2. - Nurture children’s identities as life-long
learners
- Build independence and problem-
solving skills
- Create happy memories
- Maintain strong home/school partnership

3. Traffic Light System
 Green: Regularly following class rules
 Yellow: A warning was given, and
negative behavior continued
 Red: Negative behavior continued
further. Note home.
Green Achievers
 Rewards students for good choices
 Every Friday

4. Reader’s Workshop- Each student reads books at their
independent reading level (Just Right books)
 Our goal for students is not just reading the words;
 Making meaning
 Slowing down to become thoughtful, active
readers.
 Growing a love of reading
 Preparing students for future academic life of
interacting with many different texts.
 Independent Reading, Partner Reading, Book
Clubs, Guided Reading, Read Alouds

5. The National Reading Panel found that “the single most
important activity for building the background knowledge
required for success in reading is reading aloud to
children.” This applies at home and at school. (Jim
Trelease, The Read Aloud Handbook)
 Benefits:
› Equates reading with pleasure
› Expands vocabulary
› Strengthens reading comprehension
› Models fluent reading
› Exposes students to a variety of subjects and
genres that helps build literary knowledge.
› Instills identity of a reader in a child

6.  Library Trips
 Nightly “check in” after reading time
› “Read me your favorite part.”
 Audio Books
 Cozy reading spot

7.  Big Year in Math!
› Fluency with math facts through 20
› 2-3 digit addition and subtraction
› Reading/writing numbers up through 10,000’s
› Telling time to the nearest five minute
› Adding and subtracting money
› Extended/Open Response
 Focus on strategy, not algorithms.
› CCSS stress critical thinking, rather than memorization
of pencil-and-paper algorithms.
 Spiral Curriculum- mastering 1st -2nd grade skills,
introducing 3rd grade+ concepts.

8. Do:
 Play games and talk about math in the real world. Go
grocery shopping together, count change, bake and
cook, etc.
 Reinforce addition and subtraction facts for the
numbers 1 through 10. The MOST effective way to do
this is through games, not flash cards or workbooks.
 Ask your children to explain how they came up with the
answer.
 Practice estimating to develop measurement sense: Try
estimating the number of windows in your house- then
count and see.
 Practice Mental Math (“Start at 37, count by 10s”)

9. Don’t:
 Please, do not teach your child to use the “carrying”
addition algorithm.
 Please, do not introduce the “borrowing” subtraction
algorithm.
These are quick and efficient ways to add/subtract, and
we all learned to subtract that way. However, it often
makes children less flexible with their thinking about
numbers. Children who are introduced to this algorithm
too soon have a much harder time understanding what
addition and subtraction “mean”.

10.  Daily writing time
 Units-
narrative, informational, opinion, poetry.
 Revising and editing taught as important
parts of the writing process
 Some invented spelling is encouraged.
Fundations words are expected to be
spelled correctly.
 Writing Celebrations at the end of each unit

20.  “Writing Center”
› Different types of paper, stationary, blank
books, postcards, envelopes, pens, markers,
etc.
 Spur writing ideas at home
 Notice good writing in read alouds
 Share writing with relatives
 Writing check-ins
› “What are you working on in WW?”

21.  Our school will work on units of study in
each area for each marking period.
 Units include: Economics and Growth in a
Community, Life Cycles, Neighborhoods
Across Chicago, Force and Motion, Solar
System.
 Students will explore content areas through
literacy, art, music, and technology.
 Each unit with end with a culminating
activity to celebrate our learning.

22.  Kid Blog
› Sharing learning
› Writing for a real audience
› Family involvement
› Archiving student work
 iPads
› Creation-focused (Movies, pictures, ebooks,
blogging, etc)
› Integration with Mr. Bartel

23.  The red homework folder AND Book Buddy bag
will be sent home each night.
 Nightly homework (unless otherwise noted)
includes:
› Reading for 20 minutes (Ask your teacher for an optional
Reading Log)
› Any Guided Reading homework (Check Book Buddy Bag)
› Math worksheet
› Fundations practice- due every 1-2 weeks; Work at your
own pace.
 Allow students to attempt homework
independently. Then, go over it with them and
revise as needed.
 Not meant to be challenging; Contact teacher

24. A big part of second grade is transitioning towards
independence. With that in mind, here are some
things that second graders will be responsible for at
school:
 Turning in homework and notes from home.
 Packing up their folder at school and bringing it back in
the morning
 Book Buddy Bag + guided reading book
 Afterschool schedule (Chess club, etc)
 Peak of the Week Journal
 Kazoos on Music days
 Saying goodbye to teacher at dismissal
 Actions- apologies and making it right

25.  A = Exceeding CCSS for 2nd grade/Advanced (90%+)
› Consistently uses major skills or processes with ease and
confidence in completing required grade level and above
academic tasks
› Consistently uses knowledge to skillfully communicate
complicated ideas and concepts
› Consistently completes and turns in accurate, excellent
classwork and homework
 B = Above CCSS/Proficient (80-89%)
› Uses major skills or processes with very few errors in completing
required grade level appropriate academic performance
tasks
› Demonstrates the ability to use knowledge to effectively
communicate difficult ideas
› Completes and turns in above average classwork and
homework

26.  C = Meeting CCSS for 2nd grade/Proficient (70-79%)
› Demonstrates average uses of major skills or processes
with some errors in completing required grade level
appropriate academic performance tasks
› Demonstrates average ability to use required knowledge
to communicate important ideas
› Completes and turns in satisfactory classwork and
homework
 D = Below CCSS for 2nd grade/Basic (60-69%)
› Makes a number of errors when using major skills and
processes required to complete academic performance
tasks
› Demonstrates below average understanding of grade
level appropriate content standards, strands, and
benchmarks
› Classwork and homework often have errors and/or are
incomplete

27.  Please send in a note or email when your
child is absent.
 Monitor your child’s absences on Parent
Portal, especially at quarter’s end.
 Unexcused absences make students
ineligible for honor rolls.
 We start our learning promptly at 8:30.
Please be on time!

28.  On your child’s birthday, a family member is
welcome to come in and read a book to
the class to celebrate.
 No food treats, please
 Birthday Party Invitation Policy
› Invitations can be passed out at school ONLY
when a whole class is invited (or all girls/all boys).
› Small group invitations should distributed outside
of school.

29.  Math Explorations Fridays 11:15-12:15
 Mystery Readers Fridays 9:10-9:30
 Field Trips
 Guest Speakers
 Home-Links- urgent!
› Pop in and disassemble workbooks for our daily
Math homework.
 Celebrations!
› Writing Celebrations
› Culminating Activities

30.  Our goal this year is to increase your
child’s confidence and independence in
school.
 We want children to love
themselves, school, and learning.
 We are building a community of learners
in second grade and we are glad you
are a part of our community!
 Please check website for weekly
newsletters and school information!