Writing
At BIFS, students use the 6+1 Traits of Writing program to teach writing. Usually, we will spend about 2 months focusing on a particular writing trait. In the elementary school, we have a variety of student and teacher resources to help students understand the 6+1 Traits and develop their writing skills.
From August to November, we will be focusing on the "Ideas" trait. Students will explore different ways to think of creative and imaginative ideas for their own stories.
From December to February, we will focus on "Organization." Students will learn how to write active beginning to their stories and organize their stories into clear beginnings, middles, and ends.
From March to June, we will focus on "Word Choice." Students will explore synonyms and antonyms, they will learn how to make their writing more interesting by using similes, they will practice adding more details to their stories by using descriptive words.
From August to November, we will be focusing on the "Ideas" trait. Students will explore different ways to think of creative and imaginative ideas for their own stories.
From December to February, we will focus on "Organization." Students will learn how to write active beginning to their stories and organize their stories into clear beginnings, middles, and ends.
From March to June, we will focus on "Word Choice." Students will explore synonyms and antonyms, they will learn how to make their writing more interesting by using similes, they will practice adding more details to their stories by using descriptive words.
Reading
7 Keys to Comprehension:
BIFS students are taught to read through the reading workshop model while using the 7 Keys to Comprehension. The 7 Keys include, visualizing, asking questions, making connections, making inferences, determining importance, synthesizing, and "fix-ups." While we introduce all the keys in every grade level, Grade 2 students are responsible for knowing and using visualization, asking questions, and making connections consistently. Below is a brief summary of each "Key."
In Term 1, we will be focusing on Making Connections and Asking Questions. Students will learn how to make Text to Self connections, Text to Text (book to book) connections, Text to World connections, and Text to Media (movies, online sources).
In Term 2 and 3, we will specifically focus on Visualization and Making Inferences. We will continue to review Making Connections and Asking Questions as well. 2R students will also be starting their book clubs!
Asking Questions
Asking why, how, what, who, where questions while reading..."I wonder..."
Making Connections
T-S (Text to Self connections) The reading reminds students about a past experience..."This reminds me of..."
T-T (Text to Text connections) Students are able to relate the reading to another book or even movie they have read.
T-W (Text to World connections) The students can relate the reading to a place, event, or time somewhere in the world
Visualization
Make mental images in our minds while reading
"Playing a movie in your head" - Ms. Waldman
Connect reading to sensory images such as taste, touch, sight, sound...
Making Inferences
Draw conclusions and make predictions
Put clues together to figure out things that are happening in the story that are not written down (e.i. a character's feelings)
Go beyond the words on the page
Determining Importance
Have a purpose for reading
Look at titles, headings, bold print, italics, high-lighting, pictures, captions, graphs, to find out what matters in the text
Synthesize
Think back about what you read
What does it mean to you?
How does it relate to what you know?
"Fix Ups!"
Strategies to use if meaning breaks down while you read...
BIFS students are taught to read through the reading workshop model while using the 7 Keys to Comprehension. The 7 Keys include, visualizing, asking questions, making connections, making inferences, determining importance, synthesizing, and "fix-ups." While we introduce all the keys in every grade level, Grade 2 students are responsible for knowing and using visualization, asking questions, and making connections consistently. Below is a brief summary of each "Key."
In Term 1, we will be focusing on Making Connections and Asking Questions. Students will learn how to make Text to Self connections, Text to Text (book to book) connections, Text to World connections, and Text to Media (movies, online sources).
In Term 2 and 3, we will specifically focus on Visualization and Making Inferences. We will continue to review Making Connections and Asking Questions as well. 2R students will also be starting their book clubs!
Asking Questions
Asking why, how, what, who, where questions while reading..."I wonder..."
Making Connections
T-S (Text to Self connections) The reading reminds students about a past experience..."This reminds me of..."
T-T (Text to Text connections) Students are able to relate the reading to another book or even movie they have read.
T-W (Text to World connections) The students can relate the reading to a place, event, or time somewhere in the world
Visualization
Make mental images in our minds while reading
"Playing a movie in your head" - Ms. Waldman
Connect reading to sensory images such as taste, touch, sight, sound...
Making Inferences
Draw conclusions and make predictions
Put clues together to figure out things that are happening in the story that are not written down (e.i. a character's feelings)
Go beyond the words on the page
Determining Importance
Have a purpose for reading
Look at titles, headings, bold print, italics, high-lighting, pictures, captions, graphs, to find out what matters in the text
Synthesize
Think back about what you read
What does it mean to you?
How does it relate to what you know?
"Fix Ups!"
Strategies to use if meaning breaks down while you read...
- re-read
- read ahead
- ask for help
- look at the pictures
- make predictions or inferences
- figure out unknown words
- take a break then try again
Unit of Inquiry
Unit of Inquiry 6 (Sharing the Planet) will begin on Wednesday, May 29th and last until mid-June. The information below includes the central idea of the unit, lines of inquiry, related concepts and learner profile focus.
"Sharing the Planet" Central Idea: When interacting with the environment, humans make choices that can have an impact on other living things.
Lines of Inquiry:
How actions affect the environment (causation)
Our responsibility to the environment (responsibility)
How my decisions affect the environment (reflection)
Learner Profile:
Principled
Caring
"Sharing the Planet" Central Idea: When interacting with the environment, humans make choices that can have an impact on other living things.
Lines of Inquiry:
How actions affect the environment (causation)
Our responsibility to the environment (responsibility)
How my decisions affect the environment (reflection)
Learner Profile:
Principled
Caring
Unit of Inquiry 5 (How We Organizes Ourselves) will begin on Monday,March 2nd and last until the end of April. The information below includes the central idea of the unit, lines of inquiry, related concepts and learner profile focus.
"How We Organizes Ourselves" Central Idea: The community provides work for various people to help meet basic human needs and wants.
Lines of Inquiry:
How jobs help shape our community (perspective)
How our local environment influences the jobs available (connection)
Identify ways in which our local community meets our needs and wants (connection)
Different jobs get different pay rates (perspective)
Learner Profile:
Knowledgeable
Thinker
"How We Organizes Ourselves" Central Idea: The community provides work for various people to help meet basic human needs and wants.
Lines of Inquiry:
How jobs help shape our community (perspective)
How our local environment influences the jobs available (connection)
Identify ways in which our local community meets our needs and wants (connection)
Different jobs get different pay rates (perspective)
Learner Profile:
Knowledgeable
Thinker
Unit of Inquiry 4 (How the World Works) will begin on Monday, January 12th and last until the end of February. The information below includes the central idea of the unit, lines of inquiry, related concepts and learner profile focus.
"How the World Works" Central Idea: Energy is found in various forms and is used to support human endeavors.
Lines of Inquiry:
Different forms of energy (form)
How energy is used (function)
How energy flows through Earth’s systems (connection)
Learner Profile:
Knowledgeable
Thinker
"How the World Works" Central Idea: Energy is found in various forms and is used to support human endeavors.
Lines of Inquiry:
Different forms of energy (form)
How energy is used (function)
How energy flows through Earth’s systems (connection)
Learner Profile:
Knowledgeable
Thinker
Unit of Inquiry 3 (How We Express Ourselves) will begin on Monday, November 10th and last until winter break. The information below includes the central idea of the unit, lines of inquiry, related concepts and learner profile focus.
"How We Express Ourselves" Central Idea: People recognize important personal and cultural events through celebrations and rituals.
Lines of Inquiry:
What, why and when we celebrate and undertake rituals (function)
Similarities and differences between rituals and celebrations across cultures (perspective and connection)
Learner Profile:
Communicators
Thinkers
Knowledgeable
"How We Express Ourselves" Central Idea: People recognize important personal and cultural events through celebrations and rituals.
Lines of Inquiry:
What, why and when we celebrate and undertake rituals (function)
Similarities and differences between rituals and celebrations across cultures (perspective and connection)
Learner Profile:
Communicators
Thinkers
Knowledgeable
Unit of Inquiry 2 (Where We Are in Place and Time) will begin on the week of September 30th and last until the end of October. The information below includes the central idea of the unit, lines of inquiry, related concepts and learner profile focus.
"Where We Are in Place and Time" Central Idea: The Earth’s physical geography has an impact on human interactions and settlements.
Lines of Inquiry:
Home design and construction is influenced by geography (form)
The design of people’s homes reflects their culture! and daily lives (causation)
How homes have changed over time (change)
Learner Profile:
Open-minded
Communicator
Risk taker
"Where We Are in Place and Time" Central Idea: The Earth’s physical geography has an impact on human interactions and settlements.
Lines of Inquiry:
Home design and construction is influenced by geography (form)
The design of people’s homes reflects their culture! and daily lives (causation)
How homes have changed over time (change)
Learner Profile:
Open-minded
Communicator
Risk taker
Unit of Inquiry 1 (Who We Are) will begin on August 14th and go until the end of September. The information below includes the central idea of the unit, lines of inquiry, related concepts and learner profile focus. There will also be a science strand focus on living things (the study of characteristics, systems and behaviors of humans) and forces and energy (the energy that sustains life processes).
"Who We Are" Central Idea: "The different structures of the human body function together to support life."
Lines of Inquiry:
Learner Profile:
"Who We Are" Central Idea: "The different structures of the human body function together to support life."
Lines of Inquiry:
- Understanding Body systems and how they work (function)
- How the body systems are interdependent (connection)
- The impact of lifestyle choices on the human body (responsibility)
Learner Profile:
- Knowledgeable
- Balanced
Math
Our goal in Grade 2 is to make Math lessons fun for the students through games and hands on experiences. We hope that the children will always be excited to begin a Math lesson! Math skills are taught as much as possible within our units of inquiry. Therefore, most Math activities in classroom are related to the unit which we are currently studying.
During August and September, students will be focusing on the following topics: place value (up to the thousands place), odd and even numbers, comparing numbers (greater than, less than, or equal), skip counting (by 10's, 5's, and 2's), rounding numbers (to the nearest tenth and hundredth place), estimation, addition of 2-3 digit numbers (with and without regrouping), and tally marks.
During October and November, students will be focusing on the following topics: rounding numbers (to the nearest tenth and hundredth place), estimation, addition of 2-3 digit numbers (with and without regrouping), and measurement (mostly integrated into our Where We are in Place and Time unit - Houses and Homes).
From December to February, students will focus on Addition and Subtraction strategies. They will discover how addition and subtraction relate to each other through fact families and begin to solve addition and subtraction word problems.
During August and September, students will be focusing on the following topics: place value (up to the thousands place), odd and even numbers, comparing numbers (greater than, less than, or equal), skip counting (by 10's, 5's, and 2's), rounding numbers (to the nearest tenth and hundredth place), estimation, addition of 2-3 digit numbers (with and without regrouping), and tally marks.
During October and November, students will be focusing on the following topics: rounding numbers (to the nearest tenth and hundredth place), estimation, addition of 2-3 digit numbers (with and without regrouping), and measurement (mostly integrated into our Where We are in Place and Time unit - Houses and Homes).
From December to February, students will focus on Addition and Subtraction strategies. They will discover how addition and subtraction relate to each other through fact families and begin to solve addition and subtraction word problems.
From March to June, students will begin learning about multiplication, then division; they will learn the 0's, 1's, 2's, 5's, 10's, and 11's times tables. Some students may choose to learn even more! Other concepts covered this term include telling time to the nearest 5-minute interval, fractions, and probability.
EXTRA INFORMATION:
Below is a list of computer programs or web based programs which we have been using or will use for learning engagements and assessments during the 2013-2014 school year.
- Weebly
- Keynote
- Pages
- Numbers
- Comic Life
- iMovie
- Word
- Power Point
- Google Sketch-up
- Padlet
- Popplet
- Today's Meet
- Various infographics
- Quick Time (for audio recording entries into digital portfolios)
- Photo Booth
- Wordle
- Worditout
- You Tube
- Google Drive
- Gmail
- Google Chrome
Below is a list of recommended iPad Apps for Grade 2 Students!! We will be using some of these apps throughout the school year for learning engagements with our students. Therefore, if you are interested in having your child download these apps on their personal iPad for extension work, challenges, and exploration, we would encourage it. Some of these apps are free and some are paid. However, the majority of the paid apps are only a few dollars.
- Spell Board
- Story Patch
- Mathletics
- Keynote
- Pages
- Numbers
- Comic Life
- Garage Band
- Puppet Pals HD
- iMovie
- Play Time
- iPhoto
- Word Atlas
- Tetris
- Monopoly
- Scrabble
- Doodle Fit
- Blendamaze
- 1-12 Facts
- Wikipanion
- iBrainstorm
- Sushi Math
- Screen Chomp
- Educrations
- Pic Collage
- Voice Record
- Mad Libs
- Google Drive
- Book Creator for iPad
- Notability
- Reel Director
- Popplet
- Lovely Chart
- Strip Designer
- Explain Everything
- Voice Thread
- Show Me
- Math Doodles
- Human Body by Tiny Bot
- Can You Escape
- Chain of Thought
- Jot Not Pro
- 1 Second Everyday
- You Tube
- Google Drive
- Gmail
- Google Chrome
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