April News
2nd Grade
Upcoming Units
MATH: Unit 8 - Patterns, Multiplication, & Data
In this unit children will discover the relationship between repeated addition and multiplication. We will also touch upon using the concept of halves to show division. Collection of data to be represented in bar and pictographs is another skill we will be working on as well.
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Demonstrates fluency with addition and subtraction within 20
- Uses mental strategies such as:
- Counting on
- Making ten
- Decomposing a number leading to a ten
- Using the relationship between addition and subtraction, or by
- Creating equivalent but easier sums
- Knows facts from memory
Number and Operations in Base Ten
- Counts within 1000; counts by 5s, 10s, and 100s
- Mentally adds or subtracts 10 or 100
Measurement and Data
- Represents and interprets data using picture graphs and bar graphs
Essential Vocabulary
- skip count
- equal groups, multiplication
- ruler, yardstick, meter stick, measuring tape, foot, yard, meter
- number line
- dollar, quarter, cents
- line plot, picture graph, bar graph
- rows, columns, array
Science: The concept that Soil is made up of living and nonliving things and is important to all life is the basis for our final unit of study in science. Students will be planning and following through with experiments involving soil.
Essential Questions
- What is soil and how is it formed?
- How does soil support life on Earth?
- What makes soil good for plants?
Content (Students will know...)
- how to perform simple tests to describe and identify soil components (clay, sand, and humus)
- that soil is made up of both living and non-living materials due to weathering and decomposition
- the important relationship between soil, plants, and the food chain
Essential Vocabulary:
Compost
Decay
Decomposition
Sand
Humus
Clay
Soil
Living
Non-Living
Organism
Particle
Property
Silt
Texture
Claim
Classify
Data
Evidence
Compare
Observe
Predict
Scientific Drawing
WRITING: In conjuction with our SOIL Unit, we will turn our attention back to writing about the science investigations we will be preforming. Similar to earlier in the year, we will be using a Lab Report structure to journal about our experiments and share ideas with each other.
Essential Questions
Why do scientists write?
How do scientists write?
What is the procedure for scientific writing?
How does the purpose influence the format of writing?
Skills (Students will be able to...)
- generate a list of topics
- pose questions they want to answer
- follow a process to write about experiments
- gather relevant information about a topic from multiple sources
- introduce a topic
- use facts and definitions to develop ideas
- give instructions or directions on how to do something
- illustrate the steps in the directions
- follow an appropriate sequence in writing
- make the text coherent, either with temporal or transition words
- include nonfiction text features
- provide a concluding statement or section
- publish results from scientific experiments
Essential Vocabulary
- Caption- word or words used to describe a photograph or illustration
- Diagram- a labeled illustration
- Glossary- an alphabetical list of key vocabulary found in a text with the definitions for those words
- Heading- title of section of book, usually in bold print
- How-To- steps in a process using temporal and transitional words
- Index- list of page numbers showing where key vocabulary is found in the text
- Label- word or words used to describe parts of a diagram
- Subheading- a section within the heading which focuses on a specific part of the larger topic
- Table of Contents- list of topics and corresponding page numbers
READING--How to Read Informational Text Digging Deeper
In our next unit we will revisit non-fiction reading with a twist. It will be with the lens of book clubs where students will chose the subject they are interested in learning more about and will work with the other’s in their group to discuss and share information they have gathered.
Skills (Students will be able to...)
- use informational text features (table of contents, index, glossary) to find information
- use embedded text features (photographs, labels, captions, diagrams, graphs, maps) to gain information
- use context clues to infer the meaning of unknown words
- use content vocabulary in discussions related to the topic
- ask and answer questions relevant to a topic
- determine the main idea of a section of informational text
- identify details that support the main idea of a section of informational text
- compare and contrast the main idea across texts on the same topic
Essential Vocabulary
Text Features:
Caption- word or words used to describe a photograph or illustration
Diagram- a labeled illustration
Glossary- an alphabetical list of key vocabulary found in a text with the definitions for those words
Heading- title of section of book, usually in bold print
Index- list of page numbers showing where key vocabulary is found in the text
Label- word or words used to describe parts of a diagram
Main Idea - what a section of text is mostly about
Subheading- a section within the heading which focuses on a specific part of the larger topic
Table of Contents- list of topics and corresponding page numbers