Weekly Update 6/1

Our last month of second grade will be off to a great start this week…

Math- The last unit of our math program will serve as our review for the year.  We will begin this week by reviewing time and calendars.  We will discuss telling time to the nearest five minutes, as well as clock language (quarter past, 25 minutes to, etc.).

Reading- We got a start on our end of year reading assessments last week.  We will continue with that process over the next few days.  Our class will also be looking at various fairytales and comparing/contrasting the elements found in fairytales.

Writing- Our last big writing assignment will be to think about our favorite memories from 2^nd grade.  The children will have a chance to brainstorm and recall all of the fun things we've done this year.  They will then use what they know about personal narrative stories to write a story about one of their favorite memories.

Science- The children have done a great job so far on our science unit, Earth's Surfaces.  The next couple of lessons will focus on natural resources that people use to meet their needs and wants.  The students will even get a chance to examine some rocks and minerals first hand!

** Your child will be bringing home a long-term homework assignment today. They are being asked to do a project based on the country that they researched and present it to the class on their assigned day. I am looking forward to the presentations, it's such a great way to end the school year! The homework for the rest of the year will be this project, reading for 15 minutes each night, and spelling. We will no longer be assigning math sheets or reading comprehension questions so that your child can focus more time on the ancestor project.

**Wednesday is field day!!!!  The second grade field day will take place in the afternoon.  The children will be outside for the entire field day.  Please make sure they come with water bottles clearly labeled with their names.

**Thursday we will get the opportunity to walk the Crisafulli Trail for a second time so we can watch the 5^th grade play.  Please keep an eye on the weather for Thursday to assure that kids are wearing appropriate shoes and clothing for a walk through the trail.  We already have signed permission slips, so we should be all set there!

Weekly Update for 5/26

I hope you had a great long weekend! Here is a look at what we will be doing on Second Grade this week...

Reading- We will continue to practice writing summaries for fictional books. In addition, we will begin our end of the year reading assessments.

Writing- Last week the kids started writing personal narrative stories about a springtime activity. We will continue working on these stories and will use a checklist to revise the stories once they are complete. In addition to the spring stories, we will be putting the finishing touches on our Ancestor Country books.

* The children will be taking their 100 High Frequency Word test this week as well.

Math- The kids have been very excited about learning the basic fundamentals of multiplication and division. This week the kids will get more practice with skip counting and making arrays to help solve multiplication problems and will write number sentences to model number stories involving multiplication/division. The students will also be taking the Unit 11 assessment.

Social Studies- This week we will review the major rivers and mountains on each of the continents. The children will have an assessment of these mountains and rivers on Friday. A study guide is coming home with your child today.

Last week we went to the computer lab to do CultureGrams. The kids loved doing online research about their Ancestor country. Here is the information if you'd like to access it from home.

Science- We are excited to begin our last science unit of the year which is on Earth's Surfaces. This week the kids will have an opportunity to share what they think they already know about earth's surfaces along with recording any questions they would like answered throughout the unit. They will also learn about the following vocabulary and see photos of each (mountain, valley, lake, pond, ocean, continent, island, river, stream, and glacier).

Upcoming Activities

• June 3rd- Field Day
• June 4th- Fifth Grade Play (Second Graders will be walking to Crisafulli) 

Day in Ghana Fun!

Update for Week of 5/18

Good morning! It's hard to believe we only have 5 more weeks to go in the school year. We still have lots to work on and I'm excited to share what we'll be doing this week...

Math: We began learning about multiplication last week.  At the beginning of this week we will touch upon division.  The rest of the week will be spent learning and practicing multiplication facts, focusing on multiplying by 2, 5, 10, 0, and 1.

Reading: This week our reading groups will be asked to review and practice doing a written summary of a previously read text.  This practice will help prepare the children for the end of year reading assessments.

Writing: We are very close to completing our country informational books.  We will try to finish those up this week and get started on our last writing unit, which will be a review of the characteristics of personal narrative.

Social Studies: Our Around the World study is officially over. We enjoyed visiting all 7 continents and learning about many different cultures and lands. We will "fly home" on Thursday with all the second grade classes. On Friday the students will be given an assessment on the locations of the continents and oceans. A study guide will come home today. There is also a great practice game you can try online at:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/World_Continents.htm

*** Please note that Thursday is a half day for professional development. Dismissal on 5/21 will be at 12:20.

*** Friday is Red, White, and Blue SPIRIT DAY!!! In celebration of Memorial Day!

Weekly Update 5/11

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that all the Mom's had a very special Mother's Day! Here's a look at what your child will be doing this week in second grade....

Writing- We will working on our country informational paragraphs, illustrations, and Table of Contents. We can't wait to share these books with you when they are done. We will also be writing Japanese Haiku poems!

Math- This week we will continue working on addition and subtraction story problems while focusing on two-step problems. We will also introduce multiplication and division through the use of repeated addition arrays, skip counting, and making equal groups.

Social Studies- This is our final week of our Around the World unit. We will be learning about the amazing country of Japan this week! Next week, a study guide on the continents and oceans will be coming home for your child to study for the upcoming assessment on 5/22.

Reading- We are enjoying reading non-fiction and will continue to do so this week.

Special Activities-

• We will have a special program called "A Day in Ghana" this week. We will have visitors from Ghana here to teach the kids about life in Africa. 
• The Robinson Family Picnic is on Friday, May 15th from 4:00-7:00. We hope you can join us!

Mark Your Calendars- 

• May 22nd- Red, White, and Blue Spirit Day 
• May 25th- No School for Memorial Day 
• June 3rd- Robinson Field Day (Second Grade is in the afternoon)
• June 4th- Second Grade walks to Crisafulli for the Fifth Grade Play 
• June 10th- Move-Up Day- Second Grade visits Crisafulli 
• June 18th at 2:15- End of the Year Celebration- parents are invited to the classroom for a book sharing!

Weekly Update 5/4

Good Morning!  The warm weather is finally with us.  We are excited to open our windows and let in all the fresh spring air. 

Here is what we'll be working on in second grade during this first full week of May…

Writing- The children have been working very hard on their informational writing.  They are doing a wonderful job using their notes to write detailed paragraphs about their countries.  We will begin putting together our country books soon. 

Reading- With all of our special activities last week, as well as our time spent researching, we didn't get a chance to complete all of our Guided Reading work.  This week will therefore be a continuation of non-fiction reading and writing/discussing what they learned from the text.

Math- Unit 10 is now complete so the children will complete their unit assessment this afternoon.  Unit 11 will begin with different types of addition and subtraction word problems.  The children will practice 1 and 2 step word problems.

Social Studies- We have now completed our 2 weeks in Africa.  This week we'll begin learning about our final continent, Asia.  On Tuesday we will celebrate “Children's Day”, which is a holiday celebrated all over Japan on May 5th.  On Tuesday the children will get to make carp fish wind socks. Carp fish are symbols of strength and bravery and are said to bring good fortune!

***This week officially begins our “Pennies for Patients” compassion project.  We look forward to seeing how our coin donations can add up quickly to help kids in need.