Taylor Blair Weekly Assignment #2 Second Grade Language Arts Standards 1.

) Demonstrate comprehension of second-grade reading materials across the curriculum, including drawing simple conclusions, classifying ideas and things, identifying sequence, and retelling directions and information from informational and functional reading materials. Examples: functional materials--maps, simple tables, atlases, encyclopedias Relating events and ideas to specific life experiences Answering what if, why, and how questions Identifying characters 2.) Read with fluency passages containing complex sentences. Example: sentences with phrases and clauses Reading 90-100 words per minute Recognizing second-grade high-frequency words Examples: Dolch word lists, basal reader word lists Using punctuation to help phrase Making self-corrections Reading with expression Kindergarten Mathematics Standards 1.) Count to 100 by ones and by tens. [K-CC1] 2.) Count forward beginning from a given number within the known sequence (instead of having to begin at 1). [K-CC2] Do you think it sis important for teachers to know and teach according to the state and national standards? Why or why not? It is crucial that teachers know and teach according to the state and national standards. Student learning is the reason why children attend school. In order for students to learn the teacher must know what to teach the students. It is extremely overwhelming and nearly impossible for a teacher to decide what he or she must teach throughout the entire school year. The teachers should be more focused on how to teach certain material to the students rather than focusing on choosing curriculum. National and state standards provide teachers with goals and benchmarks to reach throughout the school year. Students in certain grade levels should be able to know a set amount of material by a specific time. Standards layout the expectation, so all the teacher has to concentrate on is how he or she is going to ensure that the students reach that goal. The standards provide a concrete check system for the teachers as well. When the students reach a standard, the teacher knows that he or she is instructing. When students do not reach a specific standard, the teachers recognizes that he or she must re-evaluate the teaching method and focus on other methods of instruction. Standards provide clear direction and purpose for the teachers. It is more efficient for a teacher to have a set standard to reach and be able to focus on the best strategy to reach that goal while catering to the students specific needs. Teaching according to state and national standards also ensures that children across the nation have the same opportunity and are being held to the same standards.