Welcome 2008-09 families to the Charter Classroom of Laurie Aguirre
I am thankful for parents that have carefully considered options for their children that are within the public school system. I look forward to serving your family in terms of providing the highest quality of education for your child in my classroom this year. As the charter application describes, your 2nd grader will be constructing knowledge and basic skills in conjunction with real-world meaningful learning in environmental topics, technology and civics.
I have been teaching for 25 years and have kept abreast of solid research-based practice and have been highly trained throughout my career. I have served as a Reading Specialist and Math Specialist for Southern Oregon school districts, have recently completed my masters in Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment. I am two classes away from an endorsement in Early Childhood Education K – 3. Teaching is my passion. I have had many other opportunities to do many other things, but nurturing young minds, our future leaders, remains the most fulfilling way to spend my time and energy.
This fall 2008 will be somewhat of a deviation for me. Although research resoundingly supports meaningful outcome project-based learning, and students have shown great success with this approach; I have chosen to back-up into a more traditional based style for the fall of 2008 in order to accommodate district curriculum changes. That means your child will be receiving instruction in a subject based style instead of a holistic manner. I will begin to branch off students showing intelligence, independence, and initiative into 2009 project-based instruction as readiness is shown.
September
Procedures/Rules –This takes strong introduction and repeated practice.
Roots & Shoots Pledge – Naturescape experiences
Writing exercises
Math manipulatives exploration – patterns
Number Corner skills – Counting, 20 – 1
Skip counting 10’s, 5’s, 2’s, 3’s
Time – analog by hour, minutes
Coin recognition/value –addition
Social Studies/Civics – Globe/Maps – Continents – Diversity
-------------------ASSESSMENT in READNG, WRITING & MATH SKILLS ---------
I will assess each child individually in order to determine current knowledge/skills and to formulate a plan for scaffolding learning to the next level. (Please note that individual assessment requires 20 – 30 minutes per student, so full-fledged content-subject learning will begin by the end of September.
OCTOBER
* Handwriting
* Word work/Rebecca Sitton Spelling - Highest Frequency Words in reading and
writing
* Writing Exercises – language manipulation – imagery – vocabulary – sentence
construction
* Guided Reading Groups & Literacy Centers
Meaning STRATEGIES
Blends/Digraphs & Word Families
* Celebrate
* Math – Algebraic relationships - growing patterns
Number Corner – coin values/ exchange
- continue analog time concepts – 5 minute intervals
- Basic Fact strategies – doubles & neighbors
Guided math problem solving – Q – F – P/S
* Social Studies/Civics – Continents/Oceans/ physical maps
* Science – Earth/Space – Solar System
- Environment - 8 R’s
2ND GRADE TRADES BEGIN:
Environment
Art
Science/Tech
* Health - Nutrition/Safety
* KINGORE OBSERVATION INVENTORY ACTIVITIES
for TAG referrals/thinking skills
* Art – Sketching/perspective
Vocabulary
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
“Me Bag”
NOVEMBER
* Handwriting
* Spelling
* Guided Writing – Narrative – Planning
Celebrate
* Guided Reading – Locating Information/Informational Text
* Math – Algebra – finding unknowns
- balanced equations
- < > =
Basic Fact addition strategies to 18
* Social Studies/Civics – Coming to America history/timelines
* Life Science – Birds – Audubon “Birds in Hand” class + Nestbox Building class
Concepts covered:
Adaptation
Habitat
Ecosystem
* “Me Bag” speeches
2nd Grade Trade –
Birds/Salmon Life Cycle
Geology/ Earth’s Layers
Salmon Art
DECEMBER
* Handwriting
* Spelling
* Guided Writing – Narrative –
Celebrate
* Guided Reading – Narrative – Character /Setting/Events Re-telling
* Math – Intro Geometry - shape attributes - symmetry
Basic Facts – subtraction strategies to 18
* Social Studies/Civics – Rights and Responsibilities
- World Culture – Caring for others
* Art – Shapes - Symmetry
