Week Starting December 12

A peek at our week:

ELA: New words to learn new patterns will be introduced. Students have new ELA partners and will learn how to have many meaningful conversations with them about the books they read. They will also learn about elements of nonfiction writing to write about topics they know a lot about.

Math: Through literature, estimation and experimentation, students will explore measurement. One goal is for them to understand that rulers offer a standard form of measurement where everyone gets the same results. Please keep working on memorization of additon and subtraction facts at home. Children should know facts as automatically as they can spell their first names.

Science: Please see the Announcements page of the web site.

Week of December 5-9

Here's a glance at our upcoming week.

ELA: The children have been excited about learning facts for their Genius Hour research. I am too, as they have taught me new things about their chosen topics! This week, I will help them sift through all these facts by using the table of contents and/or index. In writing, students are completing their final drafts of their pattern stories and the art they started with Mr. Hunter to go with them. We will also continue with various kinds of nonfiction writing. Look for new words coming home on Monday.

Math: This week, students will complete the second review for Unit 2 and take that test. Our third unit is about Measurement and Geometry.

Health: We will review our garden of feelings and engage in some group work. Problem solving skills will be practiced, too.

Thanks for checking in.

Week Beginning November 28, 2016

I am eager to hear Thanksgiving tales from your young ones. I will share mine with them, as well. Then we will cover these items and more.

ELA: Nonfiction reading and writing are on the agenda. We will spend time with our Genius Hour research and more. New words will come home this week. It may be Monday or Tuesday.

Math: A bit more time will be spent on money. Then, we will review Unit 2, which will be followed by an assessment.

SS/Science/Health: Our unit on balance and motion concludes this week. We will then move on to Health, where our topics will be feelings and problem solving.

Thanks for checking in.

Short Week Prior to Thanksgiving

May you all have a healthy and happy Thanksgiving celebration. Mrs. Roney is filling in for me Monday and Tuesday. She is a retired Bingham 2nd grade teacher and is a master of our curriculum. So, I have left my peeps in good hands!

ELA: Students will decipher texts to determine if they are factual or fictional. They will identify details in fictional text. They will also edit their writing so it is ready to be published. Please have your child read at home every day. This should include independent reading and reading aloud.

Math: Your child is to practice math addition and subtraction facts at home on a daily basis. The goal is memorization by the school year's end. We will soon conclude our unit of double digit addition and more. Please remember to have your child practice math at home with Splash Math.

Science: Students are completing activities regarding motion. They are creating tracks to roll marbles. They test their tracks and modify as needed. They continue to work on team skills.

Week Starting November 7

Here are some things scheduled for the week ahead.

ELA: Students started patterned stories last week after learning about authors' crafts. They did a fabulous job. We will continue this week. We will move into nonfiction reading this week. A review of nonfiction text features will take place as well as a text feature hunt in books the children have shopped for recently. The words that come home are for sorting at home. They do not need to be returned to school.

Math: Students will be adding double digit numbers together. They will show their work in a method that is comfortable to them. Last Friday, I sent home a copy of the various methods your child may choose to use. Please support the method s/he finds most useful to her/him. Thanks.

Science: While learning about spinners and zoomers, students learned about rotation and the forces of push and pull. This week we investigate twirlers.

Thanks for reading!

Classroom Happenings

ELA: Students have been reading fiction and nonfiction. They are working on reading smoothly. So when they need to slow down to figure a word or words out, they need to remember to go back and reread. Students practice retelling stories to their ELA partners. They use transition words like first, then and next to retell important events in order. Transition words are also used in writing small moments, or personal narratives. Students will be assessed on this type of writing this week. Then we will move on to pattern books. I will read literature with a pattern and students will write write their own stories with a similar pattern. And patterns are always a part of our word work. Students learn new words and what they mean. The hope is that as the children learn new vocabulary they will begin using it in their writing.

Math: We have completed our first unit. As we move into our next unit on place value, students will maintain problem solving skills during bell time, homework and math time. Students will count by 10s and 100s, starting at any number. Given a number, like 781, students will tell the value of each digit. Given several numbers like 312, 321, 132, and 123, students will circle the numbers with a 2 in the tens place. These are samples of the expectations for the children as they learn about place value.

Science: Overall, the class was very successful on the balance quiz. The children also enjoyed working in teams making and balancing mobiles. They have made and observed spinners in action. We will continue activitities with different type of spinning tops.

Social Studies: While we will typically focus on science or social studies, we are doing both due to our upcoming national election. We held a mock election where students nominated a class mascot. Reasons were given on why the nominated mascots would be good choices. Then we had primaries to narrow the field. Our final election was between a dog and kitten, with the dog coming out on top.  Just like an actual election, there was happiness and disappointment.

Week Starting October 17

After updating my blog last weekend, some things were accomplished while others were put on hold due to my illness. Thank you and your children for the well wishes, cards and hugs. My bronchitis diagnosis still has me slightly under the weather, but I am doing much better than last week. I hope you and yours remain healthy.

ELA: Please expect words and information about Words Their Way this Monday. Our 4th grade buddies helped with revising and editing our small moments last week. Some even started typing. While we will continue this process, we will also start a descriptive writing activity this week. In reading, we will work to solidify some skills introduced over the last few weeks. These include using many word solving strategies, reading like a storyteller, retelling and responding to an author's craft.

Math: Our problem solving this week revolves around excluding unneeded information, adding additional necessary information and knowing what operations to use to solve many different word problems. Students will bring home additional math cards for practice. One side shows the basic fact. The other side provides a useful strategy and the answer. So, students can practice with these on their own.

Science: Did your child tell you what s/he learned about perennials? Were you asked what kinds you have in your yard? Please have this conversation if it has not yet taken place. Thanks. Balance and Motion is still our theme. Students will practice balancing objects with and without counterweights. 

Thanks for checking our classroom news. Have a pleasant week.

News For the Week of October 10-14

Here's what's up this week.

First, a gentle reminder that things that are sent home for homework are due back the next day unless specified otherwise in the directions. This includes written work and books sent home to be read. Several times already, items have not been returned and we used them the next day. Thanks. Also, student of the week posters are due on Monday. I hope your child had fun being creative with this activity.

ELA: Words Their Way starts Monday. Expect a list of words and parent information to come home in your child's home folder. I continue to work with small groups and individuals to grow their reading skills. They have daily independent reading time to practice new skills, too. Revising and editing continue during writing.

Math: Students have been solving math stories by drawing pictures, making math mountains and writing equations. They use math talk to explain their processes.We will work to be precise in our processes, answers and the way numbers are written. There are several math tools in class to help students be successful.

Science: Our first kit this year is Balance and Motion. Students will be presented with a question. Afterward, through exploration and trials, students will attempt to answer the question. They will consult with each other. I will be the guide on the side. I'm looking forward to seeing their problem solving ideas.

Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful week.

First School Week of October

Parent volunteers will be starting this month. Thanks to those of you who have time in your schedule to help.  

ELA: Words Their Way will be delayed a week. For reading, students will continue retelling stories. They will use the story plot to help them with this. So, they will identify main characters, setting, problem and solution. We will spend time reviewing strategies to identify tricky words. Also with this goal, children will look at vowel teams, like -ai, -ea, -oi, etc...To help 2nd graders revise writing, I will provide them with a checklist. We will also discuss how to provide closure to our stories.

Math: Students will take a quiz on the concepts thus far practiced. That will be followed by word problems. The children will practice showing their work with drawings (like sticks and circles), equations and/or math mountains. Different strategies are more successful for different learners. Each student needs to determine what works best for him/her.

Social  Studies: Before getting into science, we are going to examine different types of communities. Differentiation between urban, rural and suburban communities will be studied.

Week of 26-30

It's been a lovely September. Here's some of the happenings for the last week of the month.

ELA: Students will continue to work on narratives and learn how to enhance them. They will start reading in groups and with partners. We will be reading different texts about Johnny Appleseed. Then students will compare and contrast them. They will  retell stories. They will also practice stopping during a story to think about the things that are occuring. Our word of the week is justice.

Math: Our math concepts and practice for the week include identifying numbers as even or odd, addition strategies that utilize doubles (8+8 for example), equation chains (5-2=0+3 or 12=8+4=13-1), adding with 3 addends and adding and subtracting vertically.

Social Studies: We will complete our unit on Characteristics of Communities. Students will recognize natural geograpic features, businesses, recreational areas and more.  Honesty is our trait of the week as well as continuing with responsibility.

Thanks for checking in!

Week Starting September 19

Here's a look at the week ahead.

ELA: We will continue building stamina during reading sessions. As we continue along, students should be able to sustain their independent reading for longer periods of time. They will use strategies for tricky words or phrases. They will visualize the story, make predictions as they read and more. Fluency is another area of focus for the week. Students will practice reading groups of words rather than word by word. They will also use various voices (soft, scared, exuberant) based on what the text calls for. They will be asked to practice at home, too.
Narrative writing is our present genre. Students' small moments develop from their own experiences. These can be as simple as a ride on a swing to something more meaningful like a birth in the family. The choices are endless!
Our word of the week is wisdom.

Math: Addition and subraction strategies will be practiced this week. We have reviewed partners of 10 and students will use these as they add numbers with teen totals. Math mountain cards will come home with your child for home practice. Automation of facts will help your child with future math concepts and operations.

Social Studies: Students will hear about different types of communities. They will see how urban, suburban and rural communities are alike and different.

Thanks for checking in.

Week Beginning September 12, 2016

Here's a glance at our week ahead.

ELA: This year, I've decided to do a "Word of the Week" to enhance our character education. Last week's word was courage. Students shared other words that were similar and provided examples as well as non-examples. I spoke with them about having courage in the classroom and being willing to take a risk. Mistakes are made by all, and we can even learn from those. Then children created illustrations of courage, which became a collage of courage.  This week's word is friendship. Other items for ELA this week will include Words Their Way (WTW) inventory, looking at different ways of how to read a book and creating a topic list for writing.

Math: We will start the week with an assessment. Results will help me see where your child has strengths and where s/he has areas for growth. Then, our first unit in math begins by reviewing math mountains and equations for addition and subtraction. I will show students where I store manipulatives for them to access when they want and need them to promote solving and understanding.

Social Studies: We are working our way through our character traits. Last week was kindness. This week is respect. We are also talking about families. Through an activity, students saw that families have similarities and differences. They will learn about a common family goal, which is to see that basic needs of all in the family are met. 

Thanks for checking in.

First Week of School

Our first week of school will involve ice breakers, making connections, estasblishing routines and promises, and solidifying a classroom culture to sustain us all year long. While doing this, students will be reading, writing and problem solving. They will ignite new friendships and rekindle past ones. They will learn about me and I will learn about them.

Welcome to a New School Year

Hello Families. This is the space where I will provide information on what your children are studying in different subjects. I will mention topics, projects, things you can help with at home, important due dates, and other things. Usually, this gets updated weekly, sometimes every two weeks. I hope you will check in often.