
2ND GRADE 2 N D G R A D E 2ND GRADE CONFERENCE GUIDE CONFERENCE GUIDE
January 17-19, 2026 | las vegas, NV | westgate

2ND GRADE 2 N D G R A D E 2ND GRADE CONFERENCE GUIDE CONFERENCE GUIDE
January 17-19, 2026 | las vegas, NV | westgate
N O T E F R O M O U R F O U N D E R S
Dear GYTO Vegas Attendees,
As we gear up for the highly anticipated 2026 GYTO Vegas Conference, we are thrilled to welcome each of you to this transformative event. The GYTO community is a powerhouse of passionate educators, and we are honored to come together with those ready to make bold moves that create real, actionable change in education.
This year, our theme is "Make Bold Moves." As educators, it’s time to go beyond dreaming and talking about change. It’s time to act. Bold moves require courage, vision, and a commitment to challenging the status quo to build better opportunities for our students and ourselves. This theme represents the actionable steps we take to innovate, advocate, and elevate our practices for the betterment of education as a whole.
Bold moves are not just individual efforts; they are the result of a collective will to progress Together, at the 2026 Vegas Conference, we’ll explore how to identify barriers, take purposeful action, and amplify the impact of our efforts. This is your chance to share your journey, learn from others, and forge the connections that will propel us all forward.
The conference will feature dynamic speakers who will inspire you to take action, interactive workshops designed to equip you with tangible tools, and game-changing insights that will push you to think differently. You can also expect unforgettable surprises that will leave you energized and ready to lead boldly.
Let’s commit to taking bold moves together and shaping the future of education one step, one decision, and one classroom at a time. This is your time to move, lead, and create meaningful impact.
We can’t wait to see you in Vegas, January 17-19, 2026, as we embrace this call to action and transform our passion into progress. Let’s take the steps that will define the future of education together.
With excitement and anticipation,
and Wade King
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SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY JANUARY 17 JANUARY 18 JANUARY 19
10:00am VIP Early Registration & Shopping for VIP Attendees
12:00pm Registration & GYTO Collective Merchandise Store Open
5:00pm Opening Kick Off Celebration Doors Open (optional)
6:00pm Opening Kick Off Celebration featuring Hope & Wade King and Steve Spangler (optional)
8:30am Workshop 1 1:00pm Workshop 3
10:10am Workshop 2 2:45pm Workshop 4
11:30am Lunch Break 5:00pm GYTO Sneaker Ball (optional)
8:30am Workshop 5 1:00pm Workshop 7
10:10am Workshop 6 2:30pm GYTO SEND OFF
11:30am Lunch Break
Optional activities are separately ticketed. Upgrade your experience by purchasing a VIP Experience Upgrade or Kick Off & Sneaker Ball Ticket!
* s c h e d u l e i s s u b j e c t t o c h a n g e @ G E T Y O U R T E A C H O N
Our Get Your Teach On Leadership and Content Development team has worked to create an engaging and transformational educator professional development experience that aligns directly to the needs of schools and teachers across the country by helping educators develop consistent best instructional practices and processes from start to finish to accelerate student learning
These evidence and research-based best practices, strategies, and techniques will directly impact overall educator effectiveness and student achievement, transforming instruction and student learning like never before.
PLANNING & PREPARATION TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS
DATA & PROGRESS MONITORING
STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY & ENGAGEMENT
Developing Consistent Best Instructional Practices and Processes from Start to Finish to Completely Transform Your School
PLANNING & PREPARATION
THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Intentional and meaningful planning, using specific grade level content standards and high-quality instructional materials that address the needs of all learners and support mastery of learning goals.
Creates and maintains a collaborative, safe, efficient, and effective learning environment that supports each student’s diverse needs and promotes recognition of student’s diverse personal experiences to build relationships of trust within the classroom.
BEST INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
STUDENT ACCOUNTABILITY & ENGAGEMENT
DATA & PROGRESS MONITORING
THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
BEST INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS
Implementation of evidence and research-based best instructional strategies and techniques to accelerate student learning, growth, and achievement through rigorous and consistent instruction, including opportunities for problem solving, critical and creative thinking, meaningful and purposeful discourse, and high-impact instructional delivery.
Builds engaging, intentional, and rigorous learning experiences through setting high expectations and consistency within instructional practices that requires all students to take ownership of and be held accountable for their individual learning.
Continually monitors and analyzes student learning and progress towards mastery of learning goals for all students using a variety of progress monitoring and assessment techniques to make immediate instructional decisions that support student growth and acceleration.
Develops strong foundational teaching practices and commitments that support best practices and professional growth through consistent reflection of professional practices to support student learning, development, and achievement at a high level.
Get Your Teach On sessions are intentionally selected for attendees to experience the full professional development experience. Each session is hands-on, interactive, collaborative, and allows time for teachers to take what they’ve learned and apply it to their specific grade level standards or content area
Sessions are structured to meet the needs of all learners in classrooms, modeling best practices for direct and immediate implementation in classrooms.
THE STAR STRATEGY: SMALL GROUPS THAT STAND OUT
Session Presented by: Amelia Capotosta
Session Pres Naomi O’Bri
DEAL THE RIGHT CARDS: TIER 1 INSTRUCTION THAT STACKS UP
Session Presented by: Naomi O’Brien & LaNesha Tabb
MATH IN MOTION: HIGH ENERGY ACTIVITIES FOR 2ND GRADE SUCCESS
Session Presented by: amy lemons
Session Presented by: Andre Deshotel, Certified Whole Brain Teaching© Trainer
Session Presented by: LaNesha Tabb
NUMBER SENSE NINJAS: BUILDING STRONG MATHEMATICAL FOUNDATIONS
Session Presented by: Bryce Sizemore
nergy of a dynamic team,Amelia will lead you and cheer you on in this engaging n designed to help you create literacy small groups that truly shine! Just like the and excellence, your literacy small groups can reach new heights by blending p ith practical, easy-to-implement strategies.
This session will guide you through the full process of building standout small groups, starting with informal data collection and assessment to pinpoint student needs. Grounded in research and evidence based practices, she’ll show you how to analyze student progress, identify gaps, and form dynamic, fluid groups. Leveraging strategies that are aligned to the Science of Reading, you’ll learn how to:
Organize with Confidence: Set up your small groups using efficient systems to manage rotations, schedules, and materials.
Instruct with Impact: Implement evidence-based activities that align with phonics, comprehension, and vocabulary instruction.
Adapt with Ease: Keep groups fluid, adjusting based on ongoing informal assessments and student growth.
By the end of this session, you’ll leave with a plan for small group literacy instruction that is as adaptable and effective as the cheerleaders’ iconic routines—helping all your students take center stage in their literacy journey.
Are you ready to craft small groups that stand out and make learning a star-studded success? Join us and make it happen!
RF.2.3: Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
RL.2.1: Ask and answer questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
RI 2 1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text
RI.2.4: Determine the meaning of words and phrases in a text relevant to a grade 2 topic or subject area.
Shanahan, T. (2023). Teaching practices for improving reading comprehension and literacy skills
ReadWorks. (2021). ReadWorks resources and research-based reading comprehension lessons
CORE. (2020). Teaching reading sourcebook: Core phonics survey. Consortium on Reading Excellence, Inc.
Florida Center for Reading Research. (2022). Evidence-based reading instruction resources and strategies
3, 2, 1, Blast off! This fast track to Whole Brain Teaching is jam-packed with easy-to-implement, effective strategies that increase active, visual student engagement instantly!
Got 99 classroom problems? Let’s solve some of the BIGGEST:
1.How do I get my students’ attention … all year long?
2.How do I cultivate a positive, supportive climate on day one, hour one?
3.How do I focus my students’ brains on their learning?
4.How do I involve my students in delivering brain-friendly lessons?
5.How do I get real-time assessment feedback from my students?
During this highly interactive session, fueled by brain-based research, you will learn Whole Brain Teaching while doing Whole Brain Teaching. By the time you descend back to earth’s surface, you will be ready to run into any classroom with a powerful and purposeful toolbox for activating student engagement, maximizing instructional time, and creating a fun learning environment for all students!
Biffle, C. (2023). Whole Brain Teaching: 2nd Edition.
Brown, Roediger, and McDaniel (2014). Make it Stick.
Jensen & McConchie (2020) Brain-based Learning: Teaching the Way Students Really Learn
McTighe & Willis (2019). Upgrade Your Teaching: Understanding by Design Meets Neuroscience.
Presented by: Bryce Sizemore
Unleashyourinnermathninjaanddiscoverstrategiesthatlaythefoundationforlifelong mathematicalsuccess!Buildingstrongnumbersenseisessential—it’sthebedrockupon whichallfuturemathskillsarebuilt.Inthisaction-packedsession,you’llmasterpowerful "ninjamoves"designedtohelpchildrendeeplyunderstandnumbers,notjustmemorize them.
Throughhands-onexplorationandpracticaldemonstrations,learnhowtoseamlessly integratenumbersenseroutinesintoyourdailyinstruction.Theseroutinesgofarbeyond rotecounting,teachingchildrentovisualizenumbers,graspquantityrelationships,and developmentalmathstrategieswithconfidence.Backedbyresearch,thesetechniques fostercriticalthinking,problem-solving,andaloveformaththatlastsalifetime. Joinustoempoweryourlearnerswitharock-solidmathematicalfoundationandleave equippedwithtoolsthatmakenumberscomealiveinexciting,meaningfulways!
Kindergarten:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.A.1:
Countto100byonesandbytens
CCSS MATH CONTENT K CC A 2:
Countforwardbeginningfromagivennumberwithintheknownsequence (insteadofhavingtobeginat1)
CCSS MATH CONTENT K CC B 4: Understandtherelationshipbetweennumbersandquantities;connect countingtocardinality
a.Whencountingobjects,saythenumbernamesinthestandardorder, pairingeachobjectwithoneandonlyonenumbernameandeachnumber namewithoneandonlyoneobject
b.Understandthatthelastnumbernamesaidtellsthenumberofobjects counted Thenumberofobjectsisthesameregardlessoftheirarrangementor theorderinwhichtheywerecounted
c Understandthateachsuccessivenumbernamereferstoaquantitythatis onelarger
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.CC.B.5:
Counttoanswer"howmany?"questionsaboutasmanyas20things arrangedinaline,arectangulararray,oracircle,orasmanyas10thingsin ascatteredconfiguration;givenanumberfrom1–20,countoutthatmany objects
CCSS MATH CONTENT K NBT A 1:
Composeanddecomposenumbersfrom11to19intotenonesandsome furtherones,e g ,byusingobjectsordrawings,andrecordeachcomposition ordecompositionbyadrawingorequation(e.g.,18=10+8);understand thatthesenumbersarecomposedoftenonesandone,two,three,four,five, six,seven,eight,ornineones
Clements,DouglasH.;Sarama,Julie(2021) LearningandTeachingEarlyMath:TheLearning TrajectoriesApproach
MacDonald,BethL.;Wilkins,JesseL.M.(2019) SubitizingActivityFormatsandTheirTheoretical Alignments:TheCaseofFingerPatternRecognition
Shumway,JessicaF.(2017)NumberSense Routines:BuildingNumericalLiteracyEveryDayin GradesK-3
Time is ticking, and the stakes couldn’t be higher 3rd grade is around the corner, and your students’ reading skills must be ready. But this mission is possible! Join Naomi for an action-packed session that will equip you with the tools and strategies needed to ensure no student leaves behind the foundational skills they need to thrive. You’ll dive deep into the science of reading research to: Plan and execute accelerated phonics lessons that drive results fast Harness the power of phonological awareness to build strong, confident readers. Learn to decode assessments and target interventions with laser precision.
Your Mission (Should You Choose to Accept It):
Prevent struggling readers from slipping through the cracks before 3rd grade. With urgency, proven strategies, and the right tools, Naomi will help you defy the odds and ensure your students are ready for success. Let’s get this mission accomplished because their future depends on it!
You’ll leave with a clear roadmap for turning struggling readers into thriving ones, even in limited time. Naomi will share practical, no-fluff strategies you can start using tomorrow to make measurable progress. It’s not too late to rewrite their story—and this is the mission that changes everything
2nd Grade:
CCCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.3
Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4
Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.2.4.b
Read grade-level text orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.
Hornsby, D. (2015). Why Phonics and Fluency Matter: The Science Behind the Early Development of Reading Skills. Journal of Educational Psychology
Ehri, L. C., Nunes, S. R., Stahl, S. A., & Willows, D. M. (2001). Systematic Phonics Instruction and Children’s Reading Achievement. Review of Educational Research
Eide, D. (2011). The Logic of English: A Comprehensive Guide to Teaching Reading, Writing, and Spelling
Shaywitz, S. E. (2003). Overcoming Dyslexia: A New and Complete Science-Based Program for Reading Problems at Any Level
Get ready to energize your math instruction with engaging, hands-on activities designed to get your students moving, thinking, and mastering key skills! In this interactive session, you’ll experience activities like Musical Math Mayhem and Poppin’ into Place Value that make learning fun and dynamic.
We'll explore strategies to enhance place value understanding, build fact fluency, and develop confidence in math concepts through movement and collaboration. Walk away with a toolkit of highenergy ideas that will keep your classroom buzzing with excitement and success!
2nd Grade:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.1
Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.3
Read and write numbers to 1000 using baseten numerals, number names, and expanded form.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.A.4
Compare two three-digit numbers based on meanings of the hundreds, tens, and ones.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.NBT.B.8
Mentally add 10 or 100 to a given number, and mentally subtract 10 or 100 from a given number.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.2.OA.B.2
Fluently add and subtract within 20 using mental strategies.
Hoboken Public School District (2023) Math Fact Fluency: Everything You Need To Know
Sandberg, Harriet Frances (2009). Get Moving! The Effects of Music and Movement on Student Attention
Spalding, Molly (2023). Four Ways Math Games Can Motivate Your Students
Reed, Kristen & Young, Jessica (2018) Math Games to Excite Young Minds
Are you ready to make writing the most popular part of your day? In this session, we’ll explore wicked good strategies that empower second-grade students to develop strong writing skills while seamlessly fitting into your daily teaching routine. Whether you're teaching science, social studies, or even math, you’ll learn how to implement effective writing structures that elevate student engagement and progress.
We'll cover:
Proven frameworks to simplify writing instruction
Strategies that boost confidence and independence in young writers
Ways to integrate writing into any subject area without losing time or focus
By the end of this session, you’ll have a toolkit of flexible, effective approaches to make writing instruction feel effortless and impactful—no magic wand required! Let’s defy the gravity of writing challenges and help your students soar!
2nd Grade:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.2.5
With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Use reflexive pronouns (e.g., myself, ourselves). Form and use frequently occurring irregular verbs (e.g., sat, hid, told).
Produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple and compound sentences
Graham, S., Bollinger, A., Booth Olson, C., D’Aoust, C., MacArthur, C., McCutchen, D., & Olinghouse, N. (2012). Teaching elementary school students to be effective writers.
Graham, S., & Hebert, M. (2011). Writing to read: A meta-analysis of the impact of writing and writing instruction on reading. Harvard Educational Review, 81(4), 710-744.
Sedita, J. (2019). The Writing Rope: The Strands That Are Woven into Skilled Writing Keys to Literacy.
Sedita, J. (2022). The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects. Brookes Publishing.
esented by: omi O’Brien & LaNesha Tabb
Tier 1 instruction has to be strong enough for all. In this Uno inspired session, discover how to play your best card first by aligning learning targets and tasks, build a winning hand with lessons that are clear, engaging, and differentiated, and reverse confusion with quick checks for understanding that guide your next move. You'll walk away with practical strategies to reach when kids don't get it and extend learning when they do. Because great teaching isn't about luck, it's about stacking the deck with strong Tier 1 instruction.
Fredricks,J.A.,Blumenfeld,P.C.,&Paris,A.H.(2004).SchoolEngagement:PotentialoftheConcept,State oftheEvidence.
Goodwin,B.(2011).EngagedStudentsAreMoreLikelytoSucceed.
Hattie,J.(2012).VisibleLearningforTeachers:MaximizingImpactonLearning.
Marzano,R.J.,&Pickering,D.J.(2011).TheHighlyEngagedClassroom.
Marzano,Robert(2017).TheNewArtandScienceofTeaching.
Rosenshine,B.(2012).PrinciplesofInstruction.
Wong,H.K.,&Wong,R.T.(2009).TheFirstDaysofSchool:HowtobeanEffectiveTeacher.
@READLIKEAROCKSTARTEACHING
Naomi O'Brien is an experienced educator and reading expert with over 11 years of teaching elementary school students and educators Specializing in evidence-based approaches, Naomi has a proven ability to help K-6 students make significant reading growth by breaking down complex research into engaging, effective, and easy-to-implement strategies. With endorsements in Gifted Education, Early Childhood Education, and ESOL, she empowers teachers to transform their instruction, ensuring students build the skills they need to become confident, successful readers. Naomi’s visual, systematic approach has made her a trusted leader in helping teachers achieve real, lasting results for their students.
Naomi is constantly exploring new, creative approaches to instruction that make learning feel dynamic and fun. She believes in taking a hands-on, systematic approach to teaching that addresses each student's unique needs. By integrating the latest research from the science of reading, Naomi has developed strategies that allow teachers to make rapid progress with their students while ensuring long-term retention and mastery. Her methods empower educators to confidently transform struggling readers into strong, skilled ones with measurable success.
Bryce Sizemore has worked in K-2 classrooms creating joyful students. He lives in Dallas, TX where he also attended Master of Education degree. He works with teachers across th r efficiency, create hands-on learning experiences, and keep ready-to-use ideas and strategies with teachers across the ngtexan.com.
@LANESHA TABB
LaNesha Tabb is a passionate educator, author, and literacy consultant with over 19 years of classroom experience. As the founder of Reimagine Writing, she is dedicated to transforming writing instruction for K-5 teachers by providing practical, research-based strategies that empower students to become confident and independent writers.
Known for her innovative approach to literacy, LaNesha emphasizes the connection between reading and writing, helping teachers create cohesive, engaging learning experiences across all subjects She is the co-author of several books, including works on social studies, equity, and literacy, and frequently collaborates with educators nationwide to inspire meaningful changes in instruction.
LaNesha’s mission is to help teachers fall in love with teaching writing while giving students the tools to succeed in school and beyond. Her work balances structured frameworks with creativity, fostering classrooms where both teachers and students can thrive
When she’s not helping educators reimagine their writing blocks, LaNesha enjoys creating resources, writing books, and spending time with her family in Indianapolis, Indiana.
@AMELIACAPOTOSTA
melia Capotosta is an Ohio educator, who brings a contagious amount of enthusiasm, positivity, and ativity to the education world. She is a forever optimist, and is passionate about many things including r family, students, books, and pairing education and engagement. With classroom experience from mentary to middle school, Amelia has first-hand knowledge of the effectiveness of research-based oom, and how to design and implement them. She has spent dedicated time creating research-based ooks to life in classrooms all over. Amelia knows that true comprehension takes place across all subject help educators and administrators take actionable steps towards cross-curricular teaching that is ul, rigorous, and effective.
She is certified in Orton Gillingham methodology and has worked to support thousands of educators, administrators, coaches, and specialists on the research and science backed methods to teach reading. As a national speaker, presenter, educator, collegiate instructor, and consultant, Amelia has had the opportunity to inspire and support thousands of educators, administrators, coaches, and specialists. She focuses her sessions on research, engagement, innovative, and ready-to-implement ideas; she is here for you!
@BRAINENGAGER
Andre Deshotel has been passionately serving education for over 15 years. His experience ranges from middle school teacher, district instructional coach, and elementary assistant administrator In his current role as administrator, he progressively supports students by applying a neuroscience lens on behavior, strengthens teacher capacity in classroom management and student engagement, and collaborates with families and community partners to enhance student achievement.
For the last ten years, Andre has been a certified Whole Brain Teaching trainer that has provided him w crafting and facilitating professional development across the nation. In addition, he provides schools and engaging, robust classroom management and behavior training, along with coaching/mentoring 0-3 y , turning both his applied research and on-the-ground experiences into meaningful and practical support. Andre is always ready to jump into the trenches to serve teachers and students any way he can!
Amy Lemons is passionate about providing students with both engaging and effective standards-based Math and ELA lessons. Throughout her 11+ years in education, she discovered that students need opportunities to see content presented in a variety of ways. She is passionate about creating resources that are hands-on, meaningful, and that captivate students’ interests. Amy's goal is to equip teachers with highly effective lessons and activities that allow them to walk into their classrooms feeling confident and excited about the day! You’ll also notice that she gets overly enthusiastic when she finds a beautiful picture book, completes a fun directed drawing, or creates a new math game.
let's get started! let's get started!
filled with ed workshops you in creating d engaging year long.
ach On is the e to network, es, and make r friendships. portutnity to her educators.
Get access to shop the best teacher tees, accessories, and exclusive books by our presenters. But hurrt because things will sell out fast!
Training specific for your position from some of today’s top educators and administrators who are experts at their craft with strategies that can be implemented the very next day!
Swag that will make you want to bring an extra suitcase! Not to mention all the free goodies from our sponsors!
Each attendee receives a professional development certificate for attending your sessions and workshops
Add our VIP Experience or Kick Off & Sneaker Ball ticket to join us for the opening kick off celebration and keynote on Saturday evening featuring Hope & Wade King and Steve Spangler, PLUS get access to our famous GYTO Sneaker Ball on Sunday night - all taking place in the historic Westgate International Theater!
• Full access to all workshops and professional development programming
• Free Swag & Digital Dowloads
• PD Certificate
• Shop the GYTO Collective Merchandise Shop
FOR
$39
Enhance your experience by joining our Opening Kick Off Keynote & GYTO Sneaker Ball in the historic Westgate International Theater - home of Elvis’ famous residency!
• Access to the Kick Off Celebration featuring Hope & Wade King and Steve Spangler
• Access to the GYTO Sneaker Ball
VIP EXPERIENCE: UPGRADE FOR JUST $99 Register now with just a deposit! Final payment won’t be due until December 2025! Invoice and check options are also available for schools and districts. Register now with just a deposit! Final payment won’t be due until December 2025! Invoice are available districts
Get the ultimate GYTO Conference Experience! Not only do you get access to our Opening Kick Off Keynote & Sneaker Ball, you also receive:
• Access to the Kick Off Celebration Keynote with a VIP RESERVED Seating Section
• Access to the GYTO Sneaker Ball with a VIP RESERVED Seating Section
• VIP EARLY Access to Shop the GYTO Collective Merchandise Shop
• VIP EARLY Registration & Dedicated Check-in Line
• FREE COFFEE every morning before your workshops
• Exclusive Presenter Meet & Greet Opportunity with Dessert
• Access to a VIP LOUNGE with exclusive photo moments