Dear Parents,

From time to time our class needs small items.  If you are interested in contributing any of these items, you can “pick an apple” from our list of items by visiting the website below.  A link to the website will also appear at the top left hand side of this blog page as well.  Feel free to send the items at your convenience.  There is no obligation to participate but any donation is greatly appreciated!

This week we have finished up several topics.  In word work we finished up blends and will begin talking about consonant digraphs next week such as th, sh, and wh.  In writing, we will begin working on adjectives and using adjectives to improve our writing.  In math, we will finish up our chapter on place value and comparing numbers and will take a chapter test next week.  In reading, we will begin discussing sequencing and practice putting books back in the correct sequence.  During social studies, we will begin a unit on safety.  Have a great weekend and remember that there is no school on Monday.

During word work this week we are continuing to work on blends.  We are focusing this week more on final blends like the mp in lump or the nt in cent.  In writing/grammar we are learning about past tense verbs and continuing to make sure that our stories are focused.  We have learned that webbing our ideas is a great way to improve the focus in our stories.  In math, we are working on order and comparing numbers.  During reading, we are working on inferencing.  This week in Social Studies we are studying our country’s national symbols.  So far we have learned about the flag and the bald eagle.    Parents…don’t forget that Monday is a holiday.

This week in spelling, we introduced our new spelling words.  They are: LIKE, HIM, SEE, TIME, and COULD.  During word work we are working on blends such as cl, sl, st, str, and many others. 🙂  During writer’s workshop, we are working on verbs and focusing our writing using a web.  In math we are working on place value.  In reading, we have been working on thinking with stickies.  We will begin discussing the difference in a thin and a thick question.  In social studies, we are working on learning about our community.

This is the last week for Limeades for Learning, so make sure you are still voting for us!  Have a great week!

Today in writing we reviewed nouns and took our noun quiz.  In math, we reviewed place value to the one’s place.  In reading we read Jessica and talked about making text-to-self connections.  We also finished up our unit on weather.  We will begin our new unit next week in social studies on ‘Our Community’.  I hope everyone has a great weekend and remember to keep voting on Limeades for Learning.  The contest ends soon. 🙂

In writing, we are working on making sure that our writing is in order and focused.  In math, we are working on subtraction.  We will have our chapter 3 test tomorrow.  In reading, we are working on making connections to text.  This week we have focused on make text-to-self connections.  In science, we are working on a unit on weather.  Today we discussed types of severe weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes, drought, and blizzards.

Parents – Please make sure that your student is reading each night and completing their math homework.  Also, please check your child’s planner each night and initial it as well as the reading log and homework.  If you child has graded papers in their folder, please take them out and leave them at home unless otherwise indicated.  This will help keep your child organized. 🙂

1.  We are engaged in a penny war with the other classes throughout the district.  The money raised will be used to help victims of the recent fires.  This is a short contest and ends Friday.  The winning class will receive a pizza party and be allowed to run through the tunnel, following the Roughneck players, at the game.  Although it is a penny war, you may also send other forms of currency.

2.  Ms. Kimbley has arranged for the kids to have a drumming day on Tuesday, September 27th.  Students will have the opportunity to learning about an African drum.  Each student needs to send $1.00 to cover the expenses to me by Friday, September 23.

3.  Make sure that each night you complete your math homework, read for about twenty minutes, and fill in your reading log.  This is your homework each night.  It is the student’s responsibility to get their reading log and planner signed each night, but a gentle reminder from parents at the beginning of the year sure helps! 🙂

Another great day in second grade.  Today in writing we worked on making sure that our writing is focused.  We took our first test in math over addition concepts. In reading, we continued our Black Lagoon series with The Principal from the Black Lagoon.  We created a web of the story elements from the book.  We also began discussing hygiene in science.

In spelling we are still reviewing the first 60 ‘No Excuse’ words that students learned in previous years.  In writing, we read A House for Hermit Crab and discussed adding details in our writing.  In math we reviewed adding three numbers.  Tomorrow will be our first math test.  Homework went home today to prepare students for this test.  In reading we are reading the Black Lagoon series.  Today we read The Librarian from the Black Lagoon.  We had our first character education today.

Today in writing, we read The Relatives Came which is a story about having family come in from out of town to visit and discussed writing from personal experience.  In math we are working on adding doubles and neighbors.  Parents, I cannot stress to you enough the importance of working with your kids on their math facts.  Quiz them in the car on the way to practices or buy some flash cards at the dollar store and spend 10 minutes each night going through them.  It will make a world of difference.  In reading, we read The Library Dragon and talked about caring for the books in our classroom library.  We also began our reading rotations today which the kids really enjoyed.  We also finished and signed our classroom social contract that we all agreed to live by this year in class.

Don’t forget to vote for us daily on Limeades for Learning.  Scroll to the post yesterday for a direct link.