Curriculum Night
September 2, 2015
This evening we will cover:
 Info. About Your Teacher
 Second Grade Curriculum
 Testing
 Behavior Plan
 Communication Tools
 Homework Expectations
 Conferences and more!
More About Your Teacher
 Born in New York
 Raised in Rochester, N.Y.
 15 years of teaching experience
 Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education
 My husband and I have two children. Evangeline (Eva) is 5 and Calvin
(Cal) is 3.
 Thrilled to be teaching second grade at Spencer Loomis again this year!
Second Grade Curriculum
Emphasis on reading and writing skills
throughout all the subject areas
Reading
 Schoolwide Reading Fundamentals Series
 Aligned to Common Core Reading Standards
 Balanced Literacy Framework
 Interdisciplinary for Science and Social Studies integration
 Incorporates guided inquiry by exploring and investigating students’
questions
 To become a better reader, children
must read 20 minutes every day
Writing
 Following Schoolwide Writing Fundamentals
 Aligned to the Common Core Writing Standards
 Writing Workshop Model
* Children will practice
the writing process and get to
know how and why writers
write in the ways they do
* Students will learn and
think about how writers work
in order to emulate the process
Math
 Math series is Origo Stepping Stones
 Number & Operations in Base Ten -– understanding place value to
1,000 and using place value to understand the properties of operations
to add and subtract
 Measurement & Data - measure and estimate lengths in standard unit,
relate addition and subtraction to length, work with time and money,
represent and interpret date
 Geometry - reason with shapes and their attributes, specifically number
of sides
 Operations & Algebraic Thinking - represent and solve problems
involving addition and subtraction, add and subtract fluently within 20
Words Their Way
 Developmental spelling, phonics, and vocabulary program
 Teaches students to examine words to discover regularities, patterns,
and conventions of the English language
 Purpose is to gain word knowledge
 Goal is to transfer knowledge to
facilitate children to become better
readers
Science
 We will be using the National Geographic series, as well as, hands-on
experiments and discovery
 Weather and the Water Cycle
 Pushes and Pulls
 Life Cycle of Insects
 Life Cycle of Plants
Social Studies
 Social Studies uses the
MacMillan/McGraw-Hill series
 We Live Together
 Exploring the Earth
 Long Ago and Today
 Needs and Wants
 How the Government Works
Testing
 Measure of Academic Progress MAP testing
 MAP testing occurs three times a year * the first session occurs the
week of September 8th
 Classroom tests are meant to assess progress in that subject area, not
intended as a “massive cram course” the night before
School Wide Themes
 Respectful behavior
 Responsible for our actions
 Safe in our actions and behavior
 Arrival, dismissal, hallway and cafeteria expectations
Above the Line/Below the Line
 New day, fresh start at “ready to learn!”
 Behavior against class or school rules brings star below the line to
“think about it”
 Positive and improved behavior brings star above the line back to “ready
to learn”
 Continued misbehavior drops star further below the line to “parent
contact”
Newsletters
 Distributed bimonthly
 Will be posted on my website
 Occasional reminders will be sent via eSchool email
Assignment Notebooks
 Together, we review and record the assignments from the page on the
board
 Please review the Assignment Notebook every evening
 Please sign your child’s Assignment Notebook each night after the
homework is completed
Homework Expectations
 Homework should build a sense of responsibility and prepare for each
phase in the educational process one step at a time.
 Reinforces concepts that are taught in class and allows for extra
practice
 Daily reading, word study, and math facts practice is essential for now
Communication
 Bimonthly Newsletters
 Assignment Notebooks
 Phone Number – 847.719.3512
 Email bonnie.sowizrol@lz95.org
Conferences
 Please sign up tonight for conferences on either November 19th or
November 23rd
 Feel free to fill out and take a reminder note
 You will receive a reminder note from me included in the first report
card
And More . . .
 Please send in a note if your child is getting picked up early or has a
change in their regular pick-up procedure
 Check website for curriculum news, Newsletters, and other
information
 Scholastic Book Order – Class code: HFVM7
 Sign-up for volunteer opportunities:
~Mystery Reader
~Room Parent
~Classroom Volunteer
~Assist with keeping us on target
Our Online Journal/
Portfolio
o One year free
subscription
o Second Grade
Classes, Including
Math Replacement
with Mr. Coaty
Administration of the
site
Introduction for Families
Thank you for coming
this evening!
Please print a response to the note from your
child for him/her to read tomorrow.