April showers bring May flowers!

As I am sitting here in my house listening to the thunder after a temperature of 89 degrees this afternoon, I am reminded that it is spring and the school year will be over before we know it. I hope that all of the 2nd graders were able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

In math, we continue to practice working with place value and adding and subtracting three-digit numbers. Students are doing a great job working with money amounts and story problems! Thanks again for your continued help with flashcard practice at home. Students are showing steady growth in speed and accuracy with basic facts. This week, we will continue to work with place value and problem solving strategies.

Most students are now working on rough drafts of their animal research projects...so far, they are looking fantastic! We are using some time during writing to review the traits of good writing and the structure of a good paragraph. During our reading and language block, students are working on plural spelling rules and using the dictionary. We have been talking about how to use guide words to locate words alphabetically. This is a hard skill, but the second graders are doing a great job!

We wrapped up our trip around the globe on Friday! Students were very engaged this unit and asked a lot of great questions and learned many things! I will try to have the geography tests graded this week sometime. We are now moving into our science unit on amphibians and reptiles! Students will be learning the difference between amphibians and reptiles, as well as specific traits of frogs, toads, alligators, crocodiles, turtles, snakes, lizards, and salamanders! This Friday, we are excited to have a visitor come to Langston Hughes from Prairie Park Nature Center to show various reptiles and amphibians to the class. Be sure to check out the relevant links under our science tab!

Field trip money and permission slips are due at the end of this week. Thanks to those of you who have already turned them in! It is time to start crossing your fingers for a beautiful spring day on April 29. Please mark the following dates in your calendars.

April 8 - Board game party...students may bring in games on this day!

April 11 - Spring class pictures

April 19 - 2nd Grade music program

April 21 - Family Fun, Food, and Fitness Event

April 29 - Kansas City Zoo field trip

April 30 - School carnival (remember to send in your donations for our coffee themed basket!)

May 13 - Field Day

May 24 - Last day of school