Social Studies and Naper Settlement We are continuing to discuss many concepts related to American history. We've compared kings and presidents using a Venn diagram as shown above. Thank you to Denny Jara, Nika's mom, for chaperoning our trip to Naper Settlement. The children learned a great deal about life in Illinois from its founding in 1818. They enjoyed seeing a working blacksmith's shop, post office, print shop, log cabin, one-room school house, and more! Ask your child to tell you about their discoveries. Here's what the children said about their experience at Naper Settlement: Sireen: I liked how we read boy then girl at the school. Wes: We saw actual metal work made at the blacksmith's. Henry: We learned verses of Twinkle Twinkle at school. Margaret: We saw cool old books at the school and saw how a bookmark was printed at the printshop. Mary: We got to draw on little chalkboards at the school. George: I liked how the blacksmith curved the iron. Lily: I liked watching the blacksmith make the hook. Julian: It was quite interesting watching the blacksmith twist iron. Noora: I liked experiencing the school room and seeing how small it was. Nika: I liked seeing how people learned back then. Bruno: We got to experience what it was like in school long ago when the president was Grover Cleveland. I also liked the blacksmith made iron tools. Beckett: I liked seeing how people lived in a log cabin, and the post office was interesting because we got to see how letters were written long ago. Matty: I liked seeing what was in the cellar. Jack: I liked the mansion because it had newer things. Kareena: I liked do an old version of the Pledge in school. Maeve: The school was very different. Eve: I liked seeing how school was like long ago. Dylan: I'd like to work at the blacksmith's shop. Joey: I liked how the blacksmith really made something. Justice: I liked the old fashioned pledge at the school. Naomi: I liked the school and the print shop. I liked seeing how they inked the printer. Sahn: I liked seeing the blacksmith make iron. | Naper Settlement was Great! |
Math
Last week, the students finished Unit One of Investigations, and they took the final assessment for this unit. Many children have discovered the importance of showing their work when they solve math equations and story problems through this assessment. If your child struggled on any aspect of the first unit's test, please note that a wonderful feature of the Investigation Mathematics program is that concepts are continually revisited throughout the year with extensions and other applications. Plus, we review key concepts daily through our ten minute math review. That said, on days when math homework is not assigned, please help your child practice his/her addition and subtraction facts to 20. This is a standard your child should master by the end of second grade.
Our second unit in Investigations focuses on attributes of shapes and parts of a whole. The focus of this unit is on observing and describing attributes of 2D and 3D shapes (ie. number and shape of faces, number and length of sides, number of angles and vertices) and using those attributes as they sort, construct, draw, and compare shapes.This unit also develops ideas about equal parts of a whole, focusing specifically on partitioning and describing halves, fourths, and thirds of one whole and recognizing that the same equal parts of a whole can be different shapes (ie. one half of a square).
Students have sorted 2D and 3D shapes, recognized that 3D shapes have faces that are made of 2D shapes. Children have drawn 3D geo blocks and played games such as Find the Block, Mystery Shape, and practiced using the language of 2D and 3D geometry. Ask your child to tell you about what s/he's learned!
Reading Workshop
Last week, the children participated in small groups to read one of three folk tales in readers theater style. They read "The Three Wishes," "The Magic Porridge Pot," or "The Stonecutter." They worked on reading fluently and found the story elements and lesson from each of these stories. Next, they read another version of their folk tale and used a Venn diagram to compare it to their original version. We also read "John Henry" as a class, found its story elements and lesson, then watched a video of the same tale. The children used a Venn diagram to compare these two versions of the story. Finally, they worked independently or with a partner to find the story elements in "Yeh Shen" and "Cinderella," identify the lessons, and compare the two versions of the story.
This week, we began discussing how good readers infer to make predictions. We are reading Gooney the Fabulous, by Lois Lowry, which is the third story in the Gooney Bird Greene series. This book ties into our work with folktales and fables. The children are writing their predictions and evidence from the story that gave them the idea for their prediction. Ask your child to tell you how s/he makes predictions!
Writing Workshop
The children finished their study of personal narrative writing last week. They wrote their final small moments, and I was extremely impressed with their growth. Next, we are turning our attention to writing fables. The children will use their knowledge of the story elements of folktales to write a fable of their own. We are in the planning stages now!
The students also did some work with grammar this week. They watched some videos and played a game to reinforce the concept that nouns are words that name persons, places, and things. They also completed some practice work about nouns.
Word work
Last week, the children compared words that have the vowel i. Some sorted for CVC/CVCe; some compared only long vowel patterns including CVCe/CVV(igh)/CV(y). This week, the children reviewed all of the long vowel spelling patterns they've learned. Ask your child to tell you all s/he has discovered about the spelling patterns they've learned!
Fall Conferences & Assessments
I can hardly believe conferences are only two weeks away! I have conducted many assessments to prepare for your child’s conference. Most of you have already made an appointment for a conference. If you haven’t, please make an appointment for a conference by following the directions provided by the district.
This and That
• As the weather gets cooler, please make sure your child has warm clothes to wear for recess.
• Please look through and clean out your child’s take-home folder every evening. This way you will know what your child has done each day in school.
THANK YOU!
Last week, the students finished Unit One of Investigations, and they took the final assessment for this unit. Many children have discovered the importance of showing their work when they solve math equations and story problems through this assessment. If your child struggled on any aspect of the first unit's test, please note that a wonderful feature of the Investigation Mathematics program is that concepts are continually revisited throughout the year with extensions and other applications. Plus, we review key concepts daily through our ten minute math review. That said, on days when math homework is not assigned, please help your child practice his/her addition and subtraction facts to 20. This is a standard your child should master by the end of second grade.
Our second unit in Investigations focuses on attributes of shapes and parts of a whole. The focus of this unit is on observing and describing attributes of 2D and 3D shapes (ie. number and shape of faces, number and length of sides, number of angles and vertices) and using those attributes as they sort, construct, draw, and compare shapes.This unit also develops ideas about equal parts of a whole, focusing specifically on partitioning and describing halves, fourths, and thirds of one whole and recognizing that the same equal parts of a whole can be different shapes (ie. one half of a square).
Students have sorted 2D and 3D shapes, recognized that 3D shapes have faces that are made of 2D shapes. Children have drawn 3D geo blocks and played games such as Find the Block, Mystery Shape, and practiced using the language of 2D and 3D geometry. Ask your child to tell you about what s/he's learned!
Reading Workshop
Last week, the children participated in small groups to read one of three folk tales in readers theater style. They read "The Three Wishes," "The Magic Porridge Pot," or "The Stonecutter." They worked on reading fluently and found the story elements and lesson from each of these stories. Next, they read another version of their folk tale and used a Venn diagram to compare it to their original version. We also read "John Henry" as a class, found its story elements and lesson, then watched a video of the same tale. The children used a Venn diagram to compare these two versions of the story. Finally, they worked independently or with a partner to find the story elements in "Yeh Shen" and "Cinderella," identify the lessons, and compare the two versions of the story.
This week, we began discussing how good readers infer to make predictions. We are reading Gooney the Fabulous, by Lois Lowry, which is the third story in the Gooney Bird Greene series. This book ties into our work with folktales and fables. The children are writing their predictions and evidence from the story that gave them the idea for their prediction. Ask your child to tell you how s/he makes predictions!
Writing Workshop
The children finished their study of personal narrative writing last week. They wrote their final small moments, and I was extremely impressed with their growth. Next, we are turning our attention to writing fables. The children will use their knowledge of the story elements of folktales to write a fable of their own. We are in the planning stages now!
The students also did some work with grammar this week. They watched some videos and played a game to reinforce the concept that nouns are words that name persons, places, and things. They also completed some practice work about nouns.
Word work
Last week, the children compared words that have the vowel i. Some sorted for CVC/CVCe; some compared only long vowel patterns including CVCe/CVV(igh)/CV(y). This week, the children reviewed all of the long vowel spelling patterns they've learned. Ask your child to tell you all s/he has discovered about the spelling patterns they've learned!
Fall Conferences & Assessments
I can hardly believe conferences are only two weeks away! I have conducted many assessments to prepare for your child’s conference. Most of you have already made an appointment for a conference. If you haven’t, please make an appointment for a conference by following the directions provided by the district.
This and That
• As the weather gets cooler, please make sure your child has warm clothes to wear for recess.
• Please look through and clean out your child’s take-home folder every evening. This way you will know what your child has done each day in school.
THANK YOU!