Reading and Language Arts Next week we will be discussing the meaning of persuasion. We will be reading the book I Wanna Iguana. It is about a boy that tries to convince his mom to let him have an iguana. We will go through the steps of writing a persuasive essay together and then the students' will be writing their own persuasive essays.
Reading Logs Congratulations to all who earned a reward this month. We celebrated our 21 days of reading in November with lunch and a movie in the classroom on Monday. A coupon for a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut was also handed out. Please continue to log minutes with your child for December.
Math We will continue Chapter 9, Data and Graphs. Students will be learning how to make and read a pictograph, find the range and mode for a set of data, and follow directions to locate points on a grid. There will be a chapter test on Thursday.
Flash Cards Students should be working hard to memorize their addition and subtraction facts. To check memorization of these facts, we are taking timed tests. Once your child passes a set of facts, they will move to the next level. Look in your child's planner to find out what facts they should be working on at home. Here is a website you can try:
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/thats_a_fact/english_K_3.html
Social Studies We will continue the unit Our Country Long Ago. Next week we will learn about the expedition Lewis and Clark. They will learn the vocabulary word pioneer and how the pioneers settled the West by traveling the Oregon Trail. They will learn how to read a timeline.
Jr. Achievement Mrs. Schaal, a volunteer from Junior Achievement, came to our class this week to teach us about Our Community. We learned about unit production and assembly-line production. We learned the four steps of donut production. We all became a team when we made donuts.
Star Student of the Week Alberta was our star student of the week. When she is at school she enjoys reading. When she is at home she likes to read books, do math and homework and watch tv. When she grows up she would like to be a doctor. Alberta is a star because she is excellent at math. Thanks for sharing Alberta!
Important Dates & Reminders
Wed, Dec 12 - Permission slips due for Christmas Caroling
Fri, Dec 14 - Slipper and Movie Day - Wear your slippers to school and we will watch a holiday movie - School Reading Reward Day
Thurs, Dec 20 - Christmas Caroling at Fairview Village in Downers Grove - Bring a sack lunch and we will eat at school when we return.
Dec. 24 - Jan 6 - Winter Break- No School
*After the holiday break we will be starting a math unit on money. Please send the following coins in a small container or ziploc bag clearly marked with your child's name:
20 pennies
10 nickels
10 dimes
7 quarters
*Please send in your box tops!
*Please consider donating new mittens, gloves, hats or scarves to Ide's Mitten Tree. The items will be given to needy families in the area. Donations are being collected thru December 19.
Reading and Language Arts Next week we will be reading Big Bushy Mustache. It is a story about a boy who gets a part in a school play. The mustache he wears in the play makes him look like his father, so he wears it home. Unfortunately, he loses it.
Comprehension Strategies: predict/infer, problem solving
Vocabulary Words: bushy, disguise, mirror, costume, handsome, mustache
High Frequency Words: behind, soldier, story
Grammar Skills: plural nouns
Phonics: vowel pairs ow, ou & ai, ay
Reading Logs Please continue to log minutes with your child. November Reading Logs are due Monday, December 3.
Math We will review and take a test on Chapter 8 on Monday. We will then move on to Chapter 9, Data and Graphs. Students will record the results of a survey in a tally table and frequency table. They will be solving problems by reading tables and bar graphs.
Flash Cards Students should be working hard to memorize their addition and subtraction facts. To check memorization of these facts, we are taking timed tests. Once your child passes a set of facts, they will move to the next level. Look in your child's planner to find out what facts they should be working on at home.
Social Studies We began the unit Our Country Long Ago. Next week we will learn about the first European settlements in North America; St. Augustine, Jamestown, and Plymouth. We will also review the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday. We will learn more about Jamestown and Plymouth by reading a history map. We will also learn about the causes and effects of the American Revolution.
Star Student of the Week Wasfi was our star student of the week. When he is at school he enjoys reading and gym. When he is at home he likes to play video games and play with his toys. When he grows up he would like to be a doctor. Wasfi is a star because he is funny and makes people laugh. Thanks for sharing Wasfi!
`Important Dates & Reminders
Mon, Dec. 3 - November Reading Logs are due
Wed, Dec 5 - Santa's Secret Holiday Gift Shopping Day
Fri, Dec 14 - Slipper and Movie Day - School Reading Reward Day
Mon, Dec. 24 - Winder break begins
*Please send in your box tops!
*Please consider donating new mittens, gloves, hats or scarves to decorate our Mitten Tree in the library.
Reading and Language Arts Next week we will begin a new theme called Around Town. We will be reading a story called Chinatown. It is about a boy from Chinatown and everything that happens in Chinatown-a very busy place. We will learn something about Chinese culture, kung fu, and tai chi.
Comprehension Strategies: Summarizing and story structure
Vocabulary Words: apartment, delivery, handcart, markets, celebrations
High Frequency Words: winter, heard, lion, during
Grammar Skills: naming nouns and plurals
Phonics: Diagraphs: th, wh, sh, ch
Reading Logs Please continue to log minutes with your child. November Reading Logs are due Monday, December 3.
Math We will continue Chapter 8, 2-Digit Subtraction. We will practice 2-digit subtraction and learn how to use addition to check our answers. We will also be estimating differences.
Flash Cards Students should be working hard to memorize their addition and subtraction facts. To check memorization of these facts, we are taking timed tests. Once your child passes a set of facts, they will move to the next level. Look in your child's planner to find out what facts they should be working on at home.
Social Studies We will begin the unit Our Country Long Ago. We will learn about the beginnings and growth of our country. They will be introduced to the Native American groups, early settlers who came from Europe, and explorers who led the way for westward expansion. Next week we will be learning about the ways of life of three Native American groups.
Important Dates & Reminders
Wed/Thurs/Fri, - Nov. 21-23 - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
Mon, Dec. 3 - November Reading Logs are due
Mon, Dec. 24 - Winter break begins
*Please send in your box tops!
The Dinostars
Reading and Language Arts Next week we will discussing "The First Thanksgiving". Our focus will be on understanding the hardships encountered by the Pilgrims on their voyage to the New World and in establishing a new settlement. We will also learn about how the first Thanksgiving came about.
Reading Logs Please continue to log minutes with your child. November Reading Logs are due Monday, December 3rd.
Math We will begin Chapter 8, 2-Digit Subtraction. We will practice 2-digit subtraction and rewrite 2 digit subtraction problems.
Flash Cards Students should be working hard to memorize their addition and subtraction facts. To check memorization of these facts, we are taking timed tests. Once your child passes a set of facts, they will move to the next level. Look in your child's planner to find out what facts they should be working on at home.
Science We are learning how to make different sounds. We will be identifying the loudness and pitch of sounds, and learn how they can be changed.
Star Student of the Week Alexis was our star student of the week. When she is at school she enjoys gym, art, music and math. When she is at home she likes to play with her sister. When she grows up she would like to be a professional soccer player. Alexis is a star because she is nice to others. Thanks for sharing Alexis!
Important Dates & Reminders
What an amazing job your children did in the Dinostars performance! I am so proud of them!
Tues, Nov. 20 - Last Day to order a copy of the Dinostars concert
Wed/Thurs/Fri, - Nov. 21-23 - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
Mon, Dec. 3 - November Reading Logs are due
Mon, Dec. 24 - Winder break begins
*Please send in your box tops!
Reading and Language Arts Next week we will be reading fables. We will be comparing two versions of the same story, Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Comprehension Strategies: Understanding Fables; Compare and Contrast; Predict/Infer
Vocabulary Words: fable, lesson, moral
High Frequency Words: hear, laugh, little, enough, hungry, people, water, idea, more, learn
Grammar Skills: Writing complete sentences
Phonics: Words with Final k and ck; VCV Pattern
Reading Logs Please continue to log minutes with your child.
Math We will continue with Chapter 7, Explore 2-Digit Subtraction. Students will solving problems by using the strategy make a model and model and record subtraction of 1-digit and 2-digit numbers from 2-digit numbers.
Flash Cards Students should be practicing their addition and subtraction facts with their flash cards. Weekly facts tests are given.
Science We are learning about how sound is made. We will be making our own kazoos. We will also be discussing how sound travels.
Jr. Achievement Mrs. Schaal, a volunteer from Junior Achievement, came to our class this week to teach us about Our Community. Mrs. Schaal is an employee of Turtle Wax. Students will be discovering a variety of jobs, developing awareness of how businesses operate and increasing their understanding of how citizens must be responsible for the well being of their community. This unit supplements our social studies curriculum. Mrs. Schaal will meet with our class once a week for the next 4 weeks.
Important Dates & Reminders
Mon, Nov. 12 - No School - Veteran's Day
Thurs, Nov. 15 - 2nd Grade Dinostars Concert at 7pm, at Lakeview. Students should arrive at 6:45pm and report to the gym
Tues, Nov. 20 - Last Day to order a copy of the Dinostars concert
Wed/Thurs/Fri, - Nov. 21-23 - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
*Please send in your box tops!
Reading and Language Arts Next week we will be comparing and contrasting two stories. The first story, Owl Moon, is realistic fiction. We will see what happens when a girl and her father look for owls on a cold winter night. The second story, Owls, is nonfiction. We will learn more about what owls look like, where they live, and how they hunt for food.
Comprehension Strategies: Compare/Contrast; Monitor/Clarify; Classify/Categorize; Fact and Opinion
Vocabulary Words: owling, shadows, furry, clearing, echo, threading, meadow, pumped, rarely, active, blend, outlined, curved, swoops
Grammar Skills: Telling Sentences and Questions; Commands; Exclamations
Phonics: Long vowels CVCe: o, u, e,
Reading Logs November Reading logs went home Thursday. Please continue to log minutes with your child.
Math We finished Chapter 6 and will begin Chapter 7, Explore 2-Digit Subtraction. Students will count back by tens to subtract multiples of ten and model subtracting 1 and 2 digit numbers from 2-digit numbers.
Flash Cards Students should be practicing their addition and subtraction facts with their flash cards. Weekly facts tests are given.
Science We finished Chapter 11, Light and Heat. Next week we will begin Chapter 12, Sound. We will discuss what causes sound.
Star Student of the Week Jake was our star student of the week. Jake lives in Darien. When he is at school he enjoys recess, gym and math. When he is at home he likes to play his PS3 and with his trains. When he grows up he would like to be in the Army. Jake is a star because he is learning another language and plays sports. Thanks for sharing Jake!
Important Dates & Reminders
Thanks to Mrs. Bende, Mrs. Lawrence, Mrs. Malatia and Mrs. O'Connell for planning a fabulous Halloween party. A special thanks to all our parents, including Mrs. Adams, Mrs. O'Brien and Mrs. Zwart, who sent in yummy treats, drinks and supplies for our party. The children had a blast!
Mon, Nov. 5 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Tues, Nov. 6 - No School - Teacher Institute
Mon, Nov. 12 - No School - Veteran's Day
Thurs, Nov. 15 - 2nd Grade Dinostars Concert at 6:45, Lakeview Gym
Tues, Nov. 20 - Last Day to order a copy of the Dinostars concert
Wed/Thurs/Fri, - Nov. 21-23 - No School - Thanksgiving Holiday
*Please send in your box tops!
Reading and Language Arts Next week we will be reading Around the Pond: Who's Been Here? It is a realistic story about a brother and sister, William and Cammy, who go blueberry picking around a pond with their dog Sam. They see many different plants and animals.
Comprehension Strategies: Categorize and Classify; Monitor/Clarify
Vocabulary Words: edge, splash, shallow, fish, duck, bank, path, crater, moss
High Frequency Words: across, brother, great, stand; homonyms
Grammar Skills: exclamations
Phonics: Double Consonants; VCV Pattern
Reading Logs Please help your child record their minutes in their October reading log. Reading Logs are due November 1st.
Math We will continue Chapter 6, Two Digit Addition. Students will use rounding to estimate sums of 2-digit numbers, practice 2-digit addition with and without regrouping, solve problems by using the skill use a table and use mental math to add 2-digit numbers.
Flash Cards Students should be practicing their addition and subtraction facts with their flash cards. Weekly facts tests are given.
Science We will continue learning about heat. Students will identify heat sources and explain the transfer of heat and how heat is measured.
Star Student of the Week Sydney was our star student of the week. Sydney lives in Downers Grove. When she is at school she enjoys recess and gym. When she is at home she likes to watch tv. When she grows up she would like to be a bird trainer. Sydney is a star because she plays with her friends when they are sad. Thanks for sharing Sydney!
Important Dates & Reminders
Halloween Activities: Our Halloween parade is Wednesday, October 31 at 1:40 (weather permitting). Please come and watch. The students should bring their costumes to school in a bag on Wednesday. No make-up will be applied at school and no toy weapons are allowed! Please do not send in any treat bags with candy or food. We have to be careful of food allergies. Thank you!
Tues, Oct. 30 - Report Cards go home
Wed, Oct. 31 - Class Halloween Party 2pm/Parade 1:40
Thurs, Nov 1 - October Reading Logs are due
Mon, Nov. 5 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
Tues, Nov. 6 - No School - Teacher Institute
Mon, Nov. 12 - No School - Veteran's Day
Thurs, Nov. 15 - 2nd Grade Music Concert
*Please send in your box tops!
