South America Poem

South America is fourth in size,
With emerald jungles and bright blue skies.
The Amazon River flows far and long,
Where birds and beasts all sing their song.

A sloth climbs slowly through a tree,
Monkeys swing in the canopy.

Up in the Andes Mountains high,
The Incas lived in days gone by.

Coffee and chocolate, potatoes and gum,
Are foods that from South America come.

Some Websites to Try

Here are some websites to try. Let me know what you think.

www.puzzlemaker.com (you can use spelling or vocabulary words to create puzzles)

http://www.mathfactcafe.com/

http://aaamath.com

www.coolmath4kids.com

www.funbrain.com

Homework - 9/28

1. Spelling - Writing words in sentences
2. Weather - Washington DC Style (reading temperature and answering questions)
3. Practice continent poems
4. Reading

Homework - 9/28

1. Spelling and grammar worksheet
2. Practice the poems for our second grade program (Europe, Antarctica, South America, and The Seven Continents)
3. Review spelling words and also the robust vocabulary definitions
4. Reading

Week at a Glance - September 28

Here is our week at a glance. Please encourage your child to practice the four poems (Europe, Seven Continents, Antarctica and South America) for our second grade program (coming up soon). I will see most of you on Wednesday for our Parent-Teacher Conference. Have a terrific week.

Library Helper - Stacy Jacobs
Current Events - Monday - Ellie, Asher; Tuesday - Emery, Keaton; Thursday - Renata, Chase, Samuel; Friday - Joshua and Lindsey
Parent Reader - Brian Anderson

Language Arts
Phonics - Long vowel i/ie, igh; inflections -ed, -ing
Spelling - pie, high, tie, light, night, bright, right, might, tight
Bonus Spelling - weeknight, lightning, sightsee, nightstand, sunlight
High-Frequency Words - brother, caught, cheer, learn, lose, straight
Reading - Winners Never Quit! by Mia Hamm; Two Races retold by Eric A Kimmel
Leveled Readers - Nancy Lopez - Super Golfer by Janet Woodward; Michael Jordan - No Quitter by Janet Woodward; Pele - Soccer Legend by Janet Woodward
Fluency - Intonation
Comprehension - Make Predictions; Use Prior Knowledge
Robust Vocabulary - techniques, specially, struggle, traction, agile, spectator, competitive, worthwhile
Grammar - Nouns
Writing - Launching the writing workshop

Mathematics (Unit 2)
* Fact Families
* Exploring Weight, Scales, Equal Groups
* Name Collections
* Frames-and-Arrows Routines

Social Studies
* North America

Science
* Weather
* A Temperature Experiment

Homework - 9/24

1. Math worksheet (Addition Facts)
2. Practice Europe poem
3. Practice spelling and vocabulary words
4. Reading

Homework - 9/23

1. Write six sentences using some of the bonus spelling words.
2. Science worksheet - Read about temperature and complete the activity page relating to reading a thermometer.
3. Reading.

Homework - 9/22

1. Math - Home Link 2.3 - Double Facts
2. Using the map created today in computers, write how you would get from the Fire Station to the School. Use cardinal directions, street names and other points of interest in your description.
3. Vocabulary and spelling review
4. Reading

International Day of Peace Voice Thread Featuring Second Grade

Homework - 9/21

1. Spelling worksheet (front and back)
2. Practice the Europe poem
3. Practice this week's spelling words and also the student friendly definitions for this week's vocabulary
4. Reading

Week of September 21st

Here is our week at a glance. Also I wanted to remind my students that Wednesday (September 23) is Spirit Day and on Friday is the All School Pep Rally and that they may wear their spirit clothes on both days. Have a happy and peaceful week.

* Current Events - Tuesday - Reilly, Devin; Wednesday - Noah, Chloe; Thursday - Emerson, Turner; Friday - John, Erin
* Parent Reader - Molly Camp

Language Arts (Review)
* Phonics - Review (short and long vowels)
* Spelling List - has, win, spot, best, mud, same, broke, rule, clean, sleep
* Bonus - continent, America, Atlantic, equator, ocean
* Challenge Word Review - picnic, fabric, puppet, contest, homemade, teapot, peanut, plastic, napkin, rotten, mistake, classmate, beehive, mealtime, rabbit, helmet, subject, bedtime, notepad, seaweed
* High-Frequency Word Review - already, prove, police, eight, covered, everything, through, woods, guess, different, children, short, ears, finally, hundred, sugar, bicycle, special, sometimes, exercise
* Reading - Readers' Theater: Neighborhood News
* Leveled Readers - News from the Market (By Derek Scott); Morning News from the Fair (By Derek Scott); Book Week News (By Derek Scott)
* Fluency - Review accuracy and reading rate
* Comprehension - Review characters; Use graphic organizers; Main idea and details; Answer questions
* Robust Vocabulary - flutters, selected, announcement, career, penalty, location, excitable, positive
* Grammar - Review sentences, statements and questions, commands and exclamations, and parts of a sentence
* Writing - Review and publish

Mathematics (Unit 2)
* Double facts
* Turn-around facts and the +9 shortcut
* Addition strategies that use the double facts
* Subtraction from Addition

Social Studies
* North America
* Mapping Skills

Science
* Weather

Homework - 9/17

1. Math - Home Link 2.2 (Addition Facts)
2. Practice spelling and vocabulary (for tomorrow's quiz)
3. Reading

Homework - 9/16

1. Read the book we made today in the Science Lab and explain The Water Cycle to your mom or dad
2. Complete The Water Cycle worksheet
3. Practice the Europe poem
4. Reading

Homework 9/15

1. Spelling (write six sentences using this week's spelling words)
2. Math (Home Link) p. 13 (Addition Number Stories)
3. Practice the Europe poem
4. Read

Homework - 9/14

1. Spelling worksheet (ee and ea)
2. Practice the Europe poem (learn by Friday)
3. Reading

Week of September 14th

Here's a summary of what we will be doing this week in class. Just a remind that Photo Day is on Tuesday, September 15th. If you are planning on ordering photos, please send your order to school on this day. Have a terrific week.

Language Arts

Reading: Dogs by Jennifer Blizin Gillis; Animals Have Special Jobs from Weekly Reader

Leveled Readers: Cats by Diana Noonan; Ponies by Dianna Noonan; Hamsters by Dianna Noonan

Phonics: Long vowel e/ee, ea; Inflections - ed, -ing

Spelling: see, please, need, deal, sleep, mean, green, clean, keep, eat

Bonus Spelling: teapot, beehives, seaweed, peanut, mealtime

High Frequency Words: bicycle, exercise, sometimes, special, sugar

Fluency: Reading Rate

Comprehension: Main Idea and Details; Answer Questions

Robust Vocabulary: disability, position, attached, assistance, depend, responsibility, frisky, affinity

Grammar: Parts of a Sentence

Writing: Form: Paragraph of Information; Trait: Organization

Mathematics
UNIT 2: Addition and Subtraction Facts
* Addition number stories* Review "easy" addition facts

* Double Facts

* Turn-around facts and the +9 shortcut

Social Studies

* North America (Canada and Mexico)

* Mapping Basics

Science

* The Water Cycle

* A trip to the Science Lab on Wednesday

Library Helper: Liz Jack

Parent Reader: Liz Jack

Current Events: Tuesday - Emery, Keaton; Wednesday - Ellie, Asher; Thursday - Renata, Chase, Samuel; Friday - Joshua and Lindsey

Congratulations to all who shared a Current Event last week. You were fantastic. Keep up the great effort.

Homework - 9/10

1. Complete spelling worksheet (writing 5 sentences using spelling words from this week's list)
2. Math Home Link 1.11
3. Practice spelling words and the vocabulary definitions
4. Reading (don't forget to have your parents sign your homework log)

Homework 9/9

1. Science lab homework (if possible). Use something similar to baking soda if you don't have it
2. Practice spelling words and the student friendly vocabulary definitions
3. Reading

Homework - 9/8

1. Spelling worksheet
2. Math - Skill Link pp. 4-5
3. Practice spelling words and read over student friendly vocabulary definitions
4. Read for 20 minutes

Week of September 7th

Here's what the students will be doing this week. If you haven't yet subscribed to my blog, please do so. This allows you to be notified when I post another message. Hope you have a terrific week.

Language Arts

Reading - Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant; Dogs by Marchette Chute

Leveled Readers - Ben and Sooty by Pauline Cartwright; Lucy and Bill by Pauline Cartwright; A Pet That Fits by Pauline Cartwright

Phonics - Long vowels /a/a-e, /i/i-e, /o/o-e, /(y)oo/u-e; CVC Pattern in Longer Words

Spelling - same, kite, home, plate, ride, rope, race, rule, broke, tune

Bonus Spelling - mistake, bedtime, homemade, classmate, notepad

High Frequency Words - children, different, ears, finally, hundred, short

Fluency - Reading Rate

Comprehension - Main Idea and Details; Answer Questions
Robust Vocabulary - blockades, soaked, misplaced, principles, deny, consider, opinionated, bulk

Grammar - Commands and Exclamations

Writing - Form: Description; Trait - Organization

Mathematics

* Equivalent names for numbers

* Counting Patterns (including looking for patterns on the calculator)

* Relations (<,>,=) and Home Links

* Exploring temperatures, Base-10 Structures, and Dominoes

Social Studies

* Map Basics - The World on a Globe

* North America

Science

* Scientific Method

* Recording observations

* A visit to the Science Lab on Wednesday

Library Helper: Mrs. Peffly

Parent Reader: Mrs. Leonhirth

Current Events: Tuesday - Reilly and Devin; Wednesday - Chloe and Noah; Thursday - Emerson, Turner; Friday - John and Erin.

Europe Poem

Here is another poem to practice at home for our October show.

The sixth is Europe; it's second to last.
Here you'll find castles and tales from the past.

You can pick tulips in Holland and olives in Spain.
You can skate on the Danube, or ride on a train.

There are wolves in the forest, hedgehogs in the row.
There are sights and sounds that travelers love so.

You can see the Eiffel Tower or listen to Big Ben,
Eat some tasty pasta or have teatime with a friend.

Homework - 9/3

1. Complete one page in World Passport (name, date of birth, place of birth, paste in photo of self or draw one)
2. Time for Kids (Read and complete worksheet "Getting to Know Time for Kids")
3. Practice spelling and vocabulary words
4. Reading

Continent Poem

There are seven continents on Earth,
Seven great masses of land.
Some are large and some are small,
But each one has something grand.

Asia is the largest,
And Africa's number two.
North America is third in size,
Between two oceans blue.

South America is in fourth place.
Antarctica is number five.
Europe is the second to last,
And Australia is smallest in size.

Homework - 9/2

1. Finish science worksheet (finding objects that are of different textures and recording what you found on worksheet)
2. Fill the rattle we made in the science lab and bring to school tomorrow
2. Language Arts worksheet
3. Reading

Homework 9/1

1. Spelling worksheet (write 5 interesting sentences using words from this week's spelling list)
2. Learn the student friendly vocabulary definitions (sent home yesterday)
3. North America worksheet (due Friday)
4. Read for at least 20 minutes


* Please return the Spanish word search from yesterday's homework assignment if you have yet to do so