First day of school!
Recess fun!
August 31, 2023
LANGUAGE ARTS: This week we read and discussed We Are Super Citizens and Clark the Shark. We Are Super Citizens is a personal narrative while Clark the Shark is a fantasy. We worked on skills such as decoding words with short "a" and "i," using story vocabulary in context, identifying the subject and predicate in a sentence, blending and decoding words with a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, identifying action verbs in a sentence, identifying the setting of a story, recognizing antonyms (words that have opposite meanings,) and learning ten new high-frequency words.
MATH: Our first chapter is over fluently adding and subtracting within 20. This week students used the strategy "make a ten" to add numbers, used number patterns on an addition table to complete addition equations, counted on and back on a number line to subtract, and used addition to help with subtraction facts.
SPELLING: Your child brought home a list of words for week 1 on Monday. We have been working on our spelling words at school, but any help from home with studying the words would be greatly appreciated! We will take the spelling post test over our week 1 words tomorrow, September 1. The post test will be sent home each Friday so you can see how your child scored.
SCIENCE: Our first unit is called "engineering design process." So far students discussed how things we use and see in our everyday lives, such as ramps, phones, and even a stapler can be used to solve a problem. They explored how an engineer defines a problem and solves it by using steps in a design process. The steps are: Define a problem, plan and build, test and improve, redesign, and communicate.
SOCIAL CONTRACT: In last week's newsletter I mentioned that the second grade would be creating a social contract, an agreement of behavior for the class to follow. Below is the social contract the second graders created:
- help others
- be respectful/polite
- include others
- be kind
- share/take turns
- listen to others
- be responsible
- follow the Golden Rule (treat others the way you want to be treated)
The second graders signed the above social contract to state that they would honor it. They understand that there are consequences for not following the social contract they helped to create.
EARLY DISMISSAL: There will be a three hour early dismissal tomorrow, September 1 for teacher professional development. Since school will be dismissing at 12:10, school lunch will not be provided.
SPIRIT DAY: Tomorrow, September 1 is a "Spirit Day." Students can pay $1.00 to wear sweatpants or a hat to school if they wish. The money raised will be used to help those in need in our local community.
August 24, 2023
WELCOME TO SECOND GRADE: Another great school year is beginning and I am thrilled to be a part of it. We are going to have an excellent year, and I'll do my best to keep you informed about events, student progress, and school subjects throughout the year.
WEEKLY TAKE HOME FOLDERS: I plan to follow the same procedure as Mrs. Levine did last year. All work and other notes or letters will be sent home EACH THURSDAY in a folder so you can look at what your child has been working on. PLEASE return the folder to school EACH FRIDAY.
STAR READER OF THE WEEK: Each Friday students will take turns being the "Star Reader of the Week." The "Star Reader" will read a favorite story from home to the class. I will let you know in advance when your child will be the "Star Reader."
SHOW AND SHARE: Each second grade student will have an assigned "Show and Share" day of the week. When it is your child's show and share day, please have him/her bring ONE item from home that he/she would like to share with the class. Please look in next week's take home folder for when his/her show and share day will be each week.
Please do not bring live pets/animals for sharing. Some students have allergies, and pets can get excited in a different setting. If your child would like to share about his/her pet, pictures may be brought in to share with the class.
SCHEDULING INFORMATION: Mondays and Thursdays are P.E. days. Tuesdays and Fridays are music days. Wednesdays are school Mass/dress up days. We will also have library on Thursdays.
BIRTHDAYS: We will celebrate your child's birthday in our classroom. Summer birthdays may be celebrated on your child's half birthday or at the end of the school year...whichever you prefer.
As stated in the family handbook, birthday treats are to be:
- STORE BOUGHT
- INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED
- ONE SERVING
- NO DRINKS, PLEASE
- NO CUPCAKES FROM A BAKERY/STORE ( These are not individually wrapped and are very difficult to hand out.)
Please note that refrigeration is not provided, so plan accordingly if you are wanting to bring a treat that needs to be kept cold/frozen.
Please do not send birthday invitations to school to be passed out. It is difficult to know whether each child will get the invitation home. Please mail or email birthday invitations to ensure their guaranteed arrival.
GETTING HOME AFTER SCHOOL: As part of our morning routine, students will let me know how they are getting home after school. If you have a change in transportation plans for your child that is different from the usual plans, please send a note with your child or call the school office so that I will know for sure how your child is planning on going home. A note or phone call will better assure that your child will be where he/she needs to be after school.
LIBRARY TIME: The second graders will have library check out on Thursdays.
SOCIAL CONTRACT: The second graders will soon be creating an agreement of behavior called a "social contract." While building our social contract students will think about how they want to be treated by each other, the teacher, and how we treat each other when there is a conflict. The goal in creating a social contract is to have a self-managing group where students think about how they should treat others. More information about our second grade social contract will come in future newsletters.
SOCIAL STUDIES: The second graders will have Mrs. Levine (1st grade teacher) as their social studies teacher this year. While Mrs. Levine is teaching social studies to the second grade, I will be in the first grade classroom teaching religion.
KEEP IN TOUCH: Please feel free to stop in and visit anytime. I am looking forward to working with your child this year!
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