October 25, 2012

Continue the great work in reading with your child from 30 minutes each day and recording it in their RAH folders.  In reading we’re working on predicting, determining the most important events or details, sequencing, and retelling stories.

            If you don’t have computer access for you child, please work on flashcard practice.  Second graders need to know their addition facts through 10 + 10 (or 20’s) and subtraction facts through 20’s.  Third graders need to know addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts through 10’s (11’s and 12’s would be nice, too!) 

            Please continue to have your child use Xtra Math and SumDog.  If you need the passwords, please let me know. 

       Family Writing:  Read a short story or choose a chapter book you’ve read or heard.  Fill in the summary outline.  Write in complete sentences.  I may ask you to retell your story orally, too, without your summary outline.  Can you do it?! 

          If your child is writing on his/her own, look over the summary with your child when he/she is finished.  See if you and your child can add some details to make the story more clear and vivid.

            Family writing is always due the Tuesday after it is assigned, Tuesday, October 30.

            In science, we’re winding up our matter unit.  Students are practicing the inquiry method by writing a measurable question (Will an ice cube melt faster on a metal or Styrofoam surface?), a hypothesis (I think the ice will melt faster on a metal surface because the metal absorbs the temperature around it.—This channeled  quite a discussion!), a procedure, data collection, and an analysis.

                                                                                                  

            Students have been learning about elections and the presidency.  Any discussion of candidates in your home would be helpful.  We’re not getting into that at school!

October 18, 2012

            Continue the great work in reading with your child from 30 minutes each day and recording it in their RAH folders.  In reading we’re working on predicting, determining the most important events or details, sequencing, and retelling stories.

            If you don’t have computer access for you child, please work on flashcard practice.  Second graders need to know their addition facts through 10 + 10 (or 20’s) and subtraction facts through 20’s.  Third graders need to know addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts through 10’s (11’s and 12’s would be nice, too!) 

            Please continue to have your child use Xtra Math and SumDog.  If you need the passwords, please let me know. 

       Family Writing:  Read a short story or choose a chapter book you’ve read or heard.  Fill in the summary outline.  Write in complete sentences.  I may ask you to retell your story orally, too, without your summary outline.  Can you do it?! 

          If your child is writing on his/her own, look over the summary with your child when he/she is finished.  See if you and your child can add some details to make the story more clear and vivid.

            Family writing is always due the Tuesday after it is assigned, Tuesday, October 30.

            In science, we’re winding up our matter unit.  Students are practicing the inquiry method by writing a measurable question (Will an ice cube melt faster on a metal or Styrofoam surface?), a hypothesis (I think the ice will melt faster on a metal surface because the metal absorbs the temperature around it.—This channeled  quite a discussion!), a procedure, data collection, and an analysis.

                                                                                                  

            Students have been learning about elections and the presidency.  Any discussion of candidates in your home would be helpful.  We’re not getting into that at school!

Summary Outline

October 18, 2012

Continue the great work in reading with your child from 30 minutes each day and recording it in their RAH folders.  In reading we’re working on predicting, determining the most important events or details, sequencing, and retelling stories.

In math we’re working on multiplication as repeated addition.  Help your child know the 2’s (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20), 3’s (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30.), and 5’s (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50).

Please continue to have your child use Xtra Math and SumDog.  If you need the passwords, please let me know.  Some students need a bit more work in place value. 

Have your child use the website on “Links” on my website, titled “Telling Time” and “Place Value Game”.

If you are interested in ordering Scholastic Books for your child, please use the online ordering.  Book orders will be sent in on October 25.

Family Writing:  Think about an interesting incident that you would like to share.  Tell what happened and how you felt. 

            Writing together encourages your child to see you having fun with writing, and allows you an opportunity to spend time with your child while he/she learns.

          If your child is writing it on his/her own, look over the story with your child when he/she is finished.  See if you and your child can add some details to make the story more clear and vivid.

          I’ve provided a graphic organizer.  The circle is for the title.  The rectangle at the top is for the beginning.  The bottom rectangle is for the ending.  The rectangles coming out of the circle are for the details (in order).  Writing together encourages your child to see you having fun with writing, and allows you an opportunity to spend time with your child while he/she learns.   After filling in the graphic organizer, write the story on paper.

Family writing is always due the Tuesday after it is assigned, Tuesday, October 23.

October 10, 2012

I'm sorry I'm late in posting this! Homework packets and letter were sent home with your child on Thursday.  October 10, 2012

Dear Parents: 

Continue the great work in reading with your child from 30 minutes each day and recording it in their RAH folders.  In reading we’re working on predicting, determining the most important events or details, sequencing, retelling stories.

Please continue to have your child use Xtra Math and SumDog.  If you need the passwords, please let me know.  Some students need a bit more work in place value.  I’ve given some extra sheets in the packets to help students who haven’t met the standards yet or didn’t complete the work in the stations during class time.   Also I’ve included the latest assessment over several of our standards for second grade.  Please go over these carefully with your child and help him/her as needed.  I will eventually retest these standards for those who haven’t met them yet.  We’re now ready to begin repeated addition and delve into multiplication.

Have your child use the website on “Links” on my website, titled “Telling Time” and “Place Value Game”.

If you are interested in ordering Scholastic Books for your child, please use the online ordering.

Family Writing:  Think about an exciting experience or event that you would like to share.  Consider creating a mood of suspense, humor, or fantasy.  Tell what happened and how you felt. 

            Writing together encourages your child to see you having fun with writing, and allows you an opportunity to spend time with your child while he/she learns.

          If your child is writing it on his/her own, look over the story with your child when he/she is finished.  See if you and your child can add some details to make the story more clear and vivid.

          I’ve provided a graphic organizer.  The circle is for the title.  The rectangle at the top is for the beginning.  The bottom rectangle is for the ending.  The rectangles coming out of the circle are for the details (in order).  Writing together encourages your child to see you having fun with writing, and allows you an opportunity to spend time with your child while he/she learns.   After filling in the graphic organizer, write the story on paper.

Family writing is always due the Tuesday after it is assigned.  Due Tuesday, October 16.

Jog-a-Thon 2012

Homework and Letter Sent Home October 4, 2012

Hi, 

Scholastic Books came in today.  Orders were sent home with your child today.  New Scholastic order forms are with the papers sent home today.  You may order online.   There is a link to the right, under "Links".

Continue the great work in reading with your child from 30 minutes each day and recording it in their RAH folders.  In reading we’re working on predicting, determining the most important events or details, sequencing, retelling stories.

Continue to have your child use Xtra Math and SumDog.  If you need the passwords, please let me know.  Some students need a bit more work in place value.  I've given some extra sheets in the packets to help students who haven’t met the standards yet or didn't complete the work in the stations during class time.   Also I've included the latest assessment over several of our standards for second grade.  Please go over these carefully with your child and help him/her as needed.  I will eventually retest these standards for those who haven’t met them yet.  We’re now ready to begin repeated addition and delve into multiplication.

Have your child use the website on “Links” on my website, titled “Telling Time” and “Place Value Game”.

Social Studies:  We are learning about the presidential election.

Science:  We’re beginning our study of matter (anything that takes up space and has weight (mass)).  Students are learning about the three states of matter:  solid, liquid, gas.  They’re also learning about the properties of each.

Family Writing: (In school we are working on telling stories and writing personal narratives.)

Our goal this year at Forest Ridge is to improve students’ writing. I’d like to encourage you and your child to write together. The graphic organizer and story are due on Tuesday, October 9.  (I forgot to write this on the paper copy of the letter.)

Think of an early memory you have that you could write about. Tell a complete story with beginning, middle and ending—See if some personality can come out in the story! 

Show your story to your parent.  See if you can add some details with your parent to make the story more clear and vivid. Writing together encourages your child to see you having fun with writing, and allows you an opportunity to spend time with your child while he/she learns.

I’ve provided a graphic organizer.  The circle is for the title.  The rectangle at the top is for the beginning.  The bottom rectangle is for the ending.  The rectangles coming out of the circle are for the details (in order).  Writing together encourages your child to see you having fun with writing, and allows you an opportunity to spend time with your child while he/she learns.   After filling in the graphic organizer, write the story on paper.

The Aesop’s Fable play was canceled by TheatreWorks, so we won’t be going on October 29.