February Scoop
News from Room 5
News
1. I would like to welcome our student teacher "Emily Murray". She will be joining us every Thursday for her 1st 6 weeks and then she will be coming full-time afterwards. I am excited to be working with her as she learns the dynamics, format and curriculum of a 2nd grade class. She comes to us with high recommendations from her supervisor and former master teacher at Skyline.
2. The annual Walk-a-thon at Solana Vista will be on Feb. 8th from 1-2 pm. Please be sure to fill out the sponsor sheets. Our goal is $50/student. Parents may also participate in the walk-a-thon on Friday. Our class decided on our team name: "Schroeder's Awesome Olympians". Our costumes will be togas and ivy wreaths around our heads. We can use any kind of Olympic paraphernalia.
3. If you have not contributed to our SB Foundation, now is a good time to do so. We just had our Science Discovery Day. Every student enjoyed this science-filled day. This was paid for by foundation monies. Also, the classes with the highest participation are going to receive a prize. Let's try to increase our participation. Only 7 of the 22 families have donated so far from our class. Any amount you donate counts!
These families have donated to our foundation:
MRS. SCHROEDER - 2nd Grade
Hatem Family
Crocker Family
Gines Family
Parker & Megan Lyons
Jeff & Kim Phillips
Sean & Norma Shannon
Doug & Melissa Wolkon
Please make check payable to:
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Solana Beach Foundation for Learning
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309 Rios Avenue, Solana Beach, CA 92075
You may also donate online at www.sbfl.org.
Focus Areas for this Month
•Language Arts: We are now into Unit 4 with the theme, "Better Together" and the idea of community. Comprehension skills will include cause & effect, analyzing story structure through sequencing & summarizing, and using illustrations to monitor comprehension. Grammar skills involve synonyms, antonyms and homophones. We have been practicing these skills in centers and games.
•Math: This month we will continue with triple digit subtraction. Continue to practice the concepts of money and time at home. Money will be introduced this month and will continue into March. First in Math has some good games related to money and time.
Money: values of coins, sums of coins, several ways to show a value (i.e. 3 ways to show $1.25)
Time: time to the hour, 1/2 hour, 1/4 hour ; half past, quarter to, quarter past intervals, elapsed time (i.e. it's 10:30 am, lunch will be served in 2 hours, what time is lunch?)
•Writing Development: We had been doing some creative writing in January as well as expository writing in preparation for the winter district journal prompt. Students will continue to practice the components of a well developed paragraph (Topic Sentence, 3 supporting details, concluding sentence). Topic sentence and concluding sentences tend to be tricky for students. This topic will be reinforced with the use of
Stoplight Paragraphs.
•Science: Last month students were thrilled about our Science Discovery Day. Our class had 2 science labs. One was Earth Works (geology) and the other was Mineral Mania (minerals). It all ended with a Mad Science assembly. This was an all day science program funded by the PTA and our SB Foundation. We are so fortunate to have these types of events at our school! Our science topic this month will be on animal life cycles. We are beginning our GLAD rotations with the focus on "Forces & Motion". Each 2nd grade teacher will focus on a particular concept related to that topic.
•Cooking/Gardening: Students will now be having their cooking experience every Tuesday instead of Thursdays, but we will continue with Gardening on Thursday afternoons with Mr. and Mrs. Phillips. This month students will be making fortune cookies! This ties in with my annual "Chinese New Year" presentation. Mrs. Arner will be assisting me with this presentation and students will be trying out a few dim sum
appetizers.
February Fun
Speeches, Up-coming Dates, Wish List
· February 4: Simple Machine: Pick a simple machine. Give examples of how it is used and makes work simpler.
· Week of February 11: Pick a President. Next week we are recognizing President’s Day. Please choose a U.S. President that interests you and someone you have learned about. Give us three to five facts about him including what number president he was/is in our country.
· Week of February 18 (No School this week)
· Week of February 25: School break. Tell us something that you did over your break from school. Did you play or teach someone a math game or spend time with family? Choose one occasion that you really enjoyed and give us details so we can picture it in our minds.
Pyramid of Success Character Trait for December: Action
Last month, Luke Heidemann was recognized for "Alertness".
Special Dates
February 5th: 6th graders coming to read their stories to our class & La Jolla Playhouse Pop Tour "A Lonely Boy's Guide to Survival & Werewolves" (9 a.m.)
February 8th: Walk-a-thon
February 14th: Valentine's Day Party (1:30-2:30 p.m.)
February 15th: Dad's Club Pancake Breakfast
Feb. 18-22nd: President's Week Holiday
Wish List for the Classroom
1. Little prizes for our Treasure Chest
2. Board Games: Yatzee, Headbandz. Battleship, Scrabble, Monopoly
3. Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener (1 or 2)
Mrs. Schroeder's Contact Information
Email: stephanieschroeder@sbsd.net
Website: http://sbsd.schoolwires.net
Location: 780 Santa Victoria, Solana Beach, CA
Phone: 858-794-3705