It was wonderful meeting with all of you last week and sharing what your child has been working on! Read on for curriculum updates, and make sure to mark your calendars with the important dates! As always, let me know if you have questions. Have a great week and a safe and wonderful fall break!
Math
We have wrapped up our study of strategies for adding 2-digit and 3-digt numbers, and are currently working on strategies for subtracting large numbers (with and without regrouping). During this unit, we will also review both single-step and two-step word problems.
What can we do at home?
Continue to work with your child on basic subtraction facts to build fluency. Encourage your child to explore the subtraction games on Blackboard under Unit 2. If you haven't already, check out Fruit Splat! Level 7 includes subtraction with regrouping.
Reading Street
This is the last week of our unit on exploration. This week, students are studying consonant digraphs (sh, ch, th, wh) and discussing the ways exploration can be used to find answers. Our genre this week is drama, and we are using the story "The Strongest One" to practice identifying facts and details in a passage. Our next 5-week unit is called "Working Together". In this unit, students will study both narrative and expository text to learn about influential partnerships in history, as well as reasons that it's important to work together.
What can we do at home?
Allow your child to access IStation at home. Go to the public library and check out a biography about an historical figure who worked with others to solve problems. Continue reading together each night.
Writing
We will continue our narrative writing unit until winter break begins. For the next few weeks, we will focus more on bringing characters in a narrative to life and using strong words to help readers picture a story.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to write for fun at home! Practice editing and revising to improve writing. Give your child time to explore the keyboarding games on Blackboard.
Science/Social Studies
We are wrapping up our study of landforms and erosion this week with a problem-solving activity on Mystery Science. We have also been fortunate to have a volunteer from the community, Tyler Lindquist, visit our class to teach about goods, services, and communities this week. After fall break, we will begin our next social studies unit. During this unit, 2nd graders will be comparing life long ago with life now. Our culminating activity will be our next global challenge...the 2017 Gingerbread STEM challenge! I will soon be sending out information about donations you can make to help with this project, so keep an eye out!
What can we do at home?
Ask your child what he or she has been learning from our Junior Achievement volunteer this week!
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
November 8-9 Parent Teacher Conferences
November 9-10 No School
November 22-24 Fall Break
November 29 Birthday Breakfast - Happy Birthday, Linkan!
December 18 Gingerbread STEM - Many volunteers will be needed! Contact me if you're
interested!
December 22-January 3 Winter Break
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Thursday, October 5, 2017
October News
Wow...where did the month of September go? We have a lot going on in 2nd grade this month. Please make note of upcoming curriculum, and be sure to mark the dates below on your calendar! I hope you all are having an excellent week!
Math
In our current math unit, students are working on strategies for adding 2 and 3-digit numbers. This includes problems with regrouping to make a new 10. We will practice addition for the next couple of weeks, then move into subtraction and story problems. Please note that I'm introducing several strategies in class. If you notice that one strategy works better for your student than others, please encourage him or her to use that strategy regularly!
What can we do at home?
Get on Blackboard for videos and games practicing multi-digit addition and subtraction. Continue to work on basic fact efficiency with your child. If you don't have addition and subtracting flashcards at home, invest in a set from Dollar Tree! Use these...or a regular set of playing cards...to create practice games with your child.
Reading
Thank you for supporting your child at home with spelling and vocabulary words! During our current Reading Street unit, students are working with a variety of texts...both narrative and expository...to answer the question "What Can We Learn By Exploring Different Places?" If you have questions about your child's specific reading level, please let me know. I will soon be assigning leveled readers on Blackboard so that you can see what books your child is working with in reading groups.
In addition to our regular curriculum, our class is participating in the Global Read Aloud Challenge! Over the next several weeks, we will be collaborating with a 2nd grade class in Canada to explore pieces of literature by the Australian author Mem Fox. This would be a great time to check out some Mem Fox books at the public library, or to watch some of her read-aloud videos online with your child.
What can we do at home?
Continue reading each night with your child. As you read together, stop to discuss new vocabulary. Make predictions while reading unfamiliar stories. Encourage your child to re-read familiar favorites to build fluency and expression. Explore the Reading Street folder on Blackboard with your child (he or she should be able to tell you which unit and story we are on each week).
Writing
We are taking a break from our narrative writing unit this week for our Genius Hour project. Thank you to all of you who reviewed your child's project choice at home and returned the project proposal slip to me! In class we are working on appropriate use of research tools, taking notes, and planning out how to share and teach information we are passionate about. I can't wait to see the final presentations next week!
What can we do at home?
Help your child explore the typing activities on Blackboard. Continue to help your child complete Kidblog homework each Tuesday.
Science
This week, we wrapped up our study of plants and pollination. I really enjoyed seeing the mini-presentations your children gave yesterday about specific pollinators! Next week, we will begin our study of landforms and erosion. Look for information about our first at-home connection project late next week.
What can we do at home?
Go on a hike and talk about specific landforms we can find in Lawrence. Go through family vacation photos and identify how the land looks different depending on where you are. Help your child complete the at-home connection project when you receive it.
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
October 13 - No School
October 20 - No School
October 25 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday Alina, Isaac, and Jermaine!
October 31 - Langston Hughes Halloween parade & party
November 3 - No School
November 8 & 9 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 9 & 10 - No School
Math
In our current math unit, students are working on strategies for adding 2 and 3-digit numbers. This includes problems with regrouping to make a new 10. We will practice addition for the next couple of weeks, then move into subtraction and story problems. Please note that I'm introducing several strategies in class. If you notice that one strategy works better for your student than others, please encourage him or her to use that strategy regularly!
What can we do at home?
Get on Blackboard for videos and games practicing multi-digit addition and subtraction. Continue to work on basic fact efficiency with your child. If you don't have addition and subtracting flashcards at home, invest in a set from Dollar Tree! Use these...or a regular set of playing cards...to create practice games with your child.
Reading
Thank you for supporting your child at home with spelling and vocabulary words! During our current Reading Street unit, students are working with a variety of texts...both narrative and expository...to answer the question "What Can We Learn By Exploring Different Places?" If you have questions about your child's specific reading level, please let me know. I will soon be assigning leveled readers on Blackboard so that you can see what books your child is working with in reading groups.
In addition to our regular curriculum, our class is participating in the Global Read Aloud Challenge! Over the next several weeks, we will be collaborating with a 2nd grade class in Canada to explore pieces of literature by the Australian author Mem Fox. This would be a great time to check out some Mem Fox books at the public library, or to watch some of her read-aloud videos online with your child.
What can we do at home?
Continue reading each night with your child. As you read together, stop to discuss new vocabulary. Make predictions while reading unfamiliar stories. Encourage your child to re-read familiar favorites to build fluency and expression. Explore the Reading Street folder on Blackboard with your child (he or she should be able to tell you which unit and story we are on each week).
Writing
We are taking a break from our narrative writing unit this week for our Genius Hour project. Thank you to all of you who reviewed your child's project choice at home and returned the project proposal slip to me! In class we are working on appropriate use of research tools, taking notes, and planning out how to share and teach information we are passionate about. I can't wait to see the final presentations next week!
What can we do at home?
Help your child explore the typing activities on Blackboard. Continue to help your child complete Kidblog homework each Tuesday.
Science
This week, we wrapped up our study of plants and pollination. I really enjoyed seeing the mini-presentations your children gave yesterday about specific pollinators! Next week, we will begin our study of landforms and erosion. Look for information about our first at-home connection project late next week.
What can we do at home?
Go on a hike and talk about specific landforms we can find in Lawrence. Go through family vacation photos and identify how the land looks different depending on where you are. Help your child complete the at-home connection project when you receive it.
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
October 13 - No School
October 20 - No School
October 25 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday Alina, Isaac, and Jermaine!
October 31 - Langston Hughes Halloween parade & party
November 3 - No School
November 8 & 9 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 9 & 10 - No School
Thursday, September 7, 2017
September News
I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! We have been very busy in 2nd grade. Here's what's going on this month!
Math
Students continue to work on efficiency and accuracy with addition and subtraction facts. They are also practicing solving story problems in a variety of ways. The week after next, we will begin a basic study of place value. Students will learn how to compare, write, and use number words to describe one and 2-digit numbers.
What can we do at home?
Let your student play addition and subtraction games on academics.com or abcya.com. When you talk about bigger numbers at home, have conversations about how numbers compare. Continue supporting your child with math homework on Wednesday nights.
Reading/Writing
We continue our study of Kevin Henkes. Students are reading a variety of Henkes books that focus on friendship. In addition to whole group comprehension activities, students are working through the writing process to create collections of Kevin Henkes inspired stories for publishing. We continue our discussions about the elements of strong narrative writing. At the conclusion of Aimsweb and MAP testing, we will begin guided reading groups. At this time, you'll begin to see spelling and vocabulary lists coming home.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to read with you regularly. Talk about characters you encounter in books. Support your child in writing complete sentences on blogging nights. Write a story together for fun.
Social Studies/Science
This week and next, students are studying US symbols and monuments. They are working in small groups to research an assigned symbol and create a presentation for the class. The week of September 18, we will begin our study of plants and pollination. During this unit students will examine the parts of plants and learn about different pollinators. We continue to study friendship and citizenship.
What can we do at home?
Share with your child about a time you visited an important US monument. Go for a nature walk and look for pollinators in action. Continue to talk with your 2nd graders about citizenship at home and at school. We are still having some trouble with being respectful listeners when others are talking. Help your child come up with a plan if he or she reports having difficulty with this.
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
September 4 - Labor Day - No School
September 8 - Grandparent's Day - Please return your guest form if you haven't already done so.
September 13 - Reading MAP testing
September 15 - Math MAP testing
September 22 - Prairie Park field trip - $5 cash is due on September 11. Let me know if you have questions!
September 27 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday to Jesse, Brandon, Addison, and Benjamin!
September 29 - Mrs. Williams out of town...please talk with your child about being a great host/hostess for a guest teacher!
Friday, August 11, 2017
Welcome to 2nd Grade!
I hope that you all had a wonderful summer and that your children are energized and ready for a great year! This blog will be the best place for you to find curriculum information and important dates throughout the school year. I will update it monthly, and will send out an e-mail letting you know when new information has been posted. Here's what's going on for the month of August!
Math
We will begin the year with a review of first grade skills and a focus on addition and subtraction facts, as well as word problems. Please note that we will spend a considerable amount of time this year practicing strategies for not only solving word problems, but explaining them thoroughly and using various strategies for organizing work.
What can we do at home?
Let your child teach you some of the addition and subtraction games they learn at school. Get a deck of cards and make up a game together. Use daily experience to create word problems together, and let your child teach you how to solve each problem. Allow your child time to play some of the addition and subtraction games on academics.com.
Reading
Before we dive into Reading Street, we will be spending a couple of weeks studying Kevin Henkes and sharing some of his books as a whole group. During this author study, students will practice many comprehension skills, make connections between stories, and write some of their own fictional pieces using Henkes' style as inspiration. When I have information about beginning of the year reading testing and an official start date for reading groups, I'll let you know!
What can we do at home?
Read with your child every day. As you read, pause to talk about events in stories. Check out some Kevin Henkes books together...they are so much fun!
Writing
Our first unit is on narrative writing, and will begin at the end of the month. In preparation for that, we will spend the first couple of weeks reviewing sentence structure, basic writing conventions, and writing stories for fun.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to write in a journal or to compose letters to friends and family. Go through writing pieces together and practice editing (really pay attention to capital letters in the correct places, appropriate use of punctuation, and correct spelling of basic words). Allow your child time to explore keyboarding games on ABCYA.com.
Social Studies/Science
We will spend a lot of time this month discussing good citizenship and building our class team. We will be doing several collaborative projects that allow students to practice working together, and will be doing research on real-world unlikely friendships. We have several STEM projects planned for the month, and will be introducing students to various types of technology they will use in 2nd grade.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to tell you about his or her friends at school. Talk about ways to work through differences with friends. Get on YouTube and do a search for unlikely animal friendships...you'll find lots of fun clips to talk about!
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
August 14 - Supply Drop - 6:30
August 16 - First Day of School
August 21 - Solar Eclipse
August 24 - Parent Information Night - 6:00
August 30 - Birthday Breakfast -Happy Birthday to Brayden and George!
Math
We will begin the year with a review of first grade skills and a focus on addition and subtraction facts, as well as word problems. Please note that we will spend a considerable amount of time this year practicing strategies for not only solving word problems, but explaining them thoroughly and using various strategies for organizing work.
What can we do at home?
Let your child teach you some of the addition and subtraction games they learn at school. Get a deck of cards and make up a game together. Use daily experience to create word problems together, and let your child teach you how to solve each problem. Allow your child time to play some of the addition and subtraction games on academics.com.
Reading
Before we dive into Reading Street, we will be spending a couple of weeks studying Kevin Henkes and sharing some of his books as a whole group. During this author study, students will practice many comprehension skills, make connections between stories, and write some of their own fictional pieces using Henkes' style as inspiration. When I have information about beginning of the year reading testing and an official start date for reading groups, I'll let you know!
What can we do at home?
Read with your child every day. As you read, pause to talk about events in stories. Check out some Kevin Henkes books together...they are so much fun!
Writing
Our first unit is on narrative writing, and will begin at the end of the month. In preparation for that, we will spend the first couple of weeks reviewing sentence structure, basic writing conventions, and writing stories for fun.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to write in a journal or to compose letters to friends and family. Go through writing pieces together and practice editing (really pay attention to capital letters in the correct places, appropriate use of punctuation, and correct spelling of basic words). Allow your child time to explore keyboarding games on ABCYA.com.
Social Studies/Science
We will spend a lot of time this month discussing good citizenship and building our class team. We will be doing several collaborative projects that allow students to practice working together, and will be doing research on real-world unlikely friendships. We have several STEM projects planned for the month, and will be introducing students to various types of technology they will use in 2nd grade.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to tell you about his or her friends at school. Talk about ways to work through differences with friends. Get on YouTube and do a search for unlikely animal friendships...you'll find lots of fun clips to talk about!
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
August 14 - Supply Drop - 6:30
August 16 - First Day of School
August 21 - Solar Eclipse
August 24 - Parent Information Night - 6:00
August 30 - Birthday Breakfast -Happy Birthday to Brayden and George!
Monday, March 27, 2017
Spring is here!
I hope that you and your families all had a wonderful spring break! Please read on for information about current and upcoming curriculum, and be sure to note the dates at the bottom of this post on your calendars.
Reading Street
In our current unit, students are exploring various questions about creativity. They are reading fiction and nonfiction pieces of text and using them to compare and contrast, summarize, sequence, predict, and distinguish fact from opinion. During our reading block, students are independently working with new vocabulary words, spelling patterns, and written responses to reading.
What can we do at home?
Continue to practice new spelling patterns at home with you child at least one night a week. Allow your child time to log in to his or her I Station account and work through some of the lessons. Read together each night. Get on Blackboard and explore each week's story together. Allow your child to pre-read or re-read leveled books from his or her reading group online.
Writing
We continue to work on friendly letter and opinion writing. In this unit, students are learning to write convincing letters to a variety of audience types about different pieces of literature. We are practicing supporting opinions with facts and evidence, as well as using strong words to convince readers to think a certain way.
What can we do at home?
Encourage friendly debates in your house! Model giving specific reasons when you give your opinion about something. Ask your child why he or she feels a certain way about a topic. Write friendly letters to family members and friends. Encourage neat handwriting and correct sentence structure. Support your child in completing blog homework each Tuesday.
Math
We will be wrapping up our study of multi-digit subtraction with regrouping next week. In our next unit, students will practice telling time and working with different types of graphs.
What can we do at home?
Review the process of subtracting multi-digit numbers with your child. Write and solve story problems together. As we begin our next unit, encourage your child to practice telling time on an analog clock. Look for examples of graphs together, and analyze the data shown. Allow your child to conduct a small survey and graph the results.
Science
We had so much fun wrapping up our study of bridges and engineering with a special project from the Dyson Foundation! Students learned what design engineers do and what traits they have, then used that information to create new and improved clipboards for our class. This week, we are beginning our study of pollination and plants. During our library media lesson this Friday, Mrs. Jenny Williams will be covering some of our science standards on weather observation. In class, students are working with a weather map. In class for the next several weeks, 2nd graders will be studying pollination and plants.
What can we do at home?
As the weather warms up, take a nature walk! Look for examples of pollinators (bees, butterflies, etc.) and discuss the different plants you see.
Other
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
March 29- Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday, Kyle!
March 31 - Field trip to the Lawrence Arts Center (no funds/no volunteers needed), Guest speaker
in the afternoon
April 3 - Mrs. Williams out of town
April 4- Langston Hughes Fitness Fair - 6:00
April 5- Walk to School with Teachers/Field Trip Money Due
April 6- Annual smoothie competition
April 7- Workout Clothes to School
April 14- Prairie Park Nature Center ($5 cash/no volunteers needed)
April 18- Music Program - 7:30
April 21- No School
April 24-27- Aimsweb/MAP testing for 2nd Grade
April 26 - Birthday Breakfast - Early May birthdays - Happy birthday, Ragan and Andrew S.!
April 29- Carnival
May 3- Birthday Breakfast - Late May birthdays - Happy birthday, Abby B. and Abbie V!
May 10- Birthday Breakfast - Summer birthdays - Happy birthday Avery, Andrew N, and Gabe!
May 12- Field Day
May 17- Body Venture Field Trip (9:30-12:30) (No funds needed/contact Mrs. Williams for
information about volunteering)
May 24- Last day of school...have an AWESOME summer!
Reading Street
In our current unit, students are exploring various questions about creativity. They are reading fiction and nonfiction pieces of text and using them to compare and contrast, summarize, sequence, predict, and distinguish fact from opinion. During our reading block, students are independently working with new vocabulary words, spelling patterns, and written responses to reading.
What can we do at home?
Continue to practice new spelling patterns at home with you child at least one night a week. Allow your child time to log in to his or her I Station account and work through some of the lessons. Read together each night. Get on Blackboard and explore each week's story together. Allow your child to pre-read or re-read leveled books from his or her reading group online.
Writing
We continue to work on friendly letter and opinion writing. In this unit, students are learning to write convincing letters to a variety of audience types about different pieces of literature. We are practicing supporting opinions with facts and evidence, as well as using strong words to convince readers to think a certain way.
What can we do at home?
Encourage friendly debates in your house! Model giving specific reasons when you give your opinion about something. Ask your child why he or she feels a certain way about a topic. Write friendly letters to family members and friends. Encourage neat handwriting and correct sentence structure. Support your child in completing blog homework each Tuesday.
Math
We will be wrapping up our study of multi-digit subtraction with regrouping next week. In our next unit, students will practice telling time and working with different types of graphs.
What can we do at home?
Review the process of subtracting multi-digit numbers with your child. Write and solve story problems together. As we begin our next unit, encourage your child to practice telling time on an analog clock. Look for examples of graphs together, and analyze the data shown. Allow your child to conduct a small survey and graph the results.
Science
We had so much fun wrapping up our study of bridges and engineering with a special project from the Dyson Foundation! Students learned what design engineers do and what traits they have, then used that information to create new and improved clipboards for our class. This week, we are beginning our study of pollination and plants. During our library media lesson this Friday, Mrs. Jenny Williams will be covering some of our science standards on weather observation. In class, students are working with a weather map. In class for the next several weeks, 2nd graders will be studying pollination and plants.
What can we do at home?
As the weather warms up, take a nature walk! Look for examples of pollinators (bees, butterflies, etc.) and discuss the different plants you see.
Other
Awesome Squiggles is a global art challenge project where PreK-12 grade classrooms create original art based on four squiggly lines and then share their artwork with new friends around the world. The best part? Art translates into all languages.
Students will create their own masterpiece, and we will share our #awesomesquiggles with our partner classroom. We will be collaborating with schools from another city (maybe even state!) by Skype...so fun! You can learn more at http://awesomesquiggles.weebly.com/
March 29- Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday, Kyle!
March 31 - Field trip to the Lawrence Arts Center (no funds/no volunteers needed), Guest speaker
in the afternoon
April 3 - Mrs. Williams out of town
April 4- Langston Hughes Fitness Fair - 6:00
April 5- Walk to School with Teachers/Field Trip Money Due
April 6- Annual smoothie competition
April 7- Workout Clothes to School
April 14- Prairie Park Nature Center ($5 cash/no volunteers needed)
April 18- Music Program - 7:30
April 21- No School
April 24-27- Aimsweb/MAP testing for 2nd Grade
April 26 - Birthday Breakfast - Early May birthdays - Happy birthday, Ragan and Andrew S.!
April 29- Carnival
May 3- Birthday Breakfast - Late May birthdays - Happy birthday, Abby B. and Abbie V!
May 10- Birthday Breakfast - Summer birthdays - Happy birthday Avery, Andrew N, and Gabe!
May 12- Field Day
May 17- Body Venture Field Trip (9:30-12:30) (No funds needed/contact Mrs. Williams for
information about volunteering)
May 24- Last day of school...have an AWESOME summer!
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
February News
Hello!
How quickly January flew by! 2017 has gotten off to a great and busy start here in 2nd grade. Read on for information about current and upcoming curriculum, and be sure to mark the important dates on your calendars.
Math
Students did a wonderful job on the Unit 3 math test on measurement and shapes! This week we jumped into Unit 4. In this unit, students will be working with money...specifically, counting mixed groups of coins with totals over $1 and that include quarters...and subtracting two and three digit numbers.
What can we do at home?
* Have your child get on Blackboard and explore the videos, games, and activities for Unit 4.
* Have your child help you count money when you are out. Encourage him or her to answer questions about making change when buying small items, figuring out how much more money is needed to purchase something, and exchanging coins for other coins to make the same amount.
Reading Street
In the next Reading Street unit, we will be exploring the question "What does it mean to be creative?" During this unit, students will use several stories to learn about author's purpose, drawing conclusions, comparing/contrasting, summarizing, predicting, and inferring. In spelling we will focus on long vowel patterns, compound words, and words with endings.
What can we do at home?
* Continue to work with your child on the weekly spelling and vocabulary lists that come home.
* Read with your child each night.
* Allow your child time to access IStation at home.
* Explore that optional at-home extensions on Blackboard for each Reading Street week.
Writer's Workshop
We have wrapped up our study of writing lab reports. At this time, students are using checklists to create informational booklets about topics that interest them. We will have our expository post-assessment at the end of next week. After conferences, we will begin our unit on opinion writing. In this unit, students will write friendly letters to a variety of audiences that explain their opinions about literature.
What can we do at home?
* Encourage your child to write a friendly letter to a friend or family member. Take time to edit and revise as needed. Focus on spelling and punctuation.
* Allow your child to access our student blogs from home and respond to the weekly questions. Work with your child on building strong keyboarding habits.
Science
For the remainder of the month, our class will be studying engineering and the designs of different types of bridges. Students are responsible for studying different bridges, creating an informative project about bridges, and designing a bridge in class that meets several guidelines and can carry as much weight as possible.
What can we do at home?
* Go for a drive around town and look at different bridges. Ask your child to identify what types of bridges are most common in Kansas.
* Remember to send in a large shoebox lid for your child's bridge building project! We will need these the last week of February.
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
February 7: Book Fair/Pancake Feed
February 14: Valentine's Day Party
February 17: No School
February 22: Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday, Sonomi!
February 22/23: Conferences
February 27-March 3: Junior Achievement
March 2: Read Across America Day
March 17- March 24: Spring Break
March 29: Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday, Kyle!
April 4: Fitness Fair - Contact me if you'd like to help out that evening!
How quickly January flew by! 2017 has gotten off to a great and busy start here in 2nd grade. Read on for information about current and upcoming curriculum, and be sure to mark the important dates on your calendars.
Math
Students did a wonderful job on the Unit 3 math test on measurement and shapes! This week we jumped into Unit 4. In this unit, students will be working with money...specifically, counting mixed groups of coins with totals over $1 and that include quarters...and subtracting two and three digit numbers.
What can we do at home?
* Have your child get on Blackboard and explore the videos, games, and activities for Unit 4.
* Have your child help you count money when you are out. Encourage him or her to answer questions about making change when buying small items, figuring out how much more money is needed to purchase something, and exchanging coins for other coins to make the same amount.
Reading Street
In the next Reading Street unit, we will be exploring the question "What does it mean to be creative?" During this unit, students will use several stories to learn about author's purpose, drawing conclusions, comparing/contrasting, summarizing, predicting, and inferring. In spelling we will focus on long vowel patterns, compound words, and words with endings.
What can we do at home?
* Continue to work with your child on the weekly spelling and vocabulary lists that come home.
* Read with your child each night.
* Allow your child time to access IStation at home.
* Explore that optional at-home extensions on Blackboard for each Reading Street week.
Writer's Workshop
We have wrapped up our study of writing lab reports. At this time, students are using checklists to create informational booklets about topics that interest them. We will have our expository post-assessment at the end of next week. After conferences, we will begin our unit on opinion writing. In this unit, students will write friendly letters to a variety of audiences that explain their opinions about literature.
What can we do at home?
* Encourage your child to write a friendly letter to a friend or family member. Take time to edit and revise as needed. Focus on spelling and punctuation.
* Allow your child to access our student blogs from home and respond to the weekly questions. Work with your child on building strong keyboarding habits.
Science
For the remainder of the month, our class will be studying engineering and the designs of different types of bridges. Students are responsible for studying different bridges, creating an informative project about bridges, and designing a bridge in class that meets several guidelines and can carry as much weight as possible.
What can we do at home?
* Go for a drive around town and look at different bridges. Ask your child to identify what types of bridges are most common in Kansas.
* Remember to send in a large shoebox lid for your child's bridge building project! We will need these the last week of February.
Upcoming Dates...Mark Your Calendars!
February 7: Book Fair/Pancake Feed
February 14: Valentine's Day Party
February 17: No School
February 22: Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday, Sonomi!
February 22/23: Conferences
February 27-March 3: Junior Achievement
March 2: Read Across America Day
March 17- March 24: Spring Break
March 29: Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday, Kyle!
April 4: Fitness Fair - Contact me if you'd like to help out that evening!
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
January News
Happy New Year!
2017 has gotten off to a busy, busy start here in our classroom! Please review the following curriculum information and be sure to mark the dates listed on your calendars.
Math
We are currently working on Unit 3 of Math Expressions. In this unit, student are exploring measurement and shapes. This week, we've been using centimeter rulers to measure and draw line segments, as well as to determine the perimeter of 2-dimensional shapes. Starting next week, students will study the properties of shapes (both 2D and 3D) and will practice drawing and constructing models of these shapes.
What can we do at home?
Take some time to explore the games and videos for Unit 3 in Blackboard. Have your child help measure things around the house. Look for shapes around you, and have your child classify the shapes. Continue working on basic math fact efficiency.
Reading
This week, we are reviewing comprehension strategies with a quick author study of Janell Cannon. During this study students are working with cause and effect relationships, author's purpose, main idea/detail, and comparing and contrasting. I'm also using this week to gather oral reading data. We will resume reading groups next week. In the upcoming weeks, Reading Street units will explore the question, "How Can We Work Together?"
What can we do at home?
Watch for a new spelling/vocabulary list to come home approximately each week. Post this in your house and have your child practice spelling the words. Rather than simply memorizing the words, work with your child to apply spelling patterns to other words. Get on our ELA Blackboard for access to your child's reading group books, practice activities, etc. Encourage your child to read good-fit books with you at home. Allow your child time to work on IStation at home.
Writing
We continue our study of expository unit. This unit focuses on teaching students to use the scientific process to write informational booklets. Next week, we will be constructing small catapults and using them to investigate the forces of motion.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to ask creative questions about how the world works and to investigate and write about those questions. Log in to Blackboard and allow your child to play keyboarding games. Make sure to log into out student blogs once a week and allow your child to answer the posted question
Science
This week, students have been presenting their invention at-home connection projects. You can view your child's presentation on Seesaw. For the next several weeks, we will be working on engineering. Students will study the different types of bridges, research a famous bridge, and do a STEM project that involves creating a model of a functional bridge.
What can we do at home?
We are in need of supplies! Many items have come in already...thank you so much! If you would still like to donate, we are collecting paper tubes, cardboard, lids, small plastic containers, string, craft sticks, etc. If you have something at home you are thinking of recycling and think it might be useful as we construct, we'd love to have it!
Upcoming Dates
January 16 - No School - Martin Luther King Junior Day
January 25 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday to Ayannah, Adilyn, and Toby!
January 30 - Mad Science visits 2nd grade
February 3 - Class Pictures
February 7 - Book Fair
February 17 - No School
February 22 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday to Sanjay and Sonomi!
February 22/23 - Conferences
2017 has gotten off to a busy, busy start here in our classroom! Please review the following curriculum information and be sure to mark the dates listed on your calendars.
Math
We are currently working on Unit 3 of Math Expressions. In this unit, student are exploring measurement and shapes. This week, we've been using centimeter rulers to measure and draw line segments, as well as to determine the perimeter of 2-dimensional shapes. Starting next week, students will study the properties of shapes (both 2D and 3D) and will practice drawing and constructing models of these shapes.
What can we do at home?
Take some time to explore the games and videos for Unit 3 in Blackboard. Have your child help measure things around the house. Look for shapes around you, and have your child classify the shapes. Continue working on basic math fact efficiency.
Reading
This week, we are reviewing comprehension strategies with a quick author study of Janell Cannon. During this study students are working with cause and effect relationships, author's purpose, main idea/detail, and comparing and contrasting. I'm also using this week to gather oral reading data. We will resume reading groups next week. In the upcoming weeks, Reading Street units will explore the question, "How Can We Work Together?"
What can we do at home?
Watch for a new spelling/vocabulary list to come home approximately each week. Post this in your house and have your child practice spelling the words. Rather than simply memorizing the words, work with your child to apply spelling patterns to other words. Get on our ELA Blackboard for access to your child's reading group books, practice activities, etc. Encourage your child to read good-fit books with you at home. Allow your child time to work on IStation at home.
Writing
We continue our study of expository unit. This unit focuses on teaching students to use the scientific process to write informational booklets. Next week, we will be constructing small catapults and using them to investigate the forces of motion.
What can we do at home?
Encourage your child to ask creative questions about how the world works and to investigate and write about those questions. Log in to Blackboard and allow your child to play keyboarding games. Make sure to log into out student blogs once a week and allow your child to answer the posted question
Science
This week, students have been presenting their invention at-home connection projects. You can view your child's presentation on Seesaw. For the next several weeks, we will be working on engineering. Students will study the different types of bridges, research a famous bridge, and do a STEM project that involves creating a model of a functional bridge.
What can we do at home?
We are in need of supplies! Many items have come in already...thank you so much! If you would still like to donate, we are collecting paper tubes, cardboard, lids, small plastic containers, string, craft sticks, etc. If you have something at home you are thinking of recycling and think it might be useful as we construct, we'd love to have it!
Upcoming Dates
January 16 - No School - Martin Luther King Junior Day
January 25 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday to Ayannah, Adilyn, and Toby!
January 30 - Mad Science visits 2nd grade
February 3 - Class Pictures
February 7 - Book Fair
February 17 - No School
February 22 - Birthday Breakfast - Happy birthday to Sanjay and Sonomi!
February 22/23 - Conferences
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