Hi, everyone in Mrs. Corsino's class! Below, I copied and pasted the information I'll be handing out on Meet the Teacher day just in case anyone wants to get a peek early! Happy Reading!!! :o)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
School Hours
School starts promptly at 8:10 and ends at 3:00. Please see the Student Handbook for drop off and pick up procedures. If you will be picking your child up in car line, please remember to always have your child’s name tag (provided to you) on the dashboard so that we can see it in the window! Thanks!
Lunch
You may order your child’s hot lunch on-line at http://www.nck12.com/.
Star Student of the Week
Each week a student will be randomly chosen to be the Star Student of the Week. This child will be able to sit in our special Star Student chair all week! I will let you know in the weekly newsletter on Friday (at www ncssecondgrade blogspot com) who the Student of the Week will be for the following week. There will also be a reminder note in the Friday Folder. Please have your child fill out the “All About Me” newspaper poster and send it to school on Monday. (Your child may do this instead of the regular homework that week.) Please also send in no more than 8 pictures of your child. (If possible, send pictures that are 4” by 6” or smaller so that they will fit in the frames! ) On Friday of that week, the student may demonstrate an activity that he/she enjoys or bring something to share. Some examples from the past include sharing trophies; demonstrating gymnastics, soccer, skateboarding; showing a favorite toy; playing an instrument; etc. Feel free to send in a special snack for your child to share with the class, too!
Discipline
It is important to establish good classroom discipline to ensure each child's success and happiness. In our classroom, each child will have a small container on his/her desk. When a child is spotted making a "good choice" (i.e. listening intently, being "on-task," etc.) I will put a pretend coin in his/her container. When a child is spotted making a "poor choice" (i.e. talking during a lesson, playing with a toy instead of listening during story time, etc.) I will take a coin out of his/her container. [Coins will also be earned for things like bringing the agenda/planner to class signed each morning, remembering to turn in homework, etc.] Every other Friday, the children will have the opportunity to shop at our classroom store!
In addition, when a child is not doing what he/she should be doing, he/she will earn a tally. When a child earns 3 tallies, he/she will have to write a note to you to let you know what happened. This note will be stapled in the agenda/planner. Please be sure to sign and return it to me. Thanks!
DWF
A "DWF," or "Daily Work Folder," will come home with your child each day. On some days, it will have work which your child has completed. On other days, it may be empty. Not all of the work in this folder will be marked or graded, although some of it will. It just depends on what we are doing in class that day! Important information will come home either stapled in the daily planner or on Fridays in your child's Friday Folder.
Friday Folder
Each Friday, a file folder will come home with your child. This folder will contain a homework packet, any tests or quizzes which have been given, important announcements, and graded student work. You may keep the contents of this folder unless otherwise specified. There will be a sheet attached to the left hand side which will contain comments from me. Please remember to sign this sheet and return the Friday folder on Monday morning.
Website
My website address is www.ncssecondgrade.blogspot.com. This site will post homework, spelling words, a list of upcoming events, and other important information, for your convenience. The newsletter will also be posted here each Friday. I WILL NOT BE SENDING HOME A HARD COPY OF THE NEWSLETTER, SO BE SURE TO CHECK IT ON LINE EACH WEEKEND! There will be a secret word at the end of the newsletter. If you or your child write the secret word in the agenda, I will give your child a classroom quarter when I check on Monday! (You may also get to the website from the Northside web page at www.nck12.com.)
Birthdays
On your child's birthday, you may send in a special treat (i.e. cupcakes, cookies, etc.) to celebrate. If your child has a summer birthday, you may celebrate it at any time you wish. Just let me know!!!
Snacks
Please send a snack in each day for your child to eat during our afternoon snack time. Feel free to send in an extra drink, as well!
Water Bottles
Please send in a water bottle for your child to keep at his/her desk in case he/she becomes thirsty! J
Workshop Helpers
We will be having a Reading Group time each day Monday and Tuesday morning from 9:15-10:00. Let me know if you would like to come in and help! You are welcome any time!
Classroom Needs
Occasionally, I may send home a note requesting that you send in an item such as tissues, paper towels, and antibacterial wipes. Thank you so much for helping with this! Also, I would like to do some SCIENCE and COOKING projects, so please let me know if you would be willing to send in items!
Bling
When the children go to a special class (art, music, library, PE, Spanish, or computer) they have the opportunity to earn 3 “bling.” Bling are earned by having good behavior as a class. We will set a bling goal together, and when we reach our goal we will celebrate with a bling party!!!
Parent/Teacher Communication
Feel free to stop by our classroom any time! In addition, there are 4 ways that we can communicate with each other about your sweetie:
1. Friday folder comment space (This comes home each Friday.)
2. Agenda/planner (This comes home each night.)
3. E-mail (My address is jennifer corsino@nck12.com)
4. Telephone (My cell phone # is 214-7520.) Please feel free to call me! (Just so you know…I go to bed between 8:00 and 8:30 each evening, so if you call after that you’ll have to leave a voice mail!)
*Our second grade website is www ncssecondgrade.blogspot.com. PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK IT EACH WEEKEND FOR IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!!!
CURRICULUM AND HOMEWORK
Reading/Language Arts/Writing
The Open Court curriculum teaches reading, language arts, and writing using systematic, explicit instruction. It is a comprehensive, research-based program which teaches students through the use of exciting, interesting literature. It exposes children to a variety of genres and it is designed to differentiate instruction to meet each child's individual needs.
We will, of course, have reading every day---but we will have individualized Reading Group 2 days a week. During this time, I will meet with students based on their specific reading ability levels. Also, I may meet with a group of students who are struggling with a specific phonics skill, or I may meet with a group of children who are excelling and who need to be challenged. While I am in group, other students will be working on seatwork at their desks, on writing, or on tasks at learning centers.
In addition, the Accelerated Reader program will be used to help each child read at his/her individual level and to help build comprehension skills.
We will have a Writer’s Workshop time each day, too. During this time, the children will learn or practice a language arts skill. They will also practice the 5 steps of the writing process. They will learn how to write narrative and expository pieces, and they will learn other types of writing, too, such as poetry.
*READING TESTS*
At times, the children will take reading tests to assess their comprehension of stories which have been read at school. We will review these stories and their elements at school many times before each test. The tests will be graded and sent home in the Friday Folder for you to see. We will NOT have a graded test every week, as other types of assessment will be given.
SPELLING
ACSI Spelling is a research-based spelling curriculum which teaches spelling using three strategies: sound-letter relationships, visual memory, and word meanings. At the second grade level, students work on rhyming words, context clues, definitions, antonyms, poetry, creative writing, and letter writing while practicing their spelling skills. Skills introduced at the first grade level will be reviewed, as well. The spelling words will be posted on the class website every Friday afternoon, and a weekly spelling test will be given on those words the following Thursday. An enrichment list will also be given for any child who wants to try more challenging words. These words will be for extra credit, but will not be counted against a child’s grade.
PHONICS
The Abeka phonics program will be taught in second grade. Using this program will review the short and long vowel sounds and spellings, and we will review blending as well. Then, we will focus on teaching the children special phonics spellings and sound to enable them to become proficient readers and spellers, too!
MATH
The Abeka Math Program provides students with a firm mathematical foundation. As children learn concrete facts in this program, they gain understanding, which builds the foundation for more abstract concepts. The A Beka Book Arithmetic/Mathematics program is developed in a spiral fashion within each grade and from one grade to the next with repetition and development of basic skills.
In addition, we will do activities in the classroom which will encourage the children to develop thinking skills and strategies to solve math problems.
We will do some work in the book and spend some time at math learning centers and playing math games. In addition, the children will be continuing to memorize addition and subtraction facts throughout the year. Please be sure to practice these facts with your child at least 2 nights per week as it will give him/her more confidence and success in the classroom. You may use flash cards to practice, or see me for some other ideas. Later in the year, we may start learning some multiplication, too!
BIBLE
The Biblical Choices for a New Generation Bible Curriculum teaches both Old and New Testament stories in a fun way! In addition to the great lessons the children will participate in during class time, they will memorize a Bible verse each week. We will let you know what the verse is a week ahead of time so that you may begin practicing with your child. We will practice each day in class, as well. The children will be tested on this verse each week. You may see their grades on InfoDirect.
Handwriting
Our handwriting curriculum is designed by Zaner-Blozer. We will practice printing and will start learning cursive! How exciting!
Grading Scale
The grading scale is as follows:
90-100% O=Outstanding
80-89% VG=Very good
70-79% S=Satisfactory
60-69% NI=Needs Improvement
59 or below ED=Experiencing Difficulty
The same descriptors will be used for conduct. Please remember that VG=Very Good…which is a “very good” thing! J
Grades will be entered weekly. You may check Info Direct any time to see your child’s grades!
HOMEWORK
Homework is a time to review and practice skills that we work on at school. In second grade, a homework packet will come home in the Friday Folder. It will be due the following Thursday. It will contain:
Ÿ A math review sheet
Ÿ A phonics or language arts review sheet
Ÿ A very short and simple “book report” form to fill out about a book which your child has read that week.
In addition to the packet, children must go to http://www.spellingcity.com/, take a pre-test, and play at least 2 games. Please print out the pre-test and either print the results of the games your child played OR write a note telling me which ones he/she played.
Also, children are expected to read AT LEAST 45 minutes a week. The more a child reads, the better he/she gets at reading! I will send home a reading calendar where you may record the minutes your child has read. Please return this calendar the first day of the month, and I will send a new one home. Beginning in October (and ending in March) Pizza Hut will reward your child with a free personal pan pizza just for turning this calendar in!
I am REALLY EXCITED about partnering with you this year! We are going to have a GREAT TIME!
Mrs. Corsino’s Wish List
A new rug from http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/ (A Place for Everyone, size 9’ X 12’, Item # LA 942, Price: $449.00)
Ink for our printer (*HP Photosmart 8050 ---we need black ink and colored ink)
A small copy machine for the classroom (…just a dream!)
A big bag of rice (for math) and a plastic container to put it in
A bag of sand and a big plastic container to put it in
A Magna Doodle (to practice spelling words)
Colored copy paper (any color)
Solid colored scrapbook paper
Gift cards to Target, Wal-mart, or Giggles and Good Grades
Snacks and water bottles (in case a child forgets J)
Small items (from the Dollar Store) for our classroom store
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