Week 1

 Dear Parents,

        What a great first week we had.  I absolutely adore your children. It is going to be a fantastic year. I look forward to partnering with you to help your child be well prepared for third grade. Please make sure your child brings a snack and a water bottle to school every day. If they forget a snack I do have a bin where they can get Goldfish or Cheezits. We do have nut allergies in our room, so if you donate any snacks, please check that they are nut free. I will be asking for donations when I run out of snacks. I bought over 100 snacks so they should last a while. We also had two parents donate snacks. Thank you Ashley Pugh and Jennifer Speer! You are making children happy in our room!

         In math we set up our notebooks and learned about intentional problem solving. We talked about what questions we ask each other as well as how to figure out what the problem is asking. We learned about our math boxes and the manipulatives we can use to help us solve problems. We also learned about using number lines, part/part/whole boxes and number sentences. Next week’s math is going to focus on counting groups of coins. Please practice with your child at home this weekend and all next week as that will be our math focus. This can be a difficult skill for second graders.

         In writing we compared the writing process to creating a playdo sculpture with brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. We set up our writer’s notebook and wrote about our first day of school. We also brainstormed ideas that are close to our heart that we could use as topics for other writings. We copied a poem to show our handwriting at the beginning of the year. They grow so much in this area. And , yes- after winter break we learn cursive.

          In reading/social studies we learned about our gathering spot, how to turn and talk with a partner as well as good listening expectations. We created a class treatment agreement about how we as a class should treat one another. We talked about good manners and completed a matching sheet. We worked on our reading stamina and quiet independent reading while staying focused on our book. 

         On Monday we will begin our reading log. The students are to read 15 minutes every night , Monday-Thursday and mark it on the sheet found in their blue folder, behind their sticker chart. I check them each Friday.  For now they can read any books you have at home or take a book home from my classroom library. After assess their reading on istation and a few other district tests, I will put them in reading groups and leveled books will be coming home. I usually allow them to keep 3 books in their book bags before collecting one. Rereading books that they have already read is invaluable and builds confidence. These book bags will start going home on Monday. Please make sure the book bags stay in your child’s backpack so they come back to school every day. Your child should just take a book out to read it and then put it back in the book bag. Last, they fill out the chart in the blue folder. This blue folder should also stay in their backpack to come back to school every day.

        In science  we learned about what scientists do and who scientists are. We set up our notebooks and wrote about which scientist we’d like to be.

      

* There is a digital copy of our second grade newsletter attached to my weekly e-mail to you. I also gave you the Enrichment rotation. Please make sure your child wears tennis shoes on PE days. We are the green special each day. Additionally this week you can look below for general school information.

Please contact me with any questions. We will work together this year to help your child GLOW!