Curriculum Night
Mrs. McCarthy, Grade 2
Raymond Benson Primary School

773-1232 ext. 3015
email: smcc...@itasca.k12.il.us

• Classroom Newsletter

Reading    

Harcourt Reading Series: phonics, literacy skills, grammar

• The children are given a Phonics preview on Monday and the Phonics Test is given on Friday. All ten of these words follow a pattern. We practice this pattern daily in class. 

Guided Reading Activities: three-four times per week

• D.E.A.R. time is an opportunity for me to read with your child in a small group. The instruction is given at your child’s reading level. 
• We work on decoding, story elements, fluency and comprehension
• When your child receives a book please listen to your child read it.  They have debugged words and discussed it so the book should be read fairly simple.  Be sure to fill out the form within the bag and return it with the book.          

         Home Components:         Daily Practice: We all know
                                            the importance of reading
                                            books at home in order to
                                            keep skills sharp J
                                            Retelling/Summarizing:
                                            Ask your child questions!!!

Books in a Bag: Your child will bring home a Ziploc bag containing five books and a questionnaire.  Throughout the week have your child read a book.  When all five have been read your child should fill out the questionnaire and return the bag to school.  Your child will then refill it.  I ask that your child does this once a week, but I understand things get busy.

Writing

• 6+1 Traits of Writing: Ideas, Organization, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, Voice, Word Choice and Presentation
• 1^st Semester: ideas, conventions, sentence fluency and word choice (review)
• 2^nd Semester: Voice, organization and presentation

Concentration on sentence structure, parts-of-speech and clarity
Expository, Narrative, Persuasive

Spelling   Word Study     DOL          Pen Pals 
Journals   Phonemic Awareness    Computers       Handwriting           Sentence Dictation

Spelling: Rebecca Sitton (tests are on Thursdays)

• This series focuses on the repetition of sight words; the spelling of them, the writing of them and the practicing of rules related to them.
• We focus on five words per week. We look at these words and rules that correlate to them.
• The test is in a paragraph format.  To begin the year 10 words are tested (reviewing first grade words).  The best part about this program is that the children will continually see words from previous weeks in each weekly test.
• On Fridays we do Sentence Dictation. This is a way to practice using the words in context as well as practicing (and assessing) sentence mechanics.

Math

• Addition and Subtraction Facts to 18 must be memorized
• Patterns and Graphing
• Geometry and Fractions
• Measurement and Place Value
• Money and Time

Math Components

• Morning Worksheet
• Manipulative, Calculators, and Computers
• Discussions and Writing about Math
• Questioning and Justification (“prove it”)
• Problem-Solving Approach  (“How could this have been done differently?”)
• Content Integration (relating math to other academic areas) 

Social Studies/Science/Health

• Dinosaurs, Plants, soil/worms, light and stars, magnets, matter, butterflies, chicks
• Brain, germs, muscles, heart, skin
• Landforms, pioneers, Native Americans, settlers, careers/communities, government
• Participation grade on report card 

Parent/Teacher Team

Homework note (contains phonics words and weekly topics being taught)
 “I just need to tell you that …”
Homework
Correct and Return/Complete and Return
Discipline

WEEKLY “SPECIALS” SCHEDULE

Monday:                 Art                          10:05-10:55

Tuesday:                Music                       10:15-10:45                                                    Gym                        2:10-2:40           

Wednesday:           Computers                9:45-10:15
                              Gym                        2:10-2:40                 

Thursday:               Library                     9:15-10:00

Friday:                    Computers                1:15-1:45
                      Music                   2:10-2:40