 To save myself time and sanity, my Weekly Updates moved to Google Docs and therefore are no longer available on the website. Thanks for understanding!
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 Hi Families, It was a pleasure to meet with you all for parent teacher conferences. It is hard to discuss all of the strengths and areas for growth in adequate detail within such a short amount of time, so if you have any follow up questions or concerns, please reach out. This short week of school was busy as usual, but students are showing great growth in their ability to follow routines and expectations. They seem to have collectively figured out the rhythm of the day and are often ready for the next lesson before I am! We’ve had two really fascinating Special Guests recently. Before Thanksgiving, Jason Hall, Charlie’s dad, shared his love of music and the trombone with the class. On Monday, Gabriela Hortopan, Stefan’s mom, taught students about genetics with a very informative presentation. Students love these enrichment opportunities coming from their own families. Family members are always welcome to join us to just read a story –whatever you feel comfortable doing. We have more slots after the new year: Special Guest Mondays. Important Dates
Important Notes
Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building This week we launched our next unit in our Second Step social/emotional learning curriculum on Empathy. We learned how to identify feelings and practiced making facial expressions to match our feelings. Literacy We continue our informational unit on Bugs. This week, we focused on adaptations. Students read a complex text called, “Bugs’ Weird Bodies,” and learned new vocabulary words related to bug adaptations, such as, “mandible,” “proboscis,” and “mimicry.” Students then read about their own bugs’ physical adaptations from our library of bug books. We also continued practicing finding the main idea and identifying key details of our informational texts. Phonics and Foundational Skills This short week we learned about the spelling patterns “tch” and “dge.” Students practiced reading and spelling words with those patterns, which are found at the end of words with short vowels. We learned that the letter “j” is never used at the end of English words, so if students hear /j/ at the end of a word, they need to use “ge.” However, they need to use “dge” if the /j/ immediately follows a short vowel sound. We learned that the added consonant “d” in “dge” helps protect the vowel from the “e,” which would make the vowel say its long sound if there was only one consonant separating it. Compare the words “page” and “ridge.” For word study, we practiced reading words with the “ew” sound and finding them in bug names. Writing This week students worked on taking notes about their bug’s physical characteristics and how they help the bug survive in its ecosystem. Students began filling in their graphic organizer addressing our third research question (What physical characteristics help my bug survive in its ecosystem?). Some students also practice summarizing our informational exemplar text, “Bugs’ Weird Bodies.” Definitely not an easy task! Math We continued in Unit 3 on Measuring Length. This week we measured long lengths and learned about the need for a larger unit of measurement: the meter stick. Students measured large “reptiles,” modeled with tape on the floor, in partnerships, and learned strategies to improve their accuracy. We then worked on making sense of measurement story problems, drawing diagrams to represent the problem and determining whether to add or subtract based on which part of the diagram was unknown. Social Studies This week we learned more about Maps. We learned new vocabulary words, such as “compass rose,” and “cardinal directions.” Students learned how to use a map and cardinal directions to help them get to a specific location. They then made their own maps of the classroom and made a set of steps using distance and cardinal directions to find a classroom object. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  Hi Families, I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break! Students returned to school in great spirits and with renewed focus despite the annoying cold circulating in almost everyone, including me. We kicked off the month of December with lots of intellectually stimulating activities and work! Important Dates
Important Notes
Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building This week we learned about how to be assertive when asking for help or communicating with each other. We compared being assertive with being aggressive and being passive, practicing language, body positions, and tone of voice that help us communicate with peers and teachers in a respectful way. We also played a new Morning Meeting game called Silent Ball. Literacy We continue in week 3 of our informational unit on Bugs. This week, we focused on the needs of all animals and how bugs meet their needs within their environment. Students read informational texts, took notes, and wrote short responses summarizing what they read. I also read aloud from our knowledge-building whole-class text on insects. We learned new vocabulary words, such as “colony,” “chamber,” and “aggressive.” Students then answered literal, inferential, and evaluative questions about the read aloud in complete sentences orally with a partner. They’re getting so much better at this! Phonics and Foundational Skills This week we split off into groups so that I could work on a review of targeted phonics skills with students that need more practice. One group worked on applying their phonics skills in reading and writing tasks. The other group worked with me on review of previously taught skills, particularly phonemic awareness, the FLSZ doubling rule, spelling with “ck,” vowel-consonant e, and recognizing and spelling words with suffixes, especially “-ed,” which makes 3 different sounds depending on the final sound in the base word. Very tricky for spelling! Writing This week we worked on our informational writing skills. We practiced expanding sentences about insects using linking words and our insect knowledge and vocabulary. Some students also worked on writing summaries of informational texts. At the end of the week, we took our notes and wrote paragraphs about how our bugs meet their needs within their surroundings. Math We launched Unit 3 on Measuring Length. We did some fun measuring activities using non-standard units of measurement to learn about the importance of using standard units. We then learned about centimeters. We created our own rulers to learn about why it is important to have equal intervals. We finished the week learning about and using rulers to measure various classroom objects as accurately as possible in centimeters. Social Studies This week we began our unit on Maps and Globes. We learned about different map projections (Ptolemy, Mercator, and Peters) and how maps have changed over time. We learned some new vocabulary words, such as “cartographer,” “navigation,” and “distortion.” We also discussed the “eternal dilemma” of mapmakers trying to represent a sphere on a flat surface. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  Hi Families, We had a great week! Watch out though, there seem to be many illnesses circulating. Please stay vigilant with hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes. If your child has a frequent cough or sneeze but is well enough to send to school, our class community would greatly appreciate it if they would wear a mask to keep everyone else protected. No one wants to get sick right before the holiday! There will be no Weekly Update next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Safe travels or good luck hosting! Important Dates
Important Notes
Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building This week we continued to practice using self talk to calm and focus ourselves. We continue our community building through our daily Morning Meetings where we greet each other, play an activity, and share about our lives. This week we also met with our buddy class and read together! Literacy We continue in week 2 of our informational unit on Bugs. This week, we focused on how to classify bugs into one of 4 categories based on the number of legs and body sections they have (insect, arachnid, centipede, and millipede). Students picked a bug to research for their final project and began building their knowledge of that bug through reading. Phonics and Foundational Skills This week we continued working on reading and spelling multisyllabic words by studying syllable types: open and closed. We learned how to break a word into syllables depending on the vowel sound of each syllable. For example, the word “human” is broken into “hu” and “man,” because the first syllable’s “u” has a long sound instead of a short sound. Complicating things is the everpresent “schwa” sound in multisyllabic words (the lazy, indistinct vowel sound that can be spelled with any vowel), making spelling extra tricky. For example, in the word, “secret,” the 2nd syllable, “-cret,” has the schwa vowel sound. We learned to recognize which syllable has a schwa sound based on which syllable is unstressed. Writing This week we practiced more sentence syntax with a sentence scramble on bugs. We also practiced using two-syllable words and continuing a decodable story. Lastly, we wrote a short paragraph on our bug research question, “What kind of bug is this? How do you know?” Math We wrapped up Unit 2 on Addition and Subtraction within 100. This week we worked on making sense of story problems involving addition and subtraction of 2-digit numbers. We learned how to draw diagrams that represent the relationship between amounts in story problems. We also had a special guest teacher this week, Ms. Montero, our district math coach. Social Studies This week we learned about natural resources. We watched a video that showed the different types of natural resources, such as wind, water, sun, rocks, minerals, plants, etc. We learned about the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  Hi Families, Although it was a short week, it was jammed-packed with learning! I’m impressed with how much we did in only 3 days. We kicked off the week with a fun visit from Amanda (Hannah’s mom) who works at Goldfish Swim School. She read a book about Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, and answered students’ swim-related questions. Thank you Amanda! We also wished Hannah a happy birthday. I would like to apologize for my delays in getting back to you if you have emailed me recently. I’ve had some extra demands on my time this past week and haven’t been able to keep up with non-urgent matters. Thank you for your patience as I try to catch up over the weekend. Life as a teacher with little kids is quite a whirlwind! Important Dates
Important Notes
Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building At our All School Assembly, we honored Veterans Day by celebrating many of the veterans in our school community. It was a very moving ceremony! In our classroom, we worked on showing respect even when using the comfy chairs. We practiced using “self-talk” to keep ourselves calm and focused during learning. Literacy We launched our informational reading and writing unit this week. We will be studying Bugs in their Ecosystems. Students took a pre-unit assessment to gauge their skills with informational reading and answering text-dependent questions. We then began building our background knowledge and vocabulary about bugs through whole-class read alouds and independent reading. We also learned about informational text features and how to use them to enhance our understanding of informational texts. Phonics and Foundational Skills This week we continued working on reading and spelling multisyllabic words by studying open syllables and compound words. In-class tutors and I worked with small groups of students who need more practice with previously taught phonics concepts to help close learning gaps. Writing Students took a pre-unit assessment on informational writing to gauge their skills. We then learned about sentence types (statements, questions, exclamations, and commands) and practiced writing them. Being able to write using a variety of sentence types will really enhance students’ informational writing. We also applied our skills with sentence structure using Sentence Scrambles, where students ordered words from mixed up sentences using their understanding of English syntax. Math We continued in Unit 2 on Addition and Subtraction within 100. This week we looked at different methods for solving 2-digit addition and subtraction with composing and decomposing a 10. I began administering an assessment to determine each student’s ability to break apart numbers 4-10. Social Studies This week we learned a little about how the geography of a community can influence the jobs and activities that take place there. For example, we learned that communities by the ocean are often centered around fishing, boating, and shipping. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  Hi Families, I hope everyone had a fun Halloween night! In class, we enjoyed our fun Fall Party. Thank you to parents who volunteered to lead and support activities! Students enjoyed the crafts and games. We also enjoyed a visit on Monday from Caroline’s mom, who led a fun Halloween-themed activity on data and graphing. As the weather gets colder, our academic activity heats up in 2nd grade! Students were busy this week working on their writing, spelling, reading, and math skills. Expectations got a little more challenging this week, but most students persevered and worked hard. You can almost feel their brains getting bigger. We also practiced important social emotional skills to help students be focused learners and kind classmates. Important Dates
Important Notes
Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building This week we continued practicing how to focus our attention and listen while introducing our new social-emotional skills topic: Using Self Talk. Students learned how to say positive things about themselves to grow their confidence and ability to persevere. They also learned strategies to help them to ignore distractions, stay focused, and stay on-task. Literacy This week we finished our in-class chapter book, “The Stories Julian Tells.” We studied interesting vocabulary words, such as “lone” and “impatient,” answered literal, inferential, and evaluative questions about each chapter in complete sentences, and discussed elements of a narrative, such as character, setting, and plot. Students followed along in the text as I read aloud, modeling fluency and how to monitor my comprehension. Phonics and Foundational Skills This week we continued practicing reading and spelling words with suffixes. We targeted the suffixes -es, -ing, and -ed and took a phonics progress check. Writing We worked on enhancing our writing with sequencing words, such as “first,” “next,” “after,” “once,” and “lastly.” We also practiced expanding simple sentences to include information that answers the questions, “When?” and “Why?” to make our writing more interesting and complex. Students then wrote sentences and narrative paragraphs, focusing on orienting a reader to the characters and setting. Math We continued in Unit 2 on Addition and Subtraction within 100. We learned how to add and subtract 2 digit numbers with base-10 block models and equations that use place value strategies. We practiced subtracting using a strategy to “decompose a ten,” which means take 1 ten and turn it into 10 ones. Social Studies We learned a little about economics this week, watching videos about goods, services, saving, and spending. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  Hi Families, What gorgeous weather we have had recently! I hope you are able to enjoy it in a special way this weekend. Here in the classroom, we were busy at work this week, learning about narratives, adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers, writing about characters, and getting used to our new comfy chair privileges. Important Dates
Important Notes
Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building The school enjoyed 2 events on Wednesday: our All School Assembly where the entire school sang a few rounds of Frere Jacques in 6 languages; and a special presentation from the RMHS Drama Club about their upcoming play, “Something Rotten.” We also continued practicing and modeling what it means to focus our attention and listen during school. I surprised everyone with the addition of “comfy chairs” this week. Students got used to this new privilege and we navigated how to share and take turns together as a class. Literacy This week we began reading as a whole class the chapter book called, “The Stories Julian Tells,” a fun narrative about a young boy who is a quick fibber, a wishful thinker, and a great storyteller. We have been studying the elements of a narrative and identifying them in the story. We have also been frontloading each chapter with important background knowledge and vocabulary to maximize students’ comprehension, and then following up with literal, inferential, and evaluative questions. Phonics and Foundational Skills This week we read and analyzed words beginning with 3 consonant blends at the beginning. We practiced reading and spelling words with suffixes. We targeted the suffixes -es, -ing, and -ed. We learned about how those suffixes change the meaning of words and how they are related to verb tense and parts of speech. Writing We dipped our toes into some narrative writing, working on brainstorming character traits of someone we know and turning that into a paragraph description. We also continued short narrative texts with our decodable story practice, using suffixes -es and -ing in our writing. Math We launched Unit 2 in math on Addition and Subtraction within 100. We worked with 2-digit numbers, learning how to model them using base-10 blocks and then turning those manipulatives into drawings on the page. Students practiced drawing base-10 blocks to subtract. Social Studies We alternate Science and Social Studies, and we started our Social Studies unit on communities. We learned about urban, suburban, and rural communities and what it’s like to live in each type of community. Students watched a video, read an article, and answered questions. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  Hi Families, We had a busy and productive week. We enjoyed a delightful visit from Diane D’Angleo (Emma’s mom) who shared her love of gardening with the class and encouraged students to pursue hobbies. She even brought in a hands-on flower exploration for students to enjoy. We wrapped up a number of study areas: we finished our short study of poetry and poetic techniques; we finished Unit 1 in Math; we completed our Science exploration on erosion; and we got through our phonics lessons on the vowel-consonant-e spelling pattern. We’ll add on to these topics and revisit the concepts throughout the school year. A packet of student work from late September to early October went home in students’ home/school folders. Please review your child’s work and reach out with any questions or concerns! Important Dates
Important Notes
Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building We learned about focusing attention and listening during our Second Step lesson this week. This was an important lesson for many students who struggle to concentrate and avoid distractions. Literacy Our poetry mini-unit came to a close this week. We read a variety of poems such as haikus, small poems, and free verse, as well as playful rhyming ones. We looked for poetic techniques such as alliteration, repeated lines, and onomatopoeia. We also analyzed the deeper meaning of poems, discussing literal versus figurative meaning. Phonics and Foundational Skills Vowel-consonant-e was our focus for this week. We read and spelled words with the long vowel sound caused by a silent “e” at the end. We also looked at exceptions to this pattern, such as “-ve” and “scribal o,” which can be found in words such as “give” and “some” respectively. Students took a phonics progress check to demonstrate their spelling skills with these patterns. Writing We wrote more poems this week and compiled them into a little anthology for each student. Students wrote rhyming poems, color poems using their 5 senses, and poems about any topic they wanted. We also did more practice with fixing run-on sentences. Most students in class need more explicit practice to write complete sentences using correct punctuation and capitalization. Many students write the way they speak… on and on and on! Math We wrapped up Unit 1 in Math on Adding and Subtracting within 50 and Working with Data. We tackled challenging problems where we needed to compare 2 amounts. We wrote equations and drew diagrams to model this. We compared the language, equations, and models used when you need to find the difference between 2 amounts versus when you need to find the total of 2 amounts. We took our End of Unit Assessment, and then started Unit 2 on Adding and Subtracting within 100. Science We conducted an exploration about the effects of wind and water on landforms. I demonstrated how wind and water can move a mountain of sand downhill, changing the shape of the mountain and landscape below. We then watched videos about weathering and erosion to see those forces in action. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  Hi Families, This week was a short week yet also a long week at the same time! It always takes a little more effort to get back into the swing of things following a long weekend. Nevertheless, students persevered! We had an enlightening All School Assembly about Global Citizenship, had fun listening to classmates read poetry, and enjoyed our waning days of pleasant weather during recess. Important Dates
Important Notes
 Here are some highlights from this week: Community Building We launched our Star Ticket recording form for students to enter the “Star Tickets” they receive for being respectful, being safe, persevering, being kind, and collaborating. Literacy We launched a 2-week study of poetry this week. We have been reading poems and noticing their rhythm, wordplay, punctuation, patterns, and lessons. Phonics and Foundational Skills We reviewed the spelling pattern of vowel-consonant-e and practiced reading and spelling words with a silent e at the end. We had fun talking about “silent e” as a “ninja” –that final “e” is silent, leaps over the consonant, and startles the vowel into saying its name. We also looked at words with suffixes (-ful, -less, -er, and -est). Writing We wrote poems this week. Students wrote an acrostic poem and an “I Am” poem. Students also practiced fixing run-on sentences and using words with the vowel-consonant-e spelling pattern. Math We continued to analyze data in bar graphs, focusing on comparing 2 amounts using equations and statements. We then worked to create diagrams to represent problems in which we compare 2 amounts. For example, in a situation where 6 kids chose red as their favorite color, and 13 kids chose blue, students could write the equation: 13 - 6 = 7 to find the answer to, “How many more kids chose blue than red? Science We began our investigation into how wind and water shape Earth’s surface. We read a book and watched some videos about weathering and erosion. Thank you for taking the time to read the update! Please reach out with any questions.  As part of the Barrows 2nd grade tradition, we will have a little party on Halloween day from 1:15-2:30PM. For a little over an hour in the afternoon, we will take a break from our regularly scheduled academic programming to enjoy some Fall activities and spooky fun! I need parent volunteers to help! If you would like to lead an activity or support an activity, fill out a slot on our Fall Party document. Thank you!
No costumes please! |
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