Mrs. Crocker’s 2nd Grade Class

Welcome, students and parents!

Welcome to 2nd Grade!

I will introduce you to

the 2nd grade curriculum

and give you helpful

information about our

school.

All About Mrs. Crocker· My background

· I was born and raised in Gaylesville, AL.· I graduated from Auburn University with a

Bachelor’s and Master’s in Elementary Education.

· About Me· I’ve been teaching for 3 years. 1 year at Dannelly

Elementary School in Montgomery, AL (5th grade) and 2 years in 2nd grade here at Harvest.

· I am married to Austin Crocker (2 years).

My Goals· To give you the academic and social

skills you need to progress to 3rd grade.

· To provide a supportive and nurturing classroom environment.

· To help you meet your goals and discover new interests.

Instructional Target Goals

Focus Targets for 2013-2014Leader in Me: 7 Habits

 

Meaningful CCRS lessons for mastery

Goal Setting

(T) Creates positive learning environment using The Leader in Me 7 Habits

(T) Create meaningful lessons for the students to engage and practice to work towards mastery of the standards

(S) Engaged in learning

(s) Set individual and class goals while motivating each other to achieve them.

 

(S) Actively use The Leader in Me 7 Habits

(T) Communicate in student friendly terms the importance of mastery of the standards for the future.

Teachers will communicate and students will use “I CAN….” statements in lessons.

(S) Demonstrates the mastery of the standards through a variety of assessments and tracking methods.

 

(S) Self monitor progress using a variety of grade level appropriate methods to show they are responsible for putting forth their best effort.

Teachers and students will actively use goal notebooks.

· We will use 7 Habits for Happy Kids by Stephen Covey.

· Mrs. Scroggins will help teach the habits during our Counseling class.

· We will discuss and plan different activities throughout the week.

Class Subjects· The subjects we cover during 2nd grade are:

· Reading · Math· Language Arts/Spelling/ Writing/Handwriting· Science/Social Studies

Alabama College and Career Ready Standards

• The students will be expected to learn at a higher level.

• Instruction will be more rigorous than in the past.

Reading

· We will use a new reading series Scott Foresman.

· There is a strong correlation between reading and academic success.

· Students should read for at least 20 minutes nightly.

Reading

· I will extensively cover the following reading skills:· identifying story elements (beginning, middle,

end, plot, character, etc.)· recognizing high-frequency words· identifying facts and opinions · drawing conclusions & author’s purpose· Main Idea & Inference

Reading· DIBELS - measures the words per

minute (wpm) that students accurately read.

· 2nd grade goals· Beginning - 44 wpm· Middle - 68 wpm· End - 90 wpm

·  

Reading· ACCELERATED READING PROGRAM

(A.R.)

· Students read books on their level then take computer tests on those books to earn points.

· The teacher will establish appropriate individual reading goals for each student.

· Students who meet their goals for each 9 weeks will receive a reward.

Reading· ACCELERATED READING PROGRAM

(A.R.)

· You can monitor your child’s progress through Renaissance Place.

· A.R. is a motivating way to expose your child to a wide range of literature while enhancing his/her reading comprehension and individual reading skills.

 

Language Arts/Writing· The focus will be on mechanics & grammar.· Throughout the year we will work on the

descriptive, expository, narrative, persuasive modes of writing.

· We want your child to be able to write a 6-7 sentence paragraph with neat handwriting, complete sentences and correct punctuation and capitalization.

Handwriting· Zaner Bloser manuscript is taught a couple

of times each week. · Parents please help assist your child in

perfecting manuscript throughout the year before entering 3rd grade.

· Cursive writing will start in 3rd grade.

Spelling· Your child will receive a Spelling list for

several weeks in advance. · Please make sure your child studies the

word for the week each night. · A spelling test will be given each Friday. · I will assign spelling homework on Mondays.

Math· We will be using Go Math! (Harcourt). · The series will focus on basic core math

skills. · Quiz your child on addition and subtraction

facts often. · They should be able to add and subtract

quickly and without using their fingers.

Mad Minute Math· Students will have daily math drills on basic

addition and subtraction facts. · The basic facts are varied so that a student

at a given achievement level can reasonably be expected to recall them in one minute.

· Mad Minute really encourages students to learn their basic facts and to know them as well as they know their own name!

Science & Social Studies

· Science and Social Studies will be intergraded with reading.

Homework· I will assign homework on Monday.· Your homework is due on Friday morning.· Homework will count as one daily grade at

the end of the nine weeks.· Reading will be daily for 20 minutes and

recorded on the Reading Log.

Grades· Grades are averaged based on 50% of daily work

and 50% of test with the exception of Language/Spelling. (Language is 75% and Spelling is 25%.)

· A progress report will be sent home at the end of the 3 weeks and 6 weeks reflecting current grade averages..

· Grading scale: A (90-100), B (80-89), C (70-79), D (60-69), and F (59-0).

· Weekly grades will be sent home on Wednesdays in their red folders.

Newsletters & Discipline Card

· I will send home a newsletter every week.· This letter informs you of school events and

various class assignments/news. · The letter will be sent via email. · Hard copy upon request from parent. · A discipline card is located in your student’s

binder that should be checked nightly.

Wednesday Folders· Students will received Red Folders

each Wednesday except for short weeks. (Holidays, etc.)

· Graded papers will be in the folders.

Class Work· Class work will need to be done in class to

receive a fair grade and reflect the student’s independent capability.

· Papers that are incomplete when it’s time to move on to the next subject will be put in the WIP folder (work in progress).

· During school time they will have to complete these papers.

Programs· Husky Champion Program will be for students with

all A’s or A’s & B’s at the end of the nine weeks.· Leader of the Month will be focused on leadership.· Leader of the Year takes the place of our Citizenship

Award. The students will choose the Leader of the Year.

Art & Music · Music will be taught for the first

semester. · Students will then attend Art class

for the second semester of the school year.

· Art and music will be in the classroom this year.

Computer Lab · Technology is used throughout the

day in all subject areas.· Students will attend our computer

lab weekly for 30 minutes. · Teachers will provide a variety of

technology lessons during this time.

Library· Library time will be different this

year. We will use a flex schedule. · Your child will bring his/her library

books home. · We will send more information about

the library schedule.

Physical Education

· Students will attend PE class for 30 minutes each day.

· Our PE teacher is Coach Jared and her aides are Mrs. Reed and Mrs. Glover.

Snack

· Second grade will have a morning snack time.

· Students can bring healthy snacks and bottled water only (no juice boxes).

Breakfast/Lunch· Breakfast will be served 7:15-7:35.· The students will have six choices during

breakfast. Please look over the menu before school.

· We will eat lunch at 11:45-12:10.· Lunch prices $2.25 and $1.75 for

breakfast.· Please make sure your child has lunch

money.

School Hours· Our school day is from 7:20-2:35. Please have your

child here on time. · When a student is tardy he/she is missing valuable

teaching time. · Car Riders should not arrive before 7:15 in the

morning.· Car Rider cut off is at 7:40 after that parents

must walk students in. · Students are considered late after 7:40.

First Two Days of School

· Parents may walk students to the classroom Monday and Tuesday ONLY.

Check Out/Dismissal· All students must be checked out by 1:45.· We dismiss Bus Riders at 2:30-2:40.· We will dismiss Car Riders at 2:35-3:00.· Car riders must have a number visible. · Car Riders should be picked up no later than

2:55 .· Students remaining after 3:00 will be sent to

Extended Day at a cost of $7.00 per day.

Absences

· When your child is absent, please send a note or email when he/she returns to school explaining the absence.

· If an excuse is not brought within 3 days of the absence, it is automatically marked unexcused.

· After the tenth absence, a doctor’s excuse must accompany your child for him/her to be excused; otherwise it will be an unexcused absence.

Transportation

· If you have a transportation change that day. Email me before 11:00.

· If I have not responded within 30 minutes, please call the office to let them know.

Safety· We take every precaution to keep

students safe at the playground. There is a fence around the playground. Also, no child will enter or leave the playground without an adult.

Problems, Issues, Concerns

· Please use the proper level of support if a problem arises.

· Teacher, Administration, Central Office.· Please always let me know if there is a

problem…

Miscellaneous

• Parent Handbook will be located on our web page.

• 2nd Grade Handbook will be on my web page. (If you need a hardcopy, please let me know)

• Dress Code • Please join Listserv• PTO will meet on Monday’s this school

year.

Let’s Have a Awesome Year!