Happy Thursday!

We are so lucky to have such an amazing group of parents this year!  We have loved being able to talk and share with you about your child over the last two weeks.  Thank you so much for coming and talking with us!  I just can't believe that we are a third of the way done with your child's second grade year.  Please remember, if you have any questions as we continue throughout the rest of the year, please let me know.

Veteran's Day Assembly

Yesterday we had our Veteran's Day Assembly.  Mrs. Sharp does a wonderful job to make this assembly happen every year!  The second graders sang two songs during the assembly and last week we made a poster to hang up in the gym for the assembly.  Below are a few pictures from the assembly and a class picture in front of our poster!

Special Events Next Week!

• Our first trimester pizza party is scheduled for Wednesday, November 15.  Your child can bring a special drink (Gatorade, juice, soda) to enjoy.  If you choose to send in a drink for your child, please make sure that the container is not glass.  Your child will still need a snack to enjoy in the morning.
• Our November school-wide celebration will be stuffed animal day on Friday, November 17.

Meals of Wheels Food Drive

Just as reminder that 2nd grade is bringing in peanut butter for the food drive. If you are wanting to donate a jar of peanut butter the table is set up in the foyer outside the RBE office.  All food items are due by November 14.

Special Readers

We had two special readers this week!  Noelle L. filled up a sticker chart and chose to read a book to the class earlier this week. Today, Bradyn shared a book that he had been working really hard on!  He has been reading the I Survived series and wrote his own version of surviving a tornado.  We talked about that writers can get ideas from other authors!

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade?

• Math: We are wrapping up our third math unit on subtraction next week.  We will be testing over this unit on Tuesday.  Coming home in your child's Friday Folder is a set of Home Links for Unit 3.  These are worksheets that can be used to review the concepts that we covered during this unit.  Also, if you would like your child to complete a Home Link for homework instead of playing a game that works!  These Home Links do not need to be returned to school completed, but are simply a resource for you.  Next week, we will be starting Unit 4 which is over time and measurement.
  
  
  
  
• Writing: This week, the students worked hard on their writing their second personal narrative. As they finished writing their story, they went back and revised/edited their writing.  We use ARMS and CUPS for this process.  We are working hard with the students that they can ALWAYS do something to make their writing better.  The students also met with a writing partner to go over ARMS and CUPS.  Their second personal narrative has a lot less teacher input, so we can see what the students can write on their own.  Next week, we will be publishing our writing and getting creative by letting the students pretend to be a turkey and try to persuade us to not eat turkey for Thanksgiving. 

• Reading: This week, we focused on answering questions from the text and specifically talking about how to refer back to the text to answer questions.  We read about carving pumpkins and spiders.  We had a conversation about that it is important when answer comprehension questions from a text to use the text to support our answers, and that we can't just use our schema (what we already knew about the subject).  Next week, we will talk about two different parts of speech: nouns and adjectives.
• Science:  This week, we learned about the three different states of matter: solid, liquid and gas.  We sang about the states (song below to the tune of "Farmer in the Dell") and learned about how the molecules move (or don't move) in the different states.  The kids are showing themselves all tightly packed together like a solid below.  Next week, we will continue to learn about states of matter and on Friday we have some fun science stations about matter!

• Word Study: Over the last five weeks we have focused on long and short vowel words and understanding that adding the "magic e" to the end of the word makes the vowel say it's name.  The next spelling patterns we will be talking about are other ways to make a long vowel sounds. Next week we will focus on two different long a patterns (ai and some more "magic e" words).  Next week's long a (CVCe) and long a (CVVC) words are: blame, snake, fame, taste, stale, brain, paint, chain, wait, main.

 Nut Free Classroom

As a reminder, our classroom is now a peanut and tree nut free classroom.  Thank you for making the effort that your child's daily snack do not include peanuts, peanut butter, nut products, or processed where nuts are processed.  Thank you in advance for checking your child's ingredient list on his/her snack.  A note and a list of different snack options that are peanut free came home in your child's Friday Folder last week (or click on the link).  The items you pack in your child's lunch box do not have to be peanut free.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Happy Friday!

I hope that your family had a wonderful Halloween.  If you have a picture of your child dressed up in his/her Halloween costumes - we would love to see it!  You can email me a picture or send in a picture.  I can't wait to see all the costumes!

Nut Free Classroom

Our classroom is now a peanut and tree nut free classroom.  Please make sure that you child's daily snack do not include peanuts, peanut butter or nut products.  They also cannot be processed where peanuts have (or may have been) processed.  Thank you in advance for checking your child's ingredient list on his/her snack. The items you pack in your child's lunch box do not have to be peanut free.  A note and a list of different snack options that are peanut free are coming home in your child's Friday Folder (or click on the link).

Special Things Happening Next Week

• Parent/Teacher Conferences are up in full swing!  Last week, you received your parent/teacher conference time - we have had some this week and most are next week.  This is the first year that Mrs. Ross & I are doing our conference together, and both of us like to talk - so we will be setting a timer to help us stay on track and be respectful of your time.  We are looking forward to meeting with everyone during this time.
• The Book Fair will be set up in the Media Center next week.  A flyer came home last Friday with some of the books that will be on sale and the kiddos were super excited!  On Monday, we will get a chance to tour the book fair and the kids will have an opportunity to make a wish list.
• Progress reports will be coming home on Wednesday for any families that we met with on conferences earlier than Wednesday.  If we have a scheduled conference time with you on Wednesday or Thursday, we will give you your child's report card then.
• We will have a Veteran's Day Assembly on Wednesday at 9:30.  Mrs. Sharp has been working hard with the kids on learning some patriot songs as a tribute to the veterans who will be coming to the assembly on Wednesday. 
• Flu Clinic is on Thursday, November 9, for any student who has a signed permission slip turned in.
• As a reminder, we will have no school next Friday, November 10, due to conferences.
• Please help your child remember to bring a jacket/winter coat next week.  On many of the days the high will be in the 50's - which would mean it will be in the 40's when we take our morning recess.

Upcoming Fun the Following Week!

• Our first trimester pizza party is scheduled for November 15.  Your child can bring a special drink (Gatorade, juice, soda) to enjoy.  If you choose to send in a drink for your child, please make sure that the container is not glass.  Your child will still need a snack to enjoy in the morning.
• Our November school-wide celebration will be stuffed animal day on Friday, November 17.

Meals of Wheels Food Drive

Just as reminder that 2nd grade is bringing in peanut butter for the food drive. If you are wanting to donate a jar of peanut butter the table is set up in the foyer outside the RBE office.  All food items are due by November 14.

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade?

• Math: This week, we talked about a variety of strategies to solve subtraction problems.  We learned about counting up and back, and the rule when +0 or +1.  Today we learned about In/Out Boxes.  We talked about the rule and if a number went in, what number would come out?  Below are a few examples.  Next week, we will continue to talk about subtraction strategies of doubles, counting back 10 and counting up 10.

• Writing: This week, the students began to write their rough drafts of their second personal narrative.  This is a lot less teacher led, so it is a better representative of what the child is able to do.  Next week, we will continue to work on this piece of writing by editing and revising.
• Reading: This week, we focused on using context clues to figure out made up words.  In a small text, there was a made up word and in our reading small groups we talked about the clues that the author gave us to figure out what the unknown word was.  We had to be word detectives! :)  Next week, we will be answering questions from the text and specifically talking about how to refer back to the text to answer questions.
• Science:  We will be starting our states of matter unit next week.  We will be talking about solids, liquids, and gases. 
• Word Study: We will continue to work on short and long vowel word patterns next week.  Next week we will focus on short vowel (CVC) and long vowel (CVCe) words.  Next week's words are: vote, rule, safe, wipe, space, which, lots, tall, spend. club.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Happy Fall Harvest Party!

Happy Fall Harvest Party!  Today was a great day!  A HUGE thank you to all the parents who donated food/materials and were able to help at the party - it was a success & the kiddos had a blast.  These parties would not be able to happen without all your help!  Check out a few pictures from the party here.

Fall Pumpkin Book Projects

WOW!!!!  We were so excited to see the end product of all the pumpkin book characters - they turned out super cute!  We had pumpkin book character show case this afternoon and had a chance to look at all the pumpkins in 2nd grade.  Click here for pictures.

Conferences, No School & No Homework

Coming home is your child's Friday Folder is a yellow sheet that has a date/time for your child's Parent/Teacher Conference.  Please make sure that the bottom portion of this sheet is returned by next Wednesday, November 1.  I cannot believe that these start next week - this trimester has flown by!

Just as reminder, on Monday, October 30 we will have no school due to a Teacher Work Day to prepare for conferences.

Due to us not having school on Monday and Halloween is Tuesday, we will not be giving out homework next week.  We will start with homework the following week, November 6.

Brrr...this week was cold, warm and cold again

Please remember to send your child with winter coat and jacket next week.  Even when the high is supposed to be in the 50's when we got out for morning recess it is still cold.  Your child might want a winter coat at morning recess but only a sweatshirt or jacket at second recess.  Please help your child be prepared for the day - thanks!

Special Visitors

On Thursday, Ben's grandfather, mom and two younger brothers came in as a special treat for Ben's birthday.  Ben's grandfather read Tacky the Penguin (and used some great voices!).  Then, we celebrated Ben's birthday by enjoying a brownie.  It was a great afternoon!

Mrs. Neale also came in today and read to our kids.  She read two books that had a similar theme.  Ask your kiddo what was similar about the two books.

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade?

• Math: This week, we talked about story problems (word problems) that include subtraction.  There are two different types of subtraction story problems: change to less and comparison.  
• A change to less story problem starts out with a number and then some get taken away - you are solving for what is left.  
• There were 10 bears in a cave.  3 bears leave.  How many bears are left?
• A comparison story problem starts with comparing two different items and solving for the difference.
• Mrs. Ross has 10 pieces of candy.  Ms. Mottaz has 3 pieces of candy.  How many more pieces of candy does Mrs. Ross have than Ms. Mottaz?

• Writing: This week, the student created their own utensil writing to add to the series that we read last week Spoon, Chopsticks, and Spork by Amy Crouse Rosenthal.  We also started our second personal narrative.  The student chose a topic and then selected the three BIG events of their story.  Next week, we will be continuing to work on our narratives.  This narrative will have less teacher input, so we can have a better idea of what your child's independent narrative writing ability is.
• Reading: This week, we will talked about seven different reading decoding strategies to solve unknown words.  We practiced using these strategies in our reading small groups in a variety of texts.  Below is a chart of the strategies we worked on.  Next week, we will be focusing on using context clues to figure out words.
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• Social Studies:  We discussed what living in an urban city and rural area would be like.  We also discussed the similarities and difference between living in Columbia to living in one of these places.  Next week, will be finishing up our geography and culture unit by talking about culture.  We will learn that culture is the values, beliefs and customs of a group of people.  We will then talk about these values, beliefs and customs of people who chose to live in an urban city, a rural or suburban city.

• Word Study: We will continue to work on short and long vowel word patterns next week.  Next week we will focus on short u and long u words.  Next week's words are: shut, huge, truck, put, plus, June, rude, tune, flute, & huge.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ross

Happy MU Homecoming!

Everyone looked SO great in their black & gold today!  I hope that all of our spirit can cheer MU on to a win tomorrow.

Fall Pumpkin Book Project

Just a reminder that your child's fall pumpkin book project is due this Tuesday, October 24.  We have received quite a few pumpkins already & they look amazing!  We have sent home a paper pumpkin and extra book project papers for students who said that they needed them.  If you have any questions please ask!

Fall Harvest Party

The Fall Harvest Party is next Friday, October 27 from 1:45-2:30.  Kristy Rysdam, has developed a Sign Up Genius for materials that are need for the party.  Please check out the Sign Up Genius by clicking here.  If you are able to come the day of the party, we would love to have you!

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Earlier this week, we sent home a Parent/Teacher Conference request sheet.  This sheet is to help us be able to schedule a good time to meet with your family.  It is our goal at RBE that we meet with 100% of our families.  Mrs. Ross & I have extended our conferences over two weeks to help ensure that we can meet with all of our families.  If you have not sent back in your request sheet, please do so by Monday.  Thanks!  A confirmation date will be coming home in next week's Friday Folder.

Just as reminder, on Monday, October 30 we will have no school due to a Teacher Work Day to prepare for conferences.

This week was warmer...next week will be cooler

We just wanted to share again with you what our expectations are for students at RBE to wear outside at what temperature.  This week was warmer, but please remember that we have our morning recess at 9:50 - it was still in the 50's.  Next week, the temperature is supposed to drop and be cooler.  Please remember to send your kiddo with a jacket or sweatshirt every day!

 

Special Visitors

As you read about last week, October is Bilingual Child Month, Tommy's family sent in egg rolls for us to have as a special snack on Thursday.  Mrs. Richardson came in and talked about Vietnamese culture.  We also learned about Mexican culture from Yareli, the culture in Nicaragua from Valentina and the culture in Burundi from Felix.  Yareli brought in Hot Tamales for us as a snack.

Tristan's dad came in as special visitor yesterday.  He told us about being a diesel mechanic in the Navy.  He also read us a book The Night Before Thanksgiving.  

Maker Space Monday

The students enjoyed Maker Space Monday.  This week they had a chance to explore Ozobots.  They made a different paths for the Ozobots to make their way through.  Some students worked together to make a giant path.  We also explored the patterns to make the Ozobots go rapid fast or super slow.  They had fun! :)

A Tasty Math Lesson!

Today, we had a taste testing math lesson that the kiddos loved!  We invited Mrs. Reynolds and Ms. Ragsdale's classes to our classroom.  We had 6 different types of candy corn and the students had the opportunity to taste each type and then choose their favorite one.  After taste testing, we turned our votes into a tally mark chart.  We then used this data to make a double bar graph.  Make sure the next time that you are at RBE that you check out our chart and graph in the hallway outside our classroom!

What's Been Happening in 2nd Grade?

• Math: We finished up our second math unit on addition strategies this week and took our assessment.  Today, we started unit 3.  The focus of this unit is teaching the students strategies to solve subtraction problems.
• Writing: This week, we started publishing our small moment stories!  We are so excited about how these are turning out!  Next week, we will continue to work on publishing our stories.  We have also read three books that are connected (Spoon, Chopsticks, and Spork).  The student will be creating their own utensil book to add to this series.  Our plan is turn them into a book and send them to Amy Krouse Rosenthal.

    

• Reading: This week, we finished up talking about story elements of a story.  In second grade, when we talk about story elements we talk about characters (and their traits), setting (when & where), problem and a solution that solves the problem.  The kiddos made a Story Element Tree of a book that we have read together or a book that they had read on their own.  These trees are hung up in the hallway across from our classroom.  Make sure to check out our Story Element Forest the next time you are at RBE! :) Next week, we will start to discuss how we can use context clues as a strategy to solve unknown words.
• Social Studies:  We will continue to discuss and talk about rural, urban and suburban and how the culture of these environments can be different.
• Word Study: This week we continued to focus on vowel patterns.  We learned that "e" is a magic letter that turns a short vowel into a long vowel sound.  Over the past two week we have focused on short and long a and o words Next week we will focus on short i and long i words.  Next week's words are: stick, gift, rich, swim, thin, five, life, nine, prize, & drive.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Ross