December 14th and 21st Posts

 

Please return your field trip permission slip and money as soon as possible. Also, bring in Your Gift of Reading book tomorrow. It will mean a lot more if the book comes from YOU than fro me tomorrow for your child!

Parents please check in at the office before going to a classroom or anywhere in the building. Please remember that if you come after 9:00am you will need to call the office to be let into the building. (248)956-3800. Thank you for your support during this time, as you know, your children's safety is our main priority!

 The weather has gotten cold in a short amount of time. Please make sure that your child is dressed for the weather as they will be going outside daily for recess.

 Word Study:

This past week the students noticed parts of a word, which makes it easier for them to break apart the word. We used the word part – -ink and –ing to brainstorm words with these endings. Then the students practiced these words when they played Lotto. We learned that some word patterns have a double consonant at the end and the sound of the vowel is short – bell, yell, sell and sniff, stiff, and cliff. We ended the week by playing Follow the path with our phonics groups. This game taught the children the double vowel rule- when words have a double vowel (like ee) followed by a consonant, the vowel may sound like its name, for example- see, seed, and feet.

This week our students will be talking about seeing and using high frequency words. These words are important because they help us read and write. We’ll finish out the week by learning about antonyms and synonyms. The students will read two poems- Pease Porridge and Jack Sprat, these are excellent examples of antonyms and synonyms. They’ll play Lotto to practice antonyms and synonyms.

 Reader’s Workshop:

Our second grade readers continued learning about the different types of dialogue. We talked more about “continuing dialogue” this is where the author tells you who is talking in the middle of the character words. During reader’s workshop the students had the opportunity to find more dialogue to share with the class. After hearing about a certain book, many children get excited about finding and reading the book the following week, it spiked their interest. The readers are also filling out their reading log, ask your child what has been their favorite book this week. i have also been continuing individual reading assessments. This is a long process, but is showing such tremendous growth by our students! As a result, Reading Groups have met sporatically and for some kids, will be changing after break to show the growth that they have made! If I can urge you to CONTINUE having your child read daily for 15-20 minutes over break, that would be awesome!

 

Writer’s Workshop:

Our Summary unit is still going strong. The Students had the chance to try out their own summary. Before they began we talked about what makes a great summary… not telling too much for each section. The writers could also use “The heart of the author’s message” to complete a summary. It always amazes me the skills of these second grade writers.This week the writers are continuing to write summaries or even edit to make one better. 

Math Workshop:

The mathematicians had the opportunity to identify the names and characteristics of quadrangles- they have 4 sides, 4 corners, and 4 verticals. Working in groups the students used squares and triangles to form various shapes- square, triangle, trapezoid, just to name a few. We used 3-D shapes to find the differences and similarities with the cone and cylinder, and the cone and pyramid. Students discovered that some shapes have a curved surface, a flat surface, a vertex (where 3 edges meet), and an edge. Then we made a class chart comparing the different kinds of pyramids. We followed up this day with a marshmallow and toothpick activity- the kids made a cube, pyramid, and triangular prism. It was easier for the students to count the edges, corners, and sides of each 3-D shape. The week ended by learning about symmetry by using the shapes of a football, leaf, square, and rectangle. Students also had to use their pattern template to complete each shape in their math journal.

This week we started by having our Unit 5 math test. They also had another open response question to try out. We’ll continue to guide the students in answering these questions, as it is very difficult to explain their thinking in the written form.

Moving onto Unit 6- Whole Number Operations and Number Stories

The mathematicians are learning to add three or more numbers together. Students can use the number chart, draw tally marks, mental math, number line, or parts-and-total diagram. Students practiced this skill by playing Three Addends with their math partner. We are also reviewing ballpark and partial sums algorithm, this will continue throughout the year. Students will finish off the week by learning about Comparison number stories involving the difference between two quantities.

Social Studies:

We continued our look into the holidays this past week and week to come in Second Grade! We spent time learning about Hanukkah and even had a chance to play the dreidel game. The kids learned about Kwanzaa and the different meaning behind each of the seven days of the holiday. Lastly we spent time learning about Christmas and worked on our Gingerbread Houses with our Reading Buddies from Mrs. Barry's 4th grade classroom. Thank you to EVERYONE who sent in such generous donations - the room smelled like a candy factory on Thursday, as our students worked and sang along to Christmas Carols with their teachers and a few anonymous parents!

 

Here's the recipe we used last week to make latkes in 204 with Mrs. Weckstein's Mom, Mrs. Phillips:

• 1 package Simply Potatoes® Shredded Hash Browns
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Applesauce or Sour Cream, if desired

1. In large bowl stir together Simply Potatoes, flour and salt. Stir in beaten eggs.

2. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop four generous 1/4 cup pancakes of potato mixture into skillet; flatten slightly. Cook each pancake 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown, turning once. Cook remaining pancakes, adding additional oil to skillet if needed. Drain pancakes on paper towel. Serve with applesauce or sour cream if desired

Science:

The botanists continue to observe their grass, brassica, wheat, potato, and garlic. The scientists are always amazed at the growth our plants are making. These young minds are always ready to learn. They noticed the garlic is beginning to have white roots coming from the bottom of the garlic clove. The potato has many roots and continues to grow each day. Students are now being challenged to make a new plant from the stem cutting of a mature plant. We’ll continue to observe these over time. A big thank you to the parents who sent in the plant cuttings!

Making Meaning:

We read the story Chester’s Way. Students are making many inferences to understand characters and their actions. Students talked to their partner how Chester and Wilson changed their opinions toward Lilly. They had to explain their thinking and make inferences from the story.

Mr. Belinsky’s Bagels is this week’s book. Students continue to discuss characters and make inferences about them. They will also continue to explain their thinking in partner and whole class discussions. Students are beginning to understand characters more as they reveal themselves in stories through the things they say, do, and think. We’ll continue to work on this through Reader’s Workshop.

 Important Dates/Reminders:

· Friday, December 21: Holiday Sing Along (2:30-3:00 PM) Cafeteria

· Friday, December 21: Classroom Holiday Parties (3:00-3:45 PM)

· Thursday, January 3: School Resumes

· Friday, January 4: Second Grade field trip to the Walled Lake Outdoor Center- please dress appropriately

The weather has gotten cold in a short amount of time.  Please make sure that your child is dressed for the weather as they will be going outside daily for recess.

Word Study:

This week in your child reviewed how to decode and write words with double consonants by playing a game called “Follow the Path”.  We also took a closer look at the sounds that middle consonant make in words.  Our second graders ended the week by sorting and writing words with the –obe, -oke, -ope, and –ore word patterns.

Reader’s Workshop:

Our readers continued learning about the different types of dialogue.  They learned that “no-said dialogue” is when the author doesn’t come right out and tell the reader who is talking.  Instead, the reader can look at the pattern of the dialogue to find out who is talking.  In “continuation dialogue”, the character starts talking and the author tells you who is talking smack dab in the middle of the dialogue and then the dialogue continues on.  Our second graders had to find examples of these two types of dialogue in their “just right” books and share them with the rest of the class.  Ask your reader what type of dialogue is the hardest to find:  simple, no-said, or continuation.

Writer’s Workshop:

Our Summary unit continued this week.  We read Lost in the Forest together and we wrote a good written retelling with the class.  Then we read Little Dinosaur Escapes and were given a summary that was already written.  Our writers had to edit and revise the summary in order to make it better.  By now, your child should know that good summaries include at least two important events in each section and have juicy vocabulary, setting and main characters from the story. 

Math Workshop:

Our mathematicians started the week out by taking our assessment for Unit 4.  They also tried out a new type of assessment called an open response.  This is where your child not only has to solve a math problem, but they need to explain their mathematical thinking in written form.  This is VERY difficult for most students.  I tried to encourage them to write down what their “BRAIN” was telling them to do in order to solve the problem.  We will be reviewing the answer to this open response and your child will be learning how to properly tackle this new type of math problem.  We also started our Geometry Unit.  Students were introduced to points and line segments.  They now know how to use a straight edge to follow codes that connect the line segments to form shapes.  They also know about parallel line segments and polygons. Our second graders ended the week by exploring with the concepts of: geometry, division, clocks, money and time in our math workstations.

Social Studies:

This week in Social Studies we began our Celebrations Unit by learning first about the Mexican Christmas, Los Posadas. This holiday uses the poinsettia as a symbol of Christmas. We read a legend by Tomie dePaola that helped explain the significance of this red star flower. Next we began our study of Kwanzaa as we prepared to make our Mkekas! These are a traditional placemat that we will do a paper weaving with next week and are symbolically decorated with illustrations of our family members.

Science:

Our botanists looked at garlic bulbs this week.  They found out that there is a group of cloves (seeds) inside of each bulb.  We conducted an experiment to see if we could start a new plant from a garlic clove by using a cup, water and COTTON BALLS!  They will be monitoring their growth and observing the appearance of both roots and shoots! 

Yellow flowers have also sprouted from the buds on our brassica plants.  Our botanists have noticed that the brassica stem is getting longer and twisty, while the leaves are growing bigger and smoother along the edges.  Did you know that a potato has eyes?  That’s what our second graders learned this week.  Mrs. Brown sliced an old potato into sections (with eyes) and planted them to see if we could start a new potato plant.  Ask your child what direction (top, bottom or to the side) the eye of the potato must be facing when you plant it in the soil.

Important Dates/Reminders:

Friday, December 21: Holiday Sing Along (2:30-3:00 PM) Cafeteria

·        Friday, December 21: Classroom Holiday Parties (3:00-3:45 PM)

·        Thursday, January 3:  School Resumes

 

Friday, November 30

Parents,

 Thank you SO incredibly much for your support over the course of the past week. It was so hard to go from the excitement in 204 on Tuesday over the announcement of a baby to losing the baby shortly after. While I was nervous to come back to school today, it was SO good to be back with the Weckies. They were filled with hugs, love and compassion. Thank you for taking the time to talk to your child, I am sure it wasn't easy. One of my biggest concerns on Wednesday when I learned of our unfortunate news was how the kids were going to handle this information. A special thank you to all who emailed, sent cards or came to school on Monday morning to help get me back in school-mode and smiling again!  ~ Jen

Word Study

We started our week with learning about singular and plural words.  Students learned that when a word ends with s, sh, ch, or x we need to add and es to make it plural.  Next we noticed connections between similar words.  We found that many words end with the same spellings, but others look just similar such as buses and boxes.  Our last lesson of the week worked with recognizing endings with consonant clusters.  Students enjoyed a “go-fish” game to practice looking at these endings.

Reader’s Workshop

Our readers are continuing exploration and recognition of dialogue in texts.  This week we introduced narration.  Students are learning to recognize whether a narration is 1^st person or 3^rd person.  Ask your child what words we notice in a first person narration and who is then telling the story. 

We also looked closely at how dialogue is written and “how authors do dialogue differently”.  We looked at Frog and Toad books to view simple dialogue with the usual “said _____.”  We used Cynthia Rylant’s Henry and Mudge series to show that dialogue can continue on with “said (or alternative such as whispered) ____ in the middle of dialogue.  We will continue this study and deepen our understanding of it.

Writer’s Workshop

Our next unit, summary writing, will help students synthesize comprehension of their reading to pull out the most important details in a text.  They will practice using transition words to summarize the beginning, middle and end.  This is also a skill that our second graders are required to use to share their comprehension on our next reading assessment.  This week I modeled this writing and students had one try.  We will continue this unit over the next few weeks.

Math

Students were challenged with new concepts this week.  We learned about the differences between solving problems with estimates and exact amounts.  We learned a chant to help us remember the rules of rounding (estimating) numbers.  This seemed difficult for many on the first day, but most had a better grasp of it by the end of the week.  Towards the end of the week we also included work on the introduction of regrouping by teaching partial sums using base 10 blocks. A review packet for Ballpark Estimation came home on Friday stating that we would have a Unit 4 test today. Instead, I spent time today making sure the kids were understanding this tricky concept and will give the test on Wednesday. It was hard for me to be out three days and then give an assessment today when I was not certain this was in our best interests!

Social Studies

Our geography unit was completed with practice and review of skills taught over the past weeks including map features, absolute and relative location findings on maps, problems and solutions in communities, compass directions and more. 

Updates

·    -  Thank you for your support with our pajama drive.  We hope they bring smiles to many families this holiday season.

·      -Our newly formed 4-5th grade Glee Club will be performing with the Michigan Philharmonic Orchestra on December 7th at 7:30 PM. This should be a great night and concert.