – Art with Mrs. Heyen

• Friday– STEM with Mrs. Krutsch

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• University of Chicago Everyday Math program - The hour is spent covering math topics through the use of whole and small group instruction, hands-on activities, math games, and journal pages

• Topics covered include: number writing, tally marks, patterns, calendar routine, using number grids, graphing, telling time, measurement, county money, place value, fact families, fractions, addition and subtraction, number stories, geometric shapes and three dimensional figures. These topics are spiraled throughout the school year.

Math

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Math Skills your Child Needs to Know Now

• Should Know Now in Second Grade– How to count by 1’s, 5’s and 10’s to 100– Count by 2’s to 100– Basic shapes and Geometric Solids– Identify coins– Counting change up to one dollar– Telling time to the nearest hour, half hour, and quarter

hour– Knowing how to use a number grid (moving up is -10,

moving down is +10, moving left is -1, moving right is +1)

– Simple addition and subtraction facts

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Math Home Links• Look for Home Link Nightly

– The Home Link can be found in your student’s RED Home Folder

– These activities cover topics discussed in class and your child should be familiar with them

– Please add comments onto the Home Link if your child had difficulty completing the homework

– Look for parent letters at the start of each math unit

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Language Arts Units of Study

Balanced Literacy

Spelling 10 Minutes

Reading Mini Lesson 30

Minutes

Independent Reading 20

Minutes

Stations 60 Minutes

Guided Reading 60 Minutes

Writing 45 Minutes

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Language Arts Block• Word Study

– Instructed through whole and small group (reading group)– Develop awareness of letter/sound associations, word patterns, and

useful spelling rules– Check no excuse word list…students should be able to read and write

these words

• Reading Mini-Lesson /Units of Study– Students enjoy stories read aloud – Teacher models reading strategies– Children work with “think pair share partners” to further develop their

reading comprehension skills, academic vocabulary, and close reading (text based answers)

– Students will write their “reading thinking” in their reader writer notebooks

– Increased reading of informational text

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Language Arts Block • Guided Reading

– Teacher leads small groups in reading and guides them through texts at their instructional level.

– Students will be working on using a variety of reading strategies to solve unknown words. Groups will also include a word work component and writing.

– In addition, students will practice using reading comprehension strategies and close reading skills including: solving unknown words, vocabulary, predicting, questioning, connecting, inferring, synthesizing, and supporting their thoughts with text based evidence.

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Reading Homework

– Guided reading books and independent reading books

will come home in a Zip-lock bag. Please listen to your

child read and assist them as needed.

– Read at least 20 minutes a day!

– When the bag comes home, it needs be brought back

the next day and it will need to be signed.

– Students may also self select books for their 20 minutes

of reading.

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Language Arts Block• Stations

– Students rotate through two stations per day– Provides children opportunities to enhance their reading

and writing through hands-on, authentic activities– Students enjoy working cooperatively with partners to

read, write, listen to stories, solve problems, research and work on iPads

– Stations include: library, writing, research, listening, IPad, word work, post office, books, poetry and buddy reading

– EAR BUDS PLEASE! Please send in ear buds for your child to use during the iPad station. Write your child’s name on these, please.

 

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Language Arts Block

• Independent Reading• Children self select books at their appropriate reading

level• Students are expected to read quietly for 20 minutes• Reading is Thinking! Students are expected to think

about the book as they read it • Students periodically record their feelings, thoughts, and

reactions to the text through a reader writer notebook• Teacher guides children and supports their independent

reading through individual conferences

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Language Arts Block• Writing

– Scholastic’s Trait Writing– Focus on the Six Traits of Writing

• Ideas• Organization• Voice• Word Choice• Sentence Fluency• Conventions• Presentation

– Students work through the many stages of writing which include: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, finishing, and presenting.

– Mini-lessons include using mentor texts, author videos, and authentic writing activities including persuasive and expository writing. Students also share their writing on a regular basis.

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How can I Help my Child at Home?• Provide your child with authentic writing experiences at home.

– Writing letters, making grocery lists and to do lists, write in a diary, pen pale (etc.)

• Listen to your child read every night for at least 20 minutes.– Encourage your child to use multiple strategies when solving

unknown words .– What would make sense? What looks right? What are the

beginning sounds? Can you reread the sentence to figure it out?

• Read to your child every night for fun! – Discuss what you read before, during, and after you read the

book.– Ask questions, make predictions, discuss the characters, make

connections to your life and other books you’ve read.

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Science and Social Studies

• Science– Foss science curriculum focuses on hand-on experiments– Visit www.fossweb.com for interactive games – Units include Pebbles Sand and Silt, Balance and Motion, and New Plants.

• Social Studies– Taught through the use of big books– Topics include: Our Government, Bird’s Eye View, What

Changes our Earth, First Americans, Map Champs, Exploring with Lewis and Clark, President’s Day, How Goods are Moved, Nature’s Gifts, Children Around the World, and Coast to Coast.

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Helpful Websites• Crystal Lake School District subscribes to the following websites for

school and home use. Please take advantage of these sites from any computer with an Internet connection.

Everyday Math Onlinehttp://www.everydaymathonline.com Usernames and Passwords are different for each child. See Everyday Math handout.

Brain Pop, Brain Pop Jr. Raz-kidshttp://www.brainpop.com http://www.raz-kids.comUsername: wds47 Username: information to comePassword: cubs

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MAP Testing• Students take reading and math tests on computers so

teachers can quickly gather data and better meet the needs of each student

– Beginning, middle and end of the year– This year we will be collaborating with the students to set

growth goals

• The tests take 2 hours to complete

– 1 hour for reading, 1 hour for math

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Parental Support• Volunteers

– Classroom helper times are from 9:45-10:45• Sign up is in your packet this evening• Please indicate how often you would like to volunteer

(i.e., once a week, every other week, once a month)• Year long schedule will go home after stations are up

and running

– Holiday party sign up is in your packet• you may sign up to donate items or volunteer at the

party• Please indicate if you have a party you would prefer

to attend.

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Parental Support• Donations

– Please take a look at our “Giving Tree” if you would like to donate much needed items for our classroom

– Additional items may be needed throughout the year and I will include those items in the newsletters

• Scholastic Book Orders– Come home monthly– Promote reading with your child– Classroom earns new books when you order

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General Information• Snack

– Due to our late lunch hour this year, we will be having a snack break.

– Please send your child to school with a snack that doesn’t contain any NUTS!

• Lunch– Our lunch period is from 12:15-1:05– Lunch cost is $2.70 and milk is $0.55– Lunch tickets - $27.00 (10 day) or $54.00 (20 day)– Please send all money in and envelope or plastic bag

labeled with your child’s name

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General Information

• Birthdays– 21 students in the class– NO food allowed– Ideas include: pencils, erasers, pens, certificates, etc.– Please do not bring in birthday invitations to be passed

out at school.

• Dismissal– If your child is going home any way other than their

usual way, it is EXTREMELY important to send a note with your child.

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General Information

• Report Cards

– Sent home at the end of each trimester (three total)

• Snow Gear

– Please practice putting on snow gear with your child when the winter arrives.– An extra pair of socks in your child’s locker would be helpful when we have wet feet in the

winter.– Our classroom is cold, please have your student keep an additional sweatshirt or sweater at

school.

• Star of the Sea

– A packet containing specific information, forms to fill out, stuffed animal, scrapbook and estimation jar will come home on the Friday your student is chosen to be STAR OF THE SEA! We will start this program towards the end of the month. Every thing is due back the following Friday.

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Communication• Email : sevenson@d47.org

• School: 815-444-4800

• Attendance Line: 815-444-4807

• Voicemail: TBD

• Website: http://home.d47/org/wds/sevenson/

• Look for an email with a link to my newsletter every Sunday Night or Monday. Second Grade will have a shared newsletter.

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Thank you for coming…

I’m looking forward to a very successful year!