What a busy week we have had in 2nd grade! Can you believe that Wednesday marked the 100th day of school? Students studied the value of the number "100" in several different contexts. Tomorrow, we will celebrate Kansas Day! During the morning, first and second grade will participate in 6 different Kansas related activities. Our class will take some time in the afternoon to research Kansas state symbols. I have posted a link to a website with some great information about these symbols to the right! Enjoy!
In math this week, we have continued our study of 2-digit subtraction. Students will spend next week reviewing and practicing the different strategies that we have covered. The following week, 2nd grade will begin studying fractions! Now would be a great time to discuss halves, fourths, and thirds with your child. Lots of foods naturally come in fractions, and groups of people and time on a clock are also great ways to think about fractions. Be creative!
Students continue to write various types of poetry in our class. Next week, we will wrap up poetry with a study of the life and works of Shel Silverstein. Students will also write a final book to teach you all about couplets, list poems, shape poems, acrostics, cinquains, and free verse poetry. I have really enjoyed working with so many poetic second graders! After we have wrapped up our study of poetry, students will spend several weeks developing their writing skills in personal narratives and descriptive writing. We will also begin to get deeper into the writing process and the Six Trait writing model.
We will end our study of the weather next week with a bang! 2nd graders will learn about tornadoes, lightning, and hurricanes. The weather assessment will be on Monday, February 8. After that, we will spend a couple of weeks studying influential African Americans. During this time, our class will also read The Drinking Gourd and discuss and write about the historical significance of the Underground Railroad.
I will not be sending home a book order for the month of February, as I'm sure many of you will be attending the Scholastic Book Fair at our school in 2 weeks! Look for another book order in March.
I hope that your 2nd grader enjoys the long weekend! Thanks, as always, for all that you do!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
All kinds of WEATHER!
2010 in 2nd grade has gotten off to a fun and busy start! I hope that your 2nd graders have been telling you all about the implementaion of the Daily 5 language structure in our classroom. It has been going so well, and I think your children have really enjoyed the new freedom and choice that they have been experiencing during our language block! It has been so awesome to look around the classroom and see 22 students who are engaged in what they are doing and truly enjoying reading and writing! We will spend next week wrapping up the introduction of the Daily 5 and will be starting regular guided reading groups again on Monday, January 25. This had to be pushed back a few days due to the school that was missed last week due to weather...I know that we are ALL enjoying much more pleasurable temperatures this week!
In math, we have wrapped up our study of volume and the use of graduated cylinders, and will begin Unit 11 next week. In this unit, students will explore ways of subracting larger numbers.
Our current writing unit is on poetry, and I have really enjoyed reading so many creative and poetic pieces! So far, students have learned about and practiced couplets, shape poems, and list poems. Next week, we will jump into cinquains and acrostics. I am so glad to hear that several students have enjoyed exploring the new shape poem links to the right at home!
In science, students continue to explore the different components of weather...we have really been able to observe many kinds of weather over the past two weeks! We will spend approximately another week and a half studying types of clouds, precipitation, the water cycle, the use of the Beaufort Scale to rate the strength of the wind, and types of storms. At the conclusion of this science unit, students will begin a short study of Kansas history and symbols as we prepare for Kansas Day on January 29. If you would like to be a volunteer in our classroom the morning of January 29, we would love to have you! Please let me know if you are interested.
Today, 2nd graders learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact that he had on civil rights in America. Be sure to ask your 2nd grader about what he or she learned about this important man on his birthday!
I hope that you all have a wonderful long weekend!
In math, we have wrapped up our study of volume and the use of graduated cylinders, and will begin Unit 11 next week. In this unit, students will explore ways of subracting larger numbers.
Our current writing unit is on poetry, and I have really enjoyed reading so many creative and poetic pieces! So far, students have learned about and practiced couplets, shape poems, and list poems. Next week, we will jump into cinquains and acrostics. I am so glad to hear that several students have enjoyed exploring the new shape poem links to the right at home!
In science, students continue to explore the different components of weather...we have really been able to observe many kinds of weather over the past two weeks! We will spend approximately another week and a half studying types of clouds, precipitation, the water cycle, the use of the Beaufort Scale to rate the strength of the wind, and types of storms. At the conclusion of this science unit, students will begin a short study of Kansas history and symbols as we prepare for Kansas Day on January 29. If you would like to be a volunteer in our classroom the morning of January 29, we would love to have you! Please let me know if you are interested.
Today, 2nd graders learned about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the impact that he had on civil rights in America. Be sure to ask your 2nd grader about what he or she learned about this important man on his birthday!
I hope that you all have a wonderful long weekend!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Exciting changes for 2010!
I hope that you all had a wonderful winter break and stayed safe in all the snow and ice! I'm excited to get 2010 off to a great start in 2nd grade!
There are going to be some very exciting changes going on in the first and second grade pod starting January 4! As a building, Langston Hughes staff members have been studying the book "The Daily Five", by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. In the weeks to come, you will be hearing your 2nd graders talk about our use of the Daily Five framework in our classroom! The Daily Five is a way of structuring our reading block so that every student is independently engaged in meaningful literacy tasks. These research based tasks are ones that will have the biggest impact on student reading achievement, as well as help foster children who love to read. Students receive explicit instruction and then are given independent practice time to read independently while receiving focused instruction in regular guided reading groups. When the Daily Five is up and running smoothly, students will be engaged in the following five components:
1. Read to Self
2. Read to Someone
3. Listen to Someone Read
4. Writing Practice
5. Word Work
There are very specific behavior expectations that go with each Daily Five component. We will spend the next two weeks taking a break from regular guided reading groups in order to work intensely on building reading and writing stamina, learning behaviors for the Daily Five, and building our classroom community.
One thing that you will notice that will be a change for you is a decrease in the number of worksheets your child brings home. Instead, your child will be taught to select "Good Fit" books (books they are able to read and understand, as well as are interested in). They will spend most of their time actually reading and writing, which research supports as the most effective way to to improve reading and writing success.
The first and second grade team is excited to give your child the opportunity to be involved in a structure that will have such a positive effect on his or her education. Please let me know if you have any questions as we begin this new adventure at Langston Hughes!
There are going to be some very exciting changes going on in the first and second grade pod starting January 4! As a building, Langston Hughes staff members have been studying the book "The Daily Five", by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. In the weeks to come, you will be hearing your 2nd graders talk about our use of the Daily Five framework in our classroom! The Daily Five is a way of structuring our reading block so that every student is independently engaged in meaningful literacy tasks. These research based tasks are ones that will have the biggest impact on student reading achievement, as well as help foster children who love to read. Students receive explicit instruction and then are given independent practice time to read independently while receiving focused instruction in regular guided reading groups. When the Daily Five is up and running smoothly, students will be engaged in the following five components:
1. Read to Self
2. Read to Someone
3. Listen to Someone Read
4. Writing Practice
5. Word Work
There are very specific behavior expectations that go with each Daily Five component. We will spend the next two weeks taking a break from regular guided reading groups in order to work intensely on building reading and writing stamina, learning behaviors for the Daily Five, and building our classroom community.
One thing that you will notice that will be a change for you is a decrease in the number of worksheets your child brings home. Instead, your child will be taught to select "Good Fit" books (books they are able to read and understand, as well as are interested in). They will spend most of their time actually reading and writing, which research supports as the most effective way to to improve reading and writing success.
The first and second grade team is excited to give your child the opportunity to be involved in a structure that will have such a positive effect on his or her education. Please let me know if you have any questions as we begin this new adventure at Langston Hughes!
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