10/29/18 Starfish Pictures

Here is a sneak peak into our days of learning:

During math workshop, The Starfish worked with Mrs. Murphy to expand their thinking finding the number 100 more 100 less 10 more 10 less and even 1,000 more or 1,000 less.  We learned that you have to specifically look at the digit in the correct place value to solve these riddles! They were amazing!

We are just wrapping up our second unit of place value.  We will use our skills in place value to help us tackle more strategies for adding and subtracting with larger numbers. This next unit is a heavy one. It is where we learn the traditional way to add and subtract and some other concrete strategies that really teach us what we are doing with the numbers. Although we are working with bigger numbers now, it is still so important that students are working on their math fact fluency. If students can add and subtract numbers in their head up to 20 fluently than they will be able to use these new strategies with fluency as well! 

Solving Science Mysteries

On Monday afternoon we worked in science partnerships. We have been learning about the powerful work of water. This unit helps students develop the idea that water is a powerful force that reshapes the earth’s surface. Students see that water isn’t just something we drink. It carries sand to create beaches, carves out canyons and valleys and, as ice, scrapes entire areas flat.  

We worked in partnerships to create mountains and watched how rivers and streams are formed using spray bottles and blue magic markers! This was so much fun and brought many wonder questions from our scientists!

Fall Harvest Day and Leaf Animal Creations

We were able to rotate through all of the second grade classrooms on Friday for our Second Grade Harvest Day! In each room there were fall activities that kept the day exciting! 

The Starfish really enjoyed having parents and family members join us for this special fall project! They are so proud of their artwork and creativity.  Thank you again for taking time out of our busy schedules to join in on the fun! 

Starfish Gazette- October 12, 2018

Hello Families,

We sure packed in a lot of great learning into our short four day week! It's been exciting for me to reflect back over the last six weeks and to see how far they have come.

We are in full swing with the routines in the Starfish classroom.  When teachers tell parents that it takes six weeks to establish routines, they are not joking.  This week I really felt we made a break through! The kids are coming together with becoming independent, collaborative, can follow through on routines!  **YAY**


You will see in their Circle Notebook entries this week, the writing growth from today to the last entry is amazing! They are writing more and more and are so excited about their learning in the classroom.  I could not be more proud of your children!

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Here's a Sneak Peak into our Week:

-The kids are immersed in writing their realistic fiction mouse stories just like author, Kevin Henkes.  They are working to write stories with real life problems and solutions.  Most of their problems happen at school or home similar to Kevin's stories. 

(If you travel to Wiggin Memorial Library, your child may like taking out some of Kevin Henkes' stories to share at home!)

-We enjoyed sharing the stories of our names.  The kids LOVED hearing about each other's names and what their friend would have been named if they were born the opposite gender! They are now asking me to look up the meaning of their names any chance they get! So cool!  This week the kids took the information from their homework sheet and wrote the story of their name! They did a great job with this! They will be hanging up for you all to read at Parent Teacher Conferences!


-We started our next unit in math: Understanding Place Value to 1,000.  The Starfish worked hard this week on their menu focusing on building three and four digit numbers.  We also learned the difference between standard form and expanded form of numbers.  Having a strong foundation of the place value of number will support their work with adding and subtracting two digit numbers in the coming months!


-We incorporated a word problem of the day to our math menu this week.  Each day your child works hard to solve a math word problem with pictures, numbers,and words.  This week your child worked on addition word problems.  I can't wait to share their work with you at your child's fall conference. 

- We started literacy centers this week.  Each day from (11:05-11:35) your child rotates between two rotations where they will practice their word sort spelling patterns, practice sight word spelling, handwriting, and receive small group reading instruction. 

-The kids received their first just right spelling sort this week. Your child will have the same sort across two weeks.  The first week, your child will begin working on their sort in the classroom and the second week your child will bring a copy of the sort home to practice as well.   I am also going to add 5 sight word spelling words to add to your child's words to practice.   The Words Their Way spelling program is wonderful but it does not do a great job focusing on sight word spelling such as want, this, their, said, etc. We want to make sure we work on commonly used words in our spelling practice as well. 


How can you support your child with their word sort?

-You can sit with your child and listen to them sort their words out loud.  They are trained that it is important to read the words out loud as they are sorting. 

-Continue to ask your child. "Why does that word belong with this rule?" We want the child to have a strong understanding of why they are placing the words under each category.

-You can have your child write the rules on the top of a piece of paper and practice writing the words under each rule.

- You can practice writing sentences using words from the word sort or other words that follow the spelling pattern.

-As you are reading at home or when you naturally come across words in your everyday life, try to incorporate the spelling patterns your child is practicing and point out the spelling patterns your child is learning.  More connections to these words, the more likely the spelling patterns are going to stick and carry over to their everyday writing.


Look out for your child's first word sort on Monday in their folder!


I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Megan Murphy

Starfish Gazette- October 5, 2018

Hello!

We Earned Stuffed Animal Day

The Starfish met another classroom goal! Hooray! The kids can bring in one small stuffed animal to join us on Tuesday next week.  The stuffed animal should be one that could fit inside their backpack! Thank you so much! The kids are so excited! 

Here's a snapshot of our week:


Writing Fiction Books Just Like the Mentors...
                

After reading numerous Kevin Henkes stories this week, 2M began crafting their own Kevin Henkes inspired stories. We noticed that most of his stories have mice characters (with human-like qualities!), they take place at school or at home, and they have everyday problems that all kids can relate to. Students began creating their main characters, decided upon a problem and solution, and began drafting their stories! It'll be fun watching these stories take shape next week.

We were having so much fun coming up with character traits today that we decided to skip writing home and continue planning our characters for our mouse stories :)

We have been keep track of the main characters and the problem and solution as we read Kevin Henkes books together.  As you are reading fiction books together at home, you can prompt your child to share the problems and solutions to support their comprehension of the story. 

Word Sorts

This week we learned the second grade routines of Words Their Way sorts.  We all started with the same short vowel sort to learn the routines.  We practice our word sort words by playing memory with partners and doing a blind buddy sort.  

I Ready Beginning of the Year Assessment

This week the Starfish undertook the challenge of completing their Beginning of the Year I Ready Diagnostic Math Assessment.  I Ready is a web-based program that your child used in 1st grade.  This is one component of our math workshop where each child is able to complete lessons at their just right level and pace based on the data of the assessment.  As we continue using the math menu, there will be days your child will log onto I Ready to support their math growth. 

Learning about Personal Space

With the help of one of school's Occupational Therapists, Mrs. Dukeman, the starfish focused on the importance of giving each other personal space.  We used a hula-hoop to model what exactly it feels like to have personal space and when space feels uncomfortable for others.  We also modeled and practiced how to appropriately ask another person for more space.  

Check out the giant Apple that came into our classroom today! The kids loved it so much that we passed it around as part of our morning meeting greeting!