Friday, December 13, 2013

Friday, December 13, 2013

All the second graders have been busy these last few weeks.  The weather is getting colder and children need to be prepared for school each day.  So please help your child have boots, snow pants, hats, mittens ready each day for outside recess.   Gifts of Reading books need to be sent to school this Tuesday, December 17th to open during our winter party.

Writer’s Workshop

Our Summary unit is going strong.  We have read many books and shared many good examples of summary writing and talked about what a good summary should look like.  We used three books from the series In The Days Of the Dinosaurs, two good examples were shared with the class.  The third book had the children take a poor example and make it better.  A summary should include the beginning, middle, end, and the characters names.  We talked about The Fab Five: who, wants what, what happens, what does the main character do, and then how does it end.  These help our writers write a written summary piece about a book or chapter they have read in complete detail. 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.

                                           

 

Reader’s Workshop

These past few weeks in Reader’s Workshop we shifted our focus onto punctuation we see within text. We’ve taken a specific look at the: period, comma, quotation mark, exclamation mark, question mark, hyphen, elipses, and apostrophe.  Some readers even found other punctuation marks during Reader’s Workshop to share with others.  We spent time creating a huge anchor chart about: how the punctuation mark looks, what the job of the punctuation mark is and gave examples of the punctuation mark used within text.  Our 2nd Grade Readers each created their own smaller version of this anchor chart to keep in their Reader’s Response Logs. 

We’re also beginning to a take a closer look at dialogue and strategies that help us as readers.  When students pre-read a story, they benefit greatly, it gives the reader background knowledge of the story, which helps the reader make connections and predictions even before they read the text.  Pinky and Rex books were used to look closely at dialogue. Reading partnerships had to figure out who was talking by using the many clues given in the story.  Some clues could be the simple word of said or a more complex word of muttered.   We continued to use the terms simple dialogue, no-said dialogue, and continuation dialogue when we dug deeper to figure out who was talking and how did we know?

                                  

 

Math Workshop

Second graders have spent a great deal of time learning different strategies to solve addition problems, these strategies include using base ten blocks pictures, partial-sum algorithms, and ballpark estimation.  The mathematicians made two animal pictures with base ten blocks.  They had to write the two numbers for each animal and then solve the difference, some kids even added the numbers together.   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 moving on to multiplication, which goes nicely with addition.  Students are learning about multiples of equal groups- 5 triangles = how many sides? 5x3=15 or count by 3’s.  We are beginning to build math arrays with chips, pictures, and geo boards. Our mathematicians are starting to solve multiplication problems and write the number model too.

We have been working very hard this year on basic math facts, please help your child with math facts up to 20.

       

  

Word Study

Students made connections with words that had the same ending- these are just a few examples: boxes & buses, looking & making, and rain & plain.  This continued with the next lesson where the students played Go Fish with their phonics group and had to match up word endings.  We also learned that sometimes two consonants letters stand for the consonant sound in the middle of a word.  The students played Follow the Path to read and sound out new words.  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.

     

 

Social Studies

In Social Studies we are completing our unit on the geography of our community.  We are learning about good and bad changes a community faces.  We also are working on finding absolute and relative locations on a map.  This is a challenging, but fun concept for students.  In addition to winding down this unit, we are spending a short time each week looking at winter holidays that people from our community may be celebrating.

         

         

Science

The botanists continue to observe their grass, brassica, wheat, and the potato.  The scientists are always amazed at the growth our plants are making.  These young minds are always ready to learn.   The potato has many roots and continues to grow each day.   Next week students will be challenged to make a new plant from the stem cutting of a mature plant.  If you have any plant cuttings, please send in next week.  We’ll continue to observe these over time.

                                   

Special News & Reminders

·        Monday, December 16th-Social Studies Test- Room 202 & 205

·        Thursday, December 19th - Social Studies Test- Room 203

·        Friday, December 20th - Social Studies Test- Room 204

·        Friday, December 20th  – All school sing a-long at 2:30-3:00

·        Friday, December 20th – classroom parties

·        Winter Break- December 21st- January 5th

·        School starts- January 6th

·        Thursday, January 30th – 2nd  Grade field trip to the Walled Lake Outdoor Center- more details to follow

November 22nd

Friday, November 22nd 

Writer’s Workshop

We have started working on persuasive writing.  Some of the great mentor texts we have been reading are Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late and Click Clack Moo. Your child has been working hard on their persuasive piece all week. They pretended that they were a turkey and had to persuade people not to eat them for Thanksgiving. They did a wonderful job, and we have hung them in the hallway. We will continue to work on persuasive writing next week. Next, your child will be choosing the topic and whom they would like to persuade.

       

Reader’s Workshop

We are finishing up our study of dialogue.  Your child has been working hard on being a reading detective.  Students searched their books during independent reading for examples of different types of dialogue. They learned about simple dialogue, no-said dialogue, and continuation dialogue. We noticed one book can have all three different types of dialogue such as Junie B Jones and Henry and Mudge! They have also learned the difference between 1st person dialogue and 3rd person dialogue. We will now be starting our punctuation unit. Your child will be learning the names of punctuation marks, what the punctuation marks looks like, the job of the punctuation marks, and examples from different texts.

Math Workshop

We have begun unit four by taking the unit four pre-test. We are working on story problems and different ways to solve them. They have learned Change-to-More diagrams and Parts-and-Total diagrams to help them organize and solve the story problems. Many of our story problems have involved temperature changes. Your child has learned about degrees Fahrenheit, degrees Celsius, and degree marks. Another math strategy we have been working on is using estimation to solve problems. We have done this by using Ballpark Estimation. This can be a difficult concept to learn, please continue to do HomeLinks with your child.

Word Study

We continued learning about Onsets and Rimes by looking at words that end in -ice, -ide, and –ine. Then, we reviewed high frequency words by playing Follow the Path. We also learned what antonyms are. They played Concentration, which is like Memory using antonyms. We finished up the week with talking about syllables. Students played Syllable Lotto. They also learned how to make singular words plural using -s and -es endings.                      

Social Studies

We are working on the Geography of Our Community Unit. As cartographers, we made a pirate map of where there is buried treasure. We also learned about man-made features and natural features on a map.

 

Special News & Reminders

·        Thursday, November 28^th – NO SCHOOL – Happy Thanksgiving!

·        Friday, November 29^th – NO SCHOOL

·        Monday, December 2^nd - NO SCHOOL

Friday Nov. 8th

Friday, November 8^th

Writer’s Workshop

We started the week by reading Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O’Neill.  It’s a book that is filled with color poems!  Each poem demonstrated different ways to think about colors using your senses… How would a color look? How would a color taste? How would a color feel? How would a color smell? Using the author’s craft from these poems, we have been working to create our own color poems.  Our poets also selected one of their favorite poetry pieces to bring to publication.  They edited and revised their poems to make them “just right” and conferenced with the teacher.  On Friday afternoon, all of the second grade classes were divided into four groups.  They took their poems to share with other second grade friends during our Second Grade Poetry Jam.  Thanks to all of you who donated water bottles or Oreo cookies…they were delicious!  We’ll be working on persuasive writing pieces during the next few weeks.

Reader’s Workshop

We are beginning our study of dialogue.  Your child should be able to tell you what dialogue is and what types of books have it.  Students searched their books during independent reading for examples of dialogue.  They also are learning about patterns of books that use dialogue.  We used Cynthia Rylant and Kate DiCamillo books to compare how authors choose to use or not to use dialogue in a book.  It was interesting to see that her series Mr. Putter and Tabby  uses no or very little dialogue in them while Henry and Mudge books seemed full of dialogue.  Additionally, we spent time looking for ways writer’s use “said” alternatives in texts. We brainstormed a giant web of different words for “said” and nearly found over 25 variations! We spent time looking at how these ‘alternatives’ can influence how we read a passage, such as if a character whispered or yelled. Students spent time acting out passages from their texts to continue their look into dialogue and using contextual clues from the author to signal dialect changes. Last we spent time looking to see if all books have dialogue. We made some big generalizations, such as non-fiction tends to not have dialogue while chapter books are loaded with conversations.

Math Workshop

Assessments, assessments, assessments!  At the beginning of the week, we reviewed for and our students took their first Benchmark Assessment.  Families will receive the scores during parent teacher conferences.  I was impressed with how well our class scored!  Mid-week, we reviewed making change by counting up.  Making change is a difficult concept. It’s something that needs to be reviewed often at home in order for mastery.  We ended our week by taking the end of the unit assessment for Unit 3.  Our next unit will focus on addition and subtraction facts.

Word Study
We began the week looking at words that have “oo”. Students learned that “oo” can sound like /oo/ as in moon or /uh/ as in look. We also tried adding on the silent ‘e’ to words to see how new words could be created. We ended the week by looking at words with the –am, -ate and –ake word endings.

Social Studies
Our second graders reviewed the cardinal directions and the use of a compass rose. We learned the acronym: “Never Eat Soggy Waffles” to help us remember the cardinal directions. Next, we explored the different elements and uses of maps through some hands-on stations.  As cartographers we used and atlas and explored, globes, and various types of maps.   Students will be given a homework assignment earlier that requires them to draw a map of their bedroom.  These maps will be due on Monday, November 18th.

Special News & Reminders

·        We have been blogging... check it out! http://www.classblogmeister.com/blog_edit.php?userid=118873

·        Thursday, November 14^th  – NO SCHOOL – Parent/Teacher Conferences All Day

·        Wednesday, November 20^th  – Bedroom Map DUE

Jennifer Weckstein and baby Liam

Here's More Halloween :-)

Create a photo slideshow

Happy Halloween from room 204!

Week of October 21st

Parents,

 

Thanks for your support last week with the Fun Run!!!

 

Word Study
Last week we worked a bit with syllables.  These are important as they help your reader/writer chunk words for spelling and decoding.  We’ve also continued to look at how words are similar such as looking at consonant clusters at the beginnings of words.  Making these connections between words again help us to read and write more effectively.

 

Reader’s Workshop
Our goal bags are up and running.  Last week your child had an individual conference to discuss steps towards meeting his/her reading goal.  Some students have several easier books to practice fluency (I’ve been emphasizing that the one way to increase fluency is by reading easier or familiar texts).  Some students brought home a chapter book with which they will practice retelling. Please remember there are no time limits on the bags.  However, we also started reading groups this week sending yet another bag home with your child.  This bag must be returned daily with your child.  This week we shared how readers select just right books by using strategies such as the 5 finger rule.  We also discussed when and when not to abandon a book.  We ended the week reminding students how readers take care of our classroom libraries. 

Writer's Workshop
Our students are loving writing poetry!  It’s fun to see their excitement and hear them read their poetry with pride.  We used Pumpkin Eye as a mentor text last week.  We found the adjective and noun patterns throughout the book, made charts of similar words and recreating similar poems.  We also learned a bit about form poetry where we borrowed a Hello/Goodbye format from a Goodbye Spring/Hello Summer poem and changed it to create a Fall/Winter poem.  Writers also took a break from some poetry to learn about persuasive writing.  In social studies students were asked to write a persuasive for the community they liked to live in.  So we first introduced a persuasive through writing sales advertisements for a haunted house.  What fun they had with these!!!  They will  be hanging in the hall beginning next week. 

Math Workshop     

I hope your child has shared with you how we run math workshop!  Whenever possible (and lessons align to this model) we teach math in a workshop model.  We started this last week.  Students have been placed in like ability groups and are taught lessons through a large group mini-lesson and then a small group lesson.  While I’m teaching a small group students are at various math stations practicing similar skills in a variety of ways.  Ipods are one of the stations, but Monday –Thursday they must choose math games on the ipod.  On Fridays we have math explorations which are different and any app can be played on the ipods then.

We completed unit 1 last week by learning about fact families, name collections (Other names for 50 would be…25+25, 49=1, 60-10 etc.), frames and arrows where we follow an addition or subtraction rule to skip count and finally function boxes where students have to decode the rule for numbers going in and out of an imaginary function box (if 3 goes in and 5 comes out, the rule would be +2).  We ended last week with explorations about weight with a spring scale and a balance and also the introduction of multiplication through and egg/nest activity.  This is also a time when we put out familiar math games for students to practice.

This week students took their unit 2 progress check.  They did fairly well and the results went home with your child this week.  Please be sure to review this with your child.  Many students struggles on the last page with the function box.  Next, we started unit 3 with coin practice.  We started simple with showing coins to represent values.  Then it got a bit more challenging with making change.  This is a concept we will continue to work on throughout the year.  Please try to practice this at home with your child using loose change.                                                                                                                                                                  

Social Studies                                                                                                                                                                          We completed our “Community” unit and took our unit test.  Our next unit is about the geography of our community.

Important Dates and Reminders:

-Thursday, October 31^st:  Halloween Parade at 2:30.  Our classroom party will follow from 3:00-4:00.

-Tuesday, November 5^th :  Walled Lake Schools Safety, Security and Technology Bond Election.  Please remember to vote!

-Thursday, November 14^th:  Parent/Teacher Conferences