Friday, September 27, 2013

Reading and Language Arts   

This week we will read aloud Alexander and the Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. This story is about one bad thing happening after another to a boy named Alexander.

Comprehension Focus
-Students make text-to-self connections
-Students informally identify important ideas in a story
-Students read independently

Social Development Focus
-Students relate the value of caring to their behavior
-Students develop the group skill of explaining their thinking

Vocabulary Words
-eavesdropper
-accompany
-annoy
-include

Reading Logs  Second graders are expected to read 20 minutes each night. Please help your child record their minutes in their September reading folder. Reading log folders should be returned to school at the end of the month after reading for 21 days. Reading logs need to be turned in by October 1st to be included in our monthly reading celebration.

Writing  In writing next week the focus will be:
Students will hear and discuss good writing, make lists to generate writing ideas, write about something that happened to them, explore descriptive language, explore capitalizing the first letter of sentences and use ending sentence punctuation. We will continue building our writing community where students are listening respectfully to the thinking of others and sharing their own writing as well as working in a responsible way.

Spelling Each Monday expect your student to show you their word sort. A word sort activity is sent home each day (Mon-Thurs) to help them master their spelling words for the week. Make sure you practice this activity with them each night. Please initial the homework sheet and return it the following day. This will help them prepare for the assessment on Friday. 

Word Sort Activities:  Here are a description of the word activities (sorts) you can work on with your child when they bring home their own set of words:

Regular Sort - Student sort the words in their sort by creating columns or groups of words.

Buddy Sort - Students sort together, read the words in each column to check the correct placement of the word, and then discuss the generalization covered by the sort. 

Blind Writing Sort - Students work with a partner. They take turns reading the words to another student who then tries to write and categorize the words.

Writing Sort - You write key words or headers to label each category. Then the student sorts individually accordingly to the categories by turning over one word at a time from his/her collection and writing it down. 

Speed Sort - Using a stopwatch, students see how fast they can correctly sort their words.

Word Hunt - Students select a magazine or book and search for words that fit into their sort.

Math  We will continue the chapter on subtraction.  Students will use addition to find the difference, use addition and subtraction to identify missing addends, and solve problems using the skill choose the operation. We will have a chapter assessment on subtraction on Thursday or Friday next week. Check your students assignment notebook for the exact date. We will be working with place value to 100 next. 

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards. Weekly timed tests are given.

Social Studies  We will finish our discussion on the U.S. map. Lastly, we will look at a landform map and identify the some landforms on a map of North America. 

Science  We will begin a unit on Energy and Motion. Students will identify forms and sources of energy, and describe ways energy and matter interact. 

*****************************************************************Star Student of the Week  Rohan was our star student of the week. When he is at school he enjoys recess. When he is at home he likes to play with his friends in the house . When he grows up he would like to be a Entomologist. Rohan is a star because he is funny. Thanks for sharing Rohan!

*****************************************************************

Important Dates & Announcements

*Please send in a 1 subject, wide rule notebook by Monday, Sept. 30th.*
We will be using it for writing! Thank YOU!

October Dates to Remember
  1- Reading Logs are due
11 - Progress Reports issued
14 - Columbus Day - No School
24 - Early Dismissal @12pm
31 - Classroom Halloween parties

November Dates to Remember
   1 - Family Halloween Party @6:30
4-7 - Parent Teacher Conferences
   8 - Parent Teacher Conferences - No School
  11 -  Veteran's Day - No School
  14 -  Second Grade Concert
  20 -  Early Dismissal @12pm
  26 -  Report Cards sent home
27-29 - Thanksgiving Break - No School

Friday, September 20, 2013

Reading and Language Arts   

The read aloud is Jamaica Tag-Along by Juanita Havil. The story is about a girl named Jamaica and her brother, Ossie. Ossie refuses to let Jamaica play basketball with him, so she goes off on her own and makes a new friend.

Comprehension Focus
-Students make text-to-self connections
-Students informally identify important ideas in a story

Social Development Focus
-Students relate the value of caring to their behavior
-Students develop the group skill of explaining their thinking

Vocabulary Words
-ruckus
-victory
-risky
-glee

Writing  In writing next week the focus will be:
Students will hear and discuss good writing, learn about the writing practices of professional authors, draw to generate writing ideas and write about their drawing. We will continue building our writing community where students are learning the procedures for silent writing time, working in a responsible way and listening respectfully to the thinking of others and sharing their own writing.

Reading Logs  Second graders are expected to read 20 minutes each night. Please help your child record their minutes in their September reading folder. Reading log folders should be returned to school at the end of the month after reading for 21 days. Reading logs are due October 1st.

Word Sort Activities:  Here are some of the different activities (sorts) you can work on with your child when they bring home their own set of words:

Regular Sort - Student sort the words in their sort by creating columns or groups of words.

Buddy Sort - Students sort together, read the words in each column to check the correct placement of the word, and then discuss the generalization covered by the sort. 

Blind Writing Sort - Students work with a partner. They take turns reading the words to another student who then tries to write and categorize the words.

Writing Sort - You write key words or headers to label each category. Then the student sorts individually accordingly to the categories by turning over one word at a time from his/her collection and writing it down. 

Speed Sort - Using a stopwatch, students see how fast they can correctly sort their words.

Word Hunt - Students select a magazine or book and search for words that fit into their sort.

Math  We began the chapter on subtraction.   Students will use the strategy of count back to find differences, and use fact families to find sums and differences. Students will use the inverse relationship of addition and subtraction to recall basic facts. Students will use drawings to represent a variety of addition and subtraction facts.

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards. Weekly timed tests are given.

Social Studies  We will be discussing a map scale. Students will use a map scale to figure out the distance to places on a map. We will also discuss a political map, a map of the U.S., and identify states on the map. Lastly, we will look at a landform map and identify the some landforms on a map of North America. 

Important Dates & Announcements

I would like to thank the following families for the book fair certificates:

Cerny Family, Crowely Family, Obeid Family, Clair Family,
Kerfin Family, Kenyeri Family. 

I was able to pick out some really great books for our classroom library! Thanks so much!

The Magazine Drive is underway. This year the the PTO will award a pizza party to the class:

     1.  with the most participants
                         and/or
       2.  who raises the most money.

Hope you can help us!

If the Bears win on Sunday, wear orange and blue Monday!

Please look for an email from Miss Wyse!

September Dates to Remember

24 - Magazine Turn in Day

26 - Picture Day

27 - Early Dismissal @12pm - SIP Day

October Dates to Remember
  1- Reading Logs are due
11 - Progress Reports issued
14 - Columbus Day - No School
24 - Early Dismissal @12pm
31 - Classroom Halloween parties

November Dates to Remember
  1 - Family Halloween Party @6:30

Friday, September 13, 2013

Reading and Language Arts   

The read aloud is Eat My Dust! Henry Ford's First Race by Monica Kulling. The story talks about how Henry Ford won his first car race and used his prize money to realize his dream of building a car that everyone could afford.

Comprehension Focus
-Students make text-to-self connections
-Students build their reading stamina


Social Development Focus
-Teacher and students build a reading community
-Students practice classroom procedures
-Students take responsibility for their learning and behavior
-Students develop the group skill of listening to one another

Vocabulary Words
-fearless
-fearful
-familiar 
-convince

Writing  In writing next week the focus will be:
Students will hear and discuss good writing, draw to generate writing ideas and write about their drawing. We will begin building our writing community where students will learn the procedures for silent writing time, working in a responsible way and listening respectfully to the thinking of others and share their own writing.

Reading Logs  Second graders are expected to read 20 minutes each night. Please help your child record their minutes in their September reading folder. Reading log folders should be returned to school at the end of the month after reading for 21 days.

Word Sort Activities:  Here are some of the different activities (sorts) you can work on with your child when they bring home their own set of words:

Regular Sort - Student sort the words in their sort by creating columns or groups of words.

Buddy Sort - Students sort together, read the words in each column to check the correct placement of the word, and then discuss the generalization covered by the sort. 

Blind Writing Sort - Students work with a partner. They take turns reading the words to another student who then tries to write and categorize the words.

Writing Sort - You write key words or headers to label each category. Then the student sorts individually accordingly to the categories by turning over one word at a time from his/her collection and writing it down. 

Speed Sort - Using a stopwatch, students see how fast they can correctly sort their words.

Word Hunt - Students select a magazine or book and search for words that fit into their sort.

Math  Next week we will continue reviewing all of the addition strategies as we solve additions sentences with 2 and 3 addends.  We will also use the problem solving strategy, draw a picture, to solve word problems.  Our first chapter test will be on Thursday or Friday. Check your child's assignment notebook next week for the exact date and a review page to help them prepare for the test. 

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards. Weekly timed tests are given.

Social Studies  We will be discussing a compass rose. Students will use a compass rose on a picture map to:  follow directions to a hidden treasure, learn about a town, and find their way around a neighborhood. They will make a map of a town following a written set of directions. 

Important Dates & Announcements

The Magazine Drive is underway. This year the the PTO will award a pizza party to the class:

     1.  with the most participants
                         and/or
       2.  who raises the most money.

Hope you can help us!

September Dates to Remember

19 - Fall Book Fair and Ice Cream Social @6:30
17 - Magazine Turn in Day
19 - Magazine Turn in Day

24 - Magazine Turn in Day

26 - Picture Day

27 - Early Dismissal @12pm - SIP Day

October Dates to Remember
11 - Progress Reports issued
14 - Columbus Day - No School
24 - Early Dismissal @12pm
25 - Family Halloween Party @6:30
31 - Classroom Halloween parties

Friday, September 6, 2013

Reading and Language Arts   

Comprehension Focus
-Students make text-to-self connections
-Students begin Individualized Daily Reading (IDR)
-Teacher and Students share their reading lives

Social Development Focus
-Teacher and students build a reading community
-Students learn procedures for "Think, Pair, Share," class meetings and IDR
-Students take responsibility for their learning and behavior
-Students develop the group skill of listening to one another

Reading Logs  Second graders are expected to read 20 minutes each night. Please help your child record their minutes in their September reading folder. Reading log folders should be returned to school at the end of the month after reading for 21 days.

Word Sort Activities:  Here are some of the different activities (sorts) you can work on with your child when they bring home their own set of words:

Regular Sort - Student sort the words in their sort by creating columns or groups of words.

Buddy Sort - Students sort together, read the words in each column to check the correct placement of the word, and then discuss the generalization covered by the sort. 

Blind Writing Sort - Students work with a partner. They take turns reading 10-12 words to another student who then tries to write and categorize the words.

Writing Sort - You write key words or headers to label each category. Then the student sorts individually accordingly to the categories by turning over one word at a time from his/her collection and writing it down. 

Speed Sort - Using a stopwatch, students see how fast they can correctly sort their words.

Word Hunt - Students select a magazine or book and search for words that fit into their sort.

Math  We began reviewing addition strategies such as using doubles, and doubles plus 1 (near doubles). Next week the students will be using the addition strategy of making ten to find the sum and finding the sum of 3 addends. We will practice our addition facts.

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards. Weekly timed tests are given.

Social Studies This week we learned about a globe, what a map is, what a map shows and what map symbols represent. Next week we will discuss a map key and make a map of our own given a written set of directions to follow. We will also begin discussing directions and how they help us get to places. 

Important Dates & Announcements

Box Tops

The PTO is collecting labels for education and box tops. Any student collecting 50 box tops, and turns them in by Friday, September 13,  will be entered into the Chuck E. Cheese Raffle. The PTO will also be awarding the class that turns in the most box tops by the end of the year a pizza party. Start collecting now!

September Dates to Remember

10 - Magazine Drive Kick-off

19 - Fall Book Fair and Ice Cream Social @6:30

24 - 1st Magazine Turn in Day

26 - Picture Day

27 - Early Dismissal @12pm - SIP Day