Happy Last Friday of 2017!

Happy Friday!

I cannot believe that we just finished up our last full week before Winter Break!  This semester has just flown by!  Next week, will be a very untypical week...so make sure that you read and take special note of what will be happening (a reminder note is also coming home in your child's Friday Folder - to be stuck to the refrigerator or in a special place to help you remember).

Today we enjoyed wearing our "ugly sweaters."  Everyone looked so festive.  Below is our smiling facing and our "ugly" faces in our ugly sweaters.

Next Week

• Monday: Typical Day - YAY! :)
• Tuesday: Paint Day - Our class will be in Room 19 for the day.  Due to the small quarters for the day, we are asking that your child to NOT bring a backpack on Tuesday.  Please do send your child with a small blanket to be cozy with on Tuesday, a snack & a lunch (if not purchasing a school lunch).  
• Wednesday: Grinch Day - We will enjoy a variety of "grinchy" activities throughout the day. Your child can dress up as a character from How the Grinch Stole Christmas or wear a Grinch shirt, etc. to help celebrate the day (please no masks or painted faces)
• Thursday: Winter Holiday Party Day - Our classroom party will be from 1:45-2:30.  Parents are more than welcome to attend!  We hope to see you next week at the party.
• Friday: 1st Day of Winter Break (December 22 - January 3) *School resumes on January 4*

Due to next week being an shortened week, your child will NOT have homework.  We will also not be sending home a Friday Folder on Thursday.

Look What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade!

• Math: We finished up Unit 4.  During this unit, we learned about time, measurement and place value.  Your child took the Unit 4 math test yesterday.  Your child will have an opportunity to look over this assessment on Monday, but we will not be sending home this test until after break.  Next week, we will be reviewing money, time and word problems next week.
• Writing: We started writing our first informational piece about the animal we researched last week.  We compared informational writing to personal narratives, and discovered that both start with a lead and have transition words.  However, how an informational writing piece is set up is a lot different than a personal narrative.  We wrote our lead paragraph (lead, topic sentence, telling the five headings, and conclusion sentence).  We also wrote four of our five heading paragraphs!  We used a writer's checklist to organize our writing, and you will be SUPER impressed with your child's informational writing!  Next week, we will be finishing up our rough draft and we will have a few fun prompts to write about!
• Reading: We finished up learning about how different text features help us as readers.  There are SO many nonfiction text features.  This week, we learned about cut-aways, close-ups, maps, charts/tables, index and glossary.  Each student finished up his/her "Nonfiction Text Feature Notebook," and we will be using it to help us incorporate some of these text features into our own informational writing pieces. 
• Word Study: We continued working with long vowel patterns, but moved on from long a to long o patterns.  We focused on CVCe words and "oa" words.  Your child's spelling test is coming home in his/her Friday Folder today, and overall there was much improvement on scores from last week to this week.  We are also expecting students to be using these spelling patterns correctly in their writing.  Please keep working with your child on the spelling patterns each week when we return from Winter Break.
• Social Studies: We continued learning about the culture of people living in Colonial times.  This week, we focused on the Native Americans and compared how they lived to the first settlers.  When we come back from break, we will have one more full week in our Colonial Unit with the culmination of our unit being our Colonial Day on January 12.  During this week, the students will be making a few objects to help prepare for Colonial Day.  We would love for students to dress up for Colonial Day.  Below are some ideas of what your child could wear.
• Boys 
• Loose white shirt or blouse (ruffles at neck and sleeves are great, but not necessary) 
• Dark knickers (sweats pulled up to the knee will work) 
• Vest (optional)
• Dark colored shoes—you may attach a foil covered buckle 
• Long, plain socks
• Three-cornered hat—we’ll make this at school :)
• Girls 
• Long dress or skirt, pale colors or small prints 
• White socks or tights 
• White blouse that covers elbows-peasant style is best 
• Dark colored shoes 
• White apron 
• Mop cap—we’ll make this at school

Pond Observation

Yesterday, the cold did not deter us from going outside and learning at the pond.  The pond is a part of our Outdoor Classroom at RBE.  We observed evidence of animals living in the pond and learned more about the pond.  We also learned of how the Native Americans used cattails - ask your kiddo and you will be amazed at what they know!  As of yesterday, the pond was not deep enough to sustain fish.  After school on Thursday, the pond began and a one-year transformation process.  During the transformation, the cattails will be removed, the pond will be made deeper in one section, and different plants will be added.   We will have an opportunity to observe the pond throughout the transformation throughout the rest of the school year.  

Reindeer Games Breakout

Today, we had to work as a team to figure out the clues to "breakout" of the Media Center.  Mrs. McKinzie put together a fun breakout activity where the students had to use the clues to discover which reindeer was missing.  They had a lot fun trying to figure out the clues!

Upcoming Dates:

• December 19: Classroom Painted
• December 20: Grinch Day 
• December 21: Winter Party
• December 22-January 3: No school due to Winter Break
• January 4: School Resumes
• January 12: Colonial Day
• January 15: No School - MLK Jr. Day

We understand that the holidays are coming up.  If your child will be missing school, please let the school know by emailing Angela  (school attendance secretary) and myself  or calling the school office (214-3290).

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend and I am looking forward to fun-filled week with your kiddo next week!

Mrs. Ross