Friday, February 3rd

Reader’s Workshop:
This week we revisited a very important comprehension strategy in Reader’s Workshop…making connections! We reviewed the different types of connections that good readers make: text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world. When our readers made a connection while they were reading one of their “just right” books, they jotted down their connection (along with the book title) on a sticky note. They shared their connections with their reading partner who had to decide what type of connection their partner made.


Writer’s Workshop:
We continued working on good leads for our “Small Moments” this week in Writer’s Workshop. Students were introduced to questioning/wondering leads through several mentor texts before trying one out on their own. Later in the week, students were asked to select the lead that they felt would most “hook” their reader for their writing piece. Our writers met with a partner to orally share their planning sheets and story boards for a “Small Moment”. Each child drafted a beginning and middle for their piece by listing details. Orally retelling their piece, they added on details as they retold their story. Partners were able to question one another in order to find out more specific details of the events of their moment. We then transitioned from our planning sheet and story boards into our rough draft packets for our “Small Moments”.

 Math Workshop:
The Wubbles visited our classroom and taught us how to double and divide numbers this week! Be sure to ask your child how to make a Wubble disappear (hint: a half blink). Our mathematicians have also been working with data. We measured our arm span and the distance we could jump. Then we learned how to find the median (middle) value of our class arm span and jumping distance. Next we created a frequency table; line plot and bar graph of our arm span data. Finally, we took this data and wrote true facts about the frequency table. We also looked at measurement, spending time measuring different objects like pencils, pens, bolts and screw drivers. Our week ended with our Unit 7 assessment. Unit 8 is coming up next week where we enter the world of fractions!


Word Study:
To begin the week we did a word sort using high frequency words! Students had to figure out patterns amongst the words (those that began with vowels, those that had the same middle sound and those that had the same first letter). Then we spent time working on comparisons where we took words that were already in "contraction" form (such as isn't) and had to figure out what two words the one word came from (such as is not). Last we spent time working on comparisons where we had to add the -er or the -est ending on to words to show value!


Science:
What amazing botanists! All of the 2nd graders did a wonderful job on their science test, what an accomplishment! We finished out the week by comparing and contrasting brassica to grass. Did you know… they are both fast growers? The students realized that most plants need soil, water, nutrients, space, and light to grow. We also took the seeds from the brassica pods and planted them. Let’s hope they grow...we’re crossing our fingers!



Social Studies:
We started our Then and Now unit this week in social studies. We read The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Poloco and discussed the meaning of the word “history”. Students learned how the keeping quilt was handed down from generation to generation. We also read When I Was Little by Toyomi Igus and talked about how life has changed over the years. We then took a look at how the city of Walled Lake has changed over time. Our second graders looked at the different jobs that people had in the early 1900’s and how Main Street in Walled Lake has changed. Look for a “Then and Now” homework assignment that came home with your child on Thursday. The assignment is due on Tuesday, February 7th.






Special News and Reminders:
• Friday, February 10th – Outdoor Center Fieldtrip money ($10) and permission slip due. Also don’t forget to bring in a fuzzy sock!


• Tuesday, February 14th- Valentine’s Party from 2:30-3:30 (Don’t forget to bring in your bag of Hershey kisses for the Valentine craft!)


• February 20th- 24th- Mid-Winter Break: NO SCHOOL


• Monday, February 27th- Field trip to the Outdoor Center