October News

Wow...the month of September has flown by!  We have a lot going on this month in 2nd grade.

Math
Our Unit 1 test will be next Thursday, October 6.  Students have been working on addition and subtraction fact fluency, identifying and explaining odd and even numbers, and discussing and showing strategies for many different types of story problems.  We begin Unit 2 on Monday, October 10.  In this unit, students will represent numbers in multiple ways using place value, compare larger numbers, work with counting mixed groups of coins, and begin learning strategies for adding double digit numbers.

What can you do at home?
To prepare for next week's assessment, please work with your child on reading and re-reading story problems carefully and showing work in an organized, detailed way.  This would be a great time to discuss the importance of checking over work carefully before turning it in!  If you are able to get on Blackboard at home, work with your child on any of the word problem games and activities in the Unit 1 folder.  Help your child select activities that are a good fit, as the activities range from basic addition and subtraction story problems to comparison and multi-step problems.  There are also practice games and videos for odd and even numbers and basic addition and subtraction strategies.  The Unit 2 folder will become available soon.

Reading
This week, we continued our unit on exploration by investigating the things we can learn by exploring in space.  During this time, students worked with identifying the main idea and details in an expository text called Exploring Space with an Astronaut.  Phonics skills covered so far have been short vowels, as well as words with long vowels and a silent e.  Next week, we will look at the things that can be discovered by exploring in nature as we read Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night.  Our next spelling list includes words that have consonant blends.

What can you do at home?
Continue to explore the Reading Street items that are available on Blackboard.  Allow your child time to do some exploring in the community as we continue our discussions of the importance of exploring and the things that can be learned!  Read stories to your child, and have your child read to you.  Find new and creative ways to help your child study spelling words and vocabulary words.

Writing
Students have really enjoyed learning about writing personal narratives!  They have been working on writing strong beginnings and endings, zooming in to magnify details, and using the writing process to improve what they are working on.  Next week we will work on self-evaluation in writing, as well as using interesting words, dialogue, and action to bring characters in a story to life.

What can you do at home?
Encourage your child to write stories for fun at home.  I've been updating our Narrative Writing folder on Blackboard (under ELA) with videos, tips, and visuals that tie in with what we are learning.  Mini lessons we've covered so far are also available on Blackboard, if your child has missed a day.

Science
For the past two weeks, students have been researching various landforms using a variety of sources here in the classroom.  Next week, they will work on some self-guided projects to deepen their understanding of these landforms.  The following week, we will begin our study of erosion.

What can you do at home?
Earlier this week, you received a copy of our first at-home connection project.  Please help your child complete his or her landform sculpture and poster.  We will be using these in 2 weeks to create digital presentations.  Let me know if you have questions.

Important Dates this Month

October 5 - Walk to School with Teachers

October 11 - Mrs. Williams out (touring preschools for next year...YIKES!)

October 13 - Landform Projects Due

October 14 - No School

October 18 - Mrs. Williams out in the afternoon

October 21 - No School

October 24-28 - Red Ribbon Week

October 26 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy Birthday to Alyssa, Parker, and Allison!

October 31 - Halloween class party