December 22nd - December 26th, 2019

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new." — Albert Einstein

Upcoming Events:

• STEM Fair on Dec 26^th, 2019

In Writing Workshop this week, Grade 2 will be tackling introduction to letter writing. In the letter they will be giving their opinion about a book that they have read and supporting their opinion with reasons.

In Reading Workshop, Grade 2 is working on becoming more fluent readers. We are revising:

• Rereading aloud and in our heads
• Talking like characters
• Making our voices match the mood
• Reading with a 'just right' pace. 

In Math, Grade 2 is practicing and reinforcing the skills that they have learned so far.

We are working hard for STEM Fair!

   Reminders:

• Last day of school before winter break is Dec 26^th, 2019
• Please read books on razkids and do the quiz at the end.
• Back at school on Sunday, January 19^th  (Day 4), 2020! 
• Have a safe and happy winter break! 

December 15th - December 19th

“Teachers can open the door, but you must enter it yourself.” — Chinese proverb

Landform Picture Gallery

Upcoming Event:

• MAP testing on December 16th, 2019
• STEM Fair on December 26th, 2019

In Writing Workshop, we are starting a new genre of writing. It is called writing about reading. This unit is about writing opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply reasons that support the opinion, use linking words (e.g. because, and, also) to connect opinion and reasons and provide a concluding statement or section.

Before we start this unit, it is important for students to understand the difference between fact and opinion. Therefore, next week students will work on understanding the difference between fact and opinion.

In Reading Workshop, we have starting a new genre of reading - Bigger books mean amping up reading power. This means we are reading fiction books that take longer to finish. We are focusing on:
Chapter books that have one central plot-line, readers must carry the story from chapter to chapter. The focus of this unit is literary language

There are 4 parts to this genre. They are:
1. Reading with Fluency
2. Understanding Literacy Language
3. Meeting the challenges of longer books
4. Tackling goals in the company of others

Students have been exposed to different figurative language like alliteration, rhymes, simile and unusual phrases.
Alliteration: the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. For example:

• She sells seashells on the seashore
• Sandy Shaw’s soft swede shoes

Simile: a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g. as brave as a lion).
Similes are used as a method of comparison. As cold as ice. Tall like tree.

Unusual phrases: ‘piece of cake’ – very easy; ‘hit the nail on the head’ – accurate

Rhymes: A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounding words. For example –
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are

In Math, students will continue to explore polygons

In STEM, students will plan and prep for the upcoming STEM fair.

In Social Studies, students will utilize this time preparing for the STEM fair.

Reminders

• Reading on razkids and completing the quiz at the end.
• Bring a dictionary to school.
• Last day of school before winter break is December 26th, 2019.

Week of December 8th - December 12th

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”- Malcolm X

Upcoming Event:

• MAP testing on December 16th, 2019
• STEM Fair on December 26th, 2019

This Week in Class...

In Writing Workshop, students will work on their grammar skills to prepare for the upcoming MAP test. The following topics will be covered:

1. Nouns and pronouns
2. Verbs
3. Verb tense
4. Adjectives and Adverbs
5. Prepositions

In Reading Workshop, all through the week, students will have summative assessment of the nonfiction unit.

 

In Math, students will learn about three dimensional shapes and identify line of symmetry for that shape.

In STEM, students will plan for the upcoming STEM fair.

In Social Studies, students will start building landforms.

Reminders

• Reading on razkids and completing the quiz at the end.
• Bring a dictionary to school.
• Last day of school before winter break is December 26th, 2019.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas A. Edison

Upcoming Event:

•   MAP testing on December 16^th, 2019
•   STEM Fair

In Writing Workshop, students will work on their grammar skills to prepare for the upcoming MAP test.

In Reading Workshop, students will learn to 

• Read their non-fiction book and check for understanding by retelling in their own words
• Understand better, by identifying a key detail by using a text feature
• Understanding how to use a dictionary

In Math, students will start Unit 5. Students will learn about 

point segments

parallel lines

In STEM, students will plan for the upcoming STEM fair.

In Social Studies, students will start building landforms.

Reminders

• Reading on razkids and completing the quiz at the end.
• Bring a dictionary to school.
• Last day of school before winter break is December 26^th, 2019.