2nd Grade

Reading

• Foundational Language Skills: Work collaboratively with others by following agreed‐upon rules for discussion, including listening to others, speaking when recognized, and making appropriate contributions to classroom and partner discussions (TEKS 2.1A-E) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonological Awareness distinguish between long and short vowels; recognizing changes when a phoneme is added/changed/removed to a spoken word (TEKS 2.Aii, 2.Aiii) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics to decode words, especially multisyllabic words (TEKS 2.Bi-iii)
• Foundational Language Skills to determine meaning and use newly acquired vocabulary. (TEKS 3.A-D)
• Foundational Language Skills to read with appropriate fluency (TEKS 2.4A)
• Comprehension Skills: purposes for reading, connections, inferences, monitor comprehension (TEKS 2.6 A-I) 
• Response Skills: write brief comments on literary texts, use text evidence, retell, interact (TEKS 2.7B)

Writing

• Composition: Use the writing process to compose literary texts (TEKS 2.11A-E; 2.12A) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Spell words with grade‐appropriate orthographic patterns/rules and high‐frequency words (TEKS  2.2Ci-vi) 
• Composition: Edit for complete sentences with subject-verb agreement, nouns and verbs (TEKS 2.Di-iii)
• English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf
• Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child (Reading and Writing)

• Looking at the title and the cover, what can you predict?
• What do you think we will learn about in this book/article/text? 
• Based on what we just read, what do you think might happen next? 
• How do you think [the character] will solve the problem? 
• How do you think this is going to end? 
• What are you thinking about now? What in the story makes you think that? 
• Were you right?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Read with your child daily. Continue to read my favorite read alouds and series books.
• Have them read to you.
• Encourage your child to write their own books.
• Stretch out the sounds in multisyllabic words to encourage your child to apply what they know about phonics. 
• Ask for help with shopping lists.
• Have them write to friends and family members.

What should my child be working on in the 1st nine weeks of school?

• Solve addition and subtraction word problems. (TEKS 2.4C)
• Given a number sentence, make a word problem. (TEKS 2.4D)
• Add and subtract numbers within 20 quickly. (TEKS 2.4A)
• Solve an addition or subtraction number sentence where the unknown value is located anywhere in the problem. (TEKS 2.7C)
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers. (TEKS 2.4B)
• Represent whole numbers using words, numbers, and expanded form. (TEKS 2.2B)
• Use objects and pictures to represent the value of a number. (TEKS 2.2A)
• Determine whether a number is even or odd and explain why. (TEKS 2.7A)
• Compare and order numbers up to 1,200 using words or  >; <; or =. (TEKS 2.2D)
• Make a number that is greater than or less than another number. (TEKS 2.2C)
• Place a number on a number line. (TEKS 2.2E)
• Name the number for a specified point on a number line. (TEKS 2.2F)
• Make a number that is 10 or 100 more than or less than a given number. (TEKS 2.7B)
• TEKS https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-111 

Questions to ask your child (Math):

• What is the relationship between addition and subtraction?
• How does representing a problem (using objects/pictures/number sentences) help you to better understand the problem?
• What process did you use to solve the problem?
• Why can we represent a number in different ways without the value of the number changing?
• How would you represent ___ in standard form? Word form? Expanded form?
• How can (place value, concrete representations, or pictorial representations) help us compare and/or order numbers?
• What strategies can be used to determine if a number is even or odd?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Provide your child with problem situations where addition or subtraction could be used. Have your child explain which operation they would choose and their reasoning. Then have your child solve the problems using a strategy of their choice.
• Write the numbers 0-9 on index cards. Encourage your child to pick cards to create two-, three-, or four-digit (less than 1,200) numbers. 
• Have them write the numbers in expanded and word form.
• Have them compare and/or order the numbers; then use comparative language and/or symbols to describe their comparisons.
• Have them compose/decompose the numbers in more than one way (i.e 787 could be 7 hundreds, 8 tens, and 7 ones or 787 could be 500, 200, 50, 30, and 7) using pictures or concrete objects.
• Determine if quantities that occur in everyday situations are even or odd. Then have your child find 10 more or 10 less than the quantity.

Science

Organisms

• Identify and explain that plants and animals have basic needs that must be met in order to survive. (TEKS 2.9A)
• Identify and explain that plants require sunlight, air, water, nutrients (food), and space. (TEKS 2.9A)
• Identify and explain that animals require air, food, water, space, and sometimes shelter. (TEKS 2.9A)
• Identify and explain that plants and animals depend on each other in many ways. (TEKS 2.9C)
• Identify and explain how food chains show the flow of energy from one organism to another. (TEKS 2.9C)
• Identify the environmental factors that affect the growth and behavior of living things. (TEKS 2.9B)
• Identify and explain how dormancy in plants can be caused by decreased rainfall, temperature changes, or changes in daylight hours. (TEKS 2.9B)
• Identify and explain how migration and dormancy, or hibernation, in animals can be caused by changes in temperature, precipitation, or daylight hours. (TEKS 2.9B)
• TEKS http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html#112.13

Questions to ask your child (Science):

• What are the basic needs of animals? Plants?
• In what ways do plants and animals depend on each other?
• What is a food chain?
• How do environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, and changes in daylight hours affect the growth, migration, hibernation, and dormancy of living things?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Encourage your child to identify items around their home that meet their basic needs.
• Just before you have your next meal together, grab a sheet of paper, and help your child list all of the food items on the plate. Then, after the meal is finished, talk about which food items are producers (all fruits and vegetables) and which are consumers (any meat products). 
• Look at the skies together during spring and watch for geese or ducks flying overhead. Point out the V formations the birds make, and ask your child to predict why birds make this shape. Then explain that flying in a V formation reduces the wind resistance and keeps the geese from getting tired as quickly as they would otherwise. 

Social Studies 

Community & Citizenship

• Identify characteristics of good citizenship, including truthfulness, justice, equality, respect for oneself and others, and responsibility in daily life (TEKS 2.10A)
• Identify how selected customs, symbols, and celebrations reflect feelings for America (TEKS 2.11A, 2.11B, 2.11C, 2.11D)
• Discuss contributions of historical figures (TEKS 2.2A)
• TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies):

• What is the role of the (mayor, governor, president)?
• How is the (mayor, governor, president) selected?
• What are some government services in our community? (police, fire department, public library, public parks, schools)
• What character traits do good citizens have?
• How do citizens make good choices that influence our local community, the state, and the nation? (for example, learning about issues and candidates before voting)
• How do people celebrate the lives of individuals who exemplify good citizenship? (MLK Day, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day)?
• How do celebrations or festivals reflect a community’s culture?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Celebrate with your child when they display characteristics of good citizenship and name the trait they displayed.
• Celebrate Freedom Week is in September and Constitution Day is September 17. Share with your student what freedom means to you and discuss why the Constitution is such an important document for our country.

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

Overview:

If this is the first time your child attends a Texas school, the first nine weeks will be the time your child becomes accustomed to the new environment as they learn.

How does the school know that my child is an English Learner/Emergent Bilingual student?

When you register your child in school for the first time, you are asked to fill out a home language survey that asks two specific questions: (1) What language is spoken in the child’s home most of the time? and (2) What language does the child speak most of the time? If the survey indicates that your child speaks a language other than English and/or the home language is other than English, he/she will then be tested at the Multilingual Department’s Welcome Center. If the assessment indicates that your child is not yet proficient in English, the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) will make a program recommendation for your child.

How will my child learn English?

Dual Language programs are designed to make grade-level academic content accessible to English learners through the development of literacy and academic skills in the child’s primary language and English. English as a Second Language program (ESL) targets English language development, including listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, through academic content instruction that is linguistically and culturally responsive.

Questions to ask your child:

• What was one interesting thing you did at school today?
• Who did you sit with during lunchtime?
• Who did you talk to the most today?
• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

• Encourage your child to use a bilingual dictionary.
• Encourage your child to read daily in his /her home language and/or English. In the primary grades, read to/with your child.
•  Schedule time every day for your child to do homework.

Resources:

Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf

U.S. Department of Education - English Learner Tool Kit: https://ncela.ed.gov/files/family_toolkit/EL-Family-Tool-Kit-All.pdf

U.S. Department of Education - Especially for Parents: https://www2.ed.gov/parents/landing.jhtml?src=pn

Supporting English Learners in Texas:  https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families

Reading

• Foundational Language Skills: Work collaboratively with others by following agreed‐upon rules for discussion, including listening to others, speaking when recognized, and making appropriate contributions to classroom and partner discussions (TEKS 2.1A-E) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonological Awareness distinguish between long and short vowels; recognizing changes when a phoneme is added/changed/removed to a spoken word (TEKS 2.Aii, 2.Aiii) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics to decode words, especially multisyllabic words (TEKS 2.Bi-iii)
• Foundational Language Skills to determine meaning and use newly acquired vocabulary. (TEKS 3.A-D)
• Foundational Language Skills to read with appropriate fluency (TEKS 2.4A)
• Comprehension Skills: purposes for reading, connections, inferences, monitor comprehension  (TEKS 2.6 A-I) 
• Response Skills: write brief comments on literary texts, use text evidence, retell, interact (TEKS 2.7B-E) 

Writing 

• Composition: Use the writing process to compose literary and informational texts (TEKS 2.11A-E; 2.12A-B) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Spell words with grade‐appropriate orthographic patterns/rules and high‐frequency words (TEKS  2.2Ci-vi) 
• Composition: Edit for complete sentences with subject-verb agreement, nouns and verbs (TEKS 2.Di-iii)
• English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf
• Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child (Reading and Writing)

• Who is telling this story? How do you know?
• Are the narrator and the author the same person? How do you know?
• When did (event) happen? Where is that in the book? 
• Why did (event) happen? How do you know? 
• What does (character) think about (event)? How do you know? 
• What was the big problem or event in this story? How did they solve the problem?
• How did (character) solve the problem? 
• What do you think (character) will do differently next time?
• What do you notice about your writing over the past two weeks?
• What will you write next?
• Tell me more about that!
• What do you do well as a writer?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Try to find a time in the day that is quiet to allow for reading. Second grade students should read 20-30 minutes a night. 
• This is a great time to start encouraging students to read their favorite series. Series grow in difficulty as the reader grows, so start with the first book. 
• Check-in with your child to see how they are enjoying their reading. Talk about connections, wonderings, or other interests. 
• Ask often what your child is writing about and have them talk to you about their writing. This talk is oral rehearsal, a part of the writing process. 
• Celebrate your child’s writing. 
• Look for more opportunities for children to write. You can always say, ‘We should make a book about that!” 

Math

• Place Value to 1,200
• Represent whole numbers using words, numbers, and expanded form. (TEKS 2.2B)
• Use objects and pictures to represent the value of a number. (TEKS 2.2A)
• Determine whether a number is even or odd and explain why. (TEKS 2.7A)
• Compare and order numbers up to 1,200 using words or  >; <; or =. (TEKS 2.2D)
• Make a number that is greater than or less than another number. (TEKS 2.2C)
• Place a number on a number line. (TEKS 2.2E)
• Name the number for a specified point on a number line. (TEKS 2.2F)
• Make a number that is 10 or 100 more than or less than a given number. (TEKS 2.7B)
• Solve addition and subtraction word problems (TEKS 2.4C)
• Given a number sentence, make a word problem. (TEKS 2.4D)
• Add and subtract numbers within 20 quickly. (TEKS 2.4A)
• Solve an addition or subtraction number sentence where the unknown value is located anywhere in the problem. (TEKS 2.7 C)
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers. (TEKS 2.4B)
• TEKS  https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-11

Questions to ask your child (Math):

• Why can we represent a number in different ways without the value of the number changing?
• How would you represent ___ in standard form? Word form? Expanded form?
• How can (place value, concrete representations, or pictorial representations) help us compare and/or order numbers?
• What strategies can be used to determine if a number is even or odd?
• What is the relationship between addition and subtraction?
• How does representing a problem (using objects/pictures/number sentences) help you to better understand the problem?
• What process did you use to solve the problem?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Write the numbers 0-9 on index cards. Encourage your child to pick cards to create two-, three-, or four-digit (less than 1,200) numbers. 
• Have them write the numbers in expanded and word form.
• Have them compare and/or order the numbers; then use comparative language and/or symbols to describe their comparisons.
• Have them compose/decompose the numbers in more than one way (i.e 787 could be 7 hundreds, 8 tens, and 7 ones or 787 could be 500, 200, 50, 30, and 7) using pictures or concrete objects.
• Determine if quantities that occur in everyday situations are even or odd. Then have your child find 10 more or 10 less than the quantity.
• Provide your child with problem situations where addition or subtraction could be used. Have your child explain which operation they would choose and their reasoning. Then have your child solve the problems using a strategy of their choice.
• Use dice or 0-9 cards to create a number sentence. Have your child create a problem to match the number sentence and then solve the problem (numbers within the problem and answers should not exceed 1,000).

Science

• Identify and explain that plants and animals depend on each other in many ways. (TEKS 2.9C)
• Identify and explain how food chains show the flow of energy from one organism to another. (TEKS 2.9C)
• Investigate and record how insects, such as grasshoppers and butterflies, undergo distinct changes during their lives to complete their life cycles. (TEKS 2.10C)
• Explore and explain how most insects go through four stages, including egg, larva, pupa, and adult, whereas some insects go through three stages, including egg, nymph, and adult. (TEKS 2.10C)
• Explore and explain how an insect’s behavior and appearance can be very different depending on what stage it is at in its life cycle. For example, pupae are dormant, while larvae typically eat. (TEKS 2.10C)
• Observe, record, and compare the external characteristics that help meet an animal's basic needs, such as a fish's fins, a bird’s wings, or an elephant’s trunk. (TEKS 2.10A)
• Observe, record, and compare behaviors that help animals meet their basic needs, such as hunting, swimming, diving, or flying. (TEKS 2.10A)
• Observe, record, and compare both external and behavioral characteristics animals use to help meet their basic needs of air, water, and food. (TEKS 2.10A)
• Observe, record, and compare how different structures help plants meet their basic needs of water, nutrients, air, and sunlight. (TEKS 2.10B)
• Observe, record, and compare how roots secure a plant and absorb water and nutrients from the soil, stems of plants carry water to other parts of the plant, and leaves absorb and use sunlight for energy. (TEKS 2.10B)
• Observe, record, and compare how physical characteristics of plants can help them survive in different environments. (TEKS 2.10B)
• Describe how rocks differ in size by measuring or estimating size. (TEKS 2.7A)
• Use their sense of touch to observe, describe, and compare how rocks have different textures. (TEKS 2.7A)
• Use their sense of sight to observe, describe, and compare how rocks have different colors and visual characteristics. (TEKS 2.7A)
• Identify and compare the properties of natural sources of freshwater and saltwater (TEKS 2.7B)
• TEKS http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html#112.13

Questions to ask your child (Science):

• In what ways do plants and animals depend on each other?
• What is a food chain?
• Organisms & Environments
• What is the life cycle of an insect?
• What physical characteristics help animals meet their basic needs?
• What comparisons can we make among animals about the behaviors they use for meeting their basic needs?
• What basic needs must be met for plants to survive?
• How do the different parts of a plant help it meet its basic needs?
• What comparisons can we make about the physical characteristics of plants that help them survive in different environments?
• How can we use our senses to observe rocks?
• What physical properties can we use to describe and compare rocks?
• What are some natural sources of water?
• What is freshwater/saltwater and which natural sources contain it?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Just before you have your next meal together, grab a sheet of paper, and help your child list all of the food items on the plate. Then, after the meal is finished, talk about which food items are producers (all fruits and vegetables) and which are consumers (any meat products). 
• Research the life cycle of a ladybug and have your child create a life cycle poster. 
• With your child, observe how different animals look and act. Help your child sketch and/or write down their physical characteristics (types of body parts, color, etc.) and their behaviors (how they move, what they eat, etc.) Compare how different animals meet their needs.
• Take a nature walk and look for large and small plants. Discuss the parts of the plant, focusing on the roots, stem, and leaves.
• Earth
• Go on a nature walk with your child and ask them to find rocks that have different textures, colors, and sizes.
• Visit or conduct online research on a nearby body of water.

Social Studies 

• Identify some of the purposes of government, such as establishing order, providing security, and managing conflict (TEKS 2.8A, 2.8B)
• Identify the role of public officials and how they are selected (TEKS 2.9A, 2.9B, 2.9C)
• Identify characteristics of good citizenship and individuals who exemplify good citizenship, influenced the community, state and nation (TEKS 2.10A, 2.10B)
• Identify how selected customs, symbols, and celebrations reflect feelings for America (TEKS 2.11A, 2.11B, 2.11C, 2.11D)
• TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies):

• What is the role of the (mayor, governor, president)?
• How is the (mayor, governor, president) selected?
• What are some government services in our community? (police, fire department, public library, public parks, schools)
• How do people celebrate the lives of individuals who exemplify good citizenship? (MLK Day, Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day)?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Read together books on various community helpers.
• When driving around town, look for US Symbols and discuss them.
• Have a talk with your child about the reasons for the holidays and how they are celebrated as they come up throughout the year.

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

Overview:

Your child is becoming comfortable with Texas schools. The focus is now developing his/her English and supporting him/her to learn the core content.

How will my child learn English?

During this time, your child’s teacher is providing strategies in the classroom in order to help with Second Language Acquisition. Teachers report the strategies and linguistic accommodations they provide for the students in order to help the students be successful in acquiring the English language. 

Questions to ask your child?

• What did you learn in your_____ class?

• How did you ask for help?

• Who did you talk to the most in your classes?

• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

• Check out books including audiobooks in English or in their home language from public libraries.

• Encourage your child to read and/or listen to audiobooks daily.

• Be sure to attend parent-teacher conferences scheduled by your child’s school.

• Schedule time every day for your child to do homework.

Resources

Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf

The 50 Best ESL Resources for Kids:   http://www.studentguide.org/the-50-best-esl-resources-for-kids/

Colorín Colorado (bilingual website):  http://www.colorincolorado.org/

PBS Kids http://pbskids.org/

Unite for Literacy: https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/

Supporting English Learners in Texas: 

https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families

Reading

• Foundational Language Skills: Phonological Awareness distinguish between long and short vowels; recognizing changes when a phoneme is added/changed/removed to a spoken word (TEKS 2.Aii, 2.Aiii) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics to decode words, especially multisyllabic words (TEKS 2.Bi-iii)
• Foundational Language Skills to determine meaning and use newly acquired vocabulary. (TEKS 3.A-D)
• Foundational Language Skills to read with appropriate fluency (TEKS 2.4A)
• Comprehension Skills: purposes for reading, connections, inferences, monitor comprehension  (TEKS 2.6 A-I) 
• Response Skills: Recognize organizational patterns such as chronological order and cause and effect stated explicitly (TEKS  2.7)
• Multiple Genres: Arrange information to create new understanding (lessons learned by characters) (TEKS  2.8B, 2.9C) 
• Multiple Genres: Recognize the central idea and supporting evidence (TEKS 2.8A)
• Multiple Genres: Recognize characteristics of persuasive text (TEKS 2.8E)
• Multiple Genres: Demonstrate knowledge of well-known children’s literature and poems (TEKS 2.8A-B)

Writing 

• Composition: Use the writing process to compose literary and informational texts (TEKS 2.11A-E; 2.12A-B) 
• Foundational Language Skills: Spell words with grade‐appropriate orthographic patterns/rules and high‐frequency words (TEKS  2.2Ci-vi) 
• Composition: Edit for complete sentences with subject-verb agreement, nouns and verbs and with correct punctuation and spelling (TEKS 2.Di-iii, 2.Dx-xi)
• English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf
• Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child (Reading and Writing):

• How does (character) feel at this part of the story? How do you know? 
• What problem does (character) have in the story? How does he/she solve their problem?
• How is (character) different at the end of the story then at the beginning? 
• How does (character) react when __________? Why do they act this way?
• How does (character) change throughout the story?
• What does ___ (vocabulary word) mean? How do you know? (Nonfiction and Fiction)
• What is this book/story about? What do you think the author wanted you to learn from reading it (lesson learned when reading Fiction)?  (Nonfiction and Fiction)
• Name at least 2 text features used in this book. Explain how these text features supported your understanding of the text. (Nonfiction)
• What are some other topics you might write about?
• Who are writers you admire (like their work)?
• What do they do when they get stuck?
• How is this piece like others you've written?
• How is it different?
• What did you learn about writing by writing this piece?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Find books that are topics and series interesting to your students. 
• This is a great time to start encouraging students to read their favorite series. Series grow in difficulty as the reader grows, so start with the first book.
• Ask often what your child is writing about.  Find out about stories, articles, and essays they are writing.
• When you ask children about what they’re writing, that’s an opportunity for children to rehearse.  Say, ‘tell me that story, ‘ and “How will that essay go, what are your main points?” Being a rehearsal partner can be a significant role for parents.
• Celebrate your child’s writing!
• Look for more opportunities for children to write. You can always say, ‘We should make a book about that!” 

Math

• Sort polygons based on the number of side vertices. (TEKS 2.8C)
• When given the number of sides and vertices create a two-dimensional shape. (TEKS 2.8A)
• Use a larger shape to make smaller shapes. (TEKS 2.8E)
• Sort three-dimensional shapes based on their attributes. (TEKS 2.8B)
• Create a two dimensional or three-dimensional shape when given the number of edges, vertices, and faces. (TEKS 2.8D)
• Solve addition and subtraction word problems that may have more than one step. (TEKS 2.4C)
• Given a number sentence, make a word problem. (TEKS 2.4D)
• Add and subtract numbers within 20 quickly. (TEKS 2.4A)
• Solve an addition or subtraction number sentence where the unknown value is located anywhere in the problem. (TEKS 2.7 C)
• Add and subtract two-digit numbers. (TEKS 2.4B)
• Use the information on a graph to make a prediction or draw a conclusion. (TEKS 2.10D)
• Use objects and pictures to represent equal groups. (TEKS 2.6A)
• Use objects and pictures to represent the sharing of equal groups.  (TEKS 2.6B)
• Use square units to find the area of a rectangle. (TEKS 2.9F)
• TEKS https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-11

Questions to ask your child (Math):

• What are the attributes of this shape? (show them a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional shape)
• (Given a group of shapes) How could you sort these shapes? Why did you choose to sort them that way? Could they be sorted in a different way?
• Can you change the order of the addends when adding? Why?
• Can you change the order of the minuend and subtrahend when subtracting? Why?
• When might someone need to measure the area of something?
• What is the relationship between addition and multiplication? Multiplication & division? Subtraction & division?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Describe a shape using attributes and have your child guess the shape. Repeat this activity, but switch roles.
• Encourage your child to act out & draw out word problems prior to solving them. Let your child solve using whatever strategy is most comfortable to them. If you have a question about how a strategy works, ask your child’s teacher!
• Show your child equal groups of an object. Have your child count the number of groups and the number of objects in each group. Have your child write the corresponding addition and multiplication number sentences. Repeat activity with division by allowing your child to separate a group of items into equal groups and write the corresponding number sentences.
• Have your child find the area of real-life things such as a room with a tile floor.

Science

• Investigate and explain that natural resources such as rocks, soil, plants, water, and air occur through natural processes in, on, and above the Earth’s surface. (TEKS 2.7C)
• Investigate and explain that manmade resources come from the Earth but are modified in some way for our use. (TEKS 2.7C)
• Investigate and explain that manmade resources include materials such as glass, plastic, fabric, lumber, and paper. (TEKS 2.7C)
• Observe and describe how objects in the sky, such as the Sun and Moon, appear to change appearance at different times of the day. (TEKS 2.8C)
• Observe and record how the Moon appears to change its shape during the month. (TEKS 2.8C)
• Observe and record how the Sun appears to change position at different times of the day. (TEKS 2.8C)
• Use tools such as rain gauges, wind vanes, and thermometers to gather weather information. (TEKS 2.8A)
• Record weather data in charts, tables, and graphs. (TEKS 2.8A)
• Use weather and climate information to make decisions about clothing, activities, or transportation. (TEKS 2.8B)
•  
• Physical Properties of Matter
• Observe the physical properties of matter to classify or group it and describe how matter has physical properties such as temperature, texture, and flexibility. (TEKS 2.5A)
• Explain that matter can be classified by the state it is in by observing other physical properties, such as its temperature. (TEKS 2.5A)
• Observe and describe how heating or adding heat to materials can cause melting, evaporation, or changes in size, color, shape, or texture, and cooling (taking away heat) materials can cause freezing or changes in size, color, shape, or texture. (TEKS 2.5B)
• Predict and describe how materials change by heating and cooling. (TEKS 2.5B)
• http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html#112.13

Questions to ask your child (Science)

• What are natural resources? manmade resources?
• How can we distinguish between natural and manmade resources?
• What observations can we make of the changes in the Moon’s appearance and the change in the position of the Sun during the day?
• What tools can we use to gather weather information?
• How can we record weather data?
• What weather information do we use to decide about clothing, activities, and transportation for the day?
• What are some physical properties of matter?
• How can we use physical properties to classify objects?
• What physical properties of matter identify objects as being solid or liquid?
• How do materials change when they are heated? cooled?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Have your child go on a hunt around their home and identify and compare manmade materials and natural resources. Ask them to describe what natural resources contributed to the manmade resources.
• Have your child use resources in your home to create models of the sun, moon, and earth 
• Have your child observe and record the temperature and the weather on a calendar for 10 days. At the end of the 10 days, have them graph and describe their findings. 
• Have your child classify various objects in the home by physical properties such as temperature, texture, and flexibility.
• Heat and cool different objects in the home and describe how the object changed and what caused the change. 

Social Studies 

• Identify and use information on maps and globes, and create simple maps (TEKS 2.3A, 2.3B)
• Identify major landforms and bodies of water and locate Texas, the United States, and the continents and oceans of the world on a map (TEKS 2.4A, 2.4B)
• Identify ways in which people use the land and have to change the environment when they clear land, build roads and use the land for food (TEKS 2.5A, 2.5B)
• Talk about ways people can conserve and replenish resources (TEKS 2.5C).
• TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies):

• How do maps help us better understand our community/city/state? 
• How can we use maps to better understand our nation/world?
• How do people depend on the physical environment and its natural resources to meet basic needs? 
• Can you name the oceans of the world?
• What landforms do you know? Can you describe them?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Engage your child when planning a road trip.
• Look at different maps and find and discuss the locations of different places, landforms, oceans, and continents.
• Identify and discuss local landmarks or significant places when driving or walking around town.
• Discuss ways in which your family has modified the physical environment around your home such as planting a tree or adding a flowerbed.

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

How will I know when my child has learned academic English? 

Every year, your child will take an assessment called the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) to assess his/her English proficiency level in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. When your child meets the criteria for reclassification, he/she will not need to take the TELPAS any more.  However, the school will continue to monitor your child’s progress to make sure he/she is successful at school.

Questions to ask your child?

•  What book are you reading at school?

•  What did you do in your math class?

•  Did you ask for help when you didn’t understand?

• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

TELPAS Parent Tips (English): 

https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/TELPAS_Parent_Tips_English.APPROVED_FORWEB.pdf

TELPAS Parent Tips (Spanish): https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/TELPAS_Parent_Tips_Spanish.APPROVED_FORWEB.pdf

Resources:

Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf

Reading activities in English and Spanish: https://readconmigo.org/parents/activities

Colorín Colorado (bilingual website):  http://www.colorincolorado.org/

Unite for Literacy: https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/

Supporting English Learners in Texas: https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families

Reading 

• Foundational Language Skills: Phonics to decode words, especially multisyllabic words (TEKS 2.Bi-iii)
• Foundational Language Skills to determine meaning and use newly acquired vocabulary. (TEKS 3.A-D)
• Comprehension Skills: purposes for reading, connections, inferences, monitor comprehension  (TEKS 2.6 A-I) 
• Multiple Genres: Demonstrate knowledge of well-known children’s literature and poems (TEKS 2.8A-B)
• Response Skills: write brief comments on literary texts, use text evidence, retell, interact (TEKS 2.7B-E)

Writing 

• Foundational Language Skills: Spell words with grade‐appropriate orthographic patterns/rules and high‐frequency words (TEKS  2.2Ci-vi) 
• Composition: Edit for complete sentences with subject-verb agreement, nouns and verbs, and with correct punctuation and spelling (TEKS 2.Di-iii, 2.Dx-xi)
• Spell words with grade‐appropriate orthographic patterns/rules and high‐frequency words (TEKS 2.2) 
• English Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment__K-12_English_06-2019.pdf
• Spanish Language Arts TEKS: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/Vertical%20alignment_K-12_Spanish_06-2019.pdf

Questions to ask your child (Reading and Writing):

• How does (character) feel at this part of the story? How do you know? 
• What problem does (character) have in the story? How does he/she solve their problem?
• How is (character) different at the end of the story then at the beginning? 
• How does (character) react when __________? Why do they act this way?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Find books that are topics and series interesting to your students. 
• This is a great time to start encouraging students to read their favorite series. Series grow in difficulty as the reader grows, so start with the first book.
• Ask often what your child is writing about.  Find out about stories, articles, and essays they are writing.
• When you ask children about what they’re writing, that’s an opportunity for children to rehearse.  Say, ‘tell me that story, ‘ and “How will that essay go, what are your main points?” Being a rehearsal partner can be a significant role for parents.
• Celebrate your child’s writing!
• Set your child up with a journal or notebook to encourage daily writing. 
• Look for more opportunities for children to write. You can always say, ‘We should make a book about that!”

Math

• Explain that the fewer times you divide an object, the larger the fractional parts are. (TEKS 2.3B)
• Make halves, fourths, and eighths. (TEKS 2.3A)
• Count fractional parts greater than one whole. (TEKS 2.3C)
• Explain why something does not represent a half, fourth, or an eighth. (TEKS 2.3D)
• Determine the value of a collection of coins up to $1.00 (TEKS 2.5A)
• Use the dollar sign, cent symbol, and decimal point to name the value of a collection of coins (TEKS 2.5B)
• Explain the meaning of a bar or pictograph. (TEKS 2.10A)
• Represent data in a pictograph or a bar graph. (TEKS 2.10B)
• Use a pictograph or bar graph to write and solve an addition or subtraction word problem. (TEKS 2.10C)
• Estimate the length of objects. (TEKS 2.9E)
• Use objects that represent units of measure to find the length of an object. (TEKS 2.9A)
• Explain that the shorter the measurement unit is, the more I will use to measure; the longer the measurement unit is, the fewer I will use to measure. (TEKS 2.9B)
• Locate a number on a number line. (TEKS 2.9C)
• Use a ruler, yardstick, meter stick, or measuring tape to measure length. (TEKS 2.9D)
• Tell time on a clock. (TEKS 2.9G)
• Explain that if I save money each week, it will add up to a larger amount of money. (TEKS 2.11A)
• Explain the difference between spending money and saving money. (TEKS 2.11B)
• Explain the difference between depositing money and withdrawing money. (TEKS 2.11C)
• Give examples of borrowing and explain the difference between what you should and should not do when borrowing money. (TEKS 2.11D)
• Give examples of lending and explain the good things and bad things about lending to someone. (TEKS 2.11E)
• Tell the difference between a producer and a consumer. (TEKS 2.11F)
• Calculate the cost to produce a simple item. (TEKS 2.11F)
• TEKS https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-11

Questions to ask your child (Math):

• When might fractions be used in real life?
• (Given something split into fractional parts such as cut up apples) How many pieces are there? How did you know?
• How does skip counting help you to determine the value of a collection of coins?
• How did you determine the value of the collection of coins? Can you think of a different way to count the coins?
• How are pictographs and bar graphs the same? Different?
• How do the labels and titles help you to better understand the graph?
• What conclusions can you draw from the graph?
• What tools can be used to measure length? Describe how to use these tools.
• What distinguishes a.m. and p.m.?
• How would you use an analog clock to tell time?
• When might you need to borrow money? What are some good things and bad things about borrowing money?
• How would you decide when to spend money? When to save money?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Using objects around the house have your child count the fractional parts. For example, if you cut up two apples (and then eat a few pieces so there aren’t two wholes), have your child count the remaining parts.
• Allow your child to practice counting collections of coins.
• Collect a data set and have your child create a bar graph or pictograph using the data. Then ask your child to draw conclusions or explain what they learned about the data from the graph.
• Have your child choose the most reasonable unit of measurement, estimate an object’s length, and then measure furniture around your house.
• Ask your child the time. Have them practice with analog and digital clocks. Have them determine whether it is a.m. or p.m and why.
• Have your child practice saving, spending, and borrowing money of their own to reach a financial goal (for example: to buy their favorite snack).

Science

• Demonstrate that things can be done to materials to change their physical properties, such as cutting, folding, sanding, and melting (TEKS 2.5C)
• Combine materials that, when put together, can do things that they cannot do by themselves, such as building a tower or a bridge, and justify the selection of those materials based on their physical properties. (TEKS 2.5D)
• investigate the effects on objects of increasing or decreasing amounts of light, heat, and sound energy, such as how the color of an object appears different in dimmer light or how heat melts butter (TEKS 2.6A)
• Observe and describe how objects can move and change position over time. (TEKS 2.6C)
• Observe and describe how the motion of objects can be predicted, observed, traced, and described. (TEKS 2.6C)
• Observe and describe how patterns of motion can include sliding, rolling, or spinning. (TEKS 2.6C)
• Observe and identify how some objects will stick to magnets, especially objects made with iron. (TEKS 2.6B)
• Observe and identify how magnets are used in many ways such as holding small objects to a refrigerator or lifting objects as well as in common everyday objects like doorbells, phones, speakers, compasses, and devices with electric motors. (TEKS 2.6B)
• http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter112/ch112a.html#112.13

Questions to ask your child (Science):

• What effect does cutting or folding have on the physical properties of materials?
• What characteristics of materials make them suitable for different uses?
• How does the amount of light affect how objects appear?
• What changes occur to objects when they are heated?
• How do changes in the amount of sound energy affect objects?
• How can we predict, trace, and describe the motion of objects?
• How does the motion of an object compare when it is sliding, rolling, and spinning?
• What is the physical property that allows an object to be attracted to a magnet?
• How are magnets used in everyday life?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• Choose a household item to disassemble and reassemble with your child. Ask your child to identify the material each part is made of and to guess why that material was chosen. Let your child try to reassemble the item.
• Observe and describe the effects of changes in light, heat and sound energy on various household items (example: increasing and decreasing the volume on a television)
• Discuss with your child and challenge them to demonstrate rolling, spinning, and sliding. Then, select some objects in your home to have them illustrate how the properties of an object affect its motion. 
• Have your child use a magnet to classify objects in your home between magnetic and nonmagnetic. 

Social Studies 

• Learn how work provides an income and how we use the income to purchase goods and services (TEKS 2.6A, 2.6B)
• Explain the difference between goods and services and give examples (TEKS 2.6A)
• Learn how to differentiate between producing and consuming (TEKS 2.7A)
• Follow a product’s production from start to finish (TEKS 2.7C)
• Explain how science and technology have affected communication, transportation , and recreation, and how people meet their basic needs (TEKS 2.13A, 2.13B, 2.14)
• TEKS https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.ViewTAC?tac_view=5&ti=19&pt=2&ch=113&sch=A&rl=Y

Questions to ask your child (Social Studies):

• What is a good? What is a service?
• How are people both producers and consumers?
• How do our needs and wants impact our choices?
• How do people earn money?
• How do people decide whether to spend or save money?
• How is the way we live different from how people lived 50 years ago? 100 years ago?

How can I help my child learn at home?

• As you and your family make purchases over the next several weeks, discuss with your child if these things would be considered a good or service.
• Also, discuss whether or not these purchases fulfill a want or a need.
• Read together books about famous scientists or inventors. Discuss the traits and characteristics they had that helped make them successful such as perseverance and imagination.

English Learner/Emergent Bilingual Students

When your child has met the reclassification criteria, they will no longer receive English language development support (although they will continue to learn English with other students). Teachers will continue to monitor your child’s progress. Please continue to ask the teacher how your child is doing. If your child did not meet the reclassification criteria, he/she will continue to receive English language development support.

Questions to ask your child?

• What book are you reading at school?

• What did you do in your _____ class?

• Did you ask for help when you didn’t understand? Who helped you?

• What is your homework for today?

How may I support my child?

• Schedule an individual meeting with your child’s teacher to learn how you can continue to help your child succeed.

• Encourage your child to read and/or listen to audiobooks daily.

Resources:

Parent Guide: https://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/resources/parent-guide-el-english.pdf

Reading activities in English and Spanish: https://readconmigo.org/parents/activities

Colorín Colorado (bilingual website):  http://www.colorincolorado.org/

Unite for Literacy: https://www.uniteforliteracy.com/

Supporting English Learners in Texas:

https://www.txel.org/Parents-And-Families