Second Grade Scoop
Miss Roberts * Stoy School * October 1st and 7th
Work Hard and Be Kind
Thank you ALL for attending Back to School Night. I hope you all left with a better understanding of your child's world in Second Grade. It is an exciting year of growth and learning.
A few parents approached me about being a Room Parent. If you are interested, please email me and formally express your interest. I'm hoping to accommodate those interested. Thank you!
Reading Workshop
Literacy Goals
- Phonics - vowel sounds are spelled with the Consonant, Vowel, Consonant Pattern (CVC)
- Reading Fluency - accuracy; cross checking - Do words make sense in the story and look right?
- Comprehension - Story Structure
- Writing - Complete sentences have two parts; a subject and predicate
- Vocabulary - ABC order and Using a glossary
The students will participate in mini-lessons focusing on these goals. They will become more familiar with these skills and concepts through modeling and practice.
We will read and use multiple stories including Teacher's Pet, Owl Moon and The Relatives Came as authentic resources as we work towards our goals.
The students will be assigned their first Reading Response this week. They will be required to retell a familiar story using the story structure model. We will complete one together in class and then attempt their own independently in class. After practicing, a similar one will come home for homework next week.
Handwriting/Writing Workshop
Our handwriting will begin to focus on the formation and size of lowercase letters. Before modeling each, the students will be asked to identify if the letter is Tall, Short, or Sinking. A Sinking letter drops below the line. We will focus on the "Magic C" lowercase letters (letters that all begin with the formation of a c), c, a, d, and g. The Tall lowercase letter t will also be modeled along with the vowel u. With each letter, the students are reminded to "bump the line" to ensure they are thinking about their letter size.
Our Narrative Writing unit is underway. Each student has created an illustration of a "Memory String" and has added small memories or story ideas to it. Using one idea, they have begun writing their first Second Grade Story.
Now that the writing process is underway, the class will participate in lessons that focus on writing elements that will help them become stronger writers. As a class, we will use the Narrative Writing Diamond as our framework to ensure specific elements are included to each child's story. We will begin learning how to incorporate entertaining beginnings. This is the "Magic" that helps catch our reader's attention. The goal is to transition from stories that begin in a simplistic manner such as: "One day.." and "My family went to...". Reading and using mentor texts, the students will recognize and try different ways of beginning a story such as; dialogue, sound effects, questions, thoughts, and feelings. Choosing one of these will allow the students to make a positive and memorable first impression.
Our focus will then shift to including details to "Show" rather than "Tell" our reader what is happening. Learning how to include details to elaborate and use descriptive language to show what a character looks like and or is feeling provides a reader a sense of what is happening in a story. The students will work through this by asking and answering questions to "Show" their reader important information.
Math
The students will continue to practice the "Make Ten" and "Doubles" strategies when adding single digit numbers. It is important that the students' accuracy and fluency increase when adding and subtracting single digit numbers.
Over the next two weeks, the class will complete Chapter two and will have a better understanding adding with regrouping. They will complete the Chapter 2 Math Test on Friday, October 11th.
- Use base-ten blocks to add numbers with regrouping
- Add up to three-digit numbers with regrouping
- Solve real-world addition problems
- Vocabulary * regroup *
Lesson 4 - Addition with Regrouping in Tens (2 day lesson)
- Use base-ten blocks to add numbers with regrouping
- Add up to three-digit numbers with regrouping
- Solve real-world addition problems
Lesson 5 - Addition with Regrouping in Ones and Tens (2 day lesson)
- Use base-ten blocks to add numbers with regrouping
- Add three-digit numbers with regrouping
- Solve real-world addition problems.
- Adding three-digit numbers with and without regrouping
- Using deduction to decide IF regrouping in necessary
Science
The students will have an opportunity to share the seeds they created during our Maker Space project and explain its characteristics that make it a floater, flyer, or traveler. The students will then turn their focus to the importance of water, which is taken in by the roots. They will also learn what it is about dirt that plants really need. They’ll build a Root Viewer to see up close how roots behave.
The mystery of “Why do trees grow so tall” (Answer: to hog as much light as possible!) will be presented. They will learn how badly plants need sunlight; without it, seedlings will even grow taller before dying, searching for the light.
If possible, take a walk with your child sometime this week and together pay attention to the trees you see. Ponder aloud, “Why do trees put so many of their leaves up on top?” If possible, visit Saddle's Woods and observe how dark it is inside the woods. Why is it dark in the woods? (Trees are so efficient at spreading their leaves to catch sunlight that very few patches of sunlight reach the forest floor.)
Social Expectations
Growing up is hard. Learning how to share space and time with others can be difficult. In class, we will spend a few minutes each day learning how to understand others and respectfully communicate our needs.
This week, we will discuss the similarities and differences between an individual and a group. We will focus on the importance of being part of a Group Plan when working within a group. The students will gain a better perspective of how to share and link our personal thoughts in order to work for a greater good. As a class, we will develop a signal that we can give to one another when someone needs to "link" back in.
Coming Soon:
- September 30th - No School Rosh Hashanah
- October 8th - School Store open during lunch
- October 9th - Camp Creek Run Field Trip permission slips and money due
- October 11th - Unit 3 Math Test
- October 14th and 15th - No School - Teacher In-service
- October 17th - Allergy and Asthma Awareness Assembly
- October 21st - Pretzel orders due
- October 2st, 22nd, 23rd - "Boo" Sale at lunch
- October 22nd - Picture Day
- October 24th - Crazy Sock Day and Pretzel Sale
- October 25th - Camp Creek Run Field Trip
- October 31st - Halloween! "Boo" Delivery