From the 1.19.24 CCS Newsletter:

K-4 REPORT CARD INFORMATION

K-4 Report Cards:

K-4 report cards will now be sent home by email using Jumprope, the same reporting tool that is used in grades 5-12. The standards that are being reported on remain the same as the standards in last year’s report card with minor language changes to provide consistency in formatting. We are excited about this shift in reporting as it allows us to have all of our classroom learning data in one place from kindergarten through graduation.

Purpose of the K-4 Report Card:

To communicate with students and families on student progress at this time of the year.

The purpose of this first semester report card is to show your child’s progress on the standards that have been instructed, practiced, and assessed so far this year. We communicate this learning on a 1-4 scale, with 3 being on grade-level for this time of year. A score of 4 means that the student shows initiative and independence on this standard for this time of year; a score of a 2 means the student is nearly meeting grade-level expectations for this time of year; and a score of 1 indicates that the student is working towards expectations with additional support. Please note that the Math Content standards will be scored on a 1-3 scale only, so 4s will not appear. Teacher comments are intended as brief summaries. More extensive narratives of your student’s progress are shared during conferences in the fall and spring. If you have any questions about what you see here, please reach out to the teachers. Thanks for a great first semester!

Reporting Periods:

Formal communication of student progress towards grade level standards happens four times per school year: twice during caregiver/teacher conferences (fall and spring), and twice through report cards (winter and summer). The final report in June typically captures progress for both semesters of the school year.

Fall Parent Conferences - Based on teacher schedule - prior to November break

Winter Report Cards - Emailed home on 1/29/24

Spring Parent Conferences - Based on teacher schedule - prior to April break

June Report Cards - Emailed home around the last week of school

Teacher Comments:

Teacher comments are intended to briefly share something of note regarding your child’s learning in a specific content area. Therefore, you may see teacher comments for some content areas, yet not all, and only when a teacher feels it is appropriate. Extensive anecdotal discussion of your child’s progress occurs during the two specific parent-teacher conference periods in the fall and spring.

Reminders:

• Our second grade classrooms are looking for tissue donations. If you are able to send in a box of tissues, preferably tissues that contain lotion to help our sore noses, we’d greatly appreciate it!

• Here is the Pease Mountain Volunteer Sign Up. Please join us if you are able to! (Remember, volunteers will need to complete the CVSD Procedure for Supervised Volunteers & Chaperones. This will include a background check and fingerprinting. Please refer to the CCS Family/Student Handbook 2023-2024 for more details on this procedure.) 

Math: We began a new math unit! The major focus of this unit is:

I can use measurement and conversion of measurements to solve problems.

-I can measure the length of an object using standard units. 

During our first group of lessons, students work with the core idea:  I can estimate and measure using inches, feet and yards. We’ve been having fun measuring our classrooms using a one foot ‘teacher feet’ (Ask your child which teacher’s foot we’re using!) and yards using ‘giant feet.’ After these adventures with giants and their feet we met a new friend, the inchworm! We created our very own inchworm rulers with an emphasis on precision. Students learned that 12 inchworms can fit onto an inchworm ruler, and that it takes 12 inches to make 1 foot. We practiced estimating and measuring items in our classroom that were shorter than a foot, longer than a foot and exactly one foot. 

If you would like to learn more about this unit, please click here to read the Unit 4 Family Overview Letter from the Bridges website.

Word Study: We have begun spelling with open syllables. An open syllable has one vowel, at the end of the syllable and the vowel sound is long. We have also started to spell with y as a vowel. Y makes the long i sound in a one open syllable word (ex: cry, my) and the long e sound in the final open syllable of a word (ex: baby, happy). We also learned that in multisyllabic words that end with the long e sound, usually y is the source. In addition, y does not like to be alone when making the long e sound, so it will borrow the consonant before it in its syllable. Sometimes this makes the previous syllable open, other times it remains closed. 

Writers’ Workshop: Our opinion writers are so persuasive! Second graders have worked hard to include a strong lead, a clear opinion statement, reasons for their opinion, and a strong ending that reminds their reader of their opinion. 

Readers’ Workshop: Second graders are learning strategies for nonfiction reading as we embark on our ‘Becoming Experts’ reading unit. This week, students focused on growing their knowledge as they pay attention to details, put parts of text together, and ask questions while reading nonfiction texts.

SEL/Theme: This week, our squad learned about predicting feelings. Specifically they focused on identifying others feelings, and their own. Following last week's lesson, we also learned how we can use compassion to comfort others when they are having big feelings. Lastly, second graders learned the difference between an accident and on purpose.

Science: Scientists are continuing their work exploring Pebbles, Sand & Silt. Last week, scientists explored the question, ‘Why is there sand at the beach?’ We learned about weathering, sediment, and erosion. Students had a blast turning paper boulders into sand! We are expanding our work with these concepts as we explore the question, ‘What happens to rocks when they rub together?’