Good Bye January, Hello February!!

                                                                                                              January 30, 2017

Dear Parents,

How can we be starting the 4th week of the third quarter, ending January, and beginning February???

Math

Our work in Math last week and for the next few weeks will be focusing on addition and subtraction with renaming.  We will be using the same strategies (open number line, branch method, and partial sums and differences) that students have already been taught.

This week we worked on decomposing and composing ones and tens to help us make the next ten or next 100 so that we could easily add.

Here's what it looked like...

Example 1:  Adding ones by making the next ten.

56  +  7 = ____          1.  The next ten after 56 is 60.

       ↙ ↘                 2.  To get to 60 you need 4, so the 7 gets decomposed into 4 and 3.     

      4    3                      Then take the 4 and compose it with the 56 to make 60.

60 + 3 = 63                  3.  The renamed equation is 60 + 3 = 63.

Example 2:  Adding tens by making the next hundred.

450  +  90 = ___        1.  The next hundred after 450 is 500.

         ↙ ↘                  2.  To get to 500 you need 50, so the 90 get decomposed into 50 and

     50   40                   40.  Then take the 50 and compose it with the 450 to make 500.

500 + 40 = 540          3.  The renamed equation is 500 + 40 = 540.

After solving the equation, students used the open number strategy to check their answers.

Homework

As was mentioned last week homework for the week will be worksheets because the standards being worked on are not on IXL.  This will be the case for the next few weeks.

Writing

Our work in writing is moving into informative writing.  We are learning how to research and will use the information to create a slide show on a famous person.  Students have already selected their famous person and we will start researching this week.

Language

It's all about vocabulary in language.  Students have been learning about synonyms (words that have the same meaning).  We have been learning about and using a thesaurus and thesaurus.com to find stronger words.  Students have also been working on ordering groups of synonyms by intensity.  We are incorporating some of our new vocabulary words into our speaking and writing.

                        

The discussions that went on as students decided the order of their synonyms were very interesting.

Projects

Our Timeline Project has begun!!  Students finished their timelines of Martin Luther King.  They are now making a personal timelines.  Last week we learned about time periods that include a century and decade.  We looked at some videos to get a sense of how things have changed in the last 100 years.  These week students will pick a decade to become an expert on.  The decades will be from 1900 to 2000, so students will be working with a partner.

Valentine’s Day    

Valentine’s Day is coming up on Tuesday, February 14th.  Since this holiday falls on a school day the 2nd grade team will enjoy a few activities at the end of the day.  Our plan is to have students pass out Valentines (please be sure that your child sends one to everyone), play Valentine Bingo, and share appreciations.  Miss Garcia and myself wish to have the children enjoy the holidy with our students in a very simple manner.  

FYI...The Oasis Student Council will be selling Candy Grams.  Although Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders will not be allowed to buy them, parents may purchase them at the front office.

Wishing everyone  a great end of January and beginning of February!!

Sincerely,

Anne Bloomfield

and

Shannon Garcia

Here is some Reading information from Mrs. Loop...

Hello Second Grade Families,

REMINDER: Book orders are due Tuesday, January 31.  If you are interested in ordering books please submit your order online (scholastic.com/readingclub) or send in your order to school with your child. Use Code N8BVL.

Thank you,

Katy Loop