2nd Grade…Here we come!

Mrs. Katie BarsnessSunset Hill Elementary School

Room 11

A Little About Me!

• Starting my 6th year of teaching: 2nd Grade at Sunset Hill• U of MN Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree• Live in St. Louis Park with my husband• Love to do house projects and go to the cabin in the summer!

What is on your child’s desk?

• Parent Volunteer form• Contact form • Parent Homework Sheet

Professional Learning Communities

A Wayzata initiative is for teachers to collaborate in teams to promote optimal student learning and success. As part of

this initiative your child will be fully aware of each lesson’s learning target in

Language Arts and Mathematics.

Classroom CommunityHave You Filled a Bucket Today?:• This book is our character education

model. The book shares that when you are kind you fill others’ buckets and your own. When you are unkind you dip others’ buckets as well as yours too.

Behavior Management:• We will be using a clip chart to recognize

desired behaviors as well as to help reduce negative behaviors. Students will start every day on “Ready to Learn” and will move their clip according to their behavior.

A Typical Day • Arrival and Morning Work• Morning Meeting and Community Builder• Shared Reading• The Daily 5/CAFÉ• Writing Workshop• Specialist (P.E., media, technology, art, music)• Recess and Lunch• Read Aloud • Math• Choice time and snack• Science, Health or Social Studies• Dismissal

The Daily 5

Every morning students will spend time reading to self, reading to someone, listening to reading,

working on writing, and working with words. During this time, students will work

independently, with partners, or in small groups to focus on various literacy strategies based on

their needs.

Read to Self

Research shows that the best way to become a better reader is to increase the time spent on reading! Each day students will spend time

reading from self-selected books they will store in their book bins.

Read to Someone

During read to someone, students will work with a partner and engage in meaningful reading

experiences that will promote fluency and time spent reading!

Listen to Reading

During listen to reading, students will work independently or in groups and engage in

meaningful reading experiences that will promote fluency and time spent reading!

Work on Writing

During work on writing, students will work independently or with a writing partner to create pieces of writing that reflect what is being taught

during Writing Workshop.

Word Work

During word work, students will work independently or with a word work partner to

manipulate, recreate, and learn about words in a hands on approach.

CAFÉ MenuCAFÉ is an acronym for

ComprehensionAccuracyFluencyExpand Vocabulary

We use this model to focus strategies of reading from decoding to in depth comprehension.

Scott Foresman Reading Street

Our reading curriculum offers a variety of texts and genres to students, as well as assists in building vocabulary and many valuable literacy and grammar

skills.

AR Tests

• AR (Accelerated Reader) is a computer-based reading program that helps monitor comprehension.

• After students read a book, they take a quiz to check their understanding of the book.

• Through AR tests, students can set goals and motivate themselves to become better readers.

• This program is an extension for those students that are at grade level.

Spelling

Spelling lists are focused on weekly spelling patterns as well as high

frequency words .Your child will bring home his/her spelling words on Monday

and spelling homework is due on Friday.

Writing Workshop

We will spend time working on shared writing activities as a class, small group

focused writing lessons, and independent writing. Our goal is to move students

along the writing continuum in terms of both content and format.

Math

• Everyday Math Curriculum, which spirals K-5.

• Students will work on building their math skills by using the BUILD Site. BUILD is an acronym for Buddy Games, Using Manipulatives, Independent Work, Learning Number Facts, and Daily Practice.

• Home Links

Math at HomeA couple favors we ask of you…

• Please do NOT teach your student addition or multiplication algorithms.– We will learn several different strategies

that will help your child better understand why numbers work the way they do.

• Please do NOT focus on timed tests until the end of the year.– As the year progresses, students become

more confident with their math facts.

Science and Health

We use Foss Kits for our science curriculum. Foss Kits focus on discovery and inquiry of the subjects. The hands-on kits we will study are:

• Balance and Motion• Solids and Liquids• Insects

We use The Great Body Shop for our health curriculum. Each month has a different focus that students will study, as well as a newsletter that is sent home.

Social StudiesIn Social Studies we focus on these strands:

• Past and Present• Local Communities• Communities Around the World• Citizenship

S.T.A.R. Binder(Students That Are Responsibility)

EVERYTHING your child needs each day will be in his or her S.T.A.R. binder.

Homework• This year your child will have homework consisting of:

– Spelling (Monday through Thursday)– 20 Minutes of Reading (daily)– Math (most days)– Writing (weekly)– Miscellaneous (occasionally)

• Spelling words will be sent home on Mondays. Students will have homework choices related to their spelling each night and will be tested on their words on Fridays.

• Weekend journals will go home on Thursdays and are due back on Monday. Students are to write about an experience that they have had over the weekend.

• Math Home Links will be coming home 3-4 times a week. They are to be completed and returned the following morning.

*** If homework is not completed, your child will have to communicate with you why it is not done. He/she will have to

do unfinished homework during recess or break time. ***

Reading HomeworkThe more time spent reading, the better reader

students will become!

•Students are expected to be reading at least 20 minutes every day (including weekend days!) for a total of 140 minutes each week.

– Most of the time students should be the readers, but being read to can also be counted towards time spent reading!

•To track time spent reading, a monthly reading log will be place in your student’s planner. The logs should be filled out nightly and turned in at the end of the month.

– I understand that life can get busy and occasionally reading might get missed. Please add missed reading time to other days within the week to make up for a missed day.

Reading Rewards

• Book It!– This is Pizza Hut’s incentive for students to

spend more time reading. A certificate for a personal pan pizza is rewarded to students that read 140 minutes per week. If your child does not meet this standard, they will not receive the certificate.

• Reading Party– February is “I Love to Read” month and there

will be an AWESOME party held after school by invite only.

– Invites are given to students who have met the weekly reading goals and turned in ALL of their monthly reading logs.

Lunch and Recess• Culinary Express uses a prepayment system

for lunch payment. Students must have funds in their accounts in order to purchase a lunch or ala-carte items.– Students with insufficient funds will be given a

peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a carton of milk daily until their account is brought back to a positive balance.

• Students have 20 minutes of recess after lunch every day.– Make sure to dress your child accordingly to the

weather.

Snack

• We have snack every afternoon. Please send a HEALTHY snack to keep your child focused for the afternoon.– Healthy Snack Examples: fruit, veggies,

crackers, string cheese, granola bars, etc.– Water is the only drink allowed in the

classroom. We have a drinking fountain in the room, but feel free to send a water bottle with your child.

Birthdays

As a second grade team we have decided to celebrate birthdays by reading your child’s favorite picture book and playing a classroom game in lieu of treats.

VolunteersWe LOVE and NEED volunteers in the classroom. This is a team effort! Please contact us if you want to help out in any way. I also encourage popping in if you find that you have some spare time to help.

Some ways you can help out are:• Be a hallway reader in the morning• Be a Mystery Reader• Be a room parent and help to coordinate class parties • Be a volunteer for one of our class parties• Be a Partners in Art volunteer• Be a math flash card helper• Help to chaperone a field trips: MN Zoo and Plymouth

Historical Society

Conference DatesDates:

•October 9th, 11th, 16th from 4:00-8:20pm

•February 21st , 26th, and February 28th from 4:00-8:20pm

Information Update

Have you registered for family access on skyward?

Star of the Week

As the Star of the Week, your child will be sharing information about him/herself for us to get to know him/her better.•Monday – Star of the Week poster•Tuesday – favorite picture book•Wednesday – special talent•Thursday – 2-3 pictures•Friday – Compli”mat” from classmates

Communication

Please don't hesitate to call if you have any questions or concerns.  Open communication is the key to a great educational experience for parents, teachers, and most

importantly KIDS. 

You can reach me by email at:Katharine.barsness@wayzata.k12.mn.us

I can be reached by phone at:763-745-5975

THANK YOU for taking the time to learn about what is happening in room 11! I’m looking forward to a great year! I

hope to see you at school!Katie Barsness