February 20 - 24

Dates to Remember...
Mon. Feb. 20 - No School  Presidents' Day
Tues. Feb. 21 - Last day to return Six Flags Reading Logs
Wed. March 1 - Feb. Reading Logs due
Fri. March 3 - Early Dismissal

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 and from that point on, nothing is the same!

We'll be doing a close read of the story, discussing point of view, and how words and phrases provide meaning to the text.

Grammar focus will be on articles (a, an, the).

Reading logs are due on Wed. Feb. 1.  The class has voted to have another Stuffed Animal Day.  Please encourage your child to read 20 minutes each night and help them fill in their reading log if necessary.  It would be great to have everyone participate in our monthly reading reward!

Math - We have completed our chapter on Money and Time.  Next, we will focus on measuring the length of objects using a ruler, yardstick, meter stick, and measuring tape.

Thank you to our room parent, Mrs. Rerucha, for planning a great Valentine party!  We played games and made Valentine cards with the help of Mrs. Will, Mrs. Woods, Mrs. Dimitriou, and Mrs. Monreal. Thanks also to the Forsman and Clair families for sending in food and paper goods for the party.  We had a great afternoon!

Estimation Jar Winner - Brayden
New Student of the Week - Marnie
Positive Paw Winner - Haley

February 13 - 17

Dates to Remember...
Tues. Feb. 14 - Valentine exchange in classroom
Thurs. Feb. 16 - Spring Picture Day
Fri. Feb. 17 - No School
Mon. Feb. 20 - No School Presidents' Day

Reading - We'll be reading City Green this week.  It is a fictional text about citizens working together to improve their neighborhood.  We'll focus on the comprehension strategy of retelling.  We'll also be writing a narrative about a time something happened in our own neighborhood using temporal words (first, next, then, finally) to describe the event.

Research Project - We'll be sharing our slide shows with the class this week!

Vocabulary words - excitement, schedule, area, heap, stems, halfway
Grammar focus will be on contractions this week.

Math - We will continue to work on telling time this week.  We'll review and take a test on both money and time at the end of the week.  Please continue to practice these 2 important skills at home.

Thank You to all the families that sent in materials for us to decorate Valentine mailboxes, which we'll do on Monday.  

Valentines - The students will be exchanging valentines on Tuesday, Feb. 14.  I ask that you send in 22 valentines (a few extra if you have them for Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Tran). Please have your child sign their name on the back.  No need to address them to each child.  We'll be decorating our valentine boxes on Monday, and the kids will bring all their valentines home on Tuesday.  This is so much fun for the kids!

New Student of the Week - Cameron

Positive Paw Winner - Aidan
Estimation Jar Winner - Mia

February 6 - 10

Dates to Remember...
Fri. Feb. 10 - Classroom Valentine party  1:30                

Tues. Feb. 14 - Classroom Valentine exchange
Thurs. Feb. 16 - Spring Picture Day
Fri. Feb. 17 - No School
Mon. Feb. 20 - No School Presidents' Day

Reading - We will continue to work on our research project this week.  We've collected all our information ~ now we are transferring it onto "slides" on Chromebooks.

Reading Reward - We enjoyed an extra recess on Thursday as our January reading reward.  We'll be voting on a new reward for February.  Continue to encourage your child to read at home!

Remember to return your Six Flags Reading Log if you want your child to earn a ticket to Great America this summer.  The deadline is Feb. 21.

Math - We will begin focusing on telling time this week.  We'll start by reviewing time to the hour and half hour.  We'll spend time telling and writing time to the nearest five minutes.

Valentine boxes - If you have not sent in a red or white shoe box, please do so this week.  We will be decorating them for our Valentines.  If you're having a hard time locating one, please let me know.  We'll be exchanging valentines on Tuesday, Feb. 14.  Please send 22 valentines to school and have your child print their name on the back.  No need to address them to each student in the class.  It'll save time if they're not addressed.

Jump Rope For Heart - We had a "Kick Off" assembly this morning and the students are each bringing home an information packet explaining the program.

Student of the Week - This Week - Aidan
                                    Next Week - Vanessa
Positive Paw Winner - Gio
Estimation Jar Winner - Last Week - Haley
                                      This Week - Alison

January 30 - February 3

Dates to Remember...
Tues. Jan. 31 - Reading Incentive Pajama Day 
Wed. Feb. 1 - January Reading Log due
Thurs. Feb. 2 - Early Dismissal
Fri. Feb. 3 - Jump Rope for Heart Assembly
Fri. Feb. 10 - Classroom Valentine Party - Please have your child bring 22 Valentines for their classmates.  No need to address them.  Simply have your child write their own name on their valentines.   
Tues. Feb. 14 - Valentine exchange in the classroom
Fri. Feb. 17 - No School
Mon. Feb. 20 - No School  Presidents' Day

Reading - We will continue to work on our research projects this week.  This is a shared research project about a foreign country and how children in remote areas access books. We've been gathering our research from text as well as digital sources.  This week we will transfer our research into a digital slide show on Chromebooks.  When we're finished, we'll be presenting it to the class.  

Math - We'll work with money again this week. We'll begin by showing one dollar in a variety of ways.  Then we'll work on showing amounts greater than $1, solve word problems, and learn to make change from one dollar.  We'll take a quiz on money at the end of the week.  

Positive Paw Winner - Nana

Jan 23 - 27

Dates to Remember...
Tues. Jan. 31 - Reading Incentive Pajama Day
Wed. Feb. 1 - January Reading logs due
Thurs. Feb. 2 - Early Dismissal  11:35
                         Jr. Achievement for a Day
Fri. Feb. 3 - Jump Rope for Heart Kickoff Assembly
Fri. Feb. 10 - Valentine classroom party  1:30
Tues. Feb. 14 - Valentine exchange in classroom

Reading - The students will begin working on a shared research project featuring a country in My Librarian is a Camel.  Students will be researching facts about a foreign country and read to find out how people access books in their community.  The following week, we will use Chromebooks to develop a digital slide show with the facts.

Pajama Collection -  Alongside this month's reading reward of Pajama Day, the staff and students will be collecting gently used and new children's pajamas.  These will be donated to the Constance Morris House.  

Math - This week we will begin a new unit, Money and Time.  We'll start by identifying dimes, nickels, pennies, and quarters.  We'll be ordering the coins to find the total value of a group of coins.  We'll end the week by showing an amount of money in several different ways.

Coins - A few students have not brought in a container of "math money".  A reminder note went home last week for those kids.  Please gather the necessary coins and send it to school on Monday if you haven't already done so.  Thank you!

Identifying and counting coins is a new skill for some 2nd graders.  Please use every opportunity to help your child count collections of coins at home (or in the car).

Valentine boxes - Each child will need to bring in a shoe box covered in either red or white paper.  We will be decorating them for our Valentine mailboxes.

We need a few donations for supplies to decorate our mailboxes.  Supplies like foam stickers, ribbon, and sparkly gems would be much appreciated.  Thank you!

Winter Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences for this trimester are scheduled for Feb 15 & 16.  These conferences are done on an "as needed" basis.  If you receive an invitation email on Friday, Jan. 20, please follow the link to sign up at your convenience.

If you are not sent an invitation, that just means that I don't have any specific concerns right now.  As always, if you have concerns, feel free to contact me.

January Birthdays - Olivia  Jan. 23
                                Nana  Jan. 25        Happy birthday girls!!

New Student of the Week - Mustafa
Positive Paw Winner - Brady
Estimation Jar Winner - Amey

January 16 - 20

Dates to Remember...
Fri. Jan. 13 - Gym Night at Ide
Mon. Jan. 16 - MLK Holiday
Fri. Jan. 20 - Progress Notes sent on an as needed basis
Tues. Feb. 2 - Early Dismissal
Fri. Jan. 3 - Jump Rope for Heart Assembly

Valentine Mailboxes - We will be decorating shoeboxes for our valentines.  Each student will need to bring in a shoebox covered in white or red paper.  I heard that Hobby Lobby (and maybe other stores) sell boxes that are white/red.  The box just needs to be ready to decorate.  Any questions, let me know.

Reading - We will be reading 2 texts this week, Biblioburro, and My Librarian is a Camel.
They are both nonfictions stories about traveling libraries that bring books to children in faraway villages in many different ways.  Some children receive books by mail, boat, bus, camels, donkeys, and even elephants!

We will be discussing the comprehension strategies of understanding key details in a text as well as using text features to locate facts.

Math - We will work on subtracting when there are zeros in the top number.  We'll review and take a chapter test at the end of the week.  The students are doing a great job with adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers.  Please continue to check their homework to be sure they are not making errors.  

Math Money - Our next chapter in math will focus on money and telling time.  Most students have brought in a container of coins to be used for math.  If your child brought home a reminder note, please collect the specified coins and have your child bring it to school as soon as possible.  We'll be using it next week.  

Estimation Jar Winner - Marnie
Positive Paw Winner - Mustafa

January 9 - 13

Dates to Remember...
Week of Jan. 9 - 13 - MAPs testing for 2nd graders
Fri. Jan. 13 - Gym Night  Tickets required
Mon. Jan. 16 - No School  MLK Holiday
Fri. Jan. 20 - Progress Notes sent home on an "as needed" basis
Tues. Jan. 24 - Vision and Hearing Screening
Tues. Jan. 31 - Reading Incentive Pajama Day
Thurs. Feb. 2 - Early Dismissal  11:35

MAP Testing - Next week we will be taking the MAP testing (math and reading) on our iPads.  Please be sure your child brings their iPad to school each day fully charged.  If they'd like to use a stylus, they may bring one.

Reading - This week we'll be reading That Book Woman.  It is about a boy, Cal, and his family who live in the Appalachian hills with little access to books.  A "book woman" arrives on her pack hourse to distribute books to the families.  Over time, Cal changes his mind about reading.

We'll focus on illustrations in a text and how they help us make meaning of the story.

Kane County Cougars Reading Club - Students who return their home reading log in January and February, will receive a free game ticket.  Please encourage your child to read 20 minutes each night and return their completed log at the end of each month.

This week we celebrated our December reading with a special lunch in the room and movie.  The students voted to have an extra recess as their reward for January!

Grammar focus will be on adverbs.

Math - We will continue to work with 3 digit addition, with and without regrouping.  We'll also work on problem solving.  We'll then switch to 3 digit subtraction.

Positive Paw Winner - Allision
New Student of the Week - Amey
Estimation Jar Winners - Nate, Aidan, Vanessa, and Allison