Weekly Update

Writing:

The second graders have started starting writing their first small moment story. Personal narrative is the genre we spend the most time on in second grade, so you will hear about small moment stories a lot this year. This week we practiced planning a story across five pages. We also started learning about different leads and wrote two different ones for the same story. Next week we will learn continue with leads and maybe get to how to start learning about the importance of transitions.

Phonics:

We have been talking about identifying open and closed syllables. These are important skills when decoding and sounding out unknown words. There are words the second graders have heard in conversation, but maybe never seen written down. Knowing syllable types can help figure out those know but unfamiliar-looking words. It also helps so much with spelling. You are not going to believe how much your second grader will grow as a speller this year! 

Math:

We are continuing to have fun while doing math! The second graders are loving the different work stations, and have also been doing some graphing, addition, and subtraction. Another part of math they have been loving is math talks. Getting the second graders to talk about their mathematical thinking is a huge priority in second grade. See if your second grader can remember the four big reasons we do math talks. 

Reading:

We went to the new library for the first time this week!  Our library day will be Monday, so that will be the day we will all go to get new books. If your child finishes his or her books early and you don't want them hanging around the house and maybe getting lost, send them back early. We will get them returned and your second grader will be all set to check out new books on Monday. Our time is combined with Mrs Hills' time, so your child may come home talking about reading with a friend from the other second grade on Mondays. This combined library time is part of our effort to build a second grade community in the building, not just in our individual classes.

We have also been continuing to work on reading stamina and talking about how good readers read. They sit away from distractions, do a book preview and make some predictions, and then read with a narrator and character voices, or maybe a teaching and learning voice - depending on the genre. We are building good reading habits to grow good readers!

Homework:

The 5-star sentence page is due by Friday, September 12. The 5-star sentence your child did last week was in his or her mail on Friday. This way you can see the expectations on the rubric I use to score it. The second graders have a week to work on the sentence - but it shouldn't take that long! It is due on Friday, but bring it back to school anytime it is done.

Extra Information:

September 24- Picture Day

September 26 - Early Release Day

October 3- Color the Park

Our class has raised $185 in donations from five donors in two states!! Our Parent's Club has made donating easy with an online option.

Check out our fundraising page here: Fund Hub

Click here to Register for the event.

Click here to Volunteer at the event.