The Week of October 23rd

NEWS

As readers we have started “amping up our reading power” by paying extra special attention to our fluency and how we are reading our books.  Our lessons focused on being mindful of our fluency as we read with others or in our heads, pay attention to punctuation and word strings to scoop up our reading in larger phrases and pausing at appropriate times, and where dialog is present in our texts reading like the characters.  This fluency work will continue into next week.

As writers we started exploring the way scientists document their work and their thinking by introducing lab reports.  Our main focus for this week was the procedural aspect where the students observed and then wrote “how to make popcorn” including using diagrams with labels, a list of materials needed, and the detailed steps involved in the process.  We will keep building on the this work to include all the different aspects of lab reports like the question, hypothesis, results, and conclusion.

In science we started our investigation into matter and the difference states of it (solid, liquid, gas) through a series of small experiments.  We will unpack how matter can change states and the difference between physical and chemical changes in the coming weeks by conducting further experiments.  It is my hope that all the students see themselves as scientists and that by asking questions and investigating they are open and excited to explore the wonders of the world around them.  

In math we introduced word problems, using base ten models and various strategies like counting on or making models or pictures to solve result unknown problems.  In the coming weeks we will continue to solve word problems with unknowns in all parts of the equation (start and change) and continue working on our computational fact fluency.

UPCOMING

On Monday, October 30th we will have our Mini-Academies.  Thank you to the parents that have signed-up to lead a small group.  Seeing our parents share their skills is always a highlight for our grade 2 students.

On Tuesday, October 31st we will have a Halloween bash.  Students are allowed to come to school wearing costumes however in order to be sensitive to our diverse beliefs and cultures we ask you to be mindful of the following:

• No scary costumes
• No blood
• No masks
• No weapons

On Friday, November 3rd the Melawati campus will be celebrating Deepawali with hallway activities and an Elementary wide assembly at 11:00.  Parents are welcome and encouraged to join us.

IMPORTANT

Party time! This blog post is going out early this weekend to make sure parents are aware of the 2AL potluck/get-together. A big thank you to Ms. Sumiti Tandon for taking the lead on this and making it happen - Ms. Yuka and I are excited to meet all of you in a different setting.

Put a smile on your face and listen to the laughter in our class after some unexpected science demo results.

REMINDERS

Some individual and class pictures have arrived and have been sent home with your child on Friday.  Please check their bags.

Our class photos have been updated. Click here to see the latest pics!

DINNER QUESTIONS

What are the traits of a scientist?

What does it mean to read fluently?

Tell me about how scientists write?

What strategies can you use to solve word problems?

The Week of October 9th

NEWS
As readers we will spend the next two weeks introducing students to our second reading unit:  "Building Better Readers."  This unit focuses on the important foundational reading skills of fluency, literary language, and maneuvering tricky texts.  We will begin by working on reading punctuation, adding tone and making sure students understand pace.

As writers we begin our next unit:  Lab Reports and Science Writing.  This unit will give students an opportunity to explore scientific procedural writing using the scientific method as a framework to help them elaborate each part of the scientific process.  The unit begins with an introduction to how-to writing, where students will be asked to think about something that they know how to do, and to write a text to teach others how to do it.

Our social studies unit on Communities is coming to an end and students are busy completing their assessment where they were asked to create a community and think about various aspects of their community, such as leadership, rules and laws, citizenship, goods and services, and interdependence.  Students will have an opportunity to share their projects with their peers.

We are also beginning our first science unit:  Changes in Matter.   In this unit we will explore properties of solids, liquids, and gases, and the differences between chemical and physical changes.  We’ll spend a few days before break tuning into our unit with simple demonstrations to help students think like a scientist and introduce them to the scientific method.  Students will also be introduced to our science labs to learn about how to use the space and the equipment safely while they conduct their experiments.

This week we start our second math unit:  Becoming Fluent with Addition and Subtraction.  During this unit students will learn how addition and subtraction are related, and learn strategies for solving two-digit addition and subtraction problems.  Our unit begins with a review of problem solving strategies and vocabulary.  The emphasis during these first few days will be on how to identify the operation needed to solve a story problem, and how to adequately explain our thinking.  In grade 2, students are expected to solve story problems by using a picture, equation and answer, which includes a number and label.  It is important for students to continue practicing their basic addition and subtraction facts to help them become more successful solving two-digit addition and subtraction problems encountered in this unit.

UPCOMING

Conferences are here!  Monday, October 9th and Tuesday, October 10th. This will be an opportunity for your child to share their learning so far this semester and to set personal and academic goals going forward.  

October break begins on Wednesday, October 18th.

DINNER QUESTIONS

What was the best part of our parent-teacher conference?  Why?

Tell me about one of your lessons with Mrs. Wright.

What is your favorite app to use in class?  Why?  How do you use it?

The Week of October 2nd

NEWS
As readers we have been noticing and naming powerful craft moves that writers are using in their own books and how to try these out in our own writing. We also explored how the important skill of retelling stories in order. We reviewed the importance of monitoring our own reading and now that we are more grown up, we reread and fix our own mistakes.

As writers we have been busily writing narrative stories with interesting beginnings, powerful words and interesting details and punctuation that they are finding in during reading time. It is fun to watch them try out different ways of making their writing more interesting to read and feel the power of mimicking famous authors.

As mathematicians we continued to review math skills such as skip counting, comparing numbers, modeling numbers in different ways and fact fluency as we wrap up this unit next week. Students were challenged further with some rich tasks, problem solving activities and riddles utilizing their knowledge of Base Ten in new ways. Continuing to support students at home with skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s from various numbers up and down orally will help them improve these skills. Also, finding fun ways to weave in addition and subtraction practice into games and activities at home will help students become more fluent.

In our communities unit students discussed qualities in a good leader as well as important laws or rules of a community. Our own school leaders will soon be interviewed by our students as they continue to explore what it takes to be successful, fair leaders and responsible citizens. Students continue to work on designing their own communities with their ideal leaders and laws as well as services their community provides.

IMPORTANT

The students loved their first Mini Academies in grade 2! They were busy having fun and participating in everything from the Science of bottle flipping and cooking Thai dessert to making Gak and Batik painting. THANK YOU to all the parents who volunteered their time and creativity to make Mini Academies enjoyable and successful for everyone. There are still plenty of opportunities to sign up for upcoming mini academies each month - please let our GLC or room parent know if you are interested.  

On Friday we also had our annual birthday bash celebrating all of our September birthdays.  

UPCOMING

Conferences are just around the corner.  Please make sure you look in your child’s take home folder this week for your conference time notice letter. Read the letter and sign and return it in your child’s folder this week so that we can ensure you are able to attend the conference time listed.  

On Monday we will have a new Home Learning Menu. Please remember your child must read for 20 minutes each night but the home learning menu items are optional. If an activity is completed, students may bring finished work into class or you can email us a photo and or video.

DINNER QUESTIONS

What are the most important qualities in a good and fair leader?What laws do you think are the most important in a community? Why?What is something that you are curious about that you would like to explore more?