June 2, 2022

Dear Incoming Second Grade Parents,

We want to take this opportunity to welcome you and your child to second grade.  We are looking forward to an exciting and challenging year ahead. 

As you begin to prepare your child for second grade in September, it is necessary that you not take a “summer vacation” from some critical skills.  It is essential that you continue to stress the importance of reading.  Have your child read independently, with you, to you or you read to him or her.  Talk about the story: Ask questions to see if your child can tell you about the story that they heard or read.  Join a summer book club at your local library.  Studies have shown that reading over the summer months can greatly enhance the overall skills of young students.  Don’t let your child lose the gains they have made this past school year.   Read, read and read!

Another area that your child should not take a vacation from is the review of addition and subtraction facts.  If you don’t already have a set, pick up a set of addition and subtraction flash cards.  You can get an inexpensive set at Wal-Mart, Barnes and Nobles, Target, and many other retail stores.  Please see attached note for additional information on Math Facts.  

We have also included a list of the Dolch Sight words.  Your child should know these words.  Please review this list with your child throughout the summer months.

SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS: In preparation for second grade, the children are required to read two books and complete assigned lessons in the SUMMER BRIDGE BOOK.
SUMMER BRIDGE 1st to 2nd Grade: The Summer Bridge book is broken into 3 sections.  The students will be required to complete the first and second section and return the book to school on the first day of school. 
 
READING ASSIGNMENT: 2 Required Books
Please make sure that they do read these books and bring the books to school with them in September, as they will be completing activities based upon them in the first week of school.   We have used these books the past several years so perhaps you can borrow them from a previous second grade family.

"I'm Trying to Love Spiders"  
By Bethany Barton
ISBN-13: 978-0670016938

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear
by Lindsay Mattick
ISBN-13: 978-0316324908

We would like to wish you a very safe and exciting summer full of many adventures and memories.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.  We look forward to meeting you in September.

                                                        Sincerely,                               
 
                                                 The Second Grade Teachers
 

                                                                                                              June 1, 2022
Dear Parents,
In order for the children to be successful at math, they must begin to memorize both addition and subtraction facts at home, beginning with addition.  Research supports that if a child is struggling with basic addition and subtraction facts, concepts are harder to grasp, as well as frustrating to the child.  
Our curriculum requires that all students demonstrate mastery of addition and subtraction facts within sums to twenty.  This memorization must be done through consistent and regular practice at home. We are asking you to begin to study addition facts with your child.  If you need flash cards you may find them available at many retailers. 
The attached contains suggested guidelines for studying math facts as well as websites that your child can practice mastering these facts.
With your support, we can work together to help your child achieve their full potential. Please feel free to contact us should you have any question pertaining to the above. Thank you for your support.                                     
                                                                       Warmly, 
                                                                  The Second Grade Teachers

Why memorize?
            Being able to recall basic facts quickly is an important math skill.  Not only will it make basic computation, (addition and subtraction) easier to solve, but it also aids in mental computation and estimation.

Practice, Practice, Practice!
            Various strategies for quick recall of facts are taught at each grade level.  Some students can easily memorize facts.  Other students need extra practice in order to recall basic fact answers.  The majority of students need a lot of practice to learn their facts.

How much practice?
            This is the million dollar question.  The easy answer would be to say “as much practice as your child needs” to learn the facts well enough for quick recall.  A more important consideration is the frequency of practice.  If a child only practices once a week, very little long term learning will take place.  On the other hand, practicing everyday can be too tedious.  Practicing 3 to 4 times per week for about 5 minutes each session will certainly make a difference in your child’s ability to recall facts quickly.

What kind of practice?
            Flashcards are a great resource.  Your child should not work with a whole set of flashcards at one time.  This is too overwhelming.  Pick five cards that your child knows and mix them with five facts that they don’t know.  Practice with these ten cards until they know all ten facts.  Then replace the first five cards with five new facts, and so on, until your child can recall the answers quickly.  Your child will end up with two groups of cards: “Facts I know” and “Facts I don’t know.”  Practicing like this for five minutes 3 to 4 times per week can really make a difference.  Also try posting a “fact of the day” on the refrigerator.  Each time your child passes by, he or she should give the answer. 
            Hand held math fact games or computer games/web sites are also great ways to practice math facts.  Listed below are various math sites that may be helpful in the math fact adventure.

http://www.mathfactcafe.com

http://mrnussbaum.com/speedmath/

http://www.mathplayground.com

http://www.aplusmath.com

http://www.aaamath.com/add.htm#topic6    **A FAVORITE!!

http://www.funbrain.com/
http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/math/mc_minutes.cfm?grade=2&sp=student
 

                                                                June 2, 2022
Dear Parents,

As we say goodbye to St. Dorothy School for the summer, September seems to be a lifetime away.  However, we know the infamous “Back-to-School” sales will begin in just a few short weeks.  In order for you to be prepared to take advantage of these sales, we are sending home a list of supplies that may be purchased anywhere. (See list below.) 

In addition, in September the students will need specific items from our Saint Dorothy Stationery Supplier.  A letter with the cost of these items will be given to your child during the first week of school.  These items include a LARGE pencil case, 5 specific copybooks, theme tablet, 2 durable folders and several clear page protectors.  Just a note about the LARGE pencil case: We request these because they will fit in the students’ desks.   It is not necessary to send in any other pencil cases/boxes.  Thanks for your cooperation.   ALSO, please pickup CLEAR CONTACT PAPER that will be used to cover your child’s workbooks.  These will be sent home the first week of school. 

 Again, the above mentioned school/grade specific items will be purchased through our Stationery supplier.  
SECOND GRADE NEEDED SUPPLY ITEMS
THESE SHOULD BE SENT IN THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
CLEARLY LABELED WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME

• A 1 inch binder (with clear outer cover to hold a “Cover Page”)
• One Medium Chair Pocket
• 1 Durable folder with three holes punched for binder. 
• Safety Scissors
• 24 count Box of Crayons (No larger please)
• 6 to 8 Sharpened pencils and erasers (No Pencil Sharpeners Please)
• 2 small glue sticks or 1 large  

• 1 Bottle of White Glue
• OPTIONAL: Washable Markers (Thick or thin)
• 1- 12 inch/centimeter ruler (Wooden if possible)
• YELLOW highlighter
• 2 RED pens or pencils (For checking work)
• 2 to 3 dry erase marker (LOW ODOR) Suggested colors: red, black, blue and green.       No neon colors please. 
• An OLD SOCK ~ This will be an eraser for the dry erase board and will hold their dry erase markers.
• Watercolor paints (8 ct or 16 ct)
• 1 Pack of Xerox paper ( white )
• EAR BUDS (not headphones)  in a baggie marked with your child’s name
• CLEAR CONTACT PAPER TO COVER WORKBOOKS AT HOME.

• 1 roll of paper towels
• 2 boxes of tissues
• 1 box of baby wipes
• 1 - 12ct pack of #2 pencils…sharpened please
• 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
• 1 container of Clorox or Lysol Wipes