Welcome to Room 161

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Welcome to Room 161
Mr. Herzberg 2nd Grade 2008-2009
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Tonights Agenda!

• Party Favors
• Question/ Comment Sheet
• My Background
• What You Can Expect this Year!
• Weekly Schedule Of a 2nd Grader
• Classroom Organization
• Curriculum
• Homework/Grades
• Volunteers
• Conferences
• How to reach Mr. Herzberg
• Questions/ Letters to your child

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About Me!

• Danforth Principal Program at UW
• Masters in Teaching at Seattle U
• B.A. in Psychology with Child Development
  emphasis at UW
• 5th Year in Issaquah District
• Issaquah Technology Project
• Free time Hiking, Camping, Technology, Reading,
  Traveling

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What Can You Expect This Year?

• Your child will have a fantastic year!
• Challenging curriculum!
• They will be prepared for third grade
• More responsibility and independence!
• A year theyll remember!

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2nd Grade Fun!
2 Separate Checks Please!

• Check 1
• Check payable to Grand Ridge Elementary for
  9.25
• National Geographic 4.50
• Planners 3.00
• Quick Word 1.75
• Dictionaries

• Check 2
• Check payable to Grand Ridge Elementary for
  9.50
• In-House Field Trips
• Kate Poaster (science)
• Germs (3 visits)

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Snack???

• Students may eat a quick snack during read aloud
  in the morning
• Small, healthy, easy to eat
• Nothing sticky or that needs a spoon.

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Specialist Schedule
B Week Monday PE 155 Tuesday - Music
155 Wednesday Thursday PE 155 Friday
Library 950 Library is 60 min.
A Week Monday Music 155 Tuesday - PE
155 Wednesday Thursday Music 155 Friday
(Computer 950) PE Music are 40 min.
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Classroom Organization

• Home folder
• Home journal
• Homework folder
• Planner
• Notes from home

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Classroom Expectations

• Show Respect
• Be a friend
• Be a quiet worker
• Keep your hands and feet to yourself
• Make Good Decisions
• Be a listener
• Follow directions
• Raise your hand
• Do your best!
• Solve the Problem
• Be a thinker
• Be independent
• Have a plan

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Classroom Incentives
Classroom Incentives

• Nickel jar
• Table points
• Basketball challenge
• Fun Friday
• Verbal praise

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Literacy
A BALANCED APPROACH to achieve life-long readers
and writers who discover meaning...
What are some things that work?

• Adults (including you) demonstrating
  reading/writing
• Having an excellent library (check out ours!)
• Giving students choices in what they read and
  write
• Giving TIME to read and write (80 of reading
  time should be reading, 20 should be responding
  in some way)
• Teaching strategies (for comprehension, revising,
  editing, decoding, etc.)
• Giving feedback in various ways (conferencing,
  setting goals, etc.)

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To Accomplish this, we use

• McGraw Hillthe district reading curriculum
  (spiral approach)
• Guided Reading, Shared Reading
• Various grouping methods
• Individual reading time
• Writers Workshop, Journals, Letter Writing,
  Non-fiction writing, etc.
• National Geographic
• Nightly reading expectation, reading log

Read and write each day!
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What You can do at Home
Children need to see people important to them
reading in order to see reading as important!

• Let your kids see you reading, even magazines and
  newspapers
• Develop family reading time where everyone reads
• Read a chapter book together
• Encourage your child to fill out the optional
  reading log to keep track of their reading
  minutes at school

Research Says According to Dr. Richard Allington
of Laureate Education, children who independently
read an average of 20 minutes a day (outside of
school hours) are more likely to score higher on
standardized tests.
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Rebecca Sittons Spelling Sourcebook

• Every child becoming a speller!
• No Excuse words
• Context based assessmentsindividualized lists
• Based on highest frequency words 1-170
• Greater carryover in writing
• Word patterns and distinction about words are
  stressed
• Long term retention
• Spiraling
• Proofreading skills emphasized in homework and
  school
• Specific word study
• Spelling words recorded on list at back of home
  journal

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Everyday Math Curriculum

• Developed by University of Chicago School
  Mathematics Project
• Based on research about how students learn and
  develop mathematical power
• Provides the broad mathematical background needed
  in the 21st century

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In Everyday Math, You can Expect to See

• ...a problem-solving approach based on everyday
  situations
• ...an instructional approach that revisits
  concepts regularly
• ...frequent practice of basic skills, often
  through games
• ...lessons based on activities and discussion

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Everyday Math Online

• Terrific way to reinforce math skills
• Measurable data and progress
• Good extension after homework is finished
• Online student reference book (no toting)

As a parent, play with Jasmines login User
jasmineh211 Password 6 F Circle
EM Online Link
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Science, Social Studies, Health

• Science
• Sound and the ear
• Solar System
• Germs
• Habitats

• Health
• Recognizing Emotions
• Environmental Health
• Understanding Health Messages
• Nutrition
• Reducing Risks
• Human Body

• Social Studies
• Communities

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Grading Practice

• I use the district standards based grading system
  of a 1-4.
• (0 grade will be given for any incomplete
  work.)
• 4 Exceptional, exceeding grade level standard
  by a full grade level.
• 3 Great, meets grade level expectations.
• 2 OK, approaching standard, needs more
  practice.
• 1 Oops, significantly below grade level
  standard. Remedial practice needed.
• 0 Uh Oh, Not turned in / more than two days
  late / did not follow directions.
• Formal Assessment (Grade) vs. Informal Assessment
  (Comment) vs. Practice / reinforcement (Star,
  Check or Stamp)

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Report Cards

• All elementary schools in the district are field
  testing the new report card
• Very similar to the first grade report card last
  year
• Standards based
• The scoring guide is available on the district
  website
• 1st and 2nd trimester are formative
• 3rd trimester is summative
• Expect comments for scores of 1 or 2, not
  necessarily for scores of 3 or 4

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Schedule

• Check in, Morning Work
• Spelling
• Writing
• Reading
• Calendar
• Read Aloud
• Lunch/Recess
• Silent Reading
• Math
• Library or PE
• Recess
• Science/Social Studies
• Clean/Pack/Planners
• 338 Dismissal

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Planners

• Primarily a communication resource
• At minimum, students will record important
  upcoming events
• They will also chart important projects and
  assignments
• Must be checked every day
• Planner management is the responsibility of the
  student, not the parent. Coming up with a nightly
  system or routine will help with this
  responsibility.

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HOMEWORK!

• Comes home weekly
• WEEKLY tasks are due on Friday
• Students are responsible for bringing homework on
  Friday to earn Fun Friday
• Homework is split in to day segments (but can be
  done when time permits)

• 2nd grade 20 minutes per night
• No Excuse words practiced as needed
• Homework reinforces and reviews skills
• Homework teaches study habits responsibility

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Fun Friday
Fun Friday

• If all work is done
• If homework comes in on time
• If students make GRAND choices

Students can go to other second grade classrooms
or stay in our room to visit with friends, play
games, write, draw, etc.
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Other

• Birthdays and class parties
• Book orders
• Double Digit Addition Subtraction Facts
• Arrival and dismissal
• Clothing
• Lunch

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Technology

• The integration of technology into the 2nd grade
  curriculum is a primary goal of this classroom.
• Classroom Website
• www.grand.issaquah.wednet.edu/teachers/herzbergm/
• Please be sure you have signed the release form
  to allow your childs work and picture to be
  posted on the website.
• All students in the class must have the
  permission form signed before any class pictures
  will be posted.
• Please contact me if you have a specific
  concern.
• Internet Use We will be using the internet in a
  variety of projects throughout the year. All use
  will be very specific and monitored.

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More About Our Class Web Site

• www.grand.issaquah.wednet.edu/teachers/herzbergm
• The Student and Parent place for information
• Volunteer Calendar
• Upcoming Events
• Class information
• Pictures!!!!

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Tech Survey
Let me show you one more way we can use
technology here at Grand Ridge...
If you could be anywhere right now, where would
you most like to be?

• On a sunny beach
• B. Traveling throughout Italy
• C. In Room 161 with Mr. Herzberg
• D. Watching T.V.

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VOLUNTEERS

• 2nd Grade volunteer opportunities
• Room Parent
• Clerical/General help
• Mornings (1000-1145)
• Afternoons (1230-130)

• On Side Table
• Art Docent
• Science Fair Classroom Liaison
• Classroom Photographer
• Staff Appreciation Classroom Coord.
• Learning Garden Coordinator
• Library Liaison
• Every other Friday
• 950-1050

(If you cant make your scheduled time please try
to find a substitute or let me know as soon as
possible)
Please be sure to fill out your volunteer
interest sheet.
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What can you do to support your child this year?

• READ, READ, READ, READ at home! Your child
  benefits from you reading to them and reading on
  their own
• Make writing REAL (write notes to teachers,
  relatives, make grocery lists, etc.)
• Practice and memorize math facts ( and to 20)
• Problem SolvingLet your child figure out a plan
  to get unstuck and be INDEPENDENT!

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Communication

• E-mail is the easiest way to reach me. I check
  it a couple times during the day.
• Voicemail I typically check it once during the
  day either in the morning or in the afternoon. It
  may be 24 hours before this is checked and
  responded to.
• Written note If you do not hear back from me
  within 24 hours please email or call me. It may
  have gotten lost in the shuffle

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Conferences

• All conferences are to be held
• Monday November 9, and
• Wednesday November 11
• Please sign up for your conference time before
  you leave in the commons
• Plan to arrive a few minutes early so that we can
  make the most of our time

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Reach Far, Be Grand!
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Before You Leave!!!

• If you have questions please feel free to write
  them down on the question/comment sheet.
• I will get back to you A.S.A.P.
• Make sure you completed the activities on the
  list on your childs desk.
• Fill out and return the volunteer interest sheet.
• Sign up for your November conference time (in
  Commons)
• If you would like to reestablish Internet
  permission for your child, please fill out the
  golden form on the side table and return it to me
• Thanks for coming!