Autumn is here!

We are now a month into school and have settled into a great routine! It has been a busy few weeks in our class. Please read on for information about upcoming topics of study and important dates!

Guided reading groups are beginning this week! If you have questions about your child's reading level, please let me know. During our language block, we will be spending some time looking at how to write a complete sentence and how to identify subject and predicate. Students will be working on several sentence writing activities. This will lead into our first paragraph writing activity in just a few short weeks. We also continue to work on long vowel patterns and will begin working on consonant diagraphs (sh, wh, th, ch, and ng) this week.

Thank you for helping your child study for our weekly spelling test! Students are receiving new spelling words each Wednesday and being tested the following Wednesday. Please continue to help your child with one spelling homework assignment of his or her choice each week.

In math, we continue our unit on strategies for solving basic facts and story problems. Students are making progress on identifying the partners and total in a missing partner problem (such as 6 + __=17). I have really enjoyed seeing some of the strategies students are coming up with! The first week of leveled math groups was a success. Four days a week, students are working on leveled skills with a group of other 2nd graders working on the same skills. It has been fun mixing things up a little!

Practice on speed and accuracy with basic addition and subtraction facts would be beneficial for all 2nd graders. There are some math games in list of links to the right of this post, and I will be sending home flashcard practice logs soon. At that time, students will spend a few minutes one night a week working on speed with basic facts. Let me know if you would like more ideas.

You may have heard that we saw our first Monarch butterflies this week! Two butterflies emerged from their chrysalises, and we expect to see more in the coming days. The butterfly and moth assessment for this unit will be on Friday, September 23. I will send home a study guide mid-week. Next week we will begin our next health unit. During this unit, students will be learning about the different body systems and taking care of their bodies. This unit will last through the month of October.

Please make note of the following dates:

September 23 - Library checkout

September 28 - Birthday Breakfast

Thanks, as always, for all that you do!

A great start!

It is so hard to believe that we have already been in school for over 2 weeks! I have really enjoyed working with your 2nd graders. We have been quite busy! Here is some information about what we are studying at this time. Please check the bottom of this post for additional announcements and upcoming dates.

MATH: Students continue to work on strategies for addition and subtraction. Today, we looked at how to count on to find the answer in an unknown partner problem. I sent home a pack of practice cards for counting on today. We have a set in class that we will be using as well. We will be starting up our math leveled groups after Labor Day. Once we have those up and running, I will begin to send home flashcard practice about once a week.

LANGUAGE ARTS: In class, we continue to work on our study of fairy tales. We have been practicing various comprehension strategies with the stories that we have read. These include comparing and contrasting, sequencing, retelling, identifying important events, predicting, and forming opinions. Next week, we will be doing some goal mapping to get a little bit deeper into some familar (and also some new) fairy tales. During our writing time, students are working on learning and using the parts of a friendly letter. We have written letters to Mrs. Mickel as well as our author of the month, Kevin Henkes. Practice will continue next week as we write to fairy tale characters, former teachers, and friends. Reading groups are scheduled to begin on Thursday, September 15. Let me know if you have any questions about reading levels.

SPELLING: Students received their first spelling lists on Wednesday! They have been doing an excellent job of practicing their words in class in various ways. Our first spelling test will be next Wednesday. Please remember that all students are responsible for at least one spelling at-home practice a week (see my e-mail from Wednesday).

SCIENCE: Our Monarch caterpillars are becoming quite chubby! I expect that we will see a chrysalis or two next week. Students have really enjoyed observing our larvae and are very excited about their progress! This week, we studied life cycles. Next week, we will learn about insects and the parts of a caterpillar. From there, we will talk more specifically about Monarch butterflies and the differences between moths and butterflies.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

No school Monday or Tuesday! Enjoy the long weekend!

Thank you SO MUCH to all of you who purchased items from our class wish list! If you were unable to come to curriculum night and would like to donate something to our classroom, please contact me and I will let you know what remains on the list. If possible, please remember to send in a box of Ziploc bags (any size). We have already gone through a couple of boxes.

Grandparents' Day will be next Friday, September 9. A blue information sheet was sent home early last week. We hope to see many grandparents in our room at 2:45 for some book sharing, discussing, and snacks! If your child will be getting a ride home from his or her grandparents, PLEASE either return the blue form to me with that information of shoot me an e-mail letting me know.

Scholastic book orders will be due next Friday, September 9. Now is a great time to stock up!

Today is your child's first day with a calendar, star chart, and book log. Please remember to check folders every night and sign or initial on the correct date to let me know that you looked in your child's folder. Students will be rewarded for getting those signed every night and bringing them to school.

Please continue to talk with your child about the three "R"s of behavior at Langston Hughes...respect, readiness, and responsibility. Many students are having some difficulty with being responsible listeners and are wanting me to repeat directions multiple times. As the year goes on, consequences will become more frequent for failure to listen to and follow directions the first time they are given.

Thanks for all that you do to help our class. Each day is a fun adventure, and I am looking forward to a great year!