2nd Grade Newsletter

MAP Testing: September 8-10

In second grade, students take three MAP tests—Reading, Language, and Math. A big change this year is that the test is not read aloud to them, which can be an adjustment. These are long assessments, so it’s completely normal if students come home feeling extra tired after testing. Please help by making sure they get plenty of rest and healthy meals during the week.

After I get all of the results back, I will send them home with students for you to look over with them. Don't put too much stress on these scores as they just give us a starting off point on where to begin learning. For second grade, it is not atypical to see a drop from last year's test score because of the summer drop and having to read the test for themselves. If you do have any concerns about the scores, please talk to me!

Here are some things from the first weeks of school that you may have missed but are important to know:

• Our library day is on Tuesday. Students are are allowed to have two books checked out at a time. Please try your best to have them bring them back every Tuesday. As they get older, it can take longer to read books. It is completely okay to have them checked out for longer than a week, but it is a nice way to keep track of the books!
• Our PE days are Monday and Wednesday. Students need to have designated PE shoes so that they do not scratch the gym floor.
• Students have homework every single night which is 20 minutes of reading. To keep track of their reading, they should write it in their planner on the matching day. They should write the title of the book they read, the time they read for, and then you can initial or sign. Every day they do this, they get a ClassDojo point. Other nights they will have additional homework they can complete for more points, but reading is every night.

Because this is only a three day week, and it is filled with MAP testing, we will not have any new spelling words this week!

If you have any questions about how something is being taught or why, just ask! My goal is to provide students with a toolbox full of tools to solve problems for the future.

For the start of our math unit, we will be sorting and graphing different things!

We will start our number corner in September. For that first month, we will be looking at how to get to 20 from different numbers, practicing counting on and counting back, counting by tens up to and past 100 (we talk about centuries), odd and even numbers, and the very first introduction of the analog clock and how it works!

Students have made their first prediction on what lives inside a cave that we have watched scientist explore. We will continue to learn about different animals' habitats and animal diversity to help us make more precise predictions.

In second grade, I really encourage students to become independent problem-solvers who take accountability and responsibility for their actions. This starts with small things, such as picking up their homework folder and planner at the end of the day without being reminded, or figuring out what to do when they make a mistake rather than immediately looking to me for the answer. I also expect students to take responsibility for getting their work completed during class. If they do not finish their work during the allotted class time, it may go home to be completed. We gradually increase these responsibilities throughout the year as students become more confident and independent.

Along with this, I have a “While You Were Gone” basket for students who are absent. When a student is absent, I place copies of any assignments that can be made up in the basket with their name on them. When they return to school, it is their responsibility to check the basket and collect any papers with their name on them. They are welcome to complete the work during free class time or take it home. Ultimately, learning to check the basket, complete the work, and turn it in is part of the independence and responsibility we are working to build. There will be some activities that cannot be made up after an absence because they involve classroom discussions, hands-on activities, or experiences that are difficult to recreate outside of class.

This approach can sometimes lead to a little productive frustration when students do not get the immediate help from me that they are looking for. And that is okay! Part of my job is to help students develop strong minds that can persevere when things get difficult. I am always here to support them, teach them, and step in when they truly need help, but I also believe strongly in giving students the space and opportunity to figure things out for themselves. My goal is not for students to depend on me for every answer but for them to leave second grade feeling confident in their ability to solve problems, make decisions, and tackle challenges independently.

Monday, September 7th - No School/Labor Day

Thursday, October 22nd - Quarter 1 Ends

Monday, October 26th - Individual Picture Retakes and Class Picture

Thursday, October 19th - Student Led Conferences

Some families have asked if I keep a classroom wishlist, so I wanted to share it here. Please know there is absolutely no expectation to purchase anything—it’s simply a list of a few things that would be fun or useful for our classroom. If you’d like to take a look, here’s the link: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2BQVRT0N1QQLR?ref_=wl_share

Thank you for those that signed up for snacks for the classroom! I will send an email out to you the week before to remind you of the month. I still have December, January, February, April, and May open if anyone else is able to sign up.

Scholastic code: WT3HQ