Week of August 30th

The year has kicked off to a great start. It amazes me how settled the students already are and into such a great routine. Thanks for coming along to Tuesday's Back to School Night, and hope you found the evening informative and helpful.

This week the students will get their first spelling list to learn to read and spell, along with a list of Robust Vocabulary Words, that they will need to know how to define and use in context. I have included a list in my weekly blog, so you can help them practice at home. On Friday, they will be tested on both lists.

Thanks for sending in the paper towel rolls, which the students have used as Time Capsules, which they sealed and wrapped on Friday and will not open now until the end of the school year. I already know that the year will be one of great learning and growth.

Here is our week at a glance. I wish you a safe and happy week.

Marion O'Mullane
(momullane@shorecrest.org)

LANGUAGE ARTS
*Phonics - short a and i
*Spelling List 1 - picnic, plastic, rabbit, fabric, napkin, Spanish, giggle, candid, zigzag, habitat, sea, wrote, again, carry, wait
*Robust Vocabulary - ignore, dangerous, style, passion, challenge, underestimate, proficient, heed
*Fluency - Accuracy
*Comprehension - Characters; Using Graphic Organizers
*Grammar - Sentences
*Writing Workshop - Launching the Writing Workshop (routines and procedures; choosing a topic; think, draw, write)

MATHEMATICS - UNIT 1
*To provide practice with addition facts; and to establish partnership principles
*Grouping by tens, $1, $10, $100
*To introduce My Reference Book; and to introduce the Math Boxes routine
*To establish rules for working in small groups; and to review number patterns and sequences

SOCIAL STUDIES
*Understanding directions (North, South, East, West)
*Intermediate directions (NE, NW, SE SW)
*The world on a globe

SCIENCE
*Scientific Method
*Come Fly with Me Lab (putting scientific method into practice); How does the weight of paper affect how far a paper airplane will fly? Students will formulate a hypothesis; collect data and draw conclusions

Week of August 23rd, 2010

Here is our week at a glance. Don't forget that Tuesday is Back to School Night, which starts at 7pm in the Janet Root Theatre, and Friday is Spirit Day.

Language Arts
* Assessments given in reading, writing and sight vocabulary
* Launching the Writing Workshop (promoting good habits and establish procedures)

Mathematics - Unit 1 - Numbers and Routine
* Introduce Math Message Routine and to review number sequences and number lines
* Introduce tool kits and to guide children as they find the values of number combinations
* Review months, weeks, and days; and to review telling time
* To provide practice with addition facts; and to establish partnership principles

Social Studies
* Map Basics
* Understanding directions (North, South, East, West)

Science

* Introduction to Scientific Method

The students will also have Spanish, Music, Technology, Art, P.E. and library this week and we will also start making our Time Capsules.

I wish you a fantastic week.

Wow. The new school year is off to a great start. Your children are settling in nicely to the classroom routine and procedures. I am amazed at how happy and relaxed they are in my classroom and ready to learn. On Thursday and Friday they participated in various "getting to know you" activities including writing statements about themselves that the rest of the class had to decided if they were true or false. The students also came up with a set of class promises that will help encourage every student to feel good about themselves, build classroom togetherness where students enjoy being in their classroom and develop mutual respect for each other's accomplishments. They also wrote, played, read, sorted through supplies, participated in PE, practiced the various emergency drills and painted their portraits.

Well done, Second Grade!

Keep sending in those special items or photos from your summer vacation, which we will begin sharing on Monday.

Welcome to Second Grade

Dear Parents,

I am looking forward to working with you and your child in second grade. It will be a great year of learning, growth and high achievement.

I strongly believe in the importance of including the family in all aspects of your child's educational programs and I enthusiastically encourage and welcome your involvement and partnership.

You can expect me to provide for your child:
1. A safe and structured learning environment
2. High expectations for learning and behavior
3. A classroom that values independence and cooperation among children and adults
4. A program that will be adapted to meet his/her needs through the implementation of effective teaching techniques
5. A program that will encourage your child to express him/herself through various forms of expression

I expect that your child will:
1. Do his/her work to the best of his/her ability
2. Behave in a respectful and cooperative manner toward classmates and adults
3. Exemplify the Lower Division Motto and come to school with a positive attitude
4. Return completed homework and assignments on the day that it is due
5. Come to school on time

During the week, your child will also see the following teachers:

Anna Baralt - Instructional Technology - Tuesday from 9:15-10:00

Dotti Smay - Library - Tuesday at 12:10 (every other week)

Bethsabe Bockman-Pedersen - Spanish - Monday and Wednesday from 9:10-9:40

Valerie Diaz Leroy - Music - Thursday at 12:00

Amy Pope, Woodward Every, Jeffrey Deidrich - P.E. - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday at 10:45

Sue Rowe - Art - Monday at 12:00

Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday. It should take approximately 15 minutes or so to complete, varying somewhat with each child's personal work habits. In addition, I encourage each student to read for at least 20 minutes.

Important Date: Back to School Night - August 24th at 7pm (Janet Root Theater).

Again, welcome to Second Grade! I look forward to working with you this school year. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.