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!