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Our Mission is to inspire and prepare all students to realize their potential and enhance our global community.

DUFFY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

95 Westminster Dr.
West Hartford, CT 06107
Phone: 860-521-0110
Fax: 860-561-1492

Kristi Laverty, Principal

Second Grade Teachers

Mrs. Allen, Mrs. Curran, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Schreiner

Curriculum Night 2017-2018

About 2nd Grade

What does Second Grade look like?

In second grade, students will learn how to problem solve, become strategic thinkers, and understand the process of delving deeply into text. Multiple instructional settings are used in the classroom to achieve these purposes, including:

-whole group instruction

-small group instruction (including guided reading, guided writing, and reading, writing, and math workshop)

-partner work (including "think-pair-share")

-independent work.

-Flexible seating

We will utilize the second grade Common Core curriculum for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics as the core resources for these areas of instruction. We will also use NGSS for science. Civics and geography will be the focal points for Social Studies.

By the end of the year, you can expect your child to:

Apply reasoning and concentration skills
Improve ability to process information
Improve focus on a specific task
Work cooperatively with a partner or small group
Understand the difference between right and wrong
Make connections between concepts to improve ability to compare and contrast ideas
Expand vocabulary
Correctly use irregular verbs
Read fluently with expression
Ask and answer who, what, where, when, why, and how questions about a piece of reading
Revise and edit a piece of writing
Use an apostrophe to form contractions and frequently occurring possessives
Recognize most irregularly spelled words such as because and upon
Begin to use a dictionary
Perform mental math for single-digit addition and subtraction problems
Add single-, double-, and triple-digit numbers with regrouping
Demonstrate an understanding of place value
Tell time to the nearest five minutes, using AM and PM
Know the basic concept of multiplication (For example, 2 x 3 is two rows of three)

Homework Expectations

Students are required to complete 15-20 minutes of sustained reading each night. Effective methods of engaging your child in reading include:

partner reading (adult reads a page, child reads a page)
choral reading (read at the same time)
read aloud to child
child reads aloud to adult

Using several methods per week and varying texts will keep your child engaged and interested in completing their nightly reading.

Students are also required to complete 5-10 minutes of math fact practice (facts within 20) on three nights out of the week. Effective methods of engaging your child in math fact practice include:

flashcards
timed math fact print-outs
dice games
websites/apps:
- sumdog.com
- ixl.com
- xtramath.com
- happynumbers.com
- multitude of addition and subtraction apps available in app store

*Look out for optional math fact practice packets that will be sent home periodically throughout the year.

Students are responsible for completing their homework log monthly.

Monthly challenge projects are always a great chance for enrichment at home. Each month, the teachers will provide a topic or focus for an independent inquiry based project that is optional for students to complete. Students should work on their project throughout the month with the knowledge that they will share their learning and product with their peers at the end of the month.