Friday, October 14th

The weather was perfect for our Fun Run this morning. Everyone was pumped up and excited to move their feet around the track. Thank you for all your Fun Run donations!

Math Workshop


We are nearing the end of Unit 2. This week our mathematicians practiced making fact families using dominoes and fact triangles. A set of fact triangles came home with your child on Monday. Please make sure that you keep them in a special place and practice them with your child. We spent significant time on frames-and-arrows, addition and subtraction number stories, function machines and some counting strategies for subtraction. Students also learned a new math game called Name That Number. A practice packet came home with your child today to help prepare for their first Math Benchmark Assessment on Thursday, October 27th. Please make sure you are completing the study guide at home.
Word Study


In Word Study this week we have taken a look at forming possessives in words. Second graders learned that to show ownership of something, you add ‘s to a word. Then we worked with words with double consonants. Students worked on identifying two-syllable words with double consonants in the middle (lad/der, muf/fin). Children sorted word parts to create their own two-syllable words! Last, we learned all about the world of synonyms. We practiced finding synonyms talked about the importance of words that have the same definition.
Reader’s Workshop


Wow! It’s been a busy week in Reader’s Workshop! We started the week exploring the importance of reading by interviewing family members about their own reading lives. Students shared their findings with their classmates. The class realized that to become good readers we need to PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Thanks for all of your great advice. Additionally in Reader’s Workshop this week, each child set reading goals for themselves. Time was spent talking with each child about their goal and the importance of setting goals for their reading. Students were also introduced to their new reading partners and they selected their permanent comfy reading spot. They focused on how to be a good partner during partner reading. We learned that partners sit side-by-side with a book in the middle, have a cozy spot to read and plan ways to read together (choral reading, echo reading, I read, you read).
Writer’s Workshop


In Writer’s Workshop this week we started our Poetry Unit! Our writers began by brainstorming a list of familiar poetry elements and learned how to read like a writer. Students spent time with a partner exploring several great works of poetry. Next we talked about similes after reading the mentor texts As Sly as a Fox and As Quick as a Cricket. Students became simile detectives as they looked for poems that contained similes. They also tried adding similes to their own poetry.
Social Studies


We continued our unit on communities this week by reading Me on the Map and discussed where we live. Students learned the term region and how it relates to their community, state and country. Then we reinforced the concept by creating our own region books.
Important News/Reminders


• Friday, October 14th – Memory Collection Notebook photos and index cards DUE


• Thursday, October 20th – Pumpkin Sale in the New Gym, 4:30-6:30pm


• Thursday, October 27th - Math Benchmark Assessment


• Monday, October 30th – The Halloween parade starts at 2:30 and the party will follow!


• Monday, November 14th- Picture retakes from 1:00-3:00pm