S'MORE News from Second Grade
Mathews Elementary Mavericks
Daily Expectations
Please arrive on time! Doors open at 7:00, students are released to classrooms at 7:30, and are expected to be seated and ready to begin by the bell at 7:45. All students are asked to bring their green folder, reading log and planner home M-TH to stay organized. On Fridays, students will bring their blue card home (in their green folder) to have it signed by a parent and returned the following Monday. Thank you for helping your child be GREAT every day!
REMIND.COM
This year we will use www.remind.com to send out quick reminders for events happening in 2nd grade. If you have not signed up to receive messages from your child's teacher, please contact them via email so that they may update the cell phone number(s) you wish to use. This is a tool to send you reminders only. Thank you!
Snack
GOING HOME A DIFFERENT WAY?
Dreambox
What is DreamBox Learning Math?
● DreamBox Learning Math, the next generation of web-based learning,
provides personalized math learning in an engaging, fun, game-like
framework.
● DreamBox automatically adapts to each student, optimizing his or her
learning experience. The engine does this by customizing the lessons,
difficulty, hints, pace, and sequence to match a student’s knowledge and
learning style -- just as a great tutor would!
Tips for Parents
● Encourage students to FINISH lessons. Explain to students that
DreamBox is constantly taking into consideration their keystrokes,
strategies, speed and answers to build the best “next step”. However, the
platform won’t register all of that data if a lesson is incomplete. The best
way for a learner to show what he or she knows or doesn’t know is to
finish the lesson. Ask them to not out of a lesson because they want to try
another. Encourage them to finish. If they must close a lesson, have them
start with that lesson when they play DreamBox again. It is okay to get
wrong answers and to try their own strategies.
● Encourage them to use the “Help” (K-8) and “Hint” (3-8) buttons .
● Use only the program. No pencil, paper or calculator. DreamBox will
provide any workspaces needed and break the problem down into
manageable parts. Students should use the tools and virtual manipulatives
to guide them.
● Don’t help students answer problems. The program engine wants to
“learn the learner.” If a student gets help, the software adjusts as if the
student understands the lesson. DreamBox will eventually adapt back to
the “right” level for the student, but if a parent helps, it can take longer and
impede progress.
● Encourage a growth mindset. It is okay for students to make
mistakes and try their own ideas! Let students know that it is okay to
get the “Oops, try again!” notification. When students worry about getting
wrong answers, they are often hesitant to try new ideas. Mistakes are
okay! We learn from mistakes every day. Students should be encouraged
to test their own strategies. This leads to true mathematical discoveries
and thus understandings, and lifetime confidence in mathematics learning.
Candy Drive
Veteran’s Day Assembly
RED RIBBON WEEK At A Glance
Tuesday: Mathews Kids Pledge to be Drug Free - Wear Red to show your pledge to live a healthy lifestyle
Wednesday: Follow Your Dreams - Don't Do Drugs: Wear Pajamas to School
Thursday: Run Away From Drugs: Wear athletic clothing
Friday: Life is Your Journey: Dress like a tourist or wear a t-shirt from a place you have been (vacation, city, or activity) And Yes, Missy...an LSU jersey is absolutely fine! (Hugs!)
Dr. Martin Luther King Writing Contest
“I Am Plano ISD”
2019 Diversity Celebration A Tribute to
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Writing Contest
Deadline for Campus Winners to be delivered to Elementary Curriculum (Attn: Ashlie Dansbee): November 16, 2018
This contest is open to any Plano ISD student in grades 2 -5. Eight district winners will be selected:
4 from grades 2-3
4 from grades 4-5
Procedure for Entering
Each campus may submit one entry from each eligible grade level to the district contest.
The original entries may be in any language. Please include English translations for judging purposes. Assistance in translations is available. Contact Margaret Dyer for translation information. (469 -752-8211).
Entries must be prepared according to the rules and instructions below, and must be received by the Elementary Curriculum Department (ATTN: Margaret Dyer) by November 27, 2018.
The procedure for selecting entries to be submitted to the district contest will be set by each campus.
A panel of district judges will select the winners. All district winners will be notified by December 7, 2018.
Rules and Instructions
The poem, essay, or letter must be the original, independent work of the entrant.
The entry must be related to the theme, “I AM PLANO ISD.” Student authors should be center their entry on what unique contributions they can make to their communities now and in the future. They should also consider the unique contributions of leaders like Dr. King and others who serve as inspiration for service to communities past, present and future.
The entry is limited to 2 pages.
The completed entry form must be stapled to the back of the submission.
Each of the 8 district-level winners must be available to present his/her letter at the Celebration Event, and must be available for the event rehearsal.
o Event rehearsal: Williams High School - January 22nd or 23rd, 2019, after school.
o MLK Event - Williams High School - January 24th, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.
I Am Plano ISD!
*The following entry form will be coming home with students.
Writing Contest Entry Form
Deadline: November 16, 2018
Name of Student
Home Address
Home Phone Number
Grade in School
Name of Teacher
Name of School
School Address
School Phone Number
Type of Writing
Poem Essay Letter
Title of Writing
The work I am submitting is my own completely original composition. I give permission for my work, if selected, to be published in any Celebration-related materials. If I am selected as a district winner, I agree to present my letter at the event (January 24, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.) and to attend the rehearsal (January 22nd or 23rd, 2019 after school). Only the winners selected and notified by the district office will present their papers at the Celebration and rehearsal.
Student Signature Date
I give permission for my child’s work, if selected, to be published as indicated above. If selected as a district winner, my child will be available to present his/her letter at the rehearsal and at the Celebration, and I will be able to provide the necessary transportation. The letter submitted is original and solely created by my child.
Parent Signature Date
I verify that this entry represents the work of the student named above and was completed during this school year.
Teacher Signature Date
Tying Shoes
Dear Parents,
It is developmentally appropriate to learn to tie shoes by the time a child enters the Second grade. Please work on this important skill at home. Even if your child has Velcro shoes, tying is an important and necessary skill to learn. To make learning easier, we have included some helpful tips below. Materials: small shoe box, long shoe lace, permanent marker 1. Use the permanent marker to color half of the shoe lace (both sides). This will help your child see which part of the lace they should be working with for each step. 2. Punch holes in the bottom of the shoe box. Thread the laces through the holes as you would through a sneaker. The bottom of the box should represent the top of the sneaker. 3. Have you child hold the shoe box between his/her knees when practicing. 4. Sit behind your child and reach around him/her to demonstrate the steps. 5. Try some of the shoe tying poems and stories below to help your child remember the steps
Build a tee pee Come inside Close it tight so we can hide Over the mountain And around we go Here's my arrow And here's my bow!
Tying Shoes (Sung to Splish Splash I was Taking a Bath)
Criss Cross and go under the bridge Then you got to pull it tight. Make a loop but keep a long tail That is how to do it right Then you take the other string and you wrap it 'round the loop Pull it through the hole Now you got the scoop
Curriculum Information
Listed below are topics currently being taught in the Second grade. We encourage you to support what we are teaching in the classroom by asking your child what they have learned each day and discussing these topics with your child.
Math
Fact Fluency
Adding with regrouping
Subtracting with regrouping
Science
Engineering Design Process
Language Arts
Reading with fluency
Comprehension skills - text features
Writing complete sentences
Capital letters at the beginning of a sentence
Punctuation at the end of a sentence
Nouns and verbs
Writing
Generating ideas
Social Studies
Culture
Math Fact Quizzes
Below are a couple of websites for your children to practice their Math Facts online. Please have them practice daily. One of our second grade objectives on our Portfolio Conference sheet is to “Recall basic facts to add and subtract within 20 with automaticity.” We are giving them weekly timed test with 100 facts to complete in 5 minutes. Practicing their facts in some way each day will help increase their automaticity.
http://www.factmonster.com/math/flashcards.html
November Important Dates
- Thursday, November 1 Red Ribbon Week
- Friday, November 2 Red Ribbon Week
- Fall Assembly - Mavs Man
November 6: Student Council Meeting 2:45-3:30
- Thursday, November 8 Colonial Days (5th Grade)
- Friday, November 9 Colonial Days (5th Grade)
- Monday, November 12 Veterans Day Program
Volunteering and Field Trip Chaperones
Donations
We are now accepting donations for several items listed in the Signupgeniusbelow for Second grade. If your are interested in donating an item/s, please select the item/s you wish to donate from the following list. You may then either bring the items to the school office or send them to school with your child to be delivered to their teacher. We thank you for your generosity and everything you do to help us meet the social and academic needs of our students.
LEGOs Collection
Daily Homework
Daily Math due each day Monday - Thursday
Word Work dictation on Friday
Reading Log due each day Monday - Thursday
LA grammar worksheet due every Thursday
Friday – Parent Signature on Blue Card (checked the following Monday)
Websites for Home Use
http://www.aplusmath.com/Worksheets/index.html
http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/math/
http://www.mrmyers.org/Math_Mania/Math_Games/Jude_e-Clock/clock.htm
http://www.sanchezclass.com/reading-graphic-organizers.htm
www.jamit.com.au/htmlFolder/app1001.html
www.harcourtschool.com/activity/telling_time_gr2
https://www.spellingcity.com/gselec/
www.teacher.scholastic.com/tools/spelling.htm
http://www.readwritethink.org/search/?resource_type=16&grade=9
http://www.worksheetworks.com/
www.playkidsgames.com/games/mathfact/mathFact.htm
www.ws.hmhpub.com (write source)
www.scholastic.com/ups/files/campaigns/src-2013/SCBookList2013_FULL.pdf
2nd Grade Team
Website: http://k12.pisd.edu/mathews-elementary-school
Location: 7500 Marchman Way, Plano, TX, United States
Phone: 469-752-2300
Twitter: @2ndMavs