Curriculum information for our virtual classroom
HAPPY NEW YEAR
2020/2021
Students are also expected to READ, READ, READ at least 25 minutes each school night, a few options include (independently (silent or aloud), sharing a story or book with an established reader or reading aloud to a younger relative or sibling, recording readings using technology). Hence, students should be reading a minimum of 100-125 minutes of text outside of the school day, per week.
We will not have a spelling exam weekly although we will do weekly grammar, phonics (Phonics Units of Study, MobyMax and Lexia) and spelling activities. Words they can practice throughout the year:
Each month of the year and days of the week
Illinois
favorite
fiction
because
(We have concluded this unit) Module 1, Sums and Differences to 100, using Eureka Math (and other supplemental teacher approved materials). Students are solving math problems using addition/subtraction with and without decomposing and demonstrating their understanding of this concept in class via classwork, group work and explorations. We will also practice with supplemantal materials that align with the Illinois State Standards.There will always be practice pages or pages we didn't get a chance to complete in each math booklet. Please be sure and practice any Module 1 pages we didn't have an opportunity to complete, at anytime during the school year.
Wehave concluded Module 2 which covers Addition and Subtraction of Length Units. We will work with rulers and other objects to compare and calculate the length. Students are using term like centimeter, meter, estimate and benchmark. We are using these terms in our current module to help understand how we use measurement in our daily lives. We will also practice measurement with supplemantal materials that align with the Illinois State Standards.
We have concluded Module 3, which covers Place Value up to 1000. In this module, the place value story has advanced. Along with changing 10 ones for 1 ten, students now also change 10 tens for 1 hundred. This changing leads to the use of counting strategies to solve word problems. We are using terms like sum, difference, expanded form, hundred(s), ten(s) and one(s). Ultimately, this transitions into the coming module where students apply their skill of making larger units to work with addition and subtraction.
We are currently on Module 4, which is devoted to three major areas of work. The first two are building fluency in two-digit addition and subtraction within 100 and applying that fluency to one- and two-step word problems of varying types within 100. Throughout the module, students are encouraged to be flexible in their thinking and to use multiple strategies in solving problems, including the use of drawings such as tape diagrams, which they relate to equations (execerpts taken from the Eureka math teachers guide).
(To be completed) Module 6, throughout this module students relate repeated addition to the model (we will compose and decompose rectangles). Students begin by making equal groups using concrete materials, learning to manipulate a given number of objects to create equal groups (e.g., given 15 objects, they create 3 groups of 5 or 5 groups of 3), and progress to pictorial representations where they may begin by circling a group of 5 stars, adding 5 more, and then adding 5 more. Students organize the equal groups created into arrays, wherein either a row or column is seen as the new unit being counted (repeated addition). Essentially Module 6 focuses on the foundational skills associated with multiplication and division (exceprts taken from the Eureka teachers guide).
XtraMath
A great program to help master their basic math facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. A parent flyer was emailed, and students will engage in the 3-5 minute fact fluency program frequently throughout the week. They can practice outside the schoolday (but it is optional). A great program for certain!!!
MobyMax
A great program where students can choose from an array of learning modules. Students are encouraged to use this program outside of class at least 30 minutes per week (math or reading literature). They can choose other options like science, vocabulary or other options, once they have completed 30 minutes in reading or math.
Students should log on to MobyMax (a free program provided by the district) via the Cleve app. Students haev received their log in information and we will practice logging into Clever, so they should be able to log in independently (with permission). Their personal log in information is located in the Seesaw app.
A few things to practice throughout the school year:
1) Telling time on an analog clock/reading the time on a digital clock (knowing the difference between am/pm and using words like quarter till and half past the hour).
2) Practice basic math facts up to 10 ( 2+8, 2+7) then (8-2, 7-2) once mastered practice math facts up to 20 (1+19, 2+18, 2+17) then (19-1, 18-2, 17-2).
XtraMath is a great free resource to help your child master the basic math facts in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
3) Adding tens (ex, 10+30, 20+50, 40+40), adding hundreds (ex. 4+3 = 7 so 40+30 =70 and 400+300 =700). Making 10 (9+1, 8+2, 7+3...).
3a) Adding 2 digit numbers (and byond) with and without regrouping. Subtracting 2 digit number (and beyond) with and without regrouping.
4) They should also practice counting by 2's, 5's, 10's and 25's up to 1000, (if this skill is mastered then skip count by 4's, 6's, 7's and 8's for an additional challenge). This skill helps prepare students for multiplication.
5) Mastering their doubles (ex. 2+2, 4+4, 5+5) with speed and accuracy.
6) Making change (mentally) from denominations of 1, 5 and 10 (ex. 1.00 - .65 =?).
7) READ EVERYTHING and READ ALL THE TIME!! Read fiction, non-fiction, poetry, fables, scientific magazines, comics, cookbooks, articles, short stories:) READ!!!!!
8) Write as much as possible in a home journal. Write fictional stories, non-fiction, create comics, illustrate short stories, poems, create a trilogy, recount days or activities/moments (focusing on the writing and creative aspect and not so much on grammar and spelling).
Social Studies-
We will explore many nonfiction topics and current events via our weekly Scholastic News readers (summarizing and questioning informational text). We are currently covering communties (urban, suburban and rural). We are also covering various cultures and discussing the meaning of culture.
Additionally, 1 or 2 states are introduced weekly, as a part of our geography study. WE DISCUSS THE STATE AND THE DIRECTION IS IT FROM ILLINOIS FOR EXAMPLE, WISCONSIN IS NORTH OF ILLINOIS.
Reading/Language Arts
(We have concluded this unit). The first unit, Second-Grade Reading Growth Spurt, teaches children to take charge of their reading, drawing on everything they know to figure out hard words, understand author’s craft, and build big ideas about the books they read (Lucy Calkins).
We have concluded NONFICTION. Children learn that books can be their teachers in the second unit, Becoming Experts: Reading Nonfiction, in which they learn more about familiar topics and grow understanding of new topics while working on word solving, vocabulary development, and comparing and contrasting information across texts (Lucy Calkins). In this unit of study we are focusing on the elements of non fiction like text features (diagrams, table of contents, index, captions, side bars and other things that are important when conducting research and reading non fiction). We will also write and publish non fiction booklets. We will employ the writing process, creating drafts, doing edits and revising our work along the way.
Our current unit , Bigger Books Mean Amping Up Reading Power, children learn strategies to build three foundational reading skills—fluency, understanding figurative language, and comprehension (Lucy Calkins). Students will choose books, read with expression and log many minutes of reading throughout this unit. We will also discuss different genres that students can read outside of the class, story elements of fiction and practice ask and answering questions as we read and analyze our text.
(To be completed) In the final unit for second grade, Series Book Clubs, children work within book clubs to study author’s craft to understand ways authors use word choice, figurative language, punctuation, and even patterns to construct a series and evoke feelings in readers(Lucy Calkins).
In 2nd grade the standards are very connected to the curriculum and we often employ various standards when analyzing texts and articles.
RL/I 2.1-Ask and answer questions (who, what, when where why and how), to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RL 2.7-Use information gained from the story elements (characters, setting, plot, illustrations).
RI 2- Identify main topic of multi paragraphs
RI 4- Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text (using context clues)
RI 2.5 Use various text features and locate key facts.
Science
During the school year we will classify different materials by their observable properties (hard, soft, dull). We will analyze and collect data and conduct investigations (what happens when we rub two rock together?). We will observe changes caused by heating or cooling (evaporation and condensation). Lastly we will engage in technology (MobyMax science).
Our initial unit will be Pebbles, Silt and Sand. We will make sand, we will study rocks, we will also discuss the properties of rocks (granite, scoria, tuff and basalt). The key words we are focusing on are weathering and erosion. We are studying their effects on the earth. (we will delve into this unit a bit more during the 2nd trimester)
Our current unit is Solids and Liquids. Solid is one state or phase of matter. Objects are described and identified by their properties. Objects are made of one or more materials. Natural and human-made objects occur outdoors. The overall relationship between solids and liquids.
Writing
(This unit is completed but we will write narrative prose throughout the year) Our current unit of study is narrative writing. We write in our journal, we create list, we engage in dictionary word work to help strengthen our vocabulary as we write our thoughts and ideas (in our journal). We will continue to write narrative prose throughout the entire year.
(This unit is concluded) We are working on NON FICTION. We will complete NON FICTION stories on things the students are experts about. We also write accross the curriculum in math, reading, science and social studies. Additionally, we write several times per week in our journals or other booklets.
(To be completed) Our current unit of study is Opinion writing. We are sharing our thought and opinions about vaying topics and situations. Students will state their opinions and support their opinions in paragraph form with supporting details.