Just a Reminder

                                                                                                    October 30, 2017

Dear Parents,

Just a reminder... students are allowed to wear Halloween costumes on Tuesday!!  Costumes must be "school appropriate" and cover as much as a school uniform would cover!

Happy Halloween,

Anne Bloomfield

Happy Halloween

                                                                                                     

                                                                                October 30, 2017

Dear Second Grade Parents,

On Monday, October 30th we will be beginning the 9th week of school.  This will mark the end of the 1st quarter but this only means that our specials will change.  On November 6th Ms. Garcia’s class will start music with Mrs. Barton and Mrs. Bloomfield’s class will start art with Mrs. Johnson.

It’s a week of performances for 2nd Grade.  Both classes will perform their long awaited Tribes Reader’s Theater.  The performances will take place in your child’s classroom on Thursday, November 2nd at 3:30 pm.  Each class has 4 Reader’s Theaters and the entire performance will not take longer than 20-25 minutes.  We hope you can come!!

In addition to our Thursday performance, Mrs. Bloomfield’s class will end their quarter in Music with a performance on Monday, October 30th at 1:00 pm in Mrs. Barton’s music room.

The Oasis Academy Book Fair is here all week.  Mrs. Bloomfield’s class will preview the Book Fair on Monday, October 30th from 9:20-9:40 am.  Miss Garcia’s class will preview the Book Fair on Tuesday, October 31st from 9:20-9:40 am.  Students are free to make purchases during the preview or throughout the week during recess, lunch times, or after school.  Family Night will be Thursday, November 2nd from 6:00-7:00 pm in the Dundgeon.

Here's the happenings of 2nd grade in a "nutshell"...

Math

Part of the 2nd grade math standards include adding and subtracting within 1,000 using strategies base on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction.  With that said, students practiced another strategy for adding called Partial sums.  

This strategy looks like this...

           3 6  →  30 + 6         1.  Show the first addend in expanded form.

       +  4 2  →  40 + 2         2.  Show the second addend in expanded form.

           7 0       70  + 8        3.  Add the tens then add the ones.

          +  8                          4. Add the partial sums--70 + 8.

           7 8            

We realize that these strategies are very different from the traditional algorithm that we all learned but knowing these strategies helps to deepen the mathematical understanding of adding and subtracting.

Homework

Mon.  Worksheet--Open Number Line Subtraction 10’s and 1’s (2 digit numbers)

Tues.  Happy Halloween--No Homework

Wed.  Worksheet-- Partial Sums (2 digit numbers)

Thurs. Worksheet--Partial Sums (2 digit numbers)

Language

We finished up our work with irregular past tense verbs last week.  Second graders will be revisiting nouns as we review singular and plural nouns and learn about collective nouns.  Collective nouns name a group like a pod of whales or a class of students.

Writing

Opinions, opinions, opinions are dominating our writing.  Second grade students have been practicing with some simple “Would you rather…” statements.  We have been working hard on not only giving reasons for our opinions, but explaining those reasons.

Projects

We are finally finishing up our Tribes in Action Project.  Students will be putting on their finishing touches and practicing this week so they are ready to perform for you on Thursday!!  

Wishing all of our 2nd grade families a safe, fun-filled Halloween!

Sincerely,

Anne Bloomfield           

and

Miss Garcia

Week 8

                                             October 23, 2016

Dear Parents,

Fall days are here and  cooler weather along with some very sweet new logo wear sweatshirts.  I know we are beginning to sound like a broken record but please be sure to label your child’s belongings and check that the labeling doesn’t wash away.  

Mark the Date!!

Mrs. Bloomfield’s 2nd grade class having been enjoying music as their special over the first 8 weeks of school.  Mrs. Barton would like to invite you to a performance that will take place on Monday, October 30th at 1:00 pm.  The performance will take place in either the High Hang Out or Mrs. Barton’s classroom (which is next to the High School Hang Out). The students are anxious to share what they have learned in music during the first quarter of the school year.

Math

In math we are beginning our journey into adding and subtracting 2, 2-digit numbers within 100 without renaming.  Second grade students will be learning many different strategies within the next few weeks.  Last week our focus was using the Branch Method of addition and subtraction.  Students really did a great job working through the process of decomposing the tens and ones and were very successful with the Branch Method.

This week students will be introduced to the Open Number Line.  Again, it is really about being able to decompose the tens and ones place of a number and use a number line to add or subtract.  While it is very different from the way that Miss Garcia and myself (and possibly you too!) learned to add and subtract multi-digit numbers, it will deepen your child’s understanding of adding and subtracting larger numbers.

Here is an example of Open Number Line.  The equations is 52 + 31 = _______.

Start at 52.  Decompose 31 into 3 groups of 10 and 1 group of 1.  Add filling in the number line as you go.

52 + 10 = 62, 62 + 10 = 72, 72 + 10 = 82, and then 82 + 1 = 83

           + 10                  +10                 +10             +1

    52                  62                   72                  82          83

Here's the homework for this week.

Mon.  Worksheet: Branch Subtraction

Tues. Worksheet - Open Number Line Addition (10’s only)

Wed.  Worksheet - Open Number Line Addition (10’s and 1’s)

Thurs. Worksheet - Word Problem: solve with Open Number Line

Language

In Language, we continue to learn about verbs.  We created a circle map that included many verbs.   We also discussed the present and past tense of verbs, and used these tenses to interactively write a Tree Map.  They used present and past tense verbs in their writing.  Second graders are learning that there are irregular verbs that in order to form the past tense you may not just add “ed” but change the spelling of the word.

Present Tense                           Past Tense

We catch the fly ball.                We caught the fly ball.

Writing

Opinion writing is the focus of our next writing assignment.   Students have been using Community Circles to state their opinions and reasons through “Would You Rather” topics.  This week we will use the acronym OREO (state your Opinion, give Reasons, Explain your reasons, restate your Opinion) to write an opinion piece on the best holiday.  

Projects

We are still working on our scripts for the Tribes Agreements Reader’s Theater.  This is very time consuming as the groups of students meet with their teacher to discuss their plan on write the script together.  Miss Garcia and I are working with our last group.  We are hoping to be able to send out a performance date this week, tentatively it will be either Wednesday, November 1st at 3:15 pm or Thursday, November 2nd at 3:30 pm.  We will let you know the definite date and time this week.

Halloween Party  

On October 31st at 3:15 pm the 2nd grade classes will have their Halloween Party.  Miss Garcia and myself would like to keep it simple with a craft and some light refreshments (preferably a few healthy items) since students will be enjoying plenty of sweet treats after Trick or Treating.  If you would like to provide a snack please contact your child’s teacher via email and we can let you know our needs.  Thanks in advance!

Have a wonderful week!

Sincerely,

Anne Bloomfield

and

Miss Garcia
Reading Information....
Mrs. Jackson wanted to let you know that all 2nd graders will have homework nightly in reading. It is very important that they complete their reading homework so students are prepared for their reading group the following day.

Also students will have spelling lists to study. Students will be tested on Thursday!!

Week 7

October 16, 2017

Dear Parents,

Fall is here, along with the appropriate weather!  Miss Garcia and myself have to admit that we are definitely fans of this cool, crisp weather!  Please be sure that with cooler weather your student is dressed for comfort with at least a light jacket or sweater for recess time.  Also be sure the jacket or sweater is marked with your child’s name, the lost and found table is very full and many articles of clothing do not have names or names that cannot be read.

Math

In math we spent the week on Part-Whole Word Problems.  Word problems are always a bit tricky for students.  As we work on them we are "dissecting" the problems looking for the important clues, to help us to understand and answer the problems.  Students are working on identifying whether a number in the problem is the "whole" or one of the "parts".  Our mantra has been...

Part + Part = Whole (If the problem gives you the parts, you would add to find the whole.)

Whole - Part = Part (If the problem gives you the whole and a part, you would subtract to find the other part.)

In our answer we are writing an equation and writing an answer sentence.  Below is an example.    

Part-Whole Word Problems

Sarah drew 3 pictures on Saturday.  She drew a few more pictures on Sunday.  She drew 9 pictures altogether.  How many pictures did she draw on Sunday?

All Pictures
Sat./ Sun. Pictures		Sat.	Sat.	Sat.	Sun.	Sun.	Sun.	Sun.	Sun.	Sun.

Number Bond     (Whole 9 -- Part 3 = Part 6)

Equation:  9 -- 3 = _6_                  or              3 + _6_ = 9

Answer Sentence:  Sarah drew 6 pictures on Sunday.

Our work with word problems will be ongoing.

Here's the homework for this week.

Mon.  IXL E.12 Addition word problems - one digit

Tues. IXL E.14 Write the addition sentence - one digit

Wed.  Worksheet Branch Addition (2-digit + 1 digit numbers)

Thurs. Worksheet Branch Subtraction (2-digit - 1 digit numbers and 2-digit - 2-digit numbers)

Language

In Language, students started learning about verbs.  We created a circle map that included many verbs.  Students listened to a verb "rap" and joined in by demonstrating the verbs being rapped.  We have spent time working on objectives on IXL Language having to do with verbs.  Students are enjoying doing IXL on the Star Board.

Writing

Second grade writers have completed their first piece of writing that has gone through the complete writing process, a riddle about themselves.  The riddles will be  hanging up in the hallway with their self-portraits.  Hopefully parents will be able to stop by and try to guess which riddle belongs to your child.

Projects

Although our Tribes in Action Project is taking longer than anticipated, we started  working on writing scripts this week!!  This part of the project is very time consuming as each group meets with their teacher and the script is written together based on the group’s prewriting.  We are hoping all scripts are completed this week.  Miss Garcia and myself are so proud of all groups.  

Just a reminder...Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. Rowlett have started taking reading groups.  That means your child will have a book to read and at times questions to answer for homework every night!!  It is very important that they complete their reading nightly so that they are ready to participate in their reading group the next day.

Here's wishing you a great week!

Sincerely,

Anne Bloomfield

and                               

Miss Garcia

Week 6

                                                                                                     October 9, 2017

Dear Parents,

With fall temperatures settling in, it’s time to start marking sure that your child has a jacket or a sweatshirt to wear outside.  Please be sure that your child’s outwear is clearly marked with their name, remember that after several washings those names begin to fade.  Our “lost and found” table can be piled high and it is helpful if your child’s belongings are marked.

Math

In Math we spent time comparing and ordering up to 3-digit numbers and working on the concept of counting on and back with numbers within 1,000 by 1's, 10's, and 100's.  Students discovered patterns as the counted on and back. On Thursday 2nd grade students reviewed math concepts playing the game Scoot.

Reviewing with Scoot.

Working together to solve problems.

Homework

Monday	Worksheet pgs. 31 & 32
Tuesday	G.2 Write addition sentences to describe pictures
Wednesday	Worksheet - Problem solving with number bonds and equations.
Thursday	G.3 Add a 2 digit to a one digit number without regrouping

Language

Our work with singular and plural nouns continued this week with irregular.  Some examples of irregular plural nouns are child/children, foot/feet, and man/men.  Students also learned that some nouns are the same in both the singular and plural forms like 1 fish or many fish.

Writing

In writing, we had the pleasure of meeting with students.  Together we reviewed their riddles.  It was great to be able to discuss the editing and revising they had done on their riddles.  All students are working on their final copy.  It is a very big deal to have almost completed our first writing that has gone through the entire "writing process".  It was a lengthy, but very valuable process.  The riddles and the self portraits will be displayed on the bulletin board outside of Room 17 and Room 5 by the end of the week.   I wonder if you will be able to guess your child's riddle by their clues and self portrait.

Projects

Project groups have come up with characters, settings, a problem, and a solution to illustrate their Tribe Agreement.  We are now in the process of writing the scripts with each group.  This is a very time consuming part of the project. Miss Garcia and myself are hoping that all scripts will be written this week and we will be able to share our presentation date shortly.

Sharing project ideas.

Practicing Attentive Listening.

Wishing everyone a great week!!

Sincerely,

Anne Bloomfield and Shannon Garcia

Here’s some reading information from

Mrs. Jackson...

Hello Second Grade Parents,

This week, our second grade class will begin reading groups.  We will read the books in class and your children will then bring the books home to practice reading that night.  They will also bring home a reading log and occasionally a worksheet to go along with a book.  Please record the reading group books on the reading log when they read them, as well as other books they are reading to reach their 20 minutes for the day.  The books need to be returned along with their reading log the next day.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.

~Mrs. Jackson~

djackson@oasisacademyfallon.us