This booklet is a guide to the Grade 2 classroom.

It contains information about some of the things you can expect your child to experience this year. In addition to this booklet, you can find out what is happening throughout the school year by reading your childs planner each day and you can visit my webpage at http://www.lssd.ca/~psowany/ I will also be sending a letter home at the beginning of each month to let you know what will be happening in the classroom for that month. I encourage you to call or e-mail me with any questions or concerns you may have anytime during the year. I will also contact you should I have any concerns or information to share regarding your child at school. I look forward to an excellent year working together with you and your child. Thank you! Paula Sowany Grade 2 Teacher Centennial School 482-3265 psowany@lssd.ca

Welcome to Grade Two! September is a month in which the students will become familiar with our classroom. They will have the opportunity to accomplish the following: -meet new friends and get reacquainted with previous classmates -adjust to being back in school for a full day every day -discover the classroom and the tools for learning -revisit and follow school and playground rules and routines -establish classroom routines, expectations and rules that will help develop good work habits. Some of our routines include: -start of day routines -classroom jobs -calendar -literacy and math centres -recess routines -lunch routines -home reading program -classroom organization -end of day routines -planner use It is important to be aware that students enter Grade 2 with a wide-range of abilities and that they learn at different rates. This range is normal. Although we may have different expectations of students and the work they do in class, we expect all students to do their best!!

Our classroom expectations in Grade 2 focus on being a good citizen. They are posted in our classroom and are reinforced with the students: Grade Two Citizens: 1. Follow instructions the first time. 2. Treat others fairly and with respect. 3. Work and play safely. 4. Solve problems fairly and peacefully. 5. Cooperate and work together.

Mrs. Wiebe Each afternoon, for the three class periods right after lunch recess, Mrs. Wiebe (our school Resource Teacher) will be instructing the Grade 2 class as I work with students in the Reading Recovery program. She will work with the Grade 2 students in our classroom to study topics in Science, Social Studies and Art. Mrs. Wiebe will be assessing your child and reporting their progress in these areas as well. Planners Students in Grade 2 will use the planner as a tool to communicate between home and school as well as to practice printing through purposeful writing. Each day the students will write a simple message which usually focuses on giving information or helpful reminders. Any notes or forms being sent home from the school will be in the front pocket of the planner. I ask all parents and guardians to please read the message each day and sign their initials on that date to acknowledge it has been read. As this is our main communication tool, feel free to write me messages or notes as needed in your childs planner. I will check and initial the planner daily and I may also write any concerns or observations I would like to share with you about your child. Healthy Snacks Each morning and afternoon, time will be allotted for students to reenergize themselves with a healthy snack. Students can eat one healthy food item during this time. Please send healthy food items, for both snack breaks, each day with your child. Some ideas are: fruit, vegetables, muffins, cereal-type snack bars, cheese and crackers.

Classroom Celebrations We have four main classroom celebrations during the year (i.e. Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day, end of the year celebration of learning). For each celebration, a group of students will be asked to contribute a food or drink item to share with the class.

Students who are designated to bring a snack will be notified with a note in their planner as well as a notice in the monthly classroom newsletter. Please be sure to advise me of any food allergies/intolerances that your child may have. Also, if there is any reason that your child should not participate in a particular celebration, please be sure to let me know prior to the activity. We also acknowledge each childs birthday with a song and a small prize. Show and Tell Forming our thoughts and ideas and clearly relaying them to others so that we can be understood is an important part of communication. Show and Tell is one way to help students develop and practice these skills. Each month, your child will have a scheduled time to perform a task and share some information with the class. At the beginning of each month, I will send a newsletter home which will include the sharing times of each student for the month as well as the theme for the show and tell times. More details and guidelines about show and tell time will be sent home soon. Please have your child practice at home prior to their turn so they will feel more confident when standing and speaking in front of their peers. It is also important that you help your child gather any items that will be required for their sharing time. Homework In Grade 2, there is very little assigned homework as much of our learning involves hands-on activities and participation and demonstrations in the classroom. Occasionally, students will be asked to complete an activity, like math practice, at home. Anything that is required to be done at home will be communicated to you through your childs planner. Please be sure to read it daily so that you are aware of activities that need to be done at home.

Home Reading In order to become better readers, the Grade 2 students will be asked to practice reading at home each week night. Every student will be signing out books from our classroom library to read to you each night at home. You will be asked to sign a Home Reading log each day that your child reads to you. The books your child brings home will usually be familiar to them so that your child can practice their reading fluency and comprehension. More details about the Grade 2 Home Reading Program will be coming home soon. Please be aware that families are responsible to cover the cost of any missing or damaged home reading books ($10.00-$15.00 depending on the book). Also, for each day a student completes their Home Reading and records it in their log, their name will be entered into our weekly Home Reading Draw! Lifetime Words Grade 2 students will practice spelling through their daily writing and word work activities. In addition to common sight words (i.e. I, me, go, the, and, etc.), the Grade 2 students will be expected to learn to spell some lifetime words. These are commonly used words which are usually not easily sounded out (i.e. friend, because, really, house, etc.). Lifetime words will be posted in the classroom and the students will learn one new word each week. These words will also be posted on the classroom website. English Language Arts (ELA) One goal of the Grade 2 ELA program is to help students make connections between reading and writing at school and real life applications of reading and writing. Students will also develop their skills in reading, writing, spelling, and speaking. This is achieved through a variety of activities. During the ELA program, your child will be involved in activities such as: -Daily 5 (independent reading and writing activities) -spelling practice through word work, hands-on activities -printing and letter formation practice using the Handwriting Without Tears Program -guided reading (individual and small group) -listening to fluent and expressive reading through read alouds -large and small group writing instruction

-journal writing -exposure to literary genres (i.e. fairy tales, poetry, reviews) -phonemic awareness (rhyming, sound isolation, syllables, etc.) -buddy reading

Mathematics Throughout the year we will focus on the four strands of the Grade 2 math curriculum. Students will participate in activities that reinforce: -Number -sequencing, representing, comparing, and estimating numbers from 0 to 100 -addition and subtraction; basic facts and 2-digit numbers -Patterns and Relations -describing, representing, extending, and creating patterns -learning that = means balance or is the same as -Shape and Space -time: reading calendars, days of the week, months of the year -measurement: comparing length, height, mass of objects -sort, describe, construct and compare 2D shapes and 3D objects -Statistics and Probability -gather, record information and make graphs to represent it A large part of the work we do in math involves hands on explorations, class problem solving and discussions, and sharing how we figure things out. From time to time there will be paper and pencil tasks. Science The topics which will be the focus of our work in science this year are: -Position and motion -Properties of solids, liquids and gases -Air and water in the environment -Growth and changes in animals

Social Studies Grade 2 social studies focuses on citizenship and living in Canada. The topics which we will be studying in social studies are: -Our local community -Communities in Canada -The Canadian Community Being a good citizen at home and at school is also a big focus of our learning in Grade 2. Calendar Time This is an important daily meeting time in the early years classroom. Calendar time helps build our classroom community and also helps us achieve curricular goals in Math, French, and English Language Arts. Calendar includes activities such as: -shared reading -perception check (how kids are feeling) -expository French -Number of the Day -problem solving -reading the calendar -practicing the days of the week, months of the year -representing numbers in different ways Library We will be going to the library two times each school cycle. Our librarian reads a story to the students and then they have a chance to look at and sign out books. Students are expected to return the library book for the next library period. Again, families are responsible for any cost associated with lost or damaged library books.

Gym/Health We have gym class each school day and students are taught health concepts once each school cycle. The Grade 2 students change for gym class. Music We have music scheduled three times a school cycle and choir once per school cycle. Music will also be integrated with classroom activities throughout the year. French Grade 2 students are exposed to French daily. Students will be exposed to French greetings and responses, days of the week, months of the year, O Canada in French, and other common vocabulary. Art Art is typically integrated throughout the subject areas but we do have an allotted period each cycle where various forms of art techniques and media will be demonstrated. Students will have an opportunity to practice and demonstrate their abilities in this area. We will also use this time to create special art and craft projects for seasonal and special celebrations (i.e. Christmas, Valentines Day, etc.).

Technology Technology is integrated into many aspects of our day. We use the classroom SMARTBoard on a daily basis and have access to laptops. Each student will have the opportunity to work individually on a computer. Students will be able to use technology in the various subjects to practice skills and develop knowledge through computer programs or websites.

Assessment I collect information about your childs learning progress through: -recording my observations of your child in class as they do their daily work and participate in class activities and discussions -having discussions with students about their work and their thinking -reading students journal or log entries -collecting and reviewing samples of student work (paperwork which students have completed is collected and placed in your childs portfolio to be shared during student/parent/teacher conferences). There are some formal assessments which I conduct periodically, however, the Grade 2 students rarely write tests or quizzes. Please know that I will contact you between formal reporting periods should I have concerns about your childs learning progress. Choice Time From time to time, students will be given the opportunity to develop their social skills and learn and explore in a less structured manner during choice time. Students will be able to choose to work on activities which interest them such as playing math games, word games, reading, building, listening to books on CD, role play, board games, arts and crafts, etc.

Fabulous Fridays On Friday, the class will have time to participate in a review of the week and discuss their learning and school experiences for the week. We will also use this time to reward students for Home Reading, Good Citizenship and the Brain Teaser Draw. Winners will get to choose a prize from the Treasure Box!

Lunch Rules Some specific rules that we follow at lunch time in Grade 2 are: -eat sandwich (or substitute)/healthy food first -no trading food -follow the instructions of the lunch monitors -stay in your seat while you eat -clean your spot at and under your table when you are done Recess Students will go out daily for recess. Please ensure your child is dressed for the weather as all students are expected to be outside during recess time (except in cases of inclement weather; pouring rain or extreme cold in the winter). It is also important that your child be capable of dressing him or herself including putting on and tying up their footwear. If your child does not yet know how to tie their own shoes, please send shoes with Velcro fasters, rather than laces, to school. IT IS ALSO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF YOUR CHILDS FOOTWEAR IS LABELLED, especially their outdoor shoes. We will often have 2 or 3 pairs of shoes that look the same and are the same size and they are hard to tell apart without names in them. Bathroom/water Breaks The students are encouraged to use the washroom at recess and lunch time or when we visit the washrooms as a class at snack time. If they need to use the bathroom during class time, they must ask for permission so that everyone is accounted for at all times. Drink breaks are permitted at break times but not usually during class time. As such, students may keep a water bottle, containing only water, with a sealable lid at their desk to drink whenever they want. Book Orders Books can be ordered from Scholastic Book Club. An order form will come home monthly. If you would like to purchase books, please return the completed order form with exact change or a cheque made out to Scholastic in an envelope with your childs name on it. Check the planner for due dates when you see a book order form come home. Based on our orders, Scholastic sends us free books that are then added to our classroom library.

Home / School Connection I believe a strong home / school connection will help your child experience even greater success at school. We share a partnership this year in caring for and helping your child become a strong student and a good citizen. Your childs planner will be our main method of communication. I will read each students planner daily, so please feel free to write me a note or message in the planner and I will respond. From time to time, I may also write notes for you about how your child is doing in school. Also, please feel free to call or email me with any concerns regarding your child at school. Thank you for taking the time to read this handbook! I look forward to a fun and productive year with your child! Mrs. Sowany