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