Mrs. Tabor’s 2^nd Grade Weekly News

9/8 – 9/11

Dear Families,

          The students are doing a great job of settling into our classroom and school routines and expectations.  They are already growing in their leadership skills!

Parent orientation is this Thursday! I’m hoping to see everyone here. Your child will have a special surprise for you as well!

Related Arts for Next Week: 

Please note Related Arts are on a 5 day rotation. This week, we are in Music.  The following week, we’ll have P.E.

Daily Lunch Time:  10:43-11:09

Homework:

• Read 15 minutes each night and record title in student agenda.
• Word Wall Words: students should be able to recognize and spell the following words: Cold, hand, myself, might, hold. These words will also be in their agendas.
• Each Friday your child will bring home their morning work from the week. On some days your child might not complete every single box, however it is their goal to complete as much as they can. Morning work is always a review of concepts previously learned. We check the work as a class using colored pencils. Please look over the work with your child. The morning work does not need to be returned.
• Please also check agenda and take home folder nightly. Sometimes assignments will come home in order to be completed and returned.

Reader’s Workshop:

What are reading strategies?

What are fix-up strategies?

What can I write about in my Reader’s Notebook?

What is metacognition?

• We are constantly working to become stronger readers. Our reading strategies will help us to decode unknown or tricky words. Our fix-up strategies are important for comprehending and getting the most out of a text. Our Reader’s Journals are a place for us to reflect and respond to what we have been reading. We will be talking about strategies and topics for writing in our Reader’s Notebooks. Finally, metacognition or, ”thinking about your thinking” is an important strategy that readers use. We will spend some time practicing and being very intentional about our metacognition.

Math Workshop:

How are calculators an important math tool?

How can I find patterns in numbers?

How can skip counting help me?

How are base 10 blocks an important math tool?

• We will continue next week strengthen our “math tool belt”.  This week, we will practice using and counting on a calculator. We will also spend some time covering integral math concepts, such as finding patterns and skip counting. We will also play games that review all the math tools we’ve covered so far.

Social Studies:

What does it mean to put first things first?

How can I think win-win?

• We will continue learning about the Leader in Me Seven Habits of Happy Kids.  We will learn all seven habits this year, and practice living these habits in our daily lives at school and at home.  This coming week we will work on habits two and three.   
• Habit 3: Put First Things First – I spend my time on things that are most important. This means I say no to things I know I should not do. I set priorities, make a schedule, and follow my plan. I am disciplined and organized.
• Habit 4: Think Win-Win- I balance courage for getting what I want with consideration for what others want. When conflicts arise, I look for a win-win solution.

Writer’s Workshop:

Why does my writing look different from my neighbor’s?

What distracts me when I’m writing? 

What does a paragraph look like?

• Our students have been introduced to their Quick Words book and this is now their new “best friend.” This is a tool that will help students spell words correctly. Students will always have this book by them when they are writing. We will also be refining our Writing Workshop. We will also begin to look at what paragraphs are expected to look like for second graders.

Important Dates:

• Parent Orientation has been scheduled for September 10^th at 7pm. Those parents interested in being a volunteer this year can complete the confidentiality training at 6:00pm.  The PTA meeting is to follow at 6:30pm.
  
  
• Wednesday, September 9^th is our first Early Release Day. Students will be dismissed at 12:20. Afternoon arrangements will be the same as any other Wednesday, unless the student has a note. Please remember these notes must be sent in every early release date.

• Picture Day has been scheduled for Tuesday, September 15^th. More information will be coming home soon.
  
  

Other Information:

• There is a lunch menu change for Tuesday, September 8^th. Chicken Nuggets will now be served. Please note this change.
  
  
• We will start our school-wide MAP testing this Wednesday, the 9th. This will continue once a week, throughout the month of September.
  
  
• If you weren't able to attend the Parent Meeting for Girl Scouts, it's not too late to find a troop for girls in Kindergarten through 5th grade! Email Kate Ross kateross101202@gmail or sign up using the link below to receive more info. (http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0f4ca4ae2ba64-interested) 

  

Thank you for your commitment and support to your child’s education! Please let me know if you have any questions!

Sheri Tabor