Second Grade Scoop
Miss Roberts * Stoy School * March 2nd 9th
Read Across America
Reading Workshop
We will begin March by asking the question, “What might cause a story character to change?” In the humorous fiction story Officer Buckle and Gloria, we will read about the teamwork between a Police Officer and his dog. We will also read about a different kind of teamwork in the play Safety at Home.
Target Vocabulary: attention, buddy, obeys, speech, enormous, safety, shocked, station
Phonics Skills: Compound words; schwa vowel sound (was)
Vocabulary Strategy: Dictionary entry
Comprehension Skill: Cause and effect – tell how one event makes another happen
Comprehension Strategy: Monitor/clarify – find ways to figure out what doesn’t make sense
On Monday, March 9th, we will begin Unit 4 in "Journeys" and will be exploring the theme, “Heroes and Helpers”. We will discover this category can include anyone from caped superheroes, to people you see everyday at work, school or, in your own mirror! As we read, we will discuss the Big Idea, “We can all make a difference”.
We will meet Mr. Tanen, a Principal who uses his tie collection to help his school. “Mr. Tanen’s Tie Trouble” is a realistic fiction story about a Hero and a Helper. In addition, we will read two additional stories about Mr. Tanen, Mr. Tanen's Ties and Mr. Tanen's Ties Rules. Students will explore the question, “When might a character need help solving a problem?” We will also read an informational text called Playground Fun. Using this story, the students will practice using the RAP (Restate, Answer, Prove) strategy to ask questions about a story.
Phonics Skills: Base words and endings -ed, -ing (including doubling the final consonant and /ed/, /t/, /d/, pronunciations for -ed)
Vocabulary Strategy: Homographs
Comprehension Skill: Story Structure; tell the setting, character, and plot in a story
Comprehension Strategy: Infer/predict - use clues to figure out more about story parts
Writing Workshop
During many of our next Handwriting lessons, the students will be using various concepts such as writing contractions, apostrophes, synonyms, antonyms, lists, and proper nouns to build their writing fluency. The will be introduced to writing on a single line while maintaining accurate formation, spacing, and size. As students begin to write more fluently, their handwriting can become less legible. Please encourage your child to practice.
The second graders will use their new, personal Text Features book as a resource as they begin drawing on what they know to rehearse and plan an informational book. The will choose a topic (action) they are familiar with to write about. They will focus on ways to rehearse for an information book by organizing across their fingers, sketching, and using a storyboard to teach others. Throughout the process, they will add details to the writing structure with important facts, section by section. As they construct their story they will revise on the run. This is a big undertaking and they will be working on this for several days.
When the "How To" stories are published, the students will be writing opinion letters using evidence from a text to support their ideas will be modeled and practiced. This process will be presented by talking. Having students talk prior to writing helps them reflect on word choices, which helps them connect to their reader. In addition, traditional conventions will be supported such as the friendly letter format, accurate ending punctuation and capitalization. At this time of year, it is important to hold students accountable to all the writing expectations that have been introduced, modeled, and taught.
Math
This week the students will finish chapter 10 and will complete the test on Friday. It will give them an opportunity to practice and apply the addition and subtraction mentally strategies. To do this successfully, they will have to use the place accurately. Problems will be presented with the symbol given "+" or "-" . The students will also be presented with problems that ask for the sum or difference and they must use the vocabulary to know which operation to use. Using a graph and word problems, they will be asked to round numbers to the nearest 10 and estimate the sum or difference. Each child will bring home their chapter review pages and homework book to look over and practice.
Unit 10 - Mental Math and Estimation
Lesson 5: Rounding Numbers to Estimate (3-day lesson)
- Use a number line to round numbers to the nearest ten
- Using rounded numbers to estimate sums and differences
- Estimate to check reasonableness of answers
- Vocabulary * number line * round * estimate * about * nearest ten * reasonable
- Round numbers to the nearest 10
- Estimate sums of numbers
- Remove "impossible" numbers
Unit 11: Money
Recall Prior Knowledge
- Identify the values of four coins (this was introduced in1st grade)
- Penny = 1 cent
- nickel - 5 cents
- dime = 10 cents
- quarter = 25 cents
- Recognize each coin by its two faces; heads and tails
- Equate the value of a nickel to that of 5 pennies
- Equate the value of a dime to that of 2 nickels
- Equate the value of quarter to that of 2 dimes and 1 nickel
- Show the value of certain amount of money in different ways
- Recognize $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills
- Show and count money using coins and bills to $20
- Write money amounts using $ and cent sign
- Write dollars as cents and cents as dollars
Social Studies
The students will read about and learn how people depend on the physical environment and its natural resources to meet their basic needs. As a class, we will create a list of natural resources and brainstorm examples of how they can be used. Later in the week, we will discuss how science and technology have changed over time to better meet some of our basic needs. The students will look at photographs of tools used long ago and try to predict their purpose. Finally, the students will identify ways in which people have modified their surrounding environments, such as building roads and clearing land to live. Through our readings and discussions, we will revisit and recognize the interaction between people and their physical environment.
The students will be introduced to how to use a map scale. After observing how to use a map scale, the students will have a chance to practice using one in order to understand why they are important.
Social Expecations
Look Who's Getting Older
Coming Soon
March 2nd - Read Across America Day!
March 3rd - School Store is open during lunch
March 6th - Chapter 10 Math Test
March 8th - Daylight Savings "Spring Forward"
March 13th - End of 2nd Marking Period
March 17th - Happy St. Patrick's Day
March 17th - PTA Meeting 7pm
March 19th - Thoughtful Thursday Assembly
March 19th - Stoy Talent Show! RMS 7pm
March 20th - School Closed; Teacher Professional Development
March 24th - Pretzel Orders due
March 26th - NCAA Basketball Spirit Day
March 26th - Pretzels delivered
March 27th - Report Cards