Schedule Changes

Hello Second Grade Parents!

Due to the Snow Day, our schedule for the rest of the week will look like this:

Thursday, December 20:  K-2 Polar Express Day  

                                      * Don't forget to wear your pajamas!*

                              ** Parent Volunteers -- if you cannot volunteer on Thursday, we understand.  Please email Mrs. Wright at p.curry-wright@cdsedu.org to let her know.  All others, please meet in Mrs. Wright's classroom first thing Thursday morning.

Friday, December 21:  We will have our Classroom Party (snacks and watching the movie "Polar Express").  Please feel free to donate snacks for the party.  A parent has already offered to donate the juice boxes and paper products.

We have a lot of celebrating to do, in very little time!  We will fit in as much cheer as we can!

Unit Updates

Busy, busy, busy as always!  Here are some highlights of what we have done and what we are doing:
 
Math:  Students continue to work on their thinking skills as they find strategies to attack story problems.  When working on a problem, students need to ask themselves the following questions:

* What is happening in the story?

* What do I already know?

* What do I need to find out?

* What strategy can I use to solve the problem?

 
Students are also focusing on organizing their work and keeping track of their data in a way that makes sense.  When working with your child at home, you can help by prompting them with the above questions.  Let your child find a way that makes sense to them to solve the problem, instead of showing them how.  I would much rather see an attempt at a strategy than see a correct answer with a strategy that they can't explain!

While story problems pop up continuously in our math work, we will also learn more about collecting, plotting, and analyzing data this month.

Reading:  We ended a theme called "Nature Walk", and genre focus on Fables.  Through reading various fables, students learned that a moral is a lesson that is learned in a fable.  Because reading and writing go together, we will end up writing our own fables.  It will be interesting to see what kinds of lessons we can learn from our students!

We will take some time to work on an end of theme skills test that assesses concepts taught during the last five weeks.  Data from the last skills test led Mrs. Lent and I to form an RTI goal around making predictions and making inferences.  Students have successfully become more knowledgeable around these concepts over the last couple of weeks.

(*A quick reminder: RTI stands for Response to Intervention.  Goals in reading or math are set, according to data collected through assessments.  Groups are formed according to need, and re-teaching, extra practice, or enrichment take place.  After two weeks, students who need to are re-assessed.  A positive gain almost always takes place for 100% of those involved.)

In reading, we also are working on comparing, classifying, fact and opinion, consonant clusters (gl, br), double consonants (bubble, across), questioning (questions that cannot be answered in the text), evaluating (How well did the author explain...?), and monitoring (Does it make sense? Maybe I need to read it again.).

Writing:  Students have worked hard applying ways to write with voice!  As a culminating activity, students were asked to choose a strong feeling: love or can't stand, and apply it to a topic.  Look for these papers coming home soon! 

Through the rest of December, we will have mini-lessons on adding detail (a concept revisited later in the year), as well as work on writing fables, as mentioned above.

Science:  We finished our unit on magnets after several engaging experiments.  To begin our unit, we wrote a list of everything that we thought we knew about magnets.  Then, through reading nonfiction and experimenting with materials, we affirmed, revised, or edited our thoughts.  Below are some photos of our fun - I mean, learning:

Look close -- is that book ring floating?

How many paper clips can this magnet hold?

Listing facts from nonfiction texts.

Learning about magnetic fields.

Magnetic, or not?

Social Studies:  We have just begun a unit on Wants/Needs and Goods/Services.  Aside from learning the definitions for those vocabulary words, we will also learn about consumers (those who buy a good or service) and producers (those who provide a good or service).  Through leveled nonfiction texts and role play activities, students will understand how people in a community are connected through the goods and services provided and received.  Students will also understand how an income is earned by providing a good or service, and used as trade for consuming a good or service.

And one more thing to notice...when you come to school for our upcoming Winter Concert, please be sure to check out our bulletin board in the hall.  Our students are offering gifts from the heart  -- to the world!  Things like shelter, friendship, and a clean earth are packaged up for our world to receive!

Error Correction...

In a previous post, I wrote that the Math Information Night was December 6.  It is actually December 5 from 6:00 - 7:00!  Sorry for any confusion.

December Dates

December Dates to Know:

 

5 - Parent Math Information Night @ 6:00- 7:00

 

8 - PTG Holiday Marketplace @ 8:30 - 2:00

 

10 - K-2 Rehearsal for Friday's concert

                 (kids, try to be here)

 

11 - Mrs. Pelkey will be out 

 

12 - We will watch the Band/Chorus

                 Concert  @ 1:00

 

14 - K-2 Winter Concert @ 1:00 

        *All families are invited!*

 

19 - K-2 Book Celebration Day -

     Polar Express - Activities all day!

 

21 - Noon Dismissal - Have a happy

            and safe holiday vacation!

 

Mark your calendars!!!

Parent Math Night

There will be a Math Information Night for parents on December 5, 2012 from 6:00 - 7:00, with state consultant Amy Yankee.  All parents interested in learning more about our math program, please join us at Center Drive School that night.  This is for parents only - please make other arrangements for your children.

End of November Update

It was great seeing many of you at Parent/Teacher conferences!  I am very pleased with the communication and support of our classroom families.  I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a relaxing time spent with family and friends.

Here's a little update about the happenings in our classroom:

In science we are continuing to investigate magnets; learning vocabulary such as attract, repel, north and south poles, and magnetic field.  Students have already worked through a variety of inquiry-based experiments as they build an understanding for how exactly magnets work, and will continue to explore more in the next couple of weeks.

Following our magnet unit, we will enter a social studies unit around wants/needs and good/services.  Students will understand the difference between a want and a need, as well as understand part of our economic world of workers who provide goods and workers who provide services. 

In Writing Workshop, students continue to discover ways to write with "voice".  We will also begin thinking about using quality word choices in our writing - such as "vigorous verbs" and words that imitate sounds (onomatopoeia).

In math, students have been working on finding simple math facts within longer cominations of numbers (number strings) in order to quickly solve addition problems in their heads.  This way of manipulating numbers gives students a firm foundation for later, more difficult math equations.  An example of solving a number string looks like this:

4 + 7 + 6 + 6 =

The student will look for combinations of 10, doubles, and near doubles to help.

4 + 7 + 6 + 6 =

4+6=10  (combination of 10)   7+6=13 (near double; 6+6+1)

 

Now we have...   10 + 13

13 is really 10+3, so 10 + 10 + 3 =  (thinking 10,20,23)  23

 

 

Also in math, we are revisiting story problems with two digit addition and subtraction.  Our new understanding of how numbers work has positively influenced our approach to solving these types of problems, as compared to the beginning of the year.  Together we have shared (and will continue to share) different strategies to solve these types of problems.  Many approaches that students use enable them to actually solve two-digit problems in their heads!

 

Telling time is revisited often throughout the year.  At this point of the year, students should be able to tell time to the half hour.  Learning groups will be formed to help students who need more support in telling time.  We are constantly assessing, reassessing, and forming flexible groups, according to student's needs.  This is true in all areas of the classroom, not just math.

 

We will next move into data analysis, as we collect data and use graphic organizers such as line plots and Venn diagrams to organize the data.

 

December will be here before we know it!  I will do my best to keep you updated on all the events that take place in December.  Don't forget to also check the school website, and read the school's December Newsletter for more information.

 



Halloween, Volunteers, Conferences...and School Work!

Halloween

Storm, full moon, Halloween - oh my!  We made it through the week with craziness in the air.  I was able to stir up some magic in my cauldron though; and Halloween Day was a success!  Thank you to all those who donated time and/or treats. 

Halloween BINGO (and no, Brayden, we will not play Thanksgiving BINGO!)

Something is amiss!  Great Yankee fan Mr. Dale has made a new friend!
It looks like a treat - but I think it's a trick!

Mr. Apsega came to read a couple of Halloween stories.
He held the student's attention while Mrs. Tourtillotte and I
set up for the party.

 

Volunteers Needed for At Home Work

I am looking for a volunteer or two to help me with some additional time consuming projects.  Many students in my room this year really enjoy word searches and crossword puzzles.  I would like to have a supply of these (and other) word games for use as appropriate time fillers.  If you are a Google-savvy parent who likes a good search, please see me for details.

The other job I have is for someone who likes doing "mindless tasks" while watching TV (and is looking for an excuse to ignore the unfolded laundry).  I would like the letters for the words of our Core Values traced from my stencils and cut out.  I will provide the paper and the stencils.  If you are trained to use our Cricut machine, or have other ideas, please feel free to share them with me.

 

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Don't forget to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Remember, we are now using an online scheduling system.  If you have any questions on how to sign up, please call the office and Mrs. Gray will help you.

I look forward to seeing you all in the next couple of weeks!

 

...Oh Yeah, We Do School Work, Too!

In math we are continuing to work on Geometry, as we explore rectangles that look different, but have the same area.  We will wrap up our Geometry unit in time for the first quarter to end. 

In reading, we have begun a new theme called "Nature Walk".  We are exploring both fiction and nonfiction as we read stories about camping, park rangers, exploring nature, and owling.  One of our reading strategies that we are working on is asking questions.  This could be questions that may be answered in the reading, questions that you would ask the story characters if you could, or questions that make you wonder something that is not answered in the text.  We are also focusing on fact versus opinion.

In writing, we spent much time learning how to get ideas for what to write, we looked at mentor texts to show us examples of how to organize our writing, and now we are going to practice putting our voice into our writing.  Voice in writing is the personality of the piece.  Voice can be done through illustrations (for example: I know that when shown, our students will know the difference between a piece of art from Eric Carle vs. Jan Brett) and through words.  Voice is using your own humor, "catch phrases", strong feelings, or other words that evoke emotion in the reader.  When a student uses voice in writing, a teacher can usually tell who wrote the piece without looking at a name or the handwriting.

We wrapped up our map unit with final projects.  Students were offered three project ideas to choose from, all demonstrating the same skills but in a variety of interests.  All of the students chose the same project - creating a map!  Students were asked to create a map (of a real or made-up place), including features such as symbols, map key, compass rose, and title.  These projects were shared with the class last week, and are on display in our room. 

We will move on to a science unit next, as we explore magnets.

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Geometry and Crazy Hair!

We have started a math unit on geometry, beginning with lessons on 2- and 3-dimensional shapes.  We learned that 3-dimensional shapes have "faces", which are 2-dimensional.  We have also learned that polygons are closed 2-dimensional shapes with  straight sides.  Soon we will be sorting a special kind of polygon, called quadrilaterals, by looking at "square corners", or right angles.

For two of our recent math classes, students were able to use laptops to enhance their geometry learning.  Our school Portaportal page gave us access to two interactive websites which students used to explore geometric shapes.  You can access our school's Portaportal at home by clicking the link on this blog (to the right), or by going to www.portaportal.com and entering the password k5. 

Students worked alone and with partners on the laptops.

Using the Promethean Board added to the fun of playing
with shapes.

While some students used websites, others visited learning centers
with two geometry games: Mystery Block (shown here), and Find the Block.

Exploring how pattern blocks fit together to fill a shape...

Can you fill the same space using one, two, three, or four different
kinds of pattern blocks?

Students used different ways to keep track of their work, in order to
gather and glue on paper pattern block shapes to model how the
wooden shapes were used.

 

 

Experimenting with geometry during Choice Time...

 

And, to leave you with a smile...Crazy Hair and Hat Day!



Fire Safety Week

This week many students of Center Drive School celebrated Fire Safety Week. A big "thank you" to Firefighter Shellie and her friends at Orrington Fire & Rescue and Brewer Fire Department!

Here are just some of the many tips that we learned from Firefighter Shellie:

The fire detector is your number one tool!

Test the batteries of your fire detectors once a month.

Change the batteries twice a year (use the Daylight Savings time change to remind you).

You need at least two exits from each room.

Candles should only be lit on a stove top.

If there is smoke in the room, crawl on your hands and knees (not on your belly).
Your family needs to have an agreed upon safe meeting place.

If your clothes catch on fire, STOP, DROP, COVER FACE, and ROLL.

 

 

STOP, DROP, COVER FACE, and ROLL!

Firefighter Shellie used a model to demonstrate what to do in case of a fire.

Erik Tourtillotte, Fire Fighter and EMT, Orrington and Brewer.



Lieutenant Mark Kenney of Orrington Fire & Rescue.

Chad Bean, Fire Fighter and EMT of Orrington Fire & Rescue, taught us about the ambulance.

Firefighter Erik climbed to the very top of the ladder!

 



Group Work Products

Here are photos of some of the work that we have been doing together.

Proudly displayed on the bulletin board in the hallway!

Loved the teamwork here!  This group double checked their work using different
tools.  Each group member was able to clearly explain their thinking, and together
they realized that they were subtracting.

This group knew a lot about money, and was able to easily add three quarters
and subtract the "change" to solve the problem.

Some really great conversation took place with this group!

Cooperative Learning

Our class has been working hard in cooperative learning groups.  These are flexible groups, which means that size and students differ each time, depending on the work we are doing.  Some of the rules to follow when working in a cooperative learning group are: 1. Make sure that everyone understands the problem; 2. Make sure that everyone's voice and ideas are heard; 3. Work together and check each others work.  Two great recent examples of excellent group work happened in math and in reading last week. 

In reading, we just ended a unit that used "Silly Stories" as a springboard for learning.  To culminate the unit, groups were formed to respond to questions that compared and extended stories, as well as prompting students to form opinions about the characters we met along the way.  The resulting products are in the process of being shared with the class, and will be on display on the hallway bulletin board.

 

The other fantastic example of team work was some tricky problem solving in math.  It was quite interesting to listen in on all of the conversations, as each student brings his/her own understanding of math to their respective group.  Students did a great job of listening to each other, explaining their thinking, and working together to reach a solution.  We will revisit these problems after the long weekend.

Looking forward to more teamwork in second grade!