Tell me, and I might forget. Show me, and I might remember. Involve me, and I will understand.

Welcome to Second Grade

1Friday, September 10, 2010

Open House OverviewShanghai American School

Jeanette Dixon, Sanna Robinson, Jackie Speece

● Introduction ● Expectations ● Core Subject and Material ● Interdisciplinary Units ● Grade Level Assessments ● Homework Information ● Visit Classrooms

September 8, 2010

2Friday, September 10, 2010

GoalOur goal is for each student to experience success in an enjoyable and challenging educational atmosphere.We view education as a partnership between the teacher, student and parent.

3Friday, September 10, 2010

Reader’s WorkshopOur balanced literacy program includes read-aloud, shared, independent, and guided reading opportunities in different genres.

Each student reads at their independent levelEach student selects ‘just right’ books for classroom and home reading.

It is important to understand the focus is not the level of reading, but on gaining meaning from reading to prepare students for a future academic life of interacting and understanding all texts.

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Children will ...Not just decode text, but learn strategies that help them:

ThinkInteractReflectInferSynthesize

To obtain these strategies children need to slow down and become thoughtful readers. This slowing down gives children time to refine strategies learned and become more active, fluent readers.

5Friday, September 10, 2010

Writer’s WorkshopOur writer’s workshop is an exciting program designed to teach students the love of writing while incorporating prewriting, writing and revision skills. We encourage our students to learn that process of writing is as important as the end product and that writing is a useful, everyday tool to communicate.Units we teach

Small Moments/Personal NarrativesRealistic FictionNon-fiction/ResearchPoetryPersuasive

6Friday, September 10, 2010

Everyday MathematicsLearning Corporation University of Chicago School Math Project

This is an enriched mathematics curriculum that empowers students to understand mathematical content far beyond simple arithmetic. The emphasis is to develop more

meaning to math by integrating data gathering, analysis, probability, geometry, patterns and algebra. Mathematics becomes part of the ongoing classroom routines,

outdoor play, and the spare transitional moments that occur every day. 

What you will see being sent home!Family Letters - at the beginning of each unitHome Links - four nights of the weekFamily Math Games – pick up in teacher’s classroomAssessments - sent home at the end of each unitChallenging math games are posted on classroom blogs

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Word Study Each student will work at their own level on learning words through meaningful and enjoyable discovery activities. Activities call for active problem solving, encouraging students to discover what they know about a new word and how it is similar to words they already know.

Monday: Open sortTuesday: Closed sortWednesday: Looking for wordsThursday: Word practiceFriday: Review and assessment

8Friday, September 10, 2010

Science and Social StudiesMe as an EAGLE (All about me and how I am an EAGLE)

Our Cool School (School Community Unit)

Wonderful Weather (Air and Weather Unit)

Continents and Oceans (Geography Unit)

Celebrations Around the World (Culture Unit)

Gravity in Motion (Balance and Motion Unit)

Spectacular Solar System (Planets, Stars, Moon Unit)

Plentiful Plants (Plant Unit)

Market (Goods and Services Unit)

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AssessmentsRubricsPeer AssessmentsSelf AssessmentsOngoing Anecdotal NotesChecklistsIndependent WorkGroup WorkCommon AssessmentsTests and QuizzesOral and Visual Presentations

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HomeworkHomework Folders:Students are responsible to return blue folders to school every day. All homework, home reading books, and papers from home should be placed inside each folder.

Student Responsibilities: Students are responsible for completing reading and math Monday through Thursday. Homework should take 30 minutes. Sometimes collaborative homework will be assigned on weekends.

Suggestions:Designated Time:With your child, decide on a specific time for homework to be completed everyday.

Designated Space: With your child, decide on a quite, comfortable spot for homework to be completed everyday.

Supplemental Homework: Family field trips, board and card games, activities posted on classroom websites, cooking together, practice workbooks, etc.

11Friday, September 10, 2010

Parent InformationParent Volunteers:

Class room parties and activitiesHelping teacher with the preparation of materialsField Trips

Lunch with ParentsYou are welcome to have a special lunch with your child, but you may only take your child to the big cafeteria. If your child wants their friends to join, please enjoy lunch in the small cafeteria.

We encourage parents not to work directly in their child’s classroom on a normal day. Previous experiences have shown that children whose parents work directly in their classroom often times become distracted and rely on their parents for assistance.

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SAS Informational WebsitesPrincipal

http://teachers.saschina.org/espudong/Mrs. Dixon

http://teachers.saschina.org/jdixon/Mrs. Robinson

http://teachers.saschina.org/srobinson/ Mrs. Speece

http://teachers.saschina.org/jspeece/

13Friday, September 10, 2010

Please go to your child’s classroom Mrs. Speece Room 136 (behind this board)Mrs. Robinson Room 120 (across from this board)Mrs. Dixon Room 121 (diagonal from this board)

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