Spring Break!

April 6 - 10

Dates to Remember...

Tuesday, April 7 - No School  Teacher's Institute
Wednesday, April 8 - School Resumes
Thurs. April 23 - Open House and Book Fair at Ide
Fri. April 24 - Progress Notes sent home on an as needed basis

Reading - We will continue our habitat focus and learn about the Artic habitat this week.  We'll read the text, Where Do Polar Bears Live?  We'll talk about background knowledge as well as new information we've learned.

Reading logs for March are due on Wednesday, April 8.  This month the class voted to have a Show & Tell Day!  I hope everyone can participate!

This is the last month for the Pizza Hut Book It reward.

Vocabulary Words:  nutrients, diet, herbivore, omnivore, carnivore, predator, enemy
Writing Focus:  We'll learn to fill out a Who, What, Where Graphic Organizer.

Math - This week we'll continue measuring and learn that we can use different units to measure the length and height of objects. We'll also learn to use addition and subtraction to solve measurement problems.  We'll finish the week by comparing the lengths of different objects using a centimeter ruler.

Social Studies -  We'll be learning about the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution, and the significance of national celebrations.

Estimation Jar Winner - Ariella
Positive Paw Winner - Arianna
March Birthday - Aidan - March 28

Have a wonderful Spring Break!  Enjoy some time relaxing with your families!

It's Spring!

Dates to Remember...

Fri. March 20 - Movie Night  Big Hero 6
March 24 & 25 - OLSAT Testing for 2nd Grade
Mon. March 30 - Spring Break Begins
April 8 - School Resumes after break

Estimation Jar Winner - Aleck
Positive Paw Winner - Gage

Reading - We'll begin a new unit this week, Amazing Animals.  We have a fun week planned as we begin to learn about 3 different animal habitats:  ocean, desert, and rainforest.  

Vocabulary Words:  habitat, flickered, cellar, polished, dusty, dashed, flung

Next spelling test will be on  Friday, March 27.  

Math - We've started a new unit in math, Measuring Length.  This week we will be exploring the concept of measuring with nonstandard units of measurement. We'll then move on to measuring with inches, centimeters, feet, yards, and meters.   

Social Studies - This week we'll learn about many explorers.  We'll talk about the colonists who settled in Jamestown and how they depended on natural resources to survive.  We'll also learn to find information on a history map.  

Spring Pictures were sent home yesterday.  If you choose to keep them, either pay online or send a check back to school in the envelope provided.  If you choose not to keep the pictures, please send the packet back as soon as possible.

Field Trip Fun!

We had a great time at Fullersburg Woods on Thursday!  We learned all about how maple syrup is tapped from the trees, and even sampled it at 3 different stages.  I love this picture of my happy 2nd graders!

Dates to Remember...
Thurs. March 19 - Early dismissal  12:00
Fri. March 20 - Movie Night
Fri. March 27 - Reading Incentive Spring Books to Life
                      *  Wear bright colors and bring the title of your favorite book to school
March 30 - April 8 - Spring Break

Positive Paw Winner - Ariella 
Estimation Jar Winner - Arianna, Aleck, and Joseph

Student of the Week - Everyone has had a chance to be Student of the Week! Moving forward, I will choose a student to fill the estimation jar each week. This is optional, but many students like the chance to get to do this again.  We have all enjoyed getting to know each other better and especially like seeing what our student of the week has to share each day!

Reading
We'll conclude our unit on Neighborhoods and Community this week by reading The Big Orange Splot.  It is a funny story about a man named Mr. Plumbean. Mr. Plumbean lives on a very neat street where ALL the houses look exactly the same. One day a seagull drops a can of orange paint on Mr. Plumbean’s roof. From that point on, nothing is the same in Mr. Plumbean’s neighborhood.

Vocabulary words:  hawser, splot, mush, and belfry
Grammar focus: articles (a, an, the)

Research Project
For the past 2 weeks we have been working on collecting research and putting our information onto digital slides. The students will be presenting their work this coming week. I attached a link in the email for you to access their work. Ask your child to show it to you! They did a great job!

Math
We'll continue working with money this week.  Students will learn that rounding can be used to estimate sums and differences .  We'll also use the problem solving strategy: Try, Check, and Revise to arrive at the correct answer.  

Although we are finished with fast facts, continue to practice math facts at home.  Fact fluency is essential to success in math.    

March 9 - 13

Dates to Remember                                                            

Thurs. March 12 - Field Trip to Fullersburg Woods
                           *  Bring a sack lunch today
Fri. March 13 - Report Cards go home
Thurs. March 19 - Early Dismissal  12:00
Fri. March 20 - Movie Night 
March 30 - Spring break begins

Positive Paw Winner - TJ 
New Student of the Week - Gio
Estimation Jar Winner - Filip

Field Trip to Fullersburg Woods next Thursday - This is an outside field trip so please dress your child accordingly.  The trails could be muddy, so boots are necessary.  Send shoes for your child to change into after the trip.

Please send a sack lunch and drink for your child on Thursday.  We'll be returning to school after our regular lunch time.  Thanks!

Math - We will continue working with coins this week.  Please use every opportunity to help your child count collections of coins at home (or in the car!). we'll finish Topic 13 mid week, then continue adding and subtracting money in our next chapter.  

Last Fast Facts this week!  Thank you to the following parents for coming to school each week to help quiz the students on their math facts:

     Mr. Peterson          Mrs. Silanskis          Mrs. Peterson

They have enjoyed having you here to help us!

Reading - We'll be reading City Green this week, a fictional text which focuses on citizens working together to improve their neighborhood.   

Vocabulary Words:  excitement, schedule, area, heap, stems, halfway

Comprehension strategy - Students will use a graphic organizer to retell the story.  At the end of the week, they will be writing a narrative about a time something happened in their neighborhood using temporal words to describe an event.  

Science - We'll review and take a test on Sound Energy at the beginning of the week.  Review sheets will be sent home as well.