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Monday, December 15, 2014

December 15 - 19

Happy last week before break!!




On THURSDAY, December 18th, is our Polar Express Day in 2nd grade! Students are invited to wear their pajamas as we watch the Polar Express and enjoy hot chocolate! 

This week we will be finishing up our units of study in our various subjects - we will also be starting landforms and regions in Social Studies! 

In writing we are working on persuasive writing as well as noticing common characteristics in persuasive pieces that we read. 

In math we are continuing word problems with addition and subtraction! We are applying inverse operations and using part-part-whole!

In science we are learning about magnets!

In social studies we are learning about landforms and regions!

We hope you have a wonderful break filled with family, friends and fun! 
Monday, December 8, 2014

December 8 - 12

Are you wanting to make Math Facts fun and exciting? Does your child love technology and any type of computer game? Try out MATH MAGICIAN! It is a fun and exciting way for your child to practice their math facts! Check out the link below. You can print a certificate once your child has completed each level which is always fun...

Math Magician Math Fact Practice

This week in Writing and Reading we are continuing our study of Procedural/How-To texts. If you want to help with some ideas at home discuss with your child what they are an "expert" in and what they could teach sometime to do through writing!

In Math we are going to continue word problems, addition and subtraction and our strategy of part-part-whole.

In Science we are studying magnets.

In Social Studies we are studying urban, suburban and rural communities. We will be sending home a study guide for our communities quiz on Friday!

FRIDAY is TOYS FOR TOTS! Please consider sending a gift for a child in need!
Tuesday, December 2, 2014

December 1 - 5

Happy December! We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving Break!

As you have seen, this week in Social Studies we are learning about the Continents and Oceans of our world, so we thought we would give you a few tools to help your 2nd grade student practice at home! Here is a great website for practice.. there are a few different games you can play to memorize the continents and oceans. 

World Continents Game

Also.. here is a song that you can use at home! 

Continents Song


On Friday your student will have a quiz over the Continents and Oceans so please be sure to use the study guide sent home on Monday to help them study as we also learn these in class!

In Writing we are continuing our Writer's Workshop. We are learning about procedural/how-to texts by looking at recipes, rules to a game, how to make something, science experiments or directions. The students are working on writing a How-To on a topic that they are an expert about!

In Reading students will be reading procedural texts as listed above - we are looking at various examples!

In Math as we finish up our subtraction with regrouping unit, we are beginning part-part-whole in addition and subtraction. We are working with word problems and applying inverse operations!

In Science we continue our StemScopes units - we are finishing motion and beginning magnets! The students are really enjoying the hands-on experiments!

In Social Studies we are learning the different continents and oceans as listed above! Please encourage your student to study at home!

Coming up next week...
  TOYS FOR TOTS! Please consider donating a gift for a family in need!
Tuesday, November 11, 2014

November 10-14

Hello 2nd grade! Happy Veteran's Day!

Let's start off this blog post with some fun "Math Fact Practice Strategies"!

From www.fantasticfunandlearning.com ... here are some great tips to make math facts FUN!

  • Use the flashcards like a card game of WAR. The person with the largest sum/product wins the war. 
  • Create a memory type game where kids have to match the fact to the answer. 
  • Find a fun Math Facts App on your mobile device for the kids to use.
  • Ask kids how they want to practice their math facts. You might be surprised by how creative their ideas are. 
  • Play Go Fact Family with the same rules as Go Fish. Find all the flashcards that create one fact family. You can do one operation at a time: Addition (3+2, 2+3) or you can do two related operations: Addition & Subtraction (2+3, 3+2, 5-2, 5-3). Great for older students!
  • Make a Math Facts Poster. Let your student create a work of art full of math facts. Layout a poster board or large sheet of paper. In the middle of the paper, write a large number. Then the student can write all the facts for that number around the outside. Get crafty!
  • Play Hop to It. Have your student write each fact on a large index card or sheet of paper. Spread the cards around the room. They can be scattered or along a pathway.  It can also be figured like a hopscotch board.  Then get moving! The student can move across the room by jumping on the fact and saying the fact out loud. You can also try dancing, twirling, or wiggling from math fact to math fact, whatever your child enjoys. This lets your child write the fact, see the fact, and say the fact!
  • Get out the sidewalk chalk and write the facts on your driveway!

Here's what's going on in 2nd grade this week..

In WRITING we are continuing the Writer's Workshop process. We are continuing to take pieces from the beginning through the final stages of publishing.

In READING we are identifying events on a story arc - looking at what does setting the stage, rising action, climax and resolution mean!

In MATH we are continuing subtraction with regrouping - please practice this at home as this is a tricky concept for many students!

In SCIENCE we are continuing to study balance and motion!

In SOCIAL STUDIES we are using map skills to locate importance places and landforms on a map and also locating places of significance including our community, our state and our country!



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Writing Ideas

Hello 2nd grade! Since we have been working so hard on writing in our classes, we wanted to give you a few ideas for writing at home! Here are a few "Fun Fall Writing Prompts" that you can use with your child. What a fun activity if you want to encourage some extra creativity at home!

Happy Writing! :)


Fall Writing Prompts
1. Describe the first day of school from a pencil’s point of view.
2. Describe fall with your five senses.
3. Make a list of what you bring to school every day.
4. What if you had all the leaves in the world? What would you do with them all?
5. What was your best/worst trick-or-treating experience like?
6. Describe how to carve a pumpkin.
7. What would you do if you were lost in a corn maze?
8. Describe the perfect fall day.
9. Make a list of things you see in fall.
10. Write, from a leaf’s point of view, what it’s like to change colors and fall off the tree.
11. What is your favorite thing about fall? Why?
12. What do you like to wear in the fall? Why?
13. Describe how to make a pie.
14. How would you catch a turkey?
15. What is your favorite thing about Thanksgiving? Why?
16. Make a list of your Thanksgiving day traditions.
17. Compare/contrast fall and winter.


Monday, November 3, 2014

November 3 - 7

This week in second grade... FRIDAY is Field Day! :)  There will be no spelling test this week!

Writing- We will continue to work on fall themed writing.


Reading- We will identify events on a story arc.


Math- We will be learning subtraction with regrouping through the thousands.


Science- We will be starting our unit on balance and motion.


Social Studies-  We will use map skills to locate important places and landforms on a map. We will locate places of significance including the local community, Texas and the U.S. on maps and globes.
 



Monday, October 27, 2014

October 20-27

Happy Red Ribbon Week! We are celebrating 60 years of a healthy and safe school! Although national Red Ribbon Week is a complete focus on staying drug free, we are broadening the focus to include making healthy choices and staying positive. It is hard to explain to our younger students when the focus is all about staying drug free so we will be incorporating healthy choices and positivity too!

The dress up days are:

Monday - 1950's "Sock it to Drugs" - wear the craziest socks you can find!
Tuesday - 1950's and 1970's "Peace, Love and Positivity" - wear tie dye clothing!
Wednesday - 1980's "Brighten the world around you" - wear neon and bright colors!
Thursday - 1990's and 2000's "Team up for a better tomorrow" - wear your favorite sports jerseys!
Friday - The Future "Fight for a healthy future" - wear camo!

Please remember that our Character Parade is THIS FRIDAY at 8:30am! :) 

Check out what we are studying this week..

Writing- Students will web ideas, write a rough draft, self/peer edit, teacher edit and publish a fall themed writing.

Reading- Students will identify beginning, middle and end of a story.

Math- Students will use base ten blocks to subtract through the thousands with and without regrouping. We will also wrap up 3 digit addition with regrouping.

Science- Students will learn that position is the location of an object and that a position can be stable or unstable. They will also learn that counterweights should be placed low on an object in relation to its balance point. They will write directions about how to balance a shape. They will learn that objects and systems spin on a central axis and you need force to start a top spinning. They will also learn how the amount and position of mass affects how the object rotates.

Social Studies- Students will understand the roles of public officials, name the current President, Governor and Mayor, compare the roles of these leaders, identify ways they are elected and identify how we stay informed in give input in our government.
Sunday, October 19, 2014

October 20 - October 24

Hello 2nd grade! Remember this week is Parent Teacher Conference week! We will have early dismissal for students on Thursday and Friday at noon so please plan accordingly! Homework will continue as usual!

Also remember our Character Parade is October 31st at 8:30AM!
Book Character Pumpkins go to the library!

Reading - Students will learn to identify contractions and adjectives.


Writing -  Students will continue to work through the writing process! Students will web ideas for Fall themed writing early in the week, then they will write a rough draft, self and peer edit, teacher edit and publish!


Math -  Students will continue to work on addition with regrouping in 3 digit numbers. They will also practice determining when regrouping is needed. 


Social Studies -  Students will study our government (including the President, Governor and Mayor).


Science -  Students will learn that motion is a change in position and that force is needed to make objects move.  Students will describe motion as a change in position and understand that a force is needed to make objects move.  Students will learn that position is the location of an object and that a position can be stable or unstable.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014

October 14-17

Hello again! We have MONDAY off from school! Enjoy your Columbus Day! Last week we celebrated Generation Texas Week and learned all about colleges. Here is a short video from our Cougar Proud, College Bound Pep Rally!
http://youtu.be/fi_D1tF5Nl0

 Don't forget to start gathering your costume for our Character Parade on October 31st! The time for the Character Parade has CHANGED to 8:30AM!

Here is what we are learning in 2nd grade this week..


Writing- We will continue to work through the stages in the writing process.


Reading- Students will learn about creating images in poetry. They will also learn about synonyms and antonyms.


Math- We will continue regrouping in math but begin 3 digit regrouping. Students will continue to practice drawing it, solving it, expanding it and wording it! Ask your child to show you!


Science-  We will look at how the changes in light can affect how objects appear. We will also look at how changes in the amount of heat can cause physical changes to objects such as butter melting when heat is added. We will also begin to look at how changes in the amount of sound energy can cause objects to move or vibrate differently!

Social Studies-  Students will understand the purpose of government - local, state and federal. They will identify functions of governments such as establishing order, providing security and managing conflict.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Our First Blog Post!

    Week of October 6-10

    Welcome to our 2nd grade blog! This is where we will post helpful information for you throughout the year. We have had a great start to our school year! We have been establishing routines and setting classroom expectations. We hope your child has been coming home with fun things they are learning so far in 2nd grade! 
    Check out this blog each week to see what fun things your child is doing in the classroom! Not only will you get a glimpse of what we are learning but we will be sure to keep you updated on upcoming events, helpful resources and much much more! 

It's Gen Texas week! This week we will participate in fun activities that talk about and motivate students for college! 

Reading- This week we will dive into setting the purpose for reading. We will talk about how author's write to persuade, inform and entertain.



Writing-  This week we will continue to work on Writer's Workshop. We are focusing on taking our writing pieces all the way through the writer's process from the first draft all the way through publishing. 


Math-  This week we will dive into addition with regrouping. We will continue to use base tens and place value as we work to continue Math in Focus and Singapore Math. 


Social Studies- This week we will continue to study and understand the historical significance of landmarks in our nation. We will look at how American beliefs contribute to our national identity! We will identify USA symbols and how they reflect an American love of individualism, inventiveness and freedom.


Science-  This week we will continue to look at states of matter (solids and liquids). We will look at how changes in the amount of light can affect how objects appear. We will also look at physical changes to objects when adding heat. We will also look at how changes in the amount of sound energy can cause objects to move or vibrate differently.