WELCOME TO GRADE 2
Teacher: Mrs. Christie O’Connell
E-Mail: oconnell@saseverett.com
GOALS
It is my goal for your children to become lifelong learners and to enjoy coming to school each day. Spiritually this is a very important year for your child. Students will be making Penance and First Holy Communion therefore becoming part of the parish family. Working together we will make sure that your child is aware of the importance of becoming part of the church and are fully prepared to receive these important sacraments. Socially students will learn to treat each other with respect and be responsible for his/her actions; enabling them to grow into responsible citizens of the future. Academically I have based the goals for your children on the Massachusetts’s Curriculum Frameworks for second grade and Saint Anthony School’s religious curriculum. If you have any questions, concerns, or problems, please contact me so that the situation can be addressed immediately. I may be reached by e-mail or call the school and leave a message.
CURRICULUM
In second grade math students will learn how to regroup in both addition and subtraction. To help your child please work on their math facts regularly. Work will be done with common fractions, patterns, measurement and problem solving. Students will also learn money values and time telling on digital and analog clocks. Reading is an important part of the second grade curriculum. Students will be reinforcing and further developing skills learned in first grade by participating in before/during/after reading activities and small and whole group lessons.
In language arts students will learn more about parts of speech, punctuation and sentence writing. These skills will be used to write short paragraphs. In social studies students will study world and United States history, geography, economics, and government by learning more about Americans and where they come from. Second grade science will focus on numerous topics in earth, space, life, and physical science. Topics include weather, states of matter, and living things and their environments. Second grade students will also learn how to write in cursive. Please do not teach them at home as we follow a certain writing system. Spiritually, this is a very important year for second grade. For religion the students will prepare for First Penance and First Holy Communion. Please watch for any notices regarding these events and attend the scheduled meet.
TICKETS
I use a ticket system for disciplinary/reward purposes. Five tickets will be given to each student at the beginning of each week Students can receive extra tickets for good behavior, great class participation, excellent class work or homework, etc. Students can also lose tickets due to misbehavior, and incomplete homework or class work. Tickets are saved to use in our classroom “store” every Friday. Students will be allowed to purchase items from the “store” using the tickets they have saved. It is the students’ choice whether to use their tickets at store or not. It is recommended that students do not use all their tickets, and save some for the next week. It is also the students responsibility to keep track of his/her tickets. Lost tickets will not be replaced. If a student should lose all five tickets in one week due to misbehavior and or missed or incomplete work a note will go home to be signed by a parent and a negative conduct grade will be given for the week.
HOMEWORK
The children will usually have two subjects for homework and their reading chart. Please check their folder and Spelling notebook daily. Homework will also be posted on the class homepage each night. Please make sure that the assignment is completed neatly and is ready to be passed in when due. Failure to complete an assignment will result in loss of tickets and points taken off final grade. Three missing assignments in one term will result in an N in homework on the report card.
READING CHART
The children will have a Reading Chart to complete each month. Stickers will be given for each completed week as well as a reward for reading the whole month. Charts will be checked each Monday. The reading chart will count as a homework grade each week. Please have your child read every night and fill the chart out accordingly.
SNACK
Please send in only one snack. No drinks please. Healthy snacks are strongly suggested. Cupcakes or cookies may be sent in for birthdays.
CHURCH
Students will bring in a bulletin from the Mass they attended each week to show attendance. Students will receive a sticker and a ticket each Monday for Mass attendance Rewards will be given each marking period to students who attend Mass regularly. Even though this does not count as a homework assignment attendance at Mass will impact their Religion grade. It is very important that you take your child to Mass each week..
