- How long should homework take each night?
- What type of books should my child be reading?
- What do I do with my child's agenda book?
- Can I send in a treat for my child's birthday?
- How is the spelling program different from last year?
- What is Guided Reading?
- What can I do at home to help my child?
- How will second grade reporting grades?
- What is Balanced Literacy and what does it entail?
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How long should homework take each night?
Your child should spend about 30 minutes a night to on his/her homework.
Please let your child's teacher know if your child consistently spends more
than a half hour each night on homework.
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What type of books should my child be reading?
Any book that interests your child is the easiest answer! Look for books
that are on your child's reading level (not too easy or too hard) and are
interesting. Mrs. Curry or any of the second grade teachers can explain in
greater detail which books you could guide your child towards.
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What do I do with my child's agenda book?
Please check your child’s agenda book for any homework. We
will check each night for the first 9 weeks of school to make sure your
child has entered the homework for the day and then we will initial. We
would like for you to also initial the space at the bottom of the column
each day. You must initial each day EVEN IF there wasn’t any homework
given. Please return the agenda every day.
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Can I send in a treat for my child's birthday?
We do celebrate birthdays! Your child may bring in a treat (a healthy treat
is prefered) on his/her special day.
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How is the spelling program different from last year?
First and second grade revamped the words so that the spelling lists
followed the skills taught within that story. All second graders will be
pretested on the ten base words each week. Any child who scores 100% will
be given a list of ten challenge words. The challenge words are
considerably harder because they are meant to challenge. Please keep in
mind that if your child pretests out of the regular list, s/he has already
earned the 100% grade for that particular spelling test. The last five
words are sight words that your child will be expected to know and use
correctly in daily writing. The words will be on our word wall so they can
continue to practice throughout the remainder of the year.
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What is Guided Reading?
Guided reading is a strategy used with small groups of children who have
similar instructional needs in reading. In guided reading, the teacher
instructs the children through skills that are developmentally appropriate
so that each child is processing texts at increasing levels of difficulty.
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What can I do at home to help my child?
1. READ! Have your child read out loud, read together, or as a family.
Read what your child enjoys and finds interesting. Ask questions on what
was read.
* Where did the story take place?
* Who were the main characters?
* What happened first? Next? Last?
* What was the story about?
* How are the characters alike? Different?
* Why did ______ act the way he did?
* What would you have done if you were the main character?
* What was your favorite part of the story? Why?
* How are you like the main character?
* How else could the story have ended?
2. Play math games. Use fruit, nuts, coins, anything at all. The
squishier the better. Children love to touch things and consequently, touch
is a very powerful learning style. Make up story problems while you are
getting breakfast ready, such as..."If Sally got up at 7:00 and the bus came
at 8:00, how much time passed?
3. Write spelling words and have your child say the letters as they write.
Research has shown that children will remember words longer if they use more
than one sense at a time. Another idea is to have your child write their
words in a shallow tray of dry jello, on a piece of sandpaper, or any other
substance that has a grainy feel to it.
4. Make learning anything new FUN!!
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How will second grade reporting grades?
We will be using E for Excels (93-100%), S for Satisfactory (77-92%), and N
for Needs Improvement (76% and below).
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What is Balanced Literacy and what does it entail?
Balanced Literacy is a framework designed to help all students learn to read
and write effectively. The program stands firmly on the premise that all
students can learn to read and write. This balance between reading and
writing allows students to receive the teaching needed in order to reach
grade level status, while allowing students to work at a level that is not
frustrating for them. The model that is in use at Fairview Elementary
School provides many opportunities for real life reading and writing
experiences. This approach is based on the research of Marie Clay, Irene
Fountas, and Gay Su Pinnell. There are four different types of reading
experiences: reading aloud to children, whole class shared reading, small
group guided reading, and independent reading. There are four types of
writing experiences as well: whole class shared writing, whole class
interactive writing, small group or individual writer's workshop, and
independent writing.
