2nd Grade Newsletter
September 5, 2019
DATES TO REMEMBER
- Friday, September 6th: Picture Day
- Wednesday, September 11th @ 6:00 PM: Watchdog Meeting
- Friday, September 13th: Deadline for PACE referral
- Thursday, October 3rd @ 6:00-7:00 PM: Color Run
- Monday, October 14th: Student/Teacher Holiday
- Tuesday, October 15th: Conference Day & No School (For Students!)
ALL-AMERICAN PARADE
WHAT WE ARE LEARNING
Math: Place Value to 1,200
- composing and decomposing numbers
- representing numbers in standard, written, and expanded forms
- ordering and comparing numbers
- filling in numbers on an open number line
Language Arts:
- Grammar - Singular/Plural Nouns, Common/Proper Nouns
- Writing - Personal Narratives
- Reading - External/Internal Character Traits
Social Studies: United States Symbols
Science: Safety
TREASURE BOX ITEMS NEEDED
FIELD TRIP TO THE DALLAS ZOO
We are working on scheduling our field trip to the Dallas Zoo. If you are interested in attending, please make sure you have filled out a NEW security clearance form for the 2019-2020 school year. Use the link below to fill one out.
FORGOTTEN LUNCHES AND OTHER THINGS
All lunches and forgotten items can be placed in the bins just outside the office. It is the student's responsibility to retrieve these items. The student can ask the teacher to check the bin if he/she has forgotten something. The office will not be delivering lunches or forgotten items since it is a disruption to class.
PLANO ACADEMIC AND CREATIVE EDUCATION (PACE)
PACE is not an Honors program.
Students requiring gifted services may...
perform two grade levels above current grade
learn exceptionally fast
need only one to two repetitions for mastery
thrive on complexity
arrive at solutions in an unusual manner
If you have a child that you believe may need PACE services:
Notify your child’s teacher or the campus gifted specialist.
Complete an online referral packet (see form below) or you may request a hard copy if needed.
Referral packets are due September 13.
Testing occurs in the fall with services beginning in January 2019.
If your student participated in a gifted program at their previous school, please contact the Gifted Specialist for next steps.
Please contact the campus gifted specialist for specific details about the PACE program.
Laurie Kane
laurie.kane@pisd.eduREADING FLUENCY
Reading fluency is one important skill that we work on in second grade. Please note the Second Grade fluency goal is 90 correct words per minute on a second grade end of year reading level. (You may remember the 1st grade goal was 60 cw/min.)
Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly. When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. They group words quickly to help them gain meaning from what they read. Fluent readers read aloud effortlessly and with expression. Their reading sounds natural, as if they are speaking. Readers who have not yet developed fluency read slowly, word by word. Their oral reading is choppy.
Fluent reading includes three components:
- Rate (Speed)
- Accuracy (Correct words)
- Intonation (The inflection used while reading. For example, does a question sound like a question?)
Fluency is important because it provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension. Because fluent readers do not have to concentrate on decoding the words, they can focus their attention on what the text means. They can make connections among the ideas in the text and their background knowledge. In other words, fluent readers recognize words and comprehend at the same time. Less fluent readers, however, must focus their attention on figuring out the words, leaving them little attention for understanding the text.
Repeated reading is one way to encourage rapid decoding and fluent word recognition through repeated exposure to words.
So, how can you help your child improve fluency?
• Provide children with opportunities to read and reread a range of stories and informational texts.
• Introduce new or difficult words to children, and provide practice reading these words before they read.
• Read to your child, thus providing opportunities for your child to hear a range of texts read fluently and with expression.
• Have your child do repeated readings. For example, your child could read the same paragraph 3 times – hopefully improving fluency each time.
• Take turns reading with your child. One of you can read one paragraph or page and then switch readers. Your child learns a lot from your modeling.
• You can choral read by reading aloud at the same time.
• Many books are available on tape or CD. Your child can read with the audio track.
• Your child could read with or to a friend or sibling.
• Turning a book into a play can make reading a lot of fun. Do a Google search for Reader’s Theater scripts and you will find lots of popular children’s books written into a play format.
BARKSDALE TRIATHLON
•Reflections - due October 30th
•Science Fair Projects - due January 21st
•Bronco Press - due April 15th