International Festival Attire

This Thursday is our Second Grade International Festival and to get into the spirit, your child can wear (to school) clothing/traditional attire from another country/culture, OR jeans and the country flag t-shirt that he/she wore for our Second Grade performance.

Week of December 13th

This morning we heard from Jonathan, Samuel, Shaherzad, Channing and Brenna who presented information about Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Ireland and Denmark and what an amazing job they did. Presentations were organized, interesting and creative. Thanks for the support I know that you have been giving your child at home. I can't wait to listen to the rest of the class present tomorrow and on Wednesday.

Another busy week ahead with attending the choir performance on Wednesday, our Second Grade International Festival on Thursday and holiday sing-a-long on Friday. I am not giving any new spelling words this week, but ask that you review words your child may have missed on his/her quiz last week. We will also play a spelling game on Friday using words from the last 5 weeks or so, which your child has a copy of in their homework folder. I also have not set formal homework this week, seeing the students are working hard on their Europe presentations and to celebrate the festive season.

Remember our library day is on Tuesday and I ask that you help remind your child to pack their library books in their bag. Tomorrow will be your child's last chance to check out books for a couple of weeks and would be nice for them to have some new material to read over the break.

By now you have probably heard that we will have an International Festival on Thursday, Dec. 16th from 1:00-2:40. During the International Day, the children will be rotating through the countries using passports. They will check into each country through customs, once through customs, the children will eat the food and do the activity for that country. Countries they will visit are Pakistan, China, Mexico, Peru, France, Australia, South Africa, Italy and Germany.
What a great event for the children. Chris F. has sent out an email with specific things we need including globes, artifacts and volunteers.

Parent Reader - Gina W.
Current Events - No Current Events this week due to Europe presentations

Language Arts
Review spelling and vocabulary
Plural Possessive Nouns

Writing for Readers - Proofreading and editing Small Moment Stories

Mathematics
Partial Sums Addition

Social Studies
International Festival on Thursday
Europe presentations

Science
Making crystals from salt

I wish you a safe and happy holiday. While on break, please encourage your child to read each day and write when the opportunity arises (e.g. on a postcard, in a journal).

Week of Dec.6, 2010

Here is our week at a glance. The students are busy at work on researching a country in Europe, which they will present in class next week. An outline of the project was sent home on Monday. While it is expected that the students work on this project at home, they will be given some time in class to gather information, as well as practice the art of presenting to an audience. I can't wait to see and hear what they have learned. Please come along to your child's presentation on the day they are scheduled to present.

Last Friday, we harvested the second grade garden, and on Monday we chopped, baked and fried the veggies and had a veggie feast. Ask your child what their favorite vegetable was? The fried green tomatoes were my favorite (yum!). Be on the lookout for photos in ebytes.

This Wednesday, the students will see a performance of The Hundred Dresses in the JRT and on Friday carry the holiday gifts to the gym to be sorted by family. We will also have buddy reading with Ms. Conroy's Kindergarten class on this same day. The students are excited to take the lead and guide the younger students.

Parent Reader - Mike W.

Current Events -Tuesday:Hailey, Channing; Wednesday: Shaherzad, Aidan; Thursday: Rylan, Zaynab; Friday: Lauren E., Gage
Showcase - Gage F.

Language Arts

* Phonics - Consonants s/c; j/g, dge; Inflections -ed, -ing (double final consonant)

* Spelling words - central, fireplace, gentle, gymnast, celebrate, pledge, budge, cereal, fancy, prince, several, getting, probably, never, earth

* Class Reader - The Big Bushy Mustache by Gary Soto

* Fluency - Good readers read long sentences by breaking them up into shorter groups of words that go together. Reading groups of words without pausing helps you make sense of what you are reading, and it sounds more like natural speech

* Comprehension - Fiction and Nonfiction; Monitor Comprehension: Reread

* Robust Vocabulary - wilting, flitted, swirling, trance, route, semblance, distraught, improvise

* Grammar - Plural Possessive Nouns

* Writing Workshop - Writing for Readers: Teaching Skills and Strategies;
Checking content: Focused Small Moment Stories

Mathematics (Unit 4)

* Exploring length, area and attributes

* Paper and pencil addition strategies

* The Partial-Sums Addition Algorithm

Social Studies

* Holidays Around the World

* Europe

* Country Research

* Review the equator, southern and northern hemispheres

Science

* Changing salt water to crystals

* Tend our garden