Class Update 9/21/14

Important Reminders:

Mid-Quarter Reports - Mid-quarters will be sent home for each student in Tuesday's Flyer Folder. The reports are designed to give you an idea of how your child is progressing half way through the first quarter grading period. Please make sure to sign the cover page and return it to school with your child.

Fall Picture Day - School pictures will be taken on Wednesday. Picture order forms were sent home with students last week. If you would like to order pictures, please make sure to return the order form to school by Wednesday.

No School on Friday - School will be closed for students on Friday due to a teacher professional development day.

Class Updates:

In math, we have started Chapter 2, which focuses on multiplication. We will have a timed test on multiplication basic facts on Wednesday. Please make sure your child is practicing their facts 0-12 every night if they do not have them memorized. The Xtra Math website is an excellent way to practice. The online math book also has a fact practice game called Fact Dash. Both of these are accessible through the blog.

Students are currently working on learning the difference between prime and composite numbers, as well as how to write the prime factorization for a given number. Coming up we will explore bases and exponents, and begin to multiply larger numbers. Check out some excellent student work on a decimal review project using the students' initials!

In reading and writing, we continued to work on story elements. This week the focus turned to plot, including identifying the problem and solution of a text. In writing, the children are practicing mapping out the story arc for a given text and determining how they can make a new draft of their own writing that is revised for a narrative structure.

This week we were able to meet with our second grade buddy class for the first time. Our buddies are in Mr. Jobst's class. The children did an activity to get to know each other and watched a video about our military service members. Buddy activities this year will be centered on service learning projects that support our troops.  It also happened to be crazy hair day!  Take a look!

Our My World Projects are nearly done! The students have been working hard in social studies to complete them.

Class Update 9/14/14

Important Reminders:

This Wednesday, September 17th, is our first early release day. Students will be dismissed at 1:40. Please make sure your child is aware of how they will be going home in case it is different from the normal routine.

If you received an email from me regarding the ALEKS math program, please ignore this email. ALEKS is a new computer site that we may be using for math later on this year, but we are not utilizing this at the moment. I apologize for any confusion the email may have caused.

Class Updates:

In math, we have been reviewing Chapter 1 in preparation for a test on Tuesday. Review centers like "I Am the Greatest" and "Fishin' for Place Value", a Go Fish style game, helped students practice concepts like reading large numbers correctly and identifying place value positions. Students have a study guide and we took a practice test together last week. These are both excellent tools for the children to use to prepare for the test. Students also worked on making their own vocabulary cards and illustrations of important vocabulary words from the chapter to add to our vocabulary word wall.

In reading, students are working on non-fiction books about a variety of science related topics.  They are working on clarifying unknown words and answering questions about the text in written form, making sure they can cite evidence from the text. Students all received "Quality Answer Bookmarks", so they have a reminder of the expectations for written responses across subjects.  Please be aware that children should be writing quality answers on all assignments, including their weekly reading sheets in their assignment books.

We are also studying story elements in both reading and writing. Last week, we focused on the elements of setting and characters.  We used the biography picture book Snowflake Bentley to examine how both physical and personality character traits add interest and meaning to stories. Students are also recognizing how setting and characters play a role in writing a personal narrative. The children wrote "flash drafts" of their narratives last week, and I was very impressed with the pages of writing they could produce in such a short amount of time!

In social studies, we have wrapped up our first unit. The children are now working on a fun end of unit project called "Me on the World".  I am excited to share pictures of their completed work soon! Looking ahead, our next chapter will be on early Native American cultures from around the United States.

Class Update 9/1/14

Important Reminders:

On Friday, each student was sent home with a bus route sheet from First Student bus company.  Long will be adding a new bus beginning this week.  If your child takes the bus, please make sure you review the sheet to see if there have been changes for your child's bus number.

When a note is sent to school regarding a change in dismissal plans, it is helpful for the office that the note includes the child's first and last names, as well as the teacher name.  Thank you!

Class Updates:

In math, the children are learning about place value.  They have been practicing writing both whole numbers and decimals in standard, expanded, and word form.  Students have also been learning how to compare the sizes of large numbers and put them in order.  This week, we will continue to look at reading and writing decimals correctly. We are about halfway through the unit, so we will be having a quiz on lessons 1-4 on Wednesday.  A study guide was handed out to students last week.

In reading, the students completed genre posters.  They searched through book order forms and our classroom library to find examples of ten different genres.  Children also wrote book recommendations, which we will be displaying in a pocket chart organized by genre so that students can easily find suggestions from their peers that may interest them.  Our lessons in class have been focused on ways to monitor our reading for both comprehension and to clarify unknown words.  We are excited to begin reading groups this week!

In writing, the students have been building their writing stamina by brainstorming "small moment" story ideas that could be developed into a longer personal narrative.  Topics have included stories about important people and places in their lives, as well as special first times and last times in their lives.

This week in social studies, we learned about natural, capital, and human resources.  We are also studying about the regions of the United States, and the various ways a region can be defined.