2nd grade organizers and strategies

2nd grade teachers are using a variety of strategies to help students learn, retain, and transfer knowledge to gain a deeper understanding. By creating graphic organizers to help students organize their thoughts, as well as show problem solving steps and processes, they have a place to anchor their thinking or turn to when understanding breaks down.

In this first example, Clark's class was focusing on non-fiction/informational, and they used the Venn Diagram to compare and contrast two or more versions of the same story or topic; RL9 and RI9.

To help students understand, they compared and contrasted across multiple topics and themes to help solidify students' understanding. In the student work below they worked with a partner to compare and contrast two individuals.

In Reick's classroom they displayed their problem solving strategies and organizers they use for math. Reick does similar problems multiple days in a row, but continually changes out the numbers students are using. This way the students are seeing the same problem and noticing the same vocabulary and functions they will be using, but get practice with multiple facts.
This strategy also allows Reick to incorporate multiple standards without having to create tons of anchors or new problems. 2.MD.5 and 2.OA.1

On the above anchor it is evident that this was co-constructed with students. The teacher was adding student thinking, circling important details, and going back to check the work. By creating the chart while you are modeling to students, and adding your thinking with students, they have not only a better understanding of the concept, but can also utilize this anchor more effectively when they are working independently and attempting a strategy on their own,.

Co-constructed anchor charts are the most effective anchor charts to assist students later on after the concept has been taught. 

Writing is an additional area that second grade creates and uses graphic organizers to help students with their stories. By giving students a structure to follow, they are able to keep track of their findings and thoughts, go back later to add more information, and are more likely to be successful with an end product.

1st grade Informational Text Threaded in all Workshops

A big rock for 1st grade in this trimester as well as the next, is non-fiction informational text. 1st grade has found a way to incorporate reading, language and writing workshops and standards to emphasize the student learning throughout all of their workshops.

The below hallway displays show how students were first learning about text features through whole group instruction and modeling, and how to use these to help them as a reader in reader's workshop. Then students transferred that learning to create their own books using the strategies they had learned not only with the text features like table of contents, but also incorporating their writing standards to show they could create an introductory statement with key details and a conclusion.

1st grade teachers are currently in a coaching cycle where they created a rubric and proficiency for 4 elements to call for in their writing. These goals from their cycle, as well as the standards are being addressed in this student work. Teachers purposefully provided meaningful and specific feedback to students on their writing, as well as have students self assess their own writing to say what they could do better next time. By having students reflect and set personal goals, they are creating more meaning through their work and will be more likely to improve on future writing assignments. 

KDG Addition and Subtraction within 10

KDG math curriculum is currently focusing on Understanding Addition and Subtraction problems within 10. Standard K.OA.2

Students have been working in class with manipulatives, pictures, graphic organizers, small group, whole group, you name it! By understanding that students learn in different ways, and need information modeled in a variety of ways to not only comprehend the information but transfer that knowledge between addition and subtraction with multiple mediums is a high impact approach.

Standards were posted to reflect what the students were working on and the result anticipated. Multiple classrooms had similar standards posted with a variety of activities. Teachers also interpreted the students' thinking and provided guiding questions and feedback to push student understanding and continue to show high expectations. Continuity between the classrooms, is a focus on our building SIP plan. This shows that students are receiving meaningful and purposeful instruction by following the curriculum and being held accountable for meeting the standards on a proficient level.