Friday, December 6, 2013

Reading and Language Arts

Next week we will read aloud I Wanna Iguana, by Karen Kaufman Orloff.  It is about a boy that tries to convince his mom to let him have an iguana. We will discuss the meaning of persuasion and go through the steps of writing a persuasive essay together. Then the students will write their own persuasive essays. 

Reading Logs  Second graders are expected to read 20 minutes each night.  Please continue to log minutes with your child in their December reading log. 

Congratulations to those students who read for 21 days during the month of November. We celebrated with lunch in the classroom, popsicles and a Magic School Bus Movie. A coupon for a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut was also handed out. 

Spelling Look for your child's word sort to come home on Monday. Please keep the Weekly Spelling Activity Card in your child's green folder when they have completed the nightly activity. Students are being asked to choose a different activity from the Weekly Spelling Activity Card to complete each night (Mon-Thurs) to help them master their spelling words for the week. Once your child has completed the activity, please fill out the spelling homework sheet, indicating which activity they chose, initial it, and have them return it the following day. This will help them prepare for the assessment on Friday. 

Math We will continue with 2-Digit Addition. Students will solve problems by using a table, and apply place value concepts when using a break-apart strategy for 2-digit addition. We will review and have a chapter test next week. Check your child's assignment notebook for the exact date. 

Flash Cards  Students should be practicing their addition facts with their flash cards and Rocket Math fact sheets. Weekly timed tests are given.

Here is a website where you can make fact worksheets   http://www.mathfactcafe.com/build/

Social Studies We are finishing the unit Our Country Long Ago. We'll review and take a chapter test next week. Look for a study guide to come home prior to the test.

Junior Achievement  Mrs. Haiduc, an employee from Opportunity International and a volunteer from Junior Achievement, came to our class today to teach us about Our Community.  This is a five week program. Today we learned how a community works. We identified businesses and related jobs in a community. We discussed the terms volunteer, business and citizen and how they are important to our community. 

Science  We finished the chapter on motion with a test on Thursday. Next week week we will be studying owls. Students will learn about their habitats, diet, calls and their place in our environment. Students will complete an investigation and dissect an owl pellet.

Important Dates & Announcements

Mrs. Hayes has been teaching the students keyboarding. Check out her blog to find keyboarding websites: http://librarydayswithmrshayes.blogspot.com/

MITTEN TREE  As part of our commitment to our school and community, Elizabeth Ide will once again be collecting new mittens, gloves, hats and scarves to decorate our holiday tree in the library. Just before the holiday, they will be donated  to families in need. Donations will be accepted till December 19. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

December Dates to Remember

10 - Owl Assembly
17 - Early Dismissal @12pm
20 - Classroom Holiday Parties
23 - Holiday Break

January Dates to Remember

  6 - Classes resume
15 - Early Dismissal @12pm
20 - No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day