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.
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.
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.
The students participated in the Jump Rope for Heart event during gym classes this week. Thank you to all who donated money for this great cause!
Dates to Remember
Fri. March 6 - End of 2nd trimester
Thurs. March 12 - Field trip to Fullersburg Woods
* Bring a sack lunch & drink today
Fri. March 13 - Report Cards go home
Thurs. March 19 - Early Dismissal 12:00
Reading
Students will be putting information about their chosen country onto digital slides this week. They will then present it to the class. We've been busy this week looking at both a text and online source for information.
Grammar lessons will focus on simple and compound sentences.
Vocabulary words for the week are: isolated, remote, impassable, obtain
Remember to return reading logs on Monday, March 2.
Math
We'll finish our chapter on Geometry this week with problem solving using logical reasoning. A chapter review/test will follow. Topic 12 will be next and will focus on Money.
Science
This week we will begin our new chapter on Sound. We'll focus on the Big Idea that sound can travel and is caused by vibrations.
New Student of the Week - Maddie
Positive Paw Winner - Joseph
Estimation Jar Winners - Filip, Sean, Ashlyn, Mikella, TJ, and Marifer
Dates to Remember
Feb. 26 & 27 - Jump Rope for Heart event during gym classes
Fri. Feb. 27 - Reading Incentive Dr. Seuss Day - Wear mismatched or backwards clothes
Fri. March 6 - End of 2nd trimester
Thurs. March 12 - Field trip to Fullersburg Woods
Fri. March 13 - Report Cards go home
Six Flags Reading Logs are due on Monday, Feb. 23. They are very firm on the deadline, so if you plan to send it in, please be prompt.
February Reading logs will be due on Tuesday, March 2. The class has voted to have a Game Day for everyone who returns a completed reading log. thanks for your help with this. We don't want anyone to miss the fun!
Math
This week we'll continue our topic on Geometry. We'll be relating plane shapes to solid figures, learning about polygons and angles, and determining equal/not equal parts of a whole shape.
Science
We'll finish answering the essential question, "What is Heat?" A test will be midweek. Look for review pages to come home on Monday or Tuesday. Our next chapter is learning about Sound Energy. We'll be doing an investigation this week and need empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls. Please send in a few. Thank you!
Reading
This week we will read My Librarian is a Camel. This text is a photo essay featuring countries with mobile libraries. For many communities in remote places, this is the only way for them to access books.
The students will begin working on a shared research project featuring a country in My Librarian is a Camel. Students will develop a digital slide showing important facts as well as information about how people access books in their community.
New Student of the Week - Lindsy
Positive Paw Winner - Lindsy
Estimation Jar Winner - Joseph
Happy Valentine's Day
Thank you to Mrs. Silanskis and Mrs. Harvat for covering our Valentine mailboxes. The students had a wonderful time decorating their boxes!
We had a wonderful Valentine Party this afternoon! Mrs. Harvat and Mrs. Urias helped the students decorate the darling valentine picture frame they brought home.
We played games and enjoyed delicious treats. Thanks also to Mrs. Bende for sending in juice boxes. We had a perfect afternoon! Happy Valentine's Day!
Dates to Remember
Thurs. Feb. 19 - Spring Picture Day
Sat. Feb. 21 - Snowflake Ball
Feb. 26 & 27 - Jump Rope For Heart event during gym classes
Fri. Feb. 27 - Reading Incentive Dr. Seuss Day
* Wear mismatched or backwards clothes
Fri. March 6 - End of 2nd trimester
Thurs. March 12 - Field trip to Fullersburg Woods Please return the permission slip along with $5 fee if you have not done so already.
Fri. March 13 - Report cards go home
Math
This week we'll use logical reasoning to solve problems with three digit numbers. We'll review and take a test midweek. Our next topic focus will be Geometry. We'll begin by naming 3 dimensional (solid) shapes and classify them by the number of faces (flat surfaces), edges (sides), and vertices (corners).
Fast facts this week will be minus 6:
14 - 6 13 - 6 12 - 6 11 - 6
10 - 6 9 - 6 8 - 6 7 - 6
Science
We'll be reading about shadows this week as we continue learning about light energy. We will also learn about friction and that some colors absorb heat, while others reflect, or take in, heat.
Reading
Our text this week is Biblioburro. It's a nonfiction story about a traveling library that brings books to children in faraway villages from the backs of two donkeys. We will be discussing the comprehension strategies of understanding key details in a text as well as using text features to locate facts.
Vocabulary words: access, biblioteca (library), burro, cuento (story/tale), que bueno.
Grammar focus will be antonyms and synonyms.
Positive Paw Winner - Sean
February Birthdays - TJ - Feb. 15
Charlie - Feb. 18
Thank You PTO for the Donut Treat! Our class won the January contest for Boxtops and PTO rewarded us with donuts today! YUM!!
Jump Rope for Heart - Elizabeth Ide is holding a Jump Rope for Heart event on Feb 26 & 27 during our gym classes. Students will have the opportunity to raise funds for the American Heart Association. They will also be learning about the importance of heart health in a fun way. Details were sent home on Wednesday, Feb. 4th. Email me for details if you missed the packet.
Book Collection for Whitehead Elementary School in Rockford. We will continue to collect books until Feb. 27. Students can place new or gently used books in the collection boxes near the school's entrance.
Six Flags Reading Logs due Feb. 23 - Please fill out the gold reading log and return to school by Monday, Feb. 23 if you are working toward earning a free ticket.
Dates to Remember
Wed. Feb. 11 - Early Dismissal 12:00
100th Day of School
Thurs. Feb. 12 - Classroom Valentine Party - Please have your child bring 19 valentines for their classmates by Thursday. We will deliver them to each other on Thursday. No need to address them. Simply have your child write their name on the back.
Fri. Feb 13 - No School
Mon. Feb. 16 - No School Presidents' Day
Thurs. Feb. 19 - Spring Picture Day
Sat. Feb. 21 - Snowflake Ball
Fri. Feb. 27 - Dr. Seuss Day Reading Incentive Day ~ Wear mismatched or backwards
clothes and bring a Dr. Seuss book to read.
Reading
This week's text is That Book Woman. It's about a boy, Cal, and his family that live in the Appalachian hills and they have little access to books. A "book woman" arrives on her pack horse to distribute books and magazines to the rural families and changes Cal's mind about reading.
Vocabulary words for the week: plowing, dusky, scholar, britches, passel, yearn
Grammar focus is on adverbs.
Math
This week we will be learning to estimate differences with three digit numbers. We'll also be subtracting three digit numbers vertically using the paper/pencil strategy.
Positive Paw Winner - TJ
Estimation Jar Winners - Gage, Gio, and Aidan
New Student of the Week - TJ
