Social Studies - Citizenship
The children enjoyed a visit from Judge John Carr, George's grandfather, and learned about the Judicial branch of government. We are very grateful for Judge Carr's visit! The children also read their social studies book and learned that state and local governments have the same three branch structure as our national government. Ask your child to tell you the names of our state and local leaders!
New Science Theme - Insects!
We were excited to welcome insects to our class last week! We aren't sure what they are yet, but we designed and conducted fair tests, also known as scientific investigations, to decide what type of habitat our visitors will need when they are staying with us. We tested whether the visitors like to eat apples or potatoes, whether they like light or dark, whether they like to live in oats or wheat, whether they liked dry or wet, and whether they like their bedding shallow or deep. Our tests provided evidence that allowed us to make the following claim: Our visitors like to eat apples, they like the dark, and they like dry wheats piled high so they can burrow in it and be in the dark. Next, we built habitats for the insects based on the claims we made from our fair tests. Finally, we carefully observed our insects using loupes, a magnifying lens we hold right up to our eye. Being like scientists, we made detailed scientific drawings and labeled our drawings using science words. We will continue to watch them grow and develop throughout the year.
Math
Last week, we wrapped up Unit 6 in Investigation's Math and began working on Unit 8. The first investigation in Unit 8 focuses on subtraction fluency within 100. The second investigation focuses on models for adding and subtracting larger numbers. This unit is packed with problem solving activities which represent many problem types. So far, students have solved comparison problems with the smaller amount unknown. We are working to have rich discussions during our math talks. Our goal is for students to use the eight math practices throughout their math work, and especially during math talks.
Fact fluency is another focus of this unit! Please remember to check your child's SeeSaw Journal to see the facts s/he needs to practice. As I said in my recent email, the children took a photo of the addition and subtraction math facts within 20 they are still working on to become fluent. This is a standard for all second-grade students. Please use the SeeSaw photo to help your child practice these facts EVERY DAY! This practice will be their daily math homework each day throughout the end of the year unless I send a homework sheet.
To practice, look at the facts from the photo with your child and have your child provide the answer. If your child knows the sum or difference "in a snap," the fact can be "moved" to the "facts I know" category. If they have to reason the answer, ask your child how s/he solved it and keep it in the "facts I need to practice" category. The children have written clues on their fact cards to help them reason the answer. You can ask your child to explain their reasoning and see if it is working for them. They may want to change it if it isn't helping.
Here are some examples of what you might hear if your child reasons the answer to a fact:
For example, for 15-8, your child could use the "back to 10" strategy. If so, s/he may say, "I decomposed the 8 into 5 and 3. I know 15-5 is 10, then 10-3 is 7, so 15-8=7. Or, for 15-8, your child may make this addition. If so, s/he may say, "I know 8+___=15, and 8+7=15, so 15-8=7. Or, for 15-8, your child may use the "near doubles" strategy and make this addition. If so, s/he may say, "I know 8+8 is 16, so 8+7=15, so 15-8=7.
I will be assessing the students on their fluency with addition and subtraction facts to 20 a final time when they think they are ready. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Reading Workshop
We finished reading Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and we've started reading Dan Gutman's Shoeless Joe and Me. Ask your child to tell you about his/her writing in response to reading! The children are working to become better readers during their independent reading time. They are identifying personal goals and working to achieve these goals as they read. Ask your child what his/her goal is. I am conducting year-end reading tests as well.
Writing Workshop - Poetry
The children are hard at work writing poetry, and I’m amazed at what they’ve created! This week, the students began writing poetry. They learned that to say things in new ways, they need to look at things through a poet's eyes. We looked at ordinary objects such as a pinecone, candle, paint brush, shell, and bark, and the children imagined what else these items might be. We also talked about listening for line breaks to help their writing look like poetry with stanza and verse. Here are two poems we wrote as a class:
It could be . . .
a beehive to store honey for winter
shelves for snails to store their treasures
a Christmas tree to store special presents
a squirrel's dresser to store nuts and acorns
branches to store shade for grasshoppers and ants
all of this is in my pants!
It's nature's storage bin
a pinecone!
Anger
teeth clenched
arms crossed
why does he always do that?
burning hot
about to explode
who does he think he is?
shouting, yelling
doors slamming
oh no! my brother's coming
boom! boom!
boom! boom!
here he comes again!
Next week the children will begin publishing their own poetry book! They are enjoying this unit so much, and they can’t wait to share their work with you. Please mark your calendars so you can attend our Poetry Palooza on Tuesday, June 11, from 8:30 to 9:30! Your child will share a poem and you can share one of your favorites! You won't want to miss this!
Word Study
For the past several weeks, the children have been looking at various suffixes and learning the rules for adding suffixes to words. They have worked on sorts at their levels and have discovered many interesting rules. Ask your child to explain the rules for adding suffixes to you.
The last weeks of school we will be reviewing all the spelling patterns the students have learned throughout the year. We will NOT have traditional word study, so the students will have different word study homework next week.
T-Shirts Needed for Tie-Dye
Every second grade student needs a T-shirt to tie-dye! Please send your child with a clean, white, COTTON T-shirt by Monday, June 3! We will dye the shirts the following Wednesday and send it home so it can soak in the dye for a few days before you wash the shirt. Your child should wear the tie-dyed shirt on June 12 on the last day of school for Field day, Friday, June 12.
The children enjoyed a visit from Judge John Carr, George's grandfather, and learned about the Judicial branch of government. We are very grateful for Judge Carr's visit! The children also read their social studies book and learned that state and local governments have the same three branch structure as our national government. Ask your child to tell you the names of our state and local leaders!
New Science Theme - Insects!
We were excited to welcome insects to our class last week! We aren't sure what they are yet, but we designed and conducted fair tests, also known as scientific investigations, to decide what type of habitat our visitors will need when they are staying with us. We tested whether the visitors like to eat apples or potatoes, whether they like light or dark, whether they like to live in oats or wheat, whether they liked dry or wet, and whether they like their bedding shallow or deep. Our tests provided evidence that allowed us to make the following claim: Our visitors like to eat apples, they like the dark, and they like dry wheats piled high so they can burrow in it and be in the dark. Next, we built habitats for the insects based on the claims we made from our fair tests. Finally, we carefully observed our insects using loupes, a magnifying lens we hold right up to our eye. Being like scientists, we made detailed scientific drawings and labeled our drawings using science words. We will continue to watch them grow and develop throughout the year.
Math
Last week, we wrapped up Unit 6 in Investigation's Math and began working on Unit 8. The first investigation in Unit 8 focuses on subtraction fluency within 100. The second investigation focuses on models for adding and subtracting larger numbers. This unit is packed with problem solving activities which represent many problem types. So far, students have solved comparison problems with the smaller amount unknown. We are working to have rich discussions during our math talks. Our goal is for students to use the eight math practices throughout their math work, and especially during math talks.
Fact fluency is another focus of this unit! Please remember to check your child's SeeSaw Journal to see the facts s/he needs to practice. As I said in my recent email, the children took a photo of the addition and subtraction math facts within 20 they are still working on to become fluent. This is a standard for all second-grade students. Please use the SeeSaw photo to help your child practice these facts EVERY DAY! This practice will be their daily math homework each day throughout the end of the year unless I send a homework sheet.
To practice, look at the facts from the photo with your child and have your child provide the answer. If your child knows the sum or difference "in a snap," the fact can be "moved" to the "facts I know" category. If they have to reason the answer, ask your child how s/he solved it and keep it in the "facts I need to practice" category. The children have written clues on their fact cards to help them reason the answer. You can ask your child to explain their reasoning and see if it is working for them. They may want to change it if it isn't helping.
Here are some examples of what you might hear if your child reasons the answer to a fact:
For example, for 15-8, your child could use the "back to 10" strategy. If so, s/he may say, "I decomposed the 8 into 5 and 3. I know 15-5 is 10, then 10-3 is 7, so 15-8=7. Or, for 15-8, your child may make this addition. If so, s/he may say, "I know 8+___=15, and 8+7=15, so 15-8=7. Or, for 15-8, your child may use the "near doubles" strategy and make this addition. If so, s/he may say, "I know 8+8 is 16, so 8+7=15, so 15-8=7.
I will be assessing the students on their fluency with addition and subtraction facts to 20 a final time when they think they are ready. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Reading Workshop
We finished reading Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and we've started reading Dan Gutman's Shoeless Joe and Me. Ask your child to tell you about his/her writing in response to reading! The children are working to become better readers during their independent reading time. They are identifying personal goals and working to achieve these goals as they read. Ask your child what his/her goal is. I am conducting year-end reading tests as well.
Writing Workshop - Poetry
The children are hard at work writing poetry, and I’m amazed at what they’ve created! This week, the students began writing poetry. They learned that to say things in new ways, they need to look at things through a poet's eyes. We looked at ordinary objects such as a pinecone, candle, paint brush, shell, and bark, and the children imagined what else these items might be. We also talked about listening for line breaks to help their writing look like poetry with stanza and verse. Here are two poems we wrote as a class:
It could be . . .
a beehive to store honey for winter
shelves for snails to store their treasures
a Christmas tree to store special presents
a squirrel's dresser to store nuts and acorns
branches to store shade for grasshoppers and ants
all of this is in my pants!
It's nature's storage bin
a pinecone!
Anger
teeth clenched
arms crossed
why does he always do that?
burning hot
about to explode
who does he think he is?
shouting, yelling
doors slamming
oh no! my brother's coming
boom! boom!
boom! boom!
here he comes again!
Next week the children will begin publishing their own poetry book! They are enjoying this unit so much, and they can’t wait to share their work with you. Please mark your calendars so you can attend our Poetry Palooza on Tuesday, June 11, from 8:30 to 9:30! Your child will share a poem and you can share one of your favorites! You won't want to miss this!
Word Study
For the past several weeks, the children have been looking at various suffixes and learning the rules for adding suffixes to words. They have worked on sorts at their levels and have discovered many interesting rules. Ask your child to explain the rules for adding suffixes to you.
The last weeks of school we will be reviewing all the spelling patterns the students have learned throughout the year. We will NOT have traditional word study, so the students will have different word study homework next week.
T-Shirts Needed for Tie-Dye
Every second grade student needs a T-shirt to tie-dye! Please send your child with a clean, white, COTTON T-shirt by Monday, June 3! We will dye the shirts the following Wednesday and send it home so it can soak in the dye for a few days before you wash the shirt. Your child should wear the tie-dyed shirt on June 12 on the last day of school for Field day, Friday, June 12.