2C Explorer’s Back To School Night

~2021~

Before you leave, please write a note to your child on their letter to you. Also, feel free to walk around and view our work BEFORE we get started!

Ms. Carolynn Clark

• Second year at Lizzy Haddon (sort of)

~completed LTS 19-20 school year

• From Haddonfield, NJ
• Villanova graduate/Drexel Master’s program
• Completed student teaching at PPACS in Philadelphia

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• Certified in Elementary Education

(pre-k to 3rd)�

The MOST important thing about second grade is…

Your Child!

My Beliefs & Goals

• Foster responsibility & independence
• accountable for own learning
• Promote critical thinking & problem solving
• Safe classroom community
• Risk takers, positive self image, meaningful friendships
• Growth mindset
• Learners engaged in meaningful and purposeful activities to become lifelong learners

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We Are a Team!

• Strong Home & School Bond
• We both value your child’s progress and development.
• Communication between us is essential
• Feel free to email or call me at anytime.

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Responsive Classroom

• Research based approach to building classroom community
• Encourages positive social interactions for social and academic success
• Teaches children to take care of and respect themselves, each other, and the school environment

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Classroom Management

• We create our classroom rules together that mirror our school rules
• Expectations are clearly explained and modeled.
• Consistent rules & logical consequences
• One warning then consequence
• Table tallies
• Paper prizes, positive reinforcement, etc.
• Badge Jar for class prize

Logical Consequences

• Loss of privilege

Choice of seat, materials, ability to work independently, etc.

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• Take a break

Break area in the classroom where student can get in control. Multiple needs for a break may result in a lunch reflection meeting to come up with a plan to make more positive choices.

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• You break it, you fix it

When there is an opportunity to solve a problem a child has caused (accidentally or intentionally)

Movement in the Classroom�

• Flexible Seating
• Picking good focus spots & making a move if needed
• Access to several wobble stools
• Brain Breaks
• GoNoodle
• Energizers
• MindYeti
• Mini Workout with Ms. Clark
• Recess

Growth Mindset

Retrain your brain:

The power of YET!

• Think of your brain like any other muscle
• The more you practice-the easier it will become.
• Challenges are learning opportunities
• Focus on the process & progress

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I can’t do that…YET!

Fixed Mindset

• Anxiety about failure
• Avoid difficult situations
• Do not challenge themselves

How you can promote a Growth Mindset at home?

• Think about the messages you’re sending
• Encourage Growth Mindset Statements
• Big Journal Life on Instagram
• Praise the process & hard work, not immediate success
• Model learning from failures
• Speak positively about mistakes

Interested in learning more? Click here

Daily Schedule

• Morning Meeting (Responsive Classroom)

*Greeting, Share, News, MindYeti, Spotlight Student

• Math Workshop (Everyday Math)
• Writing Workshop (Lucy Calkins- TCRWP)
• Reading Workshop (Lucy Calkins- TCRWP)
• Science (Foss)
• Social Studies (TCI)
• Word Study & Handwriting (FUNdations)
• Interactive Read Aloud & Grammar
• Specials

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*Small group instruction throughout the day

Specials Schedule

Day 1:

Art

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Day 2:

Library

*books can be brought in

any day

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Day 3:

PE

*Help your child to come up with a system to remember to wear sneakers!

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Day 4:

Health & PE

*Help your child to come up with a system to remember to wear sneakers!

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Day 5:

Music

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Day 6:

Spanish

Lunch Procedures

Time: 12:35-1:20

• Play first, eat second
• Outside as much as possible
• Menu- commit to a choice!

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Healthy choices for a ~quick~ snack, water ONLY

Communication

• Bloomz: Thank you for joining!
• Planners: Please review the HW for the night & sign or initial your child’s HW book each night
• Periodic Newsletter about what we are learning
• Take Home Folders: Students will bring to school in morning and take home at night; please check daily
• Website: info, schedules and links to academic websites
• Family Journal: Students will write on Fridays to their family about their week
• Test Folders: Approximately every other week.
• Review, sign & return with assessments
• Email: cclark@haddonfield.k12.nj.us

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Family Journal

• Every Friday your child will write a letter to someone at home, reflecting on their week at school.
• Please read it and write back in the picture box or down below.

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The children look forward to coming in Monday morning and reading their letters that you have written! We will start this FRIDAY! YAY!

Birthdays

• The traditional birthday celebration of treats will no longer be an option
• Instead, 2nd graders will be getting birthday shirts to sign and keep
• Shirts have been ordered with the Lizzy Haddon Dragon design
• $10 per shirt
• Accepting cash or venmo @Carolynn-Elizabeth
• Will be sending out an email with more info this week

Spotlight Student

Students will take turns according to schedule

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*Week before: take home and fill out “All About Me” Poster

• Activities:
• Monday: Share “All About Me” Poster
• Wednesday: Share a special item
• Friday: Share a favorite song or Go Noodle with the class
• *Please send link of song or Go Noodle by Thursday!

Report Cards

• Trimesters: 3 Report Cards (Standards Based)
• Interim reports: 2 times a year
• Parent Conferences in December

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Always available to discuss your child’s progress & your questions/concerns. Please reach out to schedule an a time.

Reading Workshop

Second Graders are working on…

• Comprehension: I understand what I read and think about it
• Accuracy: I can read the words
• Fluency: I can read smoothly
• Expand Vocabulary: I know, find, and use interesting words.

• Shared Reading/Read Alouds with Mentor Texts
• Whole-group mini-lesson using Lucy Calkins Reading Curriculum
• Students practice strategies in independent reading.
• Small Group Instruction with flexible groups
• Guided Reading Groups
• Small Group Conferring - 1 on 1 or group

Writing Workshop

• Mini-lesson: Writers gather to listen and learn a strategy
• Model and practice new technique together
• Independent Writing
• Individual or small group writing conferences
• Share/Reflect
• Spelling and Grammar ARE important, but even more important: students’ development of ideas and ability to elaborate!

Lucy Calkins Units of Study

FUNdations

• Word Study, Spelling, Handwriting
• Each unit focuses on a specific pattern (short a, ew, long vowels, etc.)
• TRICK WORD MASTERY
• Weekly homework will be based on the word pattern introduced.
• Adult support may be needed.
• We do practice marking up but it is not the most essential focus

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Everyday Math

• Spiraled program - constantly revisiting skills
• Mental math using whiteboards
• Math message - targeted skill whole group
• Partner and independent practice
• Small groups with differentiated instruction
• Math games to reinforce skills
• Explorations
• Online practice and games – username &

password in front cover of their planner

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• NOTE: We are piloting three new math programs for next year. Only affects one unit!

Science - Foss

Units of Study:

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1. Physical Science: Solids & Liquids
2. Earth Science: Pebbles, Sand, Silt
3. Life Science: Insects & Plants
4. School Garden

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Hands on investigations & explorations

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Social Studies

Units of Study

1. Civics - Community
2. History - Haddonfield
3. Geography – Map skills
4. Economics - Goods & Services

Interactive

Collaborative

Experiential

Project Based

Hands on learning

Homework

Students will copy homework from the board into their Planner. (Mon.-Thurs.)

• Math: Home Links need to be completed, ripped out & brought to school for the next day
• Math Fact Practice – flash cards, Xtra Math, IXL
• FUNdations: Nightly homework according to planner
• Weekly spelling list
• Choices of activities

• Reading: Read 15-20 minutes each night.
• Student MUST record title HW planner & initial
• I sentences later in the year
• Typing Agent: 20 minutes/week to be completed at any time

Using the Planner

Book Title

RAH 15 min.

Menu

Parent Initials

H.L. 1.11

Math Home Link Book

Look up assignment: Unit-Lesson

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Rip out and send in the next day.

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Extra copies can be printed from Everyday Math website (log using Clever then use login from planner)

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Note: we do not always follow in order so be sure to check the planner each night

Fundations Menu Choices

Friendly reminder for Homework!!

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The purpose of homework is:

• to reinforce concepts learned in school
• establish study skills
• promote responsibility

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• Should not take more than 30-40 minutes TOTAL
• If there are homework frustrations, reach out to me and we will work on it together in class
• Email or write a note in planner or on the page

Technology: �Creating Digital Learners

& Promethean Board!

Google Login & Password

You can look up your child’s login information in Genesis. Student network and google login / password is now available under each student's User Text fields. Below is a screenshot for reference:

Clever

Please have your child log into Clever THIS week to ensure there are no issues!

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This year we will also be using Clever again! This allows students to log into the platform once and easily access all other apps we will be using. Please follow the directions below to sign into Clever:

• Students logging in with a district provided Chromebook.
• Students logging in with their own chromebook, laptop, or PC
• Students logging in with their iPad should log into Clever using Chrome at: https://clever.com/in/haddonfield Then, they should be able to access Seesaw (and the other platforms that are ready to be used.)
• Students Clever badges will be taped to the inside front cover of the planner - after your first log in, your badge can be used for easy log in!!

Clever

Class Trips

Hopefully will be able to take class trips

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1 ~ Walking Trip to Greenfield Hall

2 ~ Philadelphia Zoo

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Other Important Info:

• Scholastic News Book Orders - due last week in Month
• Code: W662N
• Career/Talent Share
• Room Parents~ Laura Scarpaci (Ella), Ashley Howard (Olivia) & Jillan (Audrey and Clara)

For You:

To take home today:

• Home Link Book (for Math Homework)
• Scrapbook to be decorated and brought back to school by October 8th!
• Flipbook to be kept in safe place at home
• Bookmark with Reading Strategies
• Reading at Home & Word Solving Strategies
• Reading Comprehension Strategies & Suggestions for BEFORE, DURING, and AFTER Reading
• Fundations Cheat Sheet
• 1st Grade Trick Words
• Do-Anytime Activities for Math
• Number Grid
• 2^nd Grader Growth Patterns

That’s All Folks

Thank you for coming to BTSN! Have a great night!

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