Learning To Go Mr. Avery's Class on the Web 

Thanks for the great turnout Wednesday night! I especially appreciate your generosity of spirit as you worked cooperatively to wrestle with some of this year’s big ideas in learning. You demonstrated our core values well and provided excellent role models for your kids. They were beaming when I recounted our work together–they’re proud of you, too!

Parent Conferences: I was able to create a signup at Signup Genius that does not require a new or existing account from you. Email invitations will be sent out this afternoon: simply click the link and type your name in one available slot. Email reminders will be sent out 2 days prior to meeting.

Math Tests: Our Chapter 1 math test will come home with a “B-A-N” document attached. This paper lets you know which test questions were at basic and applied levels, reflecting a student’s mastery of what was taught, and at the novel level, where students were challenged to try working through a high-level problem. Mastery/perfect score is not expected for novel problems.

Writing: Weekly writing pieces will most often come home with two scores: Focus, and English/Conventions. The numbers correspond to report card ratings (3=Proficient, 2=Making Progress). Focus refers to the students use of organization, detail, length of sentences, and clarity of thought, while Conventions refers to spaces, spelling, endmarks, and correct upper/lowercases. It’s not unusual to see “2s” at first. We’ll be targeting those skills in small group work and 1:1 writing sessions.

Field Trip: We still need 2-3 chaperones for our trip on October 14th. Please consider joining us if you can! The time commitment is 8:25-2:45.

Math Homework Starts This Week: The district’s recommendation is 20 minutes in grade 2, exclusive of reading. Since students work at different speeds, if you find your child has worked diligently but is hitting a frustration level when time is up, you can stop there and jot a note on the page. Once all homework subjects have begun, an appropriate amount of time is 10 minutes on math; 5 minutes on math facts; and 5 minutes on reading responses.

Every night, your child should bring home a colored “Math Homework Resources” folder, in addition to the green communication folder. In the front pocket will be a stapled packet with all 4 nightly assignments. The pages are pre-dated and sometimes they will be double-sided. Students should complete each night’s work; put the packet back in the front pocket; and return the folder the next day along with the green folder. Each morning, I will check the homework and students will return the packets to the folder.

In addition to the packet, there will be 2 optional homework pages sent home each week, marked “Optional Challenge” at the top. They will be placed in the back pocket of the math homework folder. They are great for kids who are ready to think more deeply and broadly about the math concepts we’re working on, and who finish other homework early–but they’re great for everyone else, too! In any case, these pages are not required work; as such, they can be returned any day of the week or not at all.

The pages in the center of the homework folder are there for several reasons. There are vocabulary pages that remind students of the math terms taught in class that they are expected to know (and that show up on homework and tests). You’ll also see sample pages copied from our math book that show how concepts are being taught, and what the homework is looking for students to do. You will also find pictures of base-10 blocks. These can be cut out and kept at home to help when students are stuck understanding and computing with 3-digit numbers, and any time the numbers involved prove too challenging to do it all mentally.  I will add to the pages periodically throughout the year.

Regarding how much help to give your child: Please DO help read directions if s/he needs it. Then ask how s/he thinks they should go about solving items. Remind them about using resources in the folder when writing words, etc., and by all means help them if they’re stuck or need a hand getting started. Please DON’T write answers for your child.

The first two nights of homework introduces students to strategies for mental addition. Since this approach is new to most of us grownups, I’ve made a video demonstrating them:

For additional fun practice, students can use the Greg Tang game Break Apart (see link under “Student Resources” above). Select “Addition”; choose which strategy; and click “easy” or “hard”.

And remember, you can access our student Math eBook anytime via your page in Powerschool! This is Chapter 2, lesson 1. As always, hit me with any questions! <“)

I hope to see you on Wednesday at Curriculum Night. The evening starts in the cafeteria at 6:45. It’s a night for grownups only, please! When you enter our room (across from the cafeteria in the main hallway, #264), come say hello and look around. Once we’re settled, I’ll share with you elements of our curriculum, especially the big ideas in reading, writing, and math in grade 2. I’ll also show you some features of our blog that can be a big help at home. Finally, I’ll do my best to leave time for questions–though you can contact me with them anytime! Please contact me separately if you’d like to discuss your child’s progress–with 40 people around that night, I get very awkward about discussing individual students. <“) If you are unable to come that night, I will send home a copy of the packet we’ll be using (which will contain our class contact list) and available Conference times.

Field Trip: There is room for more parents to chaperone our Trip to OSV on Friday, 10/14. The time commitment is 8:45-2:45. Please contact me if you plan to join us.

Homework: 1) Math homework begins next week, 9/26. There will be nightly assignments, M-Th, and 2 optional challenges weekly.  2) Math Facts homework begins the week after, 10/3. This involves nightly practice and a quiz every Friday. 3) Reading homework begins the following week, 10/10. Students read every night and complete a reading log to be returned Fridays. More detailed information on homework will be provided on Curriculum Night and in our blog over the next 3 weeks!

  Our Daily 5 CAFE focus this week is on activating schema and making connections when we read (part of Comprehension). These are HUGE strategies for young readers. Schema is what a reader understands about anything in life. We have schema about topics like making friends, seasons of the year, and so on. We also have schema for how to solve problems, and how we approach reading. Sometimes our schema is correct and sometimes it contains misunderstandings, which we learn to correct by reading and thinking. We therefore teach young readers to recognize what their schema is telling them and to use it as an access point to understanding what is read by making connections to it. Questions to ask your child during reading (either aloud to him/her or when s/he is reading): What do already know about ____ and what do you wonder? What does that remind you of in your life? This kind of thinking can help students understand characters, plot, and information better. More info is at Reading Rockets, a terrific literacy site for teachers and parents:http://www.readingrockets.org/article/29200/

The kids have been doing an awesome job at partner reading! In addition to working cooperatively, they have learned how to coach each other during reading by giving their partners time, or by helping them by teaching them what they know about decoding texts! This week, students will learn to summarize sections of text by retelling what they heard their partners read.

Also this week, students are being introduced to Opinion Writing. This genre is at the heart of most professional writing as we know it, in which an author presents arguments backed up with evidence. To begin with, students will be taught the difference between fact and opinion; how to craft an introduction and opinion; how to use an outline to scaffold their writing; and how to write in complete sentences with correct punctuation and capitalization. We tried a fun game from pbskids.org you can play at home on Facts and Opinions! (click on picture to link to page)

In Science, students have begun thinking like scientists! Our term 1 focus on structures of living organisms began with observations of tadpoles. Students learned to closely examine and draw realistic pictures; describe what they see with words; and ask questions that will guide further exploration. Cool!

Our first math unit is all about understanding numbers to 1,000. This week, students will continue to use Base 10 to further that understanding by ordering 3-digit numbers according to their hundreds, tens, and ones. Also this week, students will take their first test! Tests will be scored and sent home along with a document that explains which questions were testing mastery of a skill/concept, and which were looking to see if students could apply skills at higher levels.

Thanks to those of you who have sent in health supplies: a box of kleenex, plain band-aids (non-antibacterial) and a tub of antibacterial wipes. Please send them if you haven’t, and thanks!

Do you have a current CORI background check with the Town of Shrewsbury? You can download a form using the link under “Parent Resources” on the right side of this blog! Parents who wish to visit classrooms or even join their children for lunch in the cafeteria must have an approved background check. The process is simple: drop by the Floral school office any school day; bring your CORI form or fill one out there; and present a driver’s license or proof of identity. It usually takes a couple of weeks to be approved, so the sooner you have it done, the easier it will be for last-minute plans. Note: Clearance through CORI remains current for 3 years, so if you’ve had one done in Shrewsbury within that time then you are all set! Just in time, too, because…

The Grade 2 Field Trip is coming! On Friday, October 14, our class will be traveling back in time on a visit to Old Sturbridge Village. The educational purpose of the trip is to investigate and learn about economics in a hands-on way, through the lens of local history. We will examine how wants and needs affect the goods and services provided to consumers of a community, and each student will produce an artifact to bring home. I’ve already heard from the kids that several of you have visited the village before! This place is a unique gem, similar to Plimoth Plantation, that I encourage everyone to make part of your weekend repertoire. To learn more and take a virtual tour, visit: https://www.osv.org/

The permission slip and fee request will be sent home at the beginning of October. I’m posting this in advance, to encourage dads and moms who can’t typically volunteer for daytime school activities to plan to join us as chaperones on that day. Our class is allowed 6 chaperones at the student rate. Please contact me if you are interested.

Building stamina for reading is an important strategy for young readers. Students have been working hard at it every day and learning what it looks like and feels like to really engage with texts at their levels during Read to Self time.

This week, students will learn the ins-and-outs of reading with a partner (what we call Read to Others). At Read to Others time every day, students sit side-by-side and take turns reading from the same book or different books. They both look at the text while it’s being read, and take turns summarizing a page or section of text. Research supports this as a way to increase engagement, build fluency, and improve comprehension of what was read or heard!

Self regulation is at the heart of teaching children to care and building a learning community. To help them achieve it, students are being taught to monitor their emotions using a social thinking thermometer. Notice the key? We say “3 is the key,” meaning it’s time to ask for help or use a strategy. One such strategy with proven success is yoga for kids. We’ve been practicing poses that focus on breathing and bringing down the temperature on our thermometers! For more on the importance of breathing for self-regulation, here’s an article from Peter Montminy. And here’s a good tutorial on breathing for kids from Gaia via Youtube!

 

The math focus this week is all about numbers: how to understand them using their place value; how to recognize and identify them in standard, word, and expanded form; and how to add/count by 1s, 10s, and 100s by understanding the value of each digit. It is especially important that students develop an understanding of the hundreds, tens, and ones involved in these numbers. They will engage in various activities with base ten blocks, base ten pictures, and with written numbers. For practice at home, I recommend the online learning games (also available as an app) at ABCYa.com. Link to the Numbers category here, then select Base 10 Fun; Base 10 Bingo; and/or Base 10 Blocks (especially helpful for kids still learning to represent and count big numbers).

Another important skill with which students struggle at first is finding the missing addend or minuend/subtrahend (algebraic thinking). For example, they will be asked to solve problems such as ____ – 20 = 351, or 268 + ____ = 288. Even solving these up to 10 or 20 can be hard at first ( 9 + ____ = 15, etc.)  I recommend going to GregTangMath.com for practice. Select the Missing Numbers game, and work your way up through easy and hard addition and subtraction. As with all of his games, the short length of each round can be misleading: it’s meant to provide quick gratification and feedback while discouraging fatigue. However, when you play, shoot for a time-related goal (e.g. 10 minutes or more total). When kids are done they’ll have solved tens of computational problems, if not more!

 

We’re off and running! The first six weeks of school, we devote much of our time to building a classroom community of learners. Every routine, every expected behavior, and every interaction is modeled and practiced with the clearly-communicated message, “You can do it! I believe in you–and it’s OK to make mistakes.” Our work follows practices outlined in The Responsive Classroom and is shared school-wide. It’s one of the things that makes Floral such a special place, and its students so successful!

In addition, we are committed as a school to developing Social Thinking in children. This means teaching kids how to recognize and monitor their emotions and behavior, and how to interact with others. We begin by teaching Whole Body Listening. This means using our eyes, ears, hearts and minds to understand what others say and mean. We’ll pay special attention to “listening with your heart,” helping kids to understand what it looks like and sounds like when you care about yourself, your classmates, and the learning that goes on here. And as is often the case in our classroom, we’ll be using music to help us learn!

For more info on Social Thinking, visit this site and explore its links: https://www.socialthinking.com/what-is-social-thinking And this video, #1 Good Digital Citizens SOAR & Whole Body Listening (source: Teresa MSVU on Youtube) explains the concepts in a nutshell.

Supplies Just a few times during our year, I will be asking for your help with supplies to keep our classroom and kids healthy. To start us off, please send in 1 box of kleenex, 1 tub of antibacterial wipes, and 1 box of bandaids (plain, not antibacterial). This will help immensely!

And speaking of health, just a reminder that our classroom is allergy aware: this year, no nuts, whole eggs, or chickpeas/hummus may be brought into the room.

Screenings At the start of the school year, we try to find out where students are with regards to English Language Learning, Reading, and Math, so that we can meet each child where he or she is academically. We also use the information to determine eligibility for extra help such as through Title One or E.L.L. Your child may therefore tell you that heorshe played math games/read/wrote with another teacher during these first weeks. This is especially true of students new to our school or district. These adults are tutors and specialists in the building. If your child is eligible for additional help, we’ll let you know soon.

Reading We’re learning how to choose just right books from the classroom library using “I-PICK”: Purpose (why do I want to read something); Interest (do the pictures/topics interest me); Comprehend (do I understand what I’m reading); and Know (can I read almost all the words). Research points to the importance of beginning readers spending time in books that are at their specific levels, or just below, and not above. This week we’ll practice reading books on our own for longer and longer periods (the eventual goal is 20 minutes at a time), at what we call “Read to Self” time. I-PICK and Read to Self are methods taken from the Daily 5, a literacy management program we’ll be following to improve our reading, writing, and understanding. For more info, including sample videos, visit: http://www.TheDailyCafe.com/public/department38.cfm

Homework Homework will begin in a few weeks. Until then, here are some basics to go over with your child. Please help by setting aside practice time if your child is not yet independent knowing the following: address; phone number; birthday; how to tie hisorher shoes; how to zipper/button all of hisorher clothes; and very importantly, how to sneeze into hisorher elbow! There’s evidence that this last one goes a long way to stopping the spread of germs. Thanks for your help!

And if you’re looking for more academic work to do at home, I suggest the following (link to #1 can be found in the Student Resources section to the right of our blog–all links there are recommended for home use):

1) Greg Tang Math. In my opinion, this guy has absolutely nailed down what kids need to be doing with regard to number fluency. His site is an excellent resource for applying number concepts through the use of games that start easy and progress to well above this grade level.

2) Keep reading just-right books from the public library! They can help find books at every level.

3) Listen to stories/read stories together at Storyline Online. This awesome website features famous actors reading aloud award-winning picture books. Talk about engaging!

4) Research upcoming dates. I encourage families to teach kids how to safely take advantage of the vast amount of info on the internet by surfing, finding, printing out, and preparing to share with our class information found. Some suggestions: What does the first day of autumn mean (astronomically speaking)? The birthday of what local legend is coming on September 26, and what can you tell about that person? What is the next U.S. Holiday coming up, and why/how is it celebrated? Kids find out answers, then become experts who teach us–smart!