2nd Grade Team
(From left to right back row)
Ms. Froemming, Ms. Henderson, Ms. Quackenbush, Ms. Peeples
(Front row)
Ms. del Valle, Ms. Arms

What to Expect in 2nd Grade

We know this will be a positive year for your child as we build on past successes and learn new things in second grade.  With home and school working together, your child’s academic and social skills will become even stronger throughout the year. 

Second Grade Skills
This year students will spend some time reviewing skills they've learned prior to 2nd grade.  However, children are expected to be able to focus for longer periods of time and work on the following Second Grade skills:

Some Reading and Writing Skills Your 2nd Grader Will Work on This Year

• Read grade-specific material confidently and for fun
• Reading Fluently (90 wpm by June)
• Read with expression
• Demonstrate comprehension strategies such as Making Connections, Summarizing, Predicting Outcomes, Clarifying text that does not make sense, Asking Questions, Visualizing and Adjusting Reading Speed
• Comprehension Skills such as Identify Main Ideas and Supporting Details, Author’s Point of View, Fact and Opinion,  Compare and Contrast, Cause and Effect, Drawing Conclusions and Making Inferences
• Decode words using cues from phonics, word order, and context
• Self-select a variety of fiction and nonfiction books
• Recognize parts of speech such as noun, verb, adjective
• Use capitalization and punctuation correctly
• Write in complete sentences and beginning paragraph form
• Recognize spelling patterns and spell high-frequency words correctly
• Edit and proofread writing

Some Math Skills Your 2nd Grader Will Work on This Year

• Addition and subtraction facts to 20
• Telling time to the hour, half hour, 5 minute and 1 minute intervals
• Be able to calculate elapsed time (e.g. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
• Count, add, and subtract money using dollar and cent symbols and decimal point
• Collect, sort, and interpret data in various graphs
• Count and identify odd and even numbers
• Identifying Days of the Week, Months of the Year, Seasons
• Fractional Parts of a Whole
• Geometric Shapes
• Reading a Thermometer
• Counting coins (Quarters, Dimes, Nickels and Pennies)
• Two-digit addition and subtraction with and without regrouping
• Fact Families
• Tallying
• Counting by 2, 5 and 10’s
• Horizontal, Vertical, Oblique Lines
• Dividing whole into halves, fourths, eighths
• Identifying Pairs
• Read, write, count, and sequence numbers up to 1,000
• Identify place value to the thousands
• Mentally add or subtract single or two-digit numbers
• Add and subtract three-digit numbers
• Identify, describe, and extend repeating patterns

Help your child by encouraging him/her to reading for 20 minutes a day

Read to your child

1. Read books together that your child can’t read independently.
2. More sophisticated stories widen horizons.
3. Elevated vocabulary in books helps to stretch child’s own vocabulary.
4. Your child can focus on the story instead of decoding words.
5. Read aloud to your children so they can hear what good/fluent reading sounds like.

Listen to your child read aloud

1. Take your child to the public library to get books on their level.
2. You can help your child sound out words but encourage them to self-correct on their own.  Teach them to ask themselves – Does that SOUND RIGHT?  Does it LOOK RIGHT? Does it MAKE SENSE? If not, they need to go back and find their mistake and fix it!
3. Ask questions about the story to check for understanding.
4. Encourage your child to read to other family members if you are not available.

Reading Links
SRA Imagine It!    www.imagineitreading.com
Book Adventure     www.bookadventure.org

Math Links
www.harcourtschool.com/menus/math2004/math2004_gr2.html
www.funbrain.com

Other Important Links
Progress Book Parent Access https://parentaccess.ocps.net/General/LoginPage.aspx

MAP
http://www.nwea.org/assessments/map.asp

Homework – Homework is an important part of your child’s education. Assigning homework establishes study habits, reinforces work done in school and provides practice on newly acquired skills.   It is recommended for students to complete homework out of class.  You may want to designate a homework area and make sure your child has all the supplies he/she needs.  Also, parents please check over your child’s completed homework daily.  To help your child most effectively, be available to answer questions, but don't correct his/her work. If you see a mistake, point out what he/she might need to try again. Ask questions like, "Can you show me what you did to get this answer?" If he/she can't get it after a second try then leave the problem uncorrected so the teacher will know that your child needs help in that area.

Planners - Please check your child’s planner daily for messages and updates on your child’s day.  Parents or guardians need to sign the planner every day.  This is a wonderful way for us to correspond on your child’s progress.

Accelerated Reader – This program is a great way to track students reading progress throughout the year.  Students are expected to take a least 2 A.R. tests a week.  Students earn points for each test they score an 80% or higher on.  We will keep track of your child’s points.  Classes with the most points will be awarded a prize from the school. Also students can receive prizes for reaching their individual goals.   You can access the Accelerated Reading list on our webpage www.lakegem.ocps.net. 

Volunteers - Volunteering in the classroom is always encouraged however, please allow four to six weeks before volunteering begins.  This allows for routines to be established and classroom discipline to be effective.  Thank you for your cooperation!  In order to volunteer at school you will need to complete an ADDition Form.  Please see below for an online application.

 https://www.ocps.net/ES/CR/RESOURCES/Pages/default.aspx