The first quarter came to an end last Friday. It's hard to believe that our little learning community has been together for three full months. It's been a wonderful three months of growing, learning and working together as readers, writers, mathematicians and community participants. Everyone has been working together putting their best foot forward, showing great effort and perserverance! I am looking forward to meeting with families to discuss our standards based report card. Please remember these are standards based and you can refer to the rubrics on EDLINE. Most students at this time of the year are progressing towards the standards in all areas of the curriculum. Children should be trying their best, putting forth great effort and being a good friend and classmate. I would consider this a successful term. I willbe sending home reminders on Monday about conference dates and times. If you feel at this time that you are not in need of a conference, please let me know.
The class is very excitied about STAR STUDENT OF THE WEEK. I was the first to model for the class. Everyone was so excited for D'Monye who will our STAR STUDENT next week. We will only choose a new studnet when there is a full week. Please encourage your child to share a special talent with the class and if a family member wants to read to the class please contact me to schedule a time that works for you and the class.
The class is very excitied about STAR STUDENT OF THE WEEK. I was the first to model for the class. Everyone was so excited for D'Monye who will our STAR STUDENT next week. We will only choose a new studnet when there is a full week. Please encourage your child to share a special talent with the class and if a family member wants to read to the class please contact me to schedule a time that works for you and the class.
These last weeks, the children have been enthusiastically writing about small moments in writing. The kids are starting to add many more details to their writing. We've also learned about adding descriptive adjectives including color, size words, and other juicy words. We talk about "hooking" in your audience. Last week I read the story Miss Nelson is Missing. It's a story about a class that comes to school one day and their teacher, Miss Nelson is missing. I then asked the kiddos to write a story (narrative) about what they would do if they were teacher for a day. They are in the process of editing and revising. These could be published and compiled into a class book in a couple of weeks.
Grade Two has begun our next social studies unit which is MAPPING. The children are learning about continents, oceans, major rivers, and mountain ranges. Ask your child what is the difference between globe and a map or a continent and a country. They are very enthusiastice about their discoveries.
Mathematically, second graders have been subtracting with and without regrouping. More challenging than addition, students need to perservere. The real stumbling block is not having their easy subtraction facts memorized. This is still so important. A favorite poem of mine to help with the process is:
When the numbers are the same,
zero's the game.
When there's more on the top,
no need to stop.
When there's more on the floor
go next door and get ten more (regrouping).
I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Chanukah. I hope enjoyed the weekend with family and friends. I told the kiddos I was busy cooking Thanksgiving dinner, doing report cards, planning lessons for next week, cutting down my Christmas Tree and trying to sell my house this weekend. It has been a wild and crazy few days with which I must persevere.
Please enjoy the few Compound Word Day Ladies! There will be an assembly on Wednesday on the kids should wear their Pillars colors or Killam shirts. Stay tuned for information on our Holiday Celebration and Snow Ball Exchange at the end of the month.
Have a great week and stay warm!!
