Blog Archives

Week of November 24, 2014

11/21/2014

Common Core Resources

Many parents have been asking about our Common Core State Standards (CCSS). I have compiled a list of various web resources that you may find valuable.

Parent CCSS Resources

New Unit: Then and Now

    Our new unit will last approximately eight weeks. During that time, we will be covering the following vocabulary and concepts:
    • Compare & Contrast
    • Main Idea
    • 5 Ws . Students should be able to take a sentence, paragraph, or passage and answer who, what, when, where, and why questions in COMPLETE sentences.
    • Capitalization (days of the week, months of the year, proper nouns, titles, etc.)
    • Identify and use adjectives
    • Identify and use adverbs
    • Rearrange sentences
    • Primary Source (an eyewitness account of an event)
    • Secondary Source (something that gives you information about an event after that event took place)
    • Document (an important paper such as drivers' license, birth certificate, contracts, etc.)
    • Artifact (an object made and used by people)
    • Timeline (shows the order in which events happen
    • History (what has happened in the past)
    • Ancestors (relatives from the past)
    • Immigrants (people who settle in another country
    • Interview (a meeting for asking and answering questions)
    • Family Tree (a chart of family members)

Parent Conference Schedule

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11/15/2014

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Mrs. Quitt's Cool Kids
Week of November 17, 2014

Book Fair
    The PTA book fair will be open in the library from Wednesday, November 19 through Parent Conferences. If you would like to send money with your child so they can shop for books, our class day/time to shop is on Thursday at 11:30. You can shop along with your child on Parent Conference days. You can also donate a book to the classroom!

Government Unit Tests
     I am sad to say that the scores on the unit tests for our government unit were lower than expected. We have been reviewing and discussing major concepts for the past six weeks. Reference material, such as posters, definitions, and songs were left posted in the room as resources that could be referred to during the tests. You will see the results of the tests coming home on Monday. Please review the tests with your student, and sign and return the tests to me if I requested it on the test.
     The purpose of tests, of course, is to check for understanding. They are a student's opportunity to show their teacher what they have learned. Our government unit concepts are quite challenging for our second graders. So, for any student who wishes to have another chance at the tests, I will provide time on Friday, November 21 for students to re-take them.
     Parents, here are the concepts and vocabulary that your students need to know and should be able to explain in complete sentences:
    government
    branches of the U.S. government (executive, legislative, and judicial including their main function)
    law
    trade
    United Nations
    treaty
    diplomat
    Why do we have laws?
    What sorts of things do governments argue about and how do they solve those problems?
    What sorts of interactions do countries have with each other?
    How might governments differ and how might they be the same? We studied, for example, the general structure of governments of Mexico, South Africa, the United Kingdom, China, and the United States.

    In the future, I will try to provide study information about our Social Studies and Science units early on in the unit so you have the opportunity to discuss and review the concepts with your students at home throughout the unit. Watch the blog for important information about our next unit about Family Heritage, Long Ago and Yesterday.

Second Grade Community Service Project
    Just a reminder to send in a new set of pajamas, any size for the Scholastic Reading Club Great Bedtime Story Pajama Drive. So far, our class has collected six pajama sets. Thank you so much to those of you who have contributed. I will be making a trip to my favorite store so I can donate, too. Please send in your donation by November 24th, or bring it to your Parent Conference!

Parent Conferences
    The schedule for parent conferences is set. I have assigned an open time slot to those of you who did not sign up on SignupGenius.com.
    The time slots are only 20 minutes long, and I have a ton of information discuss with you. Please arrive a few minutes early for your conference. If twenty minutes turns out to be not enough time for me to answer all your questions, I will be happy to make another appointment for another time after Thanksgiving.