We have had an great first week of 2nd grade! We are
continuing to focus on learning our expectations and classroom routines.
The kiddos have done any AMAZING job transitioning back to school!
Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse will be
happening on Monday (August 21). Due to this being a very special day our
classroom schedule will look a little different. Our day will be filled
with learning about what an eclipse is and other activities. We will be outside
from 12:25-1:30 (this is the time that the totality of the eclipse will be
occurring) so please apply sunscreen to your child in the morning.
Also, our recess/lunch schedule will be different. Please send
your child with a towel for your child to sit on.
Today we practiced wearing our
Solar Eclipse outside. The kiddos were so excited to wear these glasses
and look at the sun. We are looking forward to a fun and memorable event!
Friday Folder
Your child is coming home with
a Friday Folder in his/her backpack. This Friday Folder is an additional
communication tool between school and home. In the left inside pocket
(which is the "Return to School" side), you will find a orange piece
of paper which has your child's Friday Folder Checklist on the front and on the
back is a place for comments. Please initial the front that you have
reviewed your child's work habits and the comments (which will be written every
other week). This week we have been focusing on establishing routines and
classroom expectations - please review the Friday Folder checklist and the
expectations taught this week. Now that we are in the routine of school,
it is our expectation these expectations to be met with fewer reminders.
On the right you will find a "Keep at Home" pocket - inside
this pocket will be papers that your child completed at school or other
correspondence from the school.
RBE 3
At RBE, we have
three expectations that are called the RBE 3. These expectations are that
we are safe, respectful learners. On Wednesday, we read How
Dinosaurs Stay Safe and brainstormed a list of expectations of how to
be safe. On Thursday, we read Chrysanthemum and
established a list of expectations of how to be respectful at school. Then
today, we made a list of list of how to be a learner after we read Steve
Raised by Wolves. The kiddos made a dinosaur, a flower and a book
with these expectations and they are posted in our classroom. The next
time you are at school, make sure to check them out!
As students are
showing us that they are safe, respectful learners they are able to earn
stickers. Each kiddo has their own sticker chart and when the sticker
chart is full they are able to earn a small celebration. Many students
have filled up their sticker chart and are bring them home. On the back
we have wrote what celebration they have chosen. For example, some kiddos
are choosing a pajama day, wear a hat during the day, show and tell, read a
book to the class, or bring a stuffed animal to school. If your child
brings home a filled sticker chart with a celebration on the back they can have
their celebration the next school day. With Eclipse Day on Monday and
being a special day, we discussed that if your child would like to not have
his/her celebration until Tuesday that would be fine!
What has your child been doing in school?
- In
Math:
- On
Wednesday, we took our first "Math Wizard" check-in.
Every Wednesday your child will take this check-in. The
purpose of this check-in is focusing on your child knowing his/her math
facts quick and fast. As your child grows as a mathematician it is
helpful for the student to know their math facts - knowing these facts
will help your child as we start learning how to add/subtract two & three
digit math problems. For your child to "pass" this
check-in s/he will need to get 46 out of 50 problems correct in 3
minutes. This week we went over different ways to practice facts
(playing math fact games together or individually using a computer or
tablet, orally practicing facts in the car, practicing
the math wizard test, etc.). Your child's first Math Wizard
check-in was just a practice and it will remain at school for us to see
progress. Please help your child find time to practice these facts.
- Today
we took a beginning of the year assessment. This assessment allows
us to know what your child already knows and lets us begin to guide our
instruction.
- Next
week, we will be starting our first math unit on numbers and their
patterns. In this unit we will be establishing math routines,
learning about different math tools, and number patterns.
- In
Reading:
- This
week, we perused the huge classroom libraries that we have in our
classroom and the students selected the first books that they will read
as second graders. We discussed that one of the benefits of having
such a huge classroom is that there double the books to be able to read
throughout the school year! :) One of the ways we will keep track
of what your child reads is for him/her to fill out a bookmark on a
completed book. We have a fiction and nonfiction book. An
adult will meet with your child when a book is finished to talk with
him/her about what was read.
- Next
week, we will start to implement reading stations and focus on
establishing these strong reading routines.
- In
Writing:
- This
week, the students made a free write notebook and we talked about the
expectations of writing in this notebook. They had the opportunity
to be able to begin to write in this notebook.
- Next
week, we have some fun writing prompts to get the kiddos excited about
writing and establishing our writing routines. The following week,
we will begin our first unit on writing a personal narrative (small
moment story).
Star Students
Every week a
different student will be coming home with a Star Student pocket. Inside
this pocket is instructions with what to write on the note-cards provided to
help us learn more about the Star Student. On Monday, please help your
child return the note-cards and any pictures that s/he would like to share
inside the pocket.
Class "Pets"
We do not have
actual class pets in our classroom, but we do have book characters stuffed
animals that act like our class pets. This year our book characters are
from a variety of Mo Willems' books. We have Piggie & Elephant,
Pigeon, and Knuffle Bunny. Each animal has a notebook where students are
able to write down the adventures that they have with our class pets.
Each weekend two students will get to select a class "pet" to
bring home. Their job is to enjoy spending time with the pet all weekend
long, keep the stuffed animal dry, clean, write about his/her adventures, and
bring the "pet" and the notebook back on Monday to share.
Birthdays
This week was
full of birthdays! On Tuesday is was Thaida's birthday and then on
Wednesday it was Bradyn's. We celebrated by singing "Happy
Birthday" and then on Wednesday we ate cupcakes to celebrate
Bradyn's birthday! :)
Some other fun pictures!
Me Bags, I Spy in the classroom and Indoor Recess
I hope that you
have you have a wonderful weekend!
Mrs. Ross
