Happy Spring Break!

I cannot believe that Spring Break is here and we are down to a little less than eight weeks together in second grade!  We could definitely tell that spring fever was in the air this week because the kiddos were super excited.  We will be revisiting classroom expectations when we start back to school in April.  Please continue to reinforce with your child that we still have plenty of learning to complete during second grade and that they need to continue to be focused and ready to work when we return to school!

Field Trip to Daniel Boone Regional Library

On April 17, we will be going on a field trip to DBRL.  During this field trip, the kiddos get to learn about the different parts of the library and the history of the library.  It is a super neat field trip and I learn something every time that we go!  Coming home in your child's homework folder today is a library card application.  If your child does not already have a library card and you would like to sign him/her up for one, please fill out the application and return to school by Friday, April 6.  We will mail the applications into the library & your child will get his/her library card the day of the field trip.  Your child will NOT need a library card to go on the field trip because we will NOT be checking out books.

Look What's Been Happening in Moss World!

Math

• This week in math, we finished up Unit 7.  In this unit we focused on measurement and collecting data to make a line plot graph.  Overall, the kiddos did really great in this unit.  We tested over this unit on Thursday.  This assessment will come home after Spring Break for you to review with your child.  
• Our next math unit will focus on geometry.  We will be learning about different shapes and their characteristics and making arrays during this unit.  Below are the learning targets off the geometric shapes and partitioning shapes proficiency scale.  As a reminder, we are using these proficiency scales to allow students to know what their learning target is and to help guide our instruction.  The use of proficiency scales are new to CPS but the kiddos are doing great with knowing what they should be learning!  By the end of the unit a student should be performing at a level 3.

 

Writing

• This week in writing, we finished up identifying the best nonfiction text feature for each of our topic paragraphs and wrote introduction paragraph for our Which is Better writing.  We started talking about what makes a good opinion.  We learned that you have state your opinion and then provide evidence to support your opinion.
• We will continue to work on opinion writing when we get back from Spring Break.

Reading

• This week in reading, we focused on comparing and contrasting two similar books.  We used fairy tales and their fractured fairy tales to work on this concept.  Students had an opportunity to read various fractured fairy tales and determine similarities (compare) and differences (contrast) between the two stories.  The kiddos did great with this concept!
• After Spring Break, we will continue to use fairy tales, but focus on different viewpoints of the characters (example: the Giant's point of view from Jack and the Beanstalk).

Word Study

• The kiddos continued to learn about r-influenced words.  We talked about "or" and "ur" words.  R-influenced words are hard for kiddos, so when your child is writing please encourage them to think about what sound they hear.
• We will continue to work on r-influenced words when we get back from Spring Break.  We will focus on words that have are, air, and oddball words.  Next week's words are: hare, stare, square, hair, chair, pair, heart, pear, where, wear.

Science

• We finished up our geography unit on water this week!  The kiddos have AMAZED me with their understanding of the different bodies of water.  They have learned SO much.  Today we did an experiment that allowed them to see how rain and melting snow from the top of a mountain can turn into a source of a river.  We also did a quick check on their understanding of water today.  You should ask your kiddo about everything they learned during this unit - you will be impressed.  They should be able to tell you the level 3 on the proficiency scale.  Then challenge them with level 4!

• Our next focus for science will be looking at weathering and erosion.  Below is the learning target on the proficiency scale that we will be focused on.

Check Out Our Pictures From the Week!

We had Maker Space on Monday!

This is our science experiment today with where rivers start!

Just some other fun things throughout the week!

I hope that you have a wonderful and safe Spring Break.  Please remember to send in pictures of your kiddo during Spring Break so that we can hang them up on our bulletin board!

Mrs. Ross

Happy Friday!

We had another wonderful week of school!  It was really nice to have a full week with a regular routine.

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade:

Math:

• This week, we have focused on identifying the most efficient tool to use to measure different items.  When measuring longer items, using a yard or meter stick would be a better tool than a ruler, or a tape measure would be a better tool when measuring even longer items.  We have also discussed the different units that are used to measure, and talked about these units being a part of either the Metric System (meters and centimeters) or the US Customary System (inches, feet and yards).  We had an opportunity to measure different items around the classroom and even our personal arm spans and how far we can jump from a standing position - if you don't follow us on Twitter you missed out on some great pictures! :)
• Next week, we will be finishing up Unit 7 with looking at line plot graphs.  We will be reviewing and test over Unit 7 next week.  To help your child review for this assessment you can make sure that you hitting estimating and measuring items, and analyzing data from graphs during your child's weekly homework.  You can learn more about what has been happening in math by reading back over the Family Letter that we sent home earlier in the unit or click here.  Coming home in your child's Friday Folder are the HomeLinks for this unit.  These can be used as a resource to practice for the test - these HomeLinks do not need to be returned to school.

Writing:

• This week, we worked EXTREMELY hard on our Which is Better rough draft writing.  We focused on using the notes that we took and forming them into TEN paragraphs!  That is SUPER impressive for 2nd graders. We also located at least four words that would be important to include in our glossary, and identified a nonfiction text feature that would be appropriate for each of our paragraphs.
• Next week, we will start talking about opinion writing and learn about how to form a strong opinion.  We will use this information to write the last paragraph in our Which is Better writing.

Reading:

• This week, we talked about what theme is.  It is the central message, moral or lesson of a story, passage, book, or form of media.  We talked about theme being what the author was trying to teach you, or what you could learn to be a better person.  We had an opportunity to look a theme through different fairy tales, fables and books.  We even listened to four songs from Disney movies and the students worked on 
• Next week, we will be comparing contrasting different versions of the same story.

Science:

• This week, we learned about about the equator and elevation, and how both of these can impact the water.  Places along the equator get more direct sun than any other locations on Earth, so the water along the equator is typically warm and liquid.  We also learned that elevation can impact water also.  For every 1,000 feet above sea level you travel the temperature decreases three degrees Fahrenheit. Many kiddos had to change their thinking that anywhere near the equator would be warm because they discovered that there is snow in the mountains even around the equator!
• Next week, we will continue our conversation about water but focus on why some water is fresh and most of the water on Earth is salt water.

Spring Break is a Week Away!

We understand that Spring Break is a week away; however, students will have homework next week.  We will not be sending home your child's Friday Folder next week.  We hope that you enjoy your Spring Break!  If you have pictures of your child's Spring Break and want to send them in.  We will have an opportunity to talk about our Spring Break adventures and display photographs on a few of our bulletin boards!

Book Talks

Mrs. McKinzie came in and gave us a book talk about three different books that she recommended for second graders to read.  We actually had all three books in our classroom and had read them as read aloud, but I know some kiddos were wanting to check them out in the library!

Pictures of Measurement

Have a fabulous weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Reading Week was a SUCCESS!

Happy Friday!

We had such a successful Read Week 2018!  We wrapped it up with some great stars reading today at RBE Reading with the Stars.  Click here for pictures from the entire week.

Next week will be a regular week.  Below is our plan for the week.

Reading

• We will be working on theme next week.  We will be discussing the difference between theme (what the author wants you to take away) vs. the main idea (what it is mostly about).
• We will be working on this for the next two weeks.

Writing

• We are close to finished with our rough drafts of our Which is Better writing.  After they finish their main idea paragraph, we will discuss their opinion paragraph.  They will have to decide which topic they feel is better and then explain with details why it is better.  
• We will also be reviewing text features and students will decide which text features is the best for each page.  

Math

• We are continuing on Unit 7 in math.  We will be focusing on measurement next week.  The students will learn about yards and meters. 
• This week, students learned a new game called Basketball Addition.  This is available on Everyday Math Online and we will send home a copy for their homework folder next week.

Science

• Students will continue learning about water around the world.  Next week, they will focus on where in the world is the water frozen.  We will also discussing the difference between fresh water and salt water.  We will be looking at maps to locate fresh water and salt water.

Spelling

• Next week, we will start focusing on r-influenced words.  Next week, we will focus on -ar and -ir words.  The words are part, start, harm, sharp, dark, bird, first, girl, birth, swirl.
• We have talked with the students about the importance of studying their words and that our goal when learning the words is to learn them and then spell them correctly in our writing.  The goal isn't to learn them for a week and then forget them.  

Homework

• We will have our normal homework again next week.  As a reminder, this is 15 minutes of reading, 5 minutes of spelling practice and 10 minutes of math.  The math can be online games, games in their folder, practicing facts or any other way they are practicing a math concept we have learned. 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Mrs. Ross

It was SO nice to have a full week this week, and all the days were full of learning!

Student Banner!

The kiddos were so EXCITED to see the banner hung this week!  Thank you for taking the time to make your child's banner.  It is so neat to be able to see each child's personality or interests displayed in our classroom.

Read Week is Next Week!

We are super excited to celebrate Read Week next week!  As a reminder there are dress-up days each day next week (a flyer is also coming home in your child's Friday Folder).  As a reminder, if you (or a family member or friend) would like to come in and read to our class we would LOVE to have you!  The kiddos always love to have a special guest come during this week and this is an opportunity for you to share your love of reading!  We still have several open slots on Thursday - so if you are interested  you can click here to sign up. We are looking forward to an amazing Read Week!

With Read Week being next week, we are not going to have homework that the students have return.  Please continue to encourage your child to read.

What We Are Learning About:

• Math: This week, we finished up Unit 6 by taking our end of the unit assessment.  This test will be coming home next week.  Please remember to review this test with your child, sign on the line, and return to school.  By signing and returning, this just allows us to know that you have seen the test.  Today we started Unit 7.  The big focus of this unit is measurement.  Coming home in your child's Friday Folder is a Family Letter that tells more about this unit.
• Writing: Our Which is Better writing is coming right along!  The students have finished researching their two topics, and we have begun writing our rough draft.  This piece of writing is a lot less teacher guided.  The students will have a graphic organizer to help them with their compose their writing.
• Reading: This week, we have finished up talking about main idea within both nonfiction and fictional texts.  Next week, we will start to have a conversation of the theme of fictional texts.  We have also been talking about the why an author wrote a book or what was the author wanting to teach us.
• Word Study: We continued to focus on long i vowel patterns this week.  We learned that "igh" makes the long i sound.  We also discovered that the long i sound can be found in words that have VCC (example: child).  We will not have a new word study concept next week, but, the following week, we will be starting r-influenced words (ar, ir, or & ur).
• Science: We started our geography unit on Monday.  We started off by talking about what our ultimate goal of learning was for this unit.  We introduced a proficiency scale to the students (picture below).  We talked about that the learning target was a level three and discussed what we would be working on.  In our conversation, we listed out specific things that we will be learning about during this unit.  We discovered that we will be learning about water on Earth.  In this unit, we will be learning about: 1) maps and identifying where the water is on the map, 2) where water is fresh water or salt water, 3) where water is likely to be warm or cold, and 4) where water is likely to be solid or liquid.  We will continue to have great discussions about geography throughout the next few weeks!

 

Pretzel Class

What better way to learn about the importance of eating whole wheat than to have a pretzel class!  CPS Nutrition Services gave us the opportunity to learn through our bellies on Monday! :)  We learned about the importance of eating whole wheat flour because whole wheat flour includes the germ (we talked about this being the good type of germ) and bran.  The germ and bran have a lot of the good nutrients that are found in the wheat plant.  We also discovered that on grain and flour products we should be looking for yellow whole grain stamp.  After our lesson, we each got a section of pretzel dough and then we made a pretzel.  Our pretzels were cooked and then we had an opportunity to enjoy them.  They were yummy! :)

2nd Trimester Pizza Party

The kiddos enjoyed their pizza party lunch celebration today!  We worked a little longer this morning, but had an extended lunch this afternoon.  Thank you for your donation earlier this year to make this pizza party a success, and an extra thank you for families who donated chips, vegetables and dessert today to make the lunch a success!

Extra Pictures :)

Below are pictures of the kiddos at their Math Exploration Stations on Monday and playing math games on Wednesday.  We also got to visit Mrs. Kobermann's classroom to view their Ecosystem Projects - the kiddos enjoyed getting to see what they will get to do next year!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Mrs. Ross