We would like to welcome you to second grade!  We are looking forward to a very exciting and productive year!

Second Grade Teachers
The second grade teachers will be team teaching this year. Mrs. Amy Monday will be teaching math skills and applications, Mrs. Kellie Haff will teach reading skills and comprehension, and Mrs. Meridith Raynes will teach science and social studies.  Each teacher will teach writing in their homeroom class. This daily “time block” will enrich student’s experiences by exposing them to multiple teaching styles, methods, and personalities.  Mrs. Sheena Beaver, Mrs. Elaine Dunaway and Mrs. Hartley are our second grade assistants.  


Getting Ready for Second Grade
A supply list was placed in your last report card.  If you need an additional copy, please let us know.  All students need to have these materials by Monday, August 25.  

NOTE ABOUT MONEY: At this time, we need you to send $4.75 for your child’s class shirt- it will be theirs to keep at the end of the year.  We would like to collect the shirt money by the end of September, but we will work with you as needed.  Please send CASH only and correct change.


Procedures and Information for Parents

Second Grade Procedural Information and Policies are written here.  PLEASE read and keep this information for your reference throughout the year.



Homework Policy
Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday nights.  The second grade teachers view homework as a REINFORCEMENT of daily lesson concepts.  If there is a true emergency, we will be glad to work with you when a parent or responsible adult notifies us.  Please understand that forgetting homework, having a ball game or lesson, or not having time to do it does not qualify as an emergency.  We want all of our students to learn responsibility and learn how to plan their time to complete assigned tasks.  If your child does not turn in homework, you will see a form “MISSING HOMEWORK ALERT” in your child’s Thursday work folder.  This missed homework will be completed during Fun Friday. Your child’s report card grades will be affected if homework is not completed and turned in.  We know that your life is very BUSY, but we appreciate your support of this activity.
PLEASE NOTE:  Each child will have a homework folder and a planner.  YOUR child is responsible for writing down the assignments AND packing his or her work, materials, books, etc. everyday.  EACH teacher will allow ample time for this near the end of the day.

Grading
In second grade your child will receive a letter grade in reading, math, science, and social studies.  This is different than previous grades.  Grading is as follows:
A: 93-100
B: 85-92
C: 77-84
D: 69-76
E: 68- and below

Weekly Work Folders
Your child’s work folder will be sent home each THURSDAY.  PLEASE go over the work with your child, sign the folder, and RETURN ALL WORK in the folder to school on Friday.  Work will be returned to you at the end of EACH nine-week grading period.

Classroom Rules & Behavior Expectations

Second graders are growing in their ability to manage their own behavior. Our behavior system is meant to help children keep track of how they are doing with following the rules.  It also helps parents track how their child is doing with following rules and managing themselves in the classroom.

Classroom Rules
1. Follow directions the first time every time.
2. Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself.
3. Take care of your own property and respect the property of others.
4. Come to school and class prepared.
5. Keep a positive learning attitude.
Behavior System
We expect students to follow directions so that their learning is optimal. When students choose not to follow directions, warnings are given. These warnings are called “snake bites” in keeping with our western theme this year.

No Snake Bites: Students want to end their day with no bites at all.  No bites is excellent!  This means your child has followed our classroom rules with few verbal reminders, came to school and class prepared and has worked independently without disturbing others.
One Snake Bite: A student will get 1 bite if he/she has had a verbal warning (or more) but continues to disregard one or more of our classroom rules.

Two Snake Bites: A student will get 2 bites if he/she has had multiple verbal warnings, has already received one bite but continues to disregard one or more of our classroom rules.
          Consequence: Next day silent lunch
Three Snake Bites: A student will get 3 bites if he/she has had multiple warnings, received two hole bites, but still disregards one or more of our classroom rules.
          Consequences: Students write the rules in their own handwriting.
Four Snake Bites: A student will get 4 bites if he/she has had multiple verbal warnings, has received three bites, but continues to disregard one or more of our classroom rules.
        Consequence: Student will receive note home or parents will be called.
Five Snake Bites: A student will get 5 bites if he/she has had multiple verbal warnings, has received four bites, but continues to disregard one or more of our classroom rules.
        Consequence: Student will receive an office referral and/or parent conference will be required.
*Physical violence, aggressive language, or any behavior that compromises the safety of others is an automatic office referral.

If your child has a “one bite” day, please discuss the reason and be positive about doing better the next day.  If you make too much "fuss" one “bite”, it causes more distress than it should in your child.  However, if your child is getting a lot of punches or bites for multiple days in a row, you may want to arrange for some consequences.  Our goal with this system is not to cause distress but to help them have a visual clue for when they need to stop and think about their behavior.

Notes will be written in planners only a daily basis if your child has received bites for the day.  If your child did not receive any bites, they will receive a smiley face or a sticker.

**Please note, all three classrooms operate on the same behavior system, so the rules are the same. Homeroom teachers will record on Thursday folders how many bites your child has had on a weekly basis.

Positive Rewards
We will also use a token system for positive reinforcement.  A child may earn tokens for showing good citizenship, helping classmates and teachers, or going over and beyond what is expected for behavior and academics.  Tokens will be drawn for prizes, and rewards.

Every Friday, students will be rewarded with a “Fun Friday.”  This is for students that have displayed good behavior and completed all classwork and homework throughout the week.  A student must have no more than 4 bites for the week and have completed all assignments in order to participate in Fun Friday.  Fun Friday activities may include games, extra outside time, a movie, special snack, and crafts/art activities.

Water Bottles & Snacks
Second grade students will be allowed to have water bottles in class. These need to be filled at home, please do not send an empty bottle for them to fill at school. Students will be allowed to have WATER only. Also, because of our lunch times, they will be allowed to have a HEALTHY snack brought from home during their second class change.

Planners
Please check you child’s planner every night. This is where behavior notes, reminders and homework will be recorded. If your child is having problems following our classroom rules, then this is where we will write you notes to communicate what is happening at school. These MUST be signed by a parent/guardian every night so that we know they are checked. We check these every day to make sure that they have been signed.

Changes In Transportation Home  
If your child is to go home any way other than they normally go, please send a note to the teacher that morning.  We cannot dismiss them another way without a note.  Please do not leave a message on our voice mailboxes if it changes during the middle of the day, instead talk with an office employee and we will get the message.

Absence Notes
If your child must be absent, please send a note explaining WHY the child was absent when your child returns to school.  WE ARE REQUIRED TO TURN THESE IN TO THE OFFICE!!!  Please DO NOT write an absence note in the homework planner.

Second Grade Lunch Schedule

Raynes-12:05
Haff-12:15
Monday-12:20

The Reading Rodeo

In second grade, all students will have Mrs. Haff for reading. They will come to reading class 1 hour a day. In addition to this, they will have independent reading time at least twice a week for 1 hour in their homeroom classes. Here are some notes that will help you throughout the year. As the year progresses, I will keep you informed of anything else that I can think of. If there are any questions or concerns, the best way to contact me is through a note sent to school or sending a message to my email address: haffkg@rss.k12.nc.us. Also, please check out my web page for more “goodies” that have to do with reading.
It is http://schoolnotes.com/28023/khaff.html

Story of the Week

On most weeks, we will read a story from our textbooks in class. We will read this on Monday together, and then read it 2-3 more times in class later that week. They will be tested on this story on Friday. We listen to the story on CD  right before the test, and they are always open book tests. The test is on comprehension-how well they understand the story. It is always open book, and I encourage them to go back and look in the story to find the answers. This is a skill that will be taught in class and discussed a lot. I have found that it really helps students to read this story at home also.

Graded reading tests are sent home on Mondays for parents to sign and return on Tuesday.

Please note that there are some weeks that we will not have a story of the week. Some students will be working on chapter books throughout the year. I also add in a variety of reading-such as recipes, science experiments, and plays. I assess them on different things when we do these activities. We are also implementing project based learning this year, so there will be a wide variety of reading activities taugt.

**On weeks when we are reading a story in class, I strongly encourage them to read the “story of the week” 2-3 times at home. This will help them on their weekly tests.**


Vocabulary
Your child will have vocabulary almost every week. These words will come home on Monday for them to define, and I will check to see if they are complete on Tuesday. They will define words in their reading notebooks. Usually this list is no more that 10 words. They will go along with the story that we are reading that week in class. They will learn how to use the glossary in class the first time they are given these for homework. They will be tested on these words on Friday along with their story of the week. I ask students to please keep these defined words in their reading notebooks. If they forget their reading notebook, then please just have them define them on notebook paper, and they can staple it in later. Also, if they forget their reading text book and do not have their glossary at home, they may use a dictionary. But, my test is based on the definitions from the text book glossary. The vocabulary The vocabulary words will be updated on my website, and there is also an online glossary on my links on the bottom. Please email me if you need help finding it.

AR Points
This year, your child will start reading “Accelerated Reader” (AR for short) books and taking computerized tests. Within the first 2-3 weeks of school, each student will take a test on the computer that will give them a reading level. This level will be reported to all parents, and the students will write this level in the back of their planner. This level will let all of us know what book level is “just right” for them. If their level is a 1.8, that means first grade eighth month, a 2.3 would be second grade, third month. The level will have a range, like 2.1-3.2. We ask that students pick out AR books within their reading level. All of the books in our library are leveled, along with how many points they get for passing the test for that book.

Here is how the testing works! Your child will read a book on their level at least two times. This is done at home or in class. Then, they go to the computer and take a short comprehension test on that book. They must make at least an 80 percent to pass the test. We emphasize strongly at school that they just can’t skim the book or read it quickly-they must understand it in order to pass the test.

We have a goal for each student per semester for AR points. If they meet their goal each quarter, they get rewarded! Your child will have an individual goal.  This is set by a test given in the computer lab.  You will receive a note with their reading level and AR goal once they are tested.

There are many opportunities throughout the day for your child to take accelerated reader tests. These are taken in the classroom or when we go to computer lab. When they take the test, they are unassisted. Sometimes they need help with a word, but we do not read the test to them on the computer. This program is designed to help make them independent readers.



Reading Logs

Your child will complete a reading log all year long. This will be checked every Friday and will be reported as a grade. If they do not turn in one on a given week, then it will be reported as a zero. If it is late, it is a 20 point deduction for each day  it is late. If they are absent on Friday, it is due the next day they are in attendance at school. They are required to read at least 20 minutes Monday-Thursday night. After they read, then they have to pick two questions to answer from the following questions on the reading log:
    •    What was the story about?
    •    What did this story remind you of?
    •    Did you like the story? Why or why not?

Students will answer these questions in a sentence format. So, they will be writing two sentences each night about what they read. For example:

    •    I liked this story because Amelia was funny and silly. She did everything wrong in the story and I laughed.

•    This newspaper article reminded me of when I went to Carowinds this summer. It was about all the new rides.

    •    This chapter was the best one yet in my book. It was so scary because they were being chased.

I am looking for evidence that they have read. For example: I like this book. It was funny. That does not tell me about the book they have read. They need to include why they liked it, what they thought was funny. Points are deducted if the student did not include a thoughtful response.

What can they read? Your child may pick anything they want to read. Here are just some choices:

DRA books that are sent home every week, magazine articles, newspaper articles, a couple of chapters a night from a book (just record the book and which chapters), a story from their reading text books, favorite books from home, etc.
Reading Book Reports

Throughout the year, there will be book reports that are assigned. Students will have at least 2 weeks to work on these. These are usually projects that get them thinking about a book in more depth. These book reports are mandatory, and the grade counts as a test grade.

I look forward to helping your child grow as readers.  I appreciate all the extra help at that I know will help them be successful!

2008-2009  Second Grade Supply List

___ Book Bag (no rolling-they don't fit into cubbies)
___ $4.75 Class Shirt

___ 3 Pocket Folders (Laminated, Sturdy) WITHOUT prongs

___ 2 Pocket Folders (Laminated, Sturdy) WITH prongs

___ 1 Box of Kleenex

___ 5 (70) Page Wide Ruled Composition Notebooks

___ Pencils

___ 2 Boxes -24 Count Crayons

___ 12 Glue Sticks

___ Safety Scissors (Fiskars)

___ Zipper Pencil Pouch (Larger Material Kind Works Best)

___ 3 Big Pink Erasers

___ Erasers for back of pencils

___ Last Name A-M Hand Sanitizer & 1 Box Quart Size Baggies

___ Last Name N-Z  Box Baby Wipes &   1 Box Gallon Size Baggies
___ Ruler with inches and centimeters

What To Do If You Have A Child That Doesn’t Like To Read
The only way that you get better at something is to practice. The key to independent reading is finding books that are interesting to them. The Scholastic Book orders that go home are a wonderful resource. The public library is also a great resource, but sometimes it hard to find the popular books there because everybody else likes them also. Here is a list of recommended books that my students seem to enjoy the most.
Junie B. Jones books

Nate the Great books

Henry and Mudge books

Magic School House books

Ready, Freddy books (boy version of Junie B. Jones)

Jigsaw Jones books (good for students that like mysteries)

Shel Silverstein Poetry Books

Horrible Harry books

Magic Tree House books

Froggy books

Anything by Eric Carle

Amelia Bedelia books

Geronimo Stilton books

The Baily School Kids books

I Spy books

Anything by David Shannon

Anything by Jan Brett

Cam Jenson Books

Goonie Bird Greene

Katie Kazoo books



High Frequency List of Words for Second Grade For Reading and Spelling
over    new   sound   take   only   little   work   know   place   year   live   me   back   give   most

very   after   thing   our   just   name   good   sentence   man   think   say   great   where   help   through

much   before   line   right   too   mean   old   any   same   tell   boy   follow   came   want   show   also

around   form   three   small   set   put   end   does   another   well   large   must   big   even   such

because   turn   here   why   ask   went   men   read   need   land   different   home   us   move   try

kind   hand   picture   again   change   off   play   spell   air   away   animal   house   point   page

letter   mother   answer   found   study   still   learn   should   America

Top Ten Ways to Become A Better Reader!!
1. Read
2. Read
3. Read
4. Read
5. Read
6. Read
7. Read
8. Read
9. Read
10. Read

Practice really does make all the difference!!
Second graders should be reading every night for at least 20 minutes. Parents, it is wonderful to read to your child, but this 20 minutes need to be them reading to themselves or to you so that they can become better readers.

Review these concepts:
*read and write the following 100 high freqency words:
the, of, and, a, to, in, is, you, that, it, he, was, for, on, are, as, with, his, they, I, at, be, this, have, from,
or,
one, had, by, word, but, not, what, all, were, we, when, your, can,
said, there, use, an, each, which, she, do, how, their, if, will, up,
other, about, out, many, then, them, these, so, some, her, would, make,
like, him, into, time, has, look, two, more, write, go, see, number,
no, way, could, people, my, than, first, water, been, call, who, oil,
its, now, find, long, down, day, did, get, come, made, may, part

*read
number words and write the correct numeral to match (the number words
should be all mixed up, not in sequential order) : zero through one
hundred

*count by 2s, 5s, and 10s

*complete math problems
that include adding (to get a sum of 20 or less), subtracting from 20
or less, adding and subtracting 2 digit numbers (without regrouping),
counting money, counting tens and ones, interpreting graphs and charts,
using tally marks, making patterns, number order, comparing numbers
I)
*a period at the end of each sentence
*words spelled correctly or sounded out well enough that others can read them
*3 or more combined, complete sentences that stay on the topic (ex. She has red hair and likes to play exciting tennis.)
*adjectives and adverbs (sparkle words)
*a space is left between words

• Holidays
• Starfall
• Primary Games
• Dr. Seuss
• Steven Kellogg
• Laura Numeroff
• Jan Brett
• Famous people reading
• funbrain
• 2nd grade skills
• game goo Learning that sticks
• kids' lab
• which word doesn't belong
• Houghton Mifflin Activities games that go with our reading book