February 25 - March 1

LAST WEEK IN FEBRUARY

What's Happening this Week?

READING:
I've decided the students need a break from non-fiction texts.  Thus, we will be venturing on a fictional journey as we take the next couple of weeks to read . . .

FRECKLE JUICE by Judy Blume.

This week we will do some predicting, vocabulary work and reading of the first chapters of this fun story.  Students will need to read and answer questions on Tuesday and Wednesday evening this week.

FACT VS. OPINION will also be another topic we will explore this week.

SMALL GROUPS:
This week we will continue to read our bag books.  Students should read these books at least three times during the week.  This will help them prepare for the Friday QUIZ.  Worksheets that go along with the bag books are due every Friday.  The student may choose when during the week he/she would like to complete the work.


MATH:
Since Friday was a bit turned around, we postponed our quiz on time to the minute as well as subtraction by regrouping until Monday.
The rest of the week we will look into story problems as well as missing addends.

There will be a quiz on missing addends on Friday.

SCIENCE:
MATTER!
For the next few weeks we will build upon what we learned in our in-house field trip on Matter.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
We have officially completed our unit on the PAST and will now focus on our Wax Museum speeches.  This is what I have decided concerning the speeches. . .

FIRST OF ALL - WOW!!  EVERY STUDENT

 has done a tremendous amount of research for this project.  I am so proud of the students!  

YET, we do need to simplify the research so that we can write a speech that is manageable to "memorize."
SO, I have decided to send the research back home.  This week discuss with your child the most important information from each category.  The students have already highlighted the sentences he/she found most important.  Help your child choose two sentences from each category and formulate into a manageable speech.  Make certain to begin the speech with an introduction as to who you are and the date you were born.  Make certain to end the speech with your date of death (if deceased) and what for what you are most remembered.  The speech should be only 8-10 sentences.  Please type the speech (double spaced) in a font that is big enough so that it can be easily read.
The title of the speech should be the person researched.
Please save a copy somewhere on your computer just in case.  Send in the typed speech by next Monday, March 4th.  From that point we will practice here at school and you can practice at home as well.
ALSO - save all the research.  We may decorate a poster board for a back drop.  Any research used or not used can be placed on the poster board.

WAX MUSEUM ON MARCH 27th @ 1:30

Be thinking of the items to bring and a costume to wear on this day.

February 19-22

School Auction

I sent a letter home explaining the school auction.  IF YOU CAN, please donate items that go along with the following theme:

Your theme is Family day out. Item suggestions to include were gas cards, picnic basket or items for a picnic, park tickets, bowling, ice skating, anything you could do together as a family.

We will also be in need of a picnic basket.

Also, I am in need of a parent that would be willing to organize the donations.  Let me know if this sounds like something you might want to do.

Back to academic business. . .

What's happening this week!

READING:
This week we will concentrate on articles about MARS.  The students will read TIME MAGAZINE and be asked to analyze and answer various non-fiction text questions.  We will also view some video footage about the planet MARS.

 

SMALL GROUPS:
This week we will continue our Bag Books.  Each night read the book over with your child.  Some are a bit difficult, so be willing to tag-team read and discuss the topics.  There will be a homework assignment that goes along with each Bag Book.  These are not due until Friday. Your child may complete the  worksheet on the best night for him/her. 

There will be a quiz on the bag book on Friday.

MATH:
Since we have "conquered" telling time to the closest 5 minute mark, I thought it would be beneficial to review time but take it to a deeper level.  We will be exploring how to tell time to the exact minute this week.  We also will be reviewing subtraction with borrowing.  I think we all need to keep this relatively new concept fresh in our minds.
There will be a short quiz on Friday on telling time to the minute as well as subtraction with borrowing.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
We will finish up our social studies unit on HISTORY - the PAST this week.
On Thursday we will begin to work on a unit review in school that will be due on Friday.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL MOVE ONTO OUR SCIENCE MATTER UNIT.

SPELLING:
Words Their Way
Test on Friday

FAMOUS AMERICAN PROJECT!
Our class will have a Famous American Wax Museum exhibition that will come to life on Wednesday, March 27^th, 2013 @1:30 PM. To prepare for the Wax Museum exhibition, each student must research and write a short speech about a Famous American.  Also, each student must dress as the Famous American that they will portray.  (Costumes may be brought to school and changed into at the appropriate time.)  All parents are invited to come and visit the Famous American Wax Museum on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30.  Please come and bring plenty of coins (or dollars) to activate each of the famous American wax figures.  All proceeds will benefit the May field trip fund and other second grade activities for this year.  You don’t want to miss this spectacular event!

Speech requirements…

Each student must prepare an 8 to 10 sentence speech.  It should begin with who you are, where and when you were born.  Then you should tell why you are famous and how you changed things in America.  The last part of your speech should explain what you are doing now (if your Famous American is still alive) or when you died.  Speeches need to be typed and students MUST be able to easily recite or read the speech.  Please write some information about your child’s Famous American down and send it in by February 19th. A graphic organizer has been provided for you. We will take the information you provide and work on writing some of their speech in class. 

Please begin preparing your child’s costume. Once the speeches are finished a copy will be sent home. Your child will need to practice their speech each night in order to memorize them before the Famous American Wax Museum on Wednesday, March 27^th, 2013. Have fun and be prepared to share with many museum visitors!

February 19-22

School Auction

I sent a letter home explaining the school auction.  IF YOU CAN, please donate items that go along with the following theme:

Your theme is Family day out. Item suggestions to include were gas cards, picnic basket or items for a picnic, park tickets, bowling, ice skating, anything you could do together as a family.

We will also be in need of a picnic basket.

Also, I am in need of a parent that would be willing to organize the donations.  Let me know if this sounds like something you might want to do.

Back to academic business. . .

What's happening this week!

READING:
This week we will concentrate on articles about MARS.  The students will read TIME MAGAZINE and be asked to analyze and answer various non-fiction text questions.  We will also view some video footage about the planet MARS.

 

SMALL GROUPS:
This week we will continue our Bag Books.  Each night read the book over with your child.  Some are a bit difficult, so be willing to tag-team read and discuss the topics.  There will be a homework assignment that goes along with each Bag Book.  These are not due until Friday. Your child may complete the  worksheet on the best night for him/her. 

There will be a quiz on the bag book on Friday.

MATH:
Since we have "conquered" telling time to the closest 5 minute mark, I thought it would be beneficial to review time but take it to a deeper level.  We will be exploring how to tell time to the exact minute this week.  We also will be reviewing subtraction with borrowing.  I think we all need to keep this relatively new concept fresh in our minds.
There will be a short quiz on Friday on telling time to the minute as well as subtraction with borrowing.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
We will finish up our social studies unit on HISTORY - the PAST this week.
On Thursday we will begin to work on a unit review in school that will be due on Friday.
NEXT WEEK WE WILL MOVE ONTO OUR SCIENCE MATTER UNIT.

SPELLING:
Words Their Way
Test on Friday

FAMOUS AMERICAN PROJECT!
Our class will have a Famous American Wax Museum exhibition that will come to life on Wednesday, March 27^th, 2013 @1:30 PM. To prepare for the Wax Museum exhibition, each student must research and write a short speech about a Famous American.  Also, each student must dress as the Famous American that they will portray.  (Costumes may be brought to school and changed into at the appropriate time.)  All parents are invited to come and visit the Famous American Wax Museum on Wednesday afternoon at 1:30.  Please come and bring plenty of coins (or dollars) to activate each of the famous American wax figures.  All proceeds will benefit the May field trip fund and other second grade activities for this year.  You don’t want to miss this spectacular event!

Speech requirements…

Each student must prepare an 8 to 10 sentence speech.  It should begin with who you are, where and when you were born.  Then you should tell why you are famous and how you changed things in America.  The last part of your speech should explain what you are doing now (if your Famous American is still alive) or when you died.  Speeches need to be typed and students MUST be able to easily recite or read the speech.  Please write some information about your child’s Famous American down and send it in by February 19th. A graphic organizer has been provided for you. We will take the information you provide and work on writing some of their speech in class. 

Please begin preparing your child’s costume. Once the speeches are finished a copy will be sent home. Your child will need to practice their speech each night in order to memorize them before the Famous American Wax Museum on Wednesday, March 27^th, 2013. Have fun and be prepared to share with many museum visitors!

February 11 - 14

SAME IMPORTANT INFORMATION THIS WEEK!

Our SECOND Week In February!

This is short month with a lot going on!  First of all, we have many birthdays in this month.  Students are welcome to bring in a small snack to share if they would like.  Let me know ahead so I can plan accordingly.  The best time to have the snack is at recess/lunch which happens at 12:20 - 1:00.

Happy Birthday:

ABBY               February   2

EMILY             February   7

MADISON       February  10

JESSIE             February  16

OLIVIA           February  27

IN ADDITION:

VALENTINE'S DAY IS COMING UP!

February 14th will be a great day of fun!  In the morning we will have our in-house MATTER Field Trip.  Then, in the afternoon we will celebrate Valentine's Day.  Around 2:00 we will take the time to have a snack and open our cards.  

If you would like to donate a snack - cupcakes, cookies, juice boxes - let me know.

SO FAR WE HAVE SUGAR COOKIES DONATED.  WE ARE STILL IN NEED FOR JUICE BOXES AND PERHAPS ONE OTHER TREAT.

SO this is the plan:

Every child needs to decorate a shoe box to use as his/her Valentine's Day Mail Box. 

Please make certain his/her name is printed clearly on the top so that when the students pass out the Valentines they will know who's is who's!  Also, Make certain the top can be taken off especially if candy bags are handed out.

Next, Bring the boxes in February 13th!  I would like them set up so that on the morning of February 14th the students can place their cards in each of the boxes.

MAKE CERTAIN YOUR CHILD HAS A VALENTINE FOR EVERY STUDENT!

Names:

Kadin  Grace  Savanna  Madison  Abby  Emily  Zoe  Rokaya  Brady  Cameron  Cate  Olivia  Destiny  Skyler  Marlee  Jaedyn  Stephen  Tim  Reese  Tyler  Jessie  Amanda

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEXT NEWS ITEM:

School Auction

I sent a letter home explaining the school auction.  IF YOU CAN, please donate items that go along with the following theme:

Your theme is Family day out. Item suggestions to include were gas cards, picnic basket or items for a picnic, park tickets, bowling, ice skating, anything you could do together as a family.

We will also be in need of a picnic basket.

Also, I am in need of a parent that would be willing to organize the donations.  Let me know if this sounds like something you might want to do.

Back to academic business. . .

MATH:

This week we will work on algebra story problems.  Each night there will be homework that goes along with what we finished in class.  We will also review subtraction with regrouping since this is a relatively new concept that I want to make certain the students have mastered.

NO QUIZ THIS WEEK.

SOCIAL STUDIES:

We will continue to look into the PAST.  The students have been assigned his/her Famous American.  I am sending home the official note on Monday.  Research should begin at home and the information should be recorded on the attached form.  Research is due the Tuesday after our weekend break - Tuesday February 19th.  Please make certain not to wait until the last minute!  Once the research has been turned in we will begin to work on a speech for the event.

READING:

In honor of President's Day we will be reading various texts revolving around the presidents - mainly Lincoln and Washington.  The students will not have bag books since it is a short week, but will have various small assignments on which to work.

Small Groups:

No bag books this week.  We will resume bag books next week.

Spelling:

Words Their Way

Test will be on Thursday.

February 4-8

Our First Week In February!

This is short month with a lot going on!  First of all, we have many birthdays in this month.  Students are welcome to bring in a small snack to share if they would like.  Let me know ahead so I can plan accordingly.  The best time to have the snack is at recess/lunch which happens at 12:20 - 1:00.

Happy Birthday:

ABBY               February   2

EMILY             February   7

MADISON       February  10

JESSIE             February  16

OLIVIA           February  27

IN ADDITION:

VALENTINE'S DAY IS COMING UP!

February 14th will be a great day of fun!  In the morning we will have our in-house MATTER Field Trip.  Then, in the afternoon we will celebrate Valentine's Day.  Around 2:00 we will take the time to have a snack and open our cards.  

If you would like to donate a snack - cupcakes, cookies, juice boxes - let me know.

SO this is the plan:

Every child needs to decorate a shoe box to use as his/her Valentine's Day Mail Box. 

Please make certain his/her name is printed clearly on the top so that when the students pass out the Valentines they will know who's is who's!  Also, Make certain the top can be taken off especially if candy bags are handed out.

Next, Bring the boxes in February 13th!  I would like them set up so that on the morning of February 14th the students can place their cards in each of the boxes.

MAKE CERTAIN YOUR CHILD HAS A VALENTINE FOR EVERY STUDENT!

Names:

Kadin  Grace  Savanna  Madison  Abby  Emily  Zoe  Rokaya  Brady  Cameron  Cate  Olivia  Destiny  Skyler  Marlee  Jaedyn  Stephen  Tim  Reese  Tyler  Jessie  Amanda

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEXT NEWS ITEM:

School Auction

I sent a letter home explaining the school auction.  IF YOU CAN, please donate items that go along with the following theme:

Your theme is Family day out. Item suggestions to include were gas cards, picnic basket or items for a picnic, park tickets, bowling, ice skating, anything you could do together as a family.

We will also be in need of a picnic basket.

Also, I am in need of a parent that would be willing to organize the donations.  Let me know if this sounds like something you might want to do.

Back to academic business. . .

MATH:

This week we will move on to three digit subtraction with borrowing.  Please make certain your child is doing this correctly.  It can be tricky business!  We will have a quiz on Friday.

READING:

This week we are dedicating to African American History Month.  Our reading selections will focus on various famous African Americans.  We will also be working on time lines for each American we study.

SMALL GROUPS:

I will be sending home a bag book with each student this week.  I expect your child to read this book at least three times during the week.  There may be homework sent home that goes along with the text as well.  On Friday I will give the students a quiz on the book they have been assigned to read.

SPELLING:  WORDS THEIR WAY

SOCIAL STUDIES:

We will continue to look into the past and compare it to our present.

FINAL NOTES:

I will be sending information about the 2nd grade Famous American Wax Museum this Thursday.  Your child must first choose a character he/she would like to study.  I will send home a list of characters already chosen. You need to choose three that have NOT been chosen already.  I would like you and your child to choose three possibilities and send the list back in on Friday.  We will make our final decisions on Friday. Next week I will send home the information about the research that needs to be done on the student's chosen American.