Mrs. Lindsey's Second Grade Language Arts
Class Notes
696-8758 EXT 130
lindseyv@duvalschools.org
*Updated on 11/5 for the week of 11/9-13
**** indicates the update written below.
Dear Parents,
New News:
Please review safety on the bus and at MOSH with your child and for every field trip as well. Don't forget the lunch in a plastic bag or ziplock bag with your child's name on it.
Please request a conference if you'd like to look over your child's comprehension test booklet or if you have any questions. Sometimes it is easier if we look at the curriculum and student work together. However, I will be happy to explain anything through emails, notes, or calls too.
If you go online to view your child's grades, you will see the 2nd grade "grading categories with their percentages" and the individual assignments.
Please return the report card slip/coupon and the signed envelope.
Old News:
Here's a new web site that goes with our reading/language/spelling series: www.eduplace.com/kids
There are math, science, and social studies activities too. There are fiction and non-fiction E-Books for them to read and log.
Please save an empty cereal box and cover it in a plain solid light to medium fall color. Each side may be the same color or a different color. Write the first and last name on the bottom of the box. The top flaps of the box may be trimmed off. Then send the box to me. This will be our first reading/writing "in class" project for November. We need the empty covered boxes by Friday, November 20th. Our November writings will go inside of the box.
Now that we are in the second 9 weeks, your child is expected to move up at least one reading level per nine weeks. This is why they must practice practice practice reading and being exposed to new text every day. By the end of the 2nd nine weeks they should be on level J (for second grade solid average "C" reading). Level M for the second nine weeks is an "A". Having said that, the students MUST also have A's on their daily and weekly work/tests in order to earn an A.
Language writing tests are often on the back of the spelling/phonics tests (but not every week). Their writings which we keep in a portfolio are another part of their grade. Checking their grades online should be helpful.
Happy Fall! Be safe this weekend!
Report Cards and Grades:
1)If you don't have your password, go to the front office to obtain it. Be sure you have ID. You will also have access to Mrs. Elliott's and my new web site that has the schoolnotes link and monthly calendar. It will continue to grow. (If you go to Sheffield's web page, you will see other teachers web pages. Check out the other second grade teachers' and third grade teachers' pages too. Ours will continue to grow this year.)
2)Please remember that each grade has new standards and expectations and your child's grades may not be the same as last year.
3)As the school year progresses, the work and expectations will become more challenging.
Reading Homework with parents: Please read and log the chapters YOU are reading TO your child and the books he/she are reading to you. Most children say that their homework log is their own silent reading. However, we also give credit for the other two readings as well.
Computer Reinforcement: It would be helpful if your child knew how to do the following on the computer. This would give them more computer lab time. Have them practice typing words with and without capital letters. Show them how to use the shift, enter, delete, backspace, and spacebar keys. For them to log on they need to know how to find the Ctrl, Alt, and Delete key. Another helpful hint is to teach them how to type in a web site. With over 20 students in each class, students are having to wait on Mrs. Elliott and me for help and we are only in the lab an hour twice a month.
We have 4 computers in my classroom. The problem is that the ethernet cords don't reach the "hook up" and another issue is that we aren't allowed to use extension cords. Also, the TV, my laptop, and telephone hook up must stay where it is. If anyone would like to drop in and just take a look at this, I'd appreciate it.(I checked here at school and we do not have these longer cords.)
Destination Success Online Program: IT'S COMING SOON! Teachers will get information about it again this Thursday. This program has reading, language and math on it and is from the county.
CLASSROOM WISH LIST: Books of poetry, biographies and autobiographies,books with children's plays, books of tall tales, Roman/Greek/or other mythology, fables, stories from around the world for children and packages of ERASABLE ink pens for the children to "publish" their final writings.
STUDENT HOMEWORK:
11/9 Monday: Read and Log; Take an oral phonics/spelling test to see how much studying you need this week for your test Fri.
11/10 Tuesday: Read and Log; Write words 1-16 in a 5 or more word sentence.
11/11 Wednesday: No homework
11/12 Thursday: Read and Log; Phonics/Spelling words 3 times each. Give a written practice test. This does not have to be turned into me.
11/13 Friday: Spelling/Phonics test is given.
*DATES TO REMEMBER:
No school on Nov. 11th.
No school on Nov. 25-27th
****In reading and writing we have a guiding question throughout the week.
Reading: How will you use one or more of these strategies to better understand the stories you have read: monitor and clarify, compare and contrast, or classify and categorize?
Writing: When is my draft ready to be published? How do I know my writing is good enough (A or B work)?
****The reading strategy this week is "summarize." As good readers read, they are able summarize what they have read. It is like a retelling only shorter, explaining the main points of the story.
****WEEKLY PHONICS/Spelling Words: 11/6 Pattern: Words with consonant clusters: stamp, slam, help from, slippers, floor, twist, first, trade, scarf, built, build, flower, toast, swallow climb,knew
****Students will READ THESE WORDS TO ME on November 4th-6th. SOUNDING OUT THE WORD FOR ME IS NOT READING/KNOWING THE WORD fluently for testing purposes. These words are in their weekly story and comprehension test.
camping, campfire, tent, guitar, hike, backpack, doe, fawn, buck,lanterns,sappy, snuggled, exploring, habitat, protect, ranger, tours, urban, visitors, nature
Words due Nov. 20th are: statues, directions,since, difficult, continue, muggy, blueberries,crater, edge, shallow, bottom, mussels, caught, branches, apartment, delivery, celebrations, handcarts, markets, restaurant
****Writing Update: We will continue narrative writing in Novemeber and start functional/procedural/"How Tos" toward the end of the month. Writing in complete sentences with correct grammar, conventions, spelling, and handwriting is our focus. I will introduce paragraph writing this month (narrative and functional)and expect students to use it. Some children could use handwriting practice on notebook paper at home. (One concern in the older grades is that readers cannot read their writing on the FCAT tests.)
****In December, the students will have a narrative story writing project/homework. Here's what's expected in the story.(There will not be sentence writing homework or three times each homework once we start this.)Narrative Writing Standards for 1st-2nd 9 weeks:
1)Create a believable world and introduce characters using specific details about the characters and settings and develope motives and moods.
2) A chronology of events
3)Develop internal events (thoughts and feelings) and external actions of the characters. Include physical attributes of the character.
4) Write in first or third person
5) Use dialogue
6) Beginning, Middle and End of story
7)Problem/Plot
8)Solution/End for the characters
****Language Use and Conventions: 1)Use transition words 2)Use various phrases, modifiers 2)Use typical sentence patterns with varying lengths to create mood 3) Use literary language 4)Use sentence structures found in genres while reading 5)Use good word choice 6)Use correct spelling of words appropriate to grades k-2. These include spelling/phonics words and high frequency words, and words with regular spelling patterns. 6) Use capital letters at the beginning of sentences and correct ending punctuation (period, question and exclamation). 7)Use common contractions, 8) Use approximate quotation marks.
READING LEVEL: I/J BEGINS 2ND GRADE LEVEL. M is the end of 2nd grade; N begins 3rd grade.
This is NOT ready yet...
How to access DESTINATION SUCCESS:
1) http://duval.riverdeep.net/lms
2) user id is firstlastname242 all lowercase and NO spaces
3) password is birth date: 2 digit month and 2 digit date (May 1st would be 0501)
4)Click on a practice activity of your choice, but try to finish it before starting another choice.
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