October 25, 2019

We have a lot to share about what's been happening in our classroom over the past two weeks...

In math, we have finished Unit 2, which focused on addition fact strategies. Near Doubles, Turn Around Facts, and the Making Ten strategy were some of the strategies we practiced. The children will continue to use these strategies while playing games during guided math and completing their math journal pages. This week, we started Unit 3. This unit also works on fact strategies but with a focus on solving subtraction facts. Frequent practice of addition AND subtraction facts will help second graders develop math confidence and fluency. If you're looking for ways to help build your child's math skills, please work on fact fluency at home. Second Grade students are expected to know addition and subtraction facts to 20 with automaticity by the end of the school year. Thank you for your help in developing this important skill.

During writing, the children are working on their “Looking Back” stories. They are using the photos and brainstorming sheet brought in from home to write the first draft of their stories. It has been so much fun seeing all the wonderful photos, and the stories are off to a great start! The children also had an opportunity to create their own "monster" and write a creative story about their monster.

Daily 5 is going great and the children are doing a wonderful job! In our reading groups, we are currently focusing on retelling and identifying important story elements (characters, setting, problem, solution). The children will be using the “five finger” strategy to identify the story elements and will use them to help retell stories. These are skills that we will practice throughout the school year.

In Science, we are finishing up our Habitat and Survival Unit. The children have learned about our final habitat which was the ocean habitat. We have also begun library research where the children are researching one habitat (ocean, rainforest, desert) to further their knowledge. This is also our first research project, so the children are learning how to "research" by learning about note-taking, putting their information into their own words, and about non-fiction text features and how they help them understand the test. The children will share what they have learned in small groups. Next week we will begin habitat dioramas, the children are VERY excited about this culminating performance project.

Our first class celebration, the Harvest Party, will be on October 31st. The children may bring their costumes in a bag marked with their name and will be allowed to put them on for the party. It is a Robinson rule that we don't allow weapons, face paint, or masks. If your child doesn't want to wear their costume, that's fine too!

I will be organizing the class parties this year. I have sent a list home with each parent who has offered to donate an item or their time for the parties. If you have any questions about party assignments, please just let me know. Thank you for all the donations that have already come in to help support our classroom parties. If you have not yet sent in a $6 donation for the holiday parties there is still time. These donations will be used to pay for the crafts at each celebration.

It is hard to believe we are almost the end of another month. The cold weather is approaching, so please be sure your child comes to school with a jacket or sweatshirt to wear out to recess. We go outside everyday.

Thanks for all you do and have a wonderful weekend!

October 14, 2019

It is hard to believe we are heading into the third week of October! The cold weather is approaching. Please be sure your child comes to school with a jacket or sweatshirt to wear out to recess, as we go outside everyday.

We have a lot to share about what's been happening in our classroom over the past two weeks...

In math, we are finishing up Unit 2, which focused on fact strategies. Near Doubles, Turn Around Facts, and the Making Ten strategy were some of the strategies we practiced. The children will continue to use these strategies while playing games during guided math and completing their math journal pages. The children will be taking the Unit 2 assessment at the end of this week. When the completed assessment comes home please be sure to sign and return it to school. In Unit 3, more fact strategies will be developed with a focus on solving subtraction facts. Frequent practice of addition and subtraction facts will help second graders develop math confidence and fluency.

During writing, the children are continuing to work on their personal narrative stories. The children are learning how to edit and revise their stories so they can write a final draft. They are also beginning to write creative, descriptive monster stories. The students will have fun designing and writing about their own monsters!


On Wednesday your child will be bringing home a homework assignment titled “Looking Back” Please help your child find a photo of a recent special event/ moment from their life to use for this assignment. Please help them attach this photo to the homework sheet, then help them use the homework sheet to brainstorm all about the photo. The students will use the photo and brainstorming sheet to write the first draft of their next personal narrative story. It is always so much fun to see all the wonderful pictures the children bring in! This homework assignment is due back on Friday, October 18th. There will be no other homework next week.

Daily 5 is up and running and the children are doing a wonderful job! In our small reading groups we have been focusing on predicting, making connections and retelling strategies. Over the next few weeks we will focus on identifying important story elements (characters, setting, problem, solution). The children will be using the “five finger” strategy in small reading groups to identify the elements and retell stories. These are skills that we will practice throughout the school year.


During science the children have visited the desert, rainforest and the pond habitats! While visiting these three habitats we have learned all about the animals and plants that live in each habitat and what they need to survive. We have also discussed how the plants and animals in these three habitats depend on each other to survive. The children did a great job writing a BLOG about their visit to the rainforest, enjoyed playing trivia during their visit to the desert, and wrote letters to landowners persuading them about the importance of preserving the pond habitats. Next week we will visit the ocean habitat and collect and share data like scientists. During the week of October 21st the students will break into groups and conduct research on three of the habitats with the library media specialist. As a conclusion to this amazing science unit each student will create a shoebox diorama on the habitat of their choice. If you have not sent in a shoebox for your child please send one in by next week.


Our first class celebration, the Harvest Party, will be on Thursday, October 31st. Mrs. Frazier, Mrs. Siano, and myself have worked together to organize the celebrations for us this year. If you have any questions or concerns about the parties please me contact me. Thank you so much for all the donations that have come in to help support our classroom parties! It is always a wonderful time for the children!


Thanks for all you do I hope you had a wonderful long weekend!


October 15th- No School Professional Development