Mrs. Tabor’s 2^nd Grade Weekly News

5/23 – 5/27

Dear Families,

 

The students have been doing an amazing job at staying quiet in the hallways. Testing for grades 3^rd – 5^th ends May 25^th. To ensure a quiet building for testing, we ask that no volunteers or lunch guests come during this time.  Please also have a conversation with your child about being extra quiet in the classroom and silent in the hallways, as testing will be going on throughout the building.

Second Grade Field Day!  The second grade classes will have a field day on Tuesday, May 31^st from 12:30 – 2pm.  We will be outside in the back field competing in fun relay games.  On this day, students will be encouraged to bring sunscreen, a hat or sunglasses, a beach towel, and to wear clothes/shoes that will dry quickly.  If the weather cooperates, there will be a little water play involved. 

 

Related Arts for This Week:  Art – Monday and Tuesday / Music – Wednesday - Friday

v  During Testing our Related Arts Time will change to 8am – 8:45 am

v  We will be back to our normal related arts time of 11:45-12:30 pm this Wednesday.

Daily Lunch Time:  10:52 – 11:17 am    

 

Other Information:

-          Wednesday, May 25^th – Last Harmony Book Exchange starting at 7:15 am

-          Thursday, May 26^th – Students can bring in an unhealthy snack to eat during Writing Celebration in the afternoon

-          Friday, May 27^th – Students will attend 4^th grade Geology Rocks performance in the gym

-          Memorial Day – No School on May 30^th

-          Tuesday, May 31^st – 2^nd Grade Field Day 12:30 – 2pm in back field

-          Tuesday, May 31^st – Year Book Signing

-          Wednesday, June 1^st – Jumpies in the Gym during Related Arts – children must wear socks

-          Last Day of school is Wednesday, June 1^st

 

Daily Homework:

-          No Homework Notebook assignments. There will be a few Math assignments this week so be sure to check Take Home folders!

-          Read 15 minutes each night and record title in student agenda.

-          Word Work patterns review

-          Please check agenda and take home folder nightly. Sometimes assignments will come home to be corrected, completed and returned.

 

Reader’s Workshop:

What do children around the world eat?

What can I learn about my group’s body system?

-          This week we will continue Unit 7 Taking Care of Ourselves. We will first focus on reading about unusual foods that are eaten around the world. We will spend the remainder of the week researching different body systems in small groups.  Groups will present their body system at the end of the week.  We will focus on the nervous, digestive, skeletal, circulatory, muscular, and respiratory systems.

Math Workshop:

How can I find fractions of collections? 

What are equivalent fractions?

How can I compare fractions?

How do I make up fraction number stories?

-          We will continue Unit 9:  How Can Shapes Represent Fair Shares? This unit focuses on using circles and rectangles as models to understand pre-fraction concepts. Students will learn how to separate shapes into two, three, or four equal shares. They will also learn how to describe using words like halves, thirds, half of, a third of, etc.

 

Science:

How can I use my knowledge of wind and water erosion to create a barrier system?

How can I create a map of the classroom? 

What forms of water exist on earth?

-          The students will participate in project based learning groups to solve a problem. Each group member will be assigned a role: project manager, engineer, architect, and designer. They will then design a model to protect a sand castle from wind and water. On Monday we will build and test their models. 

-          For the remainder of the week we will discuss maps.

 

Writer’s Workshop:

How do I write a quatrain poem?

How do I write a shape poem?

How do I write a Haiku poem?

How do I write a lantern poem?

How do I write a cinquain poem?

-          This week we will work on creative writing and explore different forms of poetry.  At the end of the week the class will have a writing celebration.  The students have worked so hard on all their writing pieces this year.  To celebrate, on this Thursday students can bring in an unhealthy snack to enjoy in the afternoon.  We will get in groups to share one piece of our writing with each other.

 

Mrs. Tabor’s 2^nd Grade Weekly News

May 9, 2016

Dear Families,

Thank you for all of the wonderful well wishes, cards and gifts last week.  My goodness, you were all so generous!  This week, we will be celebrating our fabulous volunteers on Friday, and our wonderful support staff this Friday as well.  These are the people that make Harmony the great place for learning that it is!  If your child could make card for the volunteer that reads with him or her, or one of our fabulous staff members, that would be very thoughtful. 

Volunteers and Lunch Guest:  Testing starts May 16^th and make up testing ends May 25^th for the upper grades.  To ensure a quiet building for testing, we ask that no volunteers or lunch guests come during this time.  I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Our last day for reading volunteers will be Monday, May 15^th.

Related Arts for This Week:  Music– Monday - Tuesday / P.E.– Wednesday - Friday

Daily Lunch Time:  10:43 – 11:08 am   

 

Other Information:

-          Our next MAP testing session will take place on Tuesday, May 10^th from 8-9.  We will take the Language section of the test.  Please make sure your child goes to bed early and eats a healthy breakfast prior to coming to school this morning so they can stay focused during the test.  
 

-          Tuesday, May 17^th – Election Day – No School

-          Huskypalooza May 21^st from 5-8 pm

-          Memorial Day – No School on May 30^th

-          Last Day of school is Wednesday, June 1^st.

 

Daily Homework:

-          Homework Notebooks are due on Friday.

-          Read 15 minutes each night and record title in student agenda.

-          NO MORE SPELLING ASSESSMENTS!!

-          Please check agenda and take home folder nightly. Sometimes assignments will come home to be corrected, completed and returned.

 

Reader’s Workshop:

What is synthesizing?

How do I synthesize books I read?

-          This week we will continue Unit 7 Taking Care of Ourselves where students will read a wide range of informative/explanatory texts while studying the human body systems and healthy eating habits. We will revisit taking notes about the books we read. These notes will help our thinking build and develop into big ideas. Ask your child to tell you how nesting dolls can represent their thinking.

 

Math Workshop:

How can I count faster?

How do I find the total number of things in equal groups?

How does multiplication and division relate?

-          We will continue Unit 8:  How Do I Count Faster?  In this unit students will be exposed to multiplication.  We will learn that multiplication is repeated addition, or making equal groups.  Students will learn how to draw arrays and use them to solve multiplication problems. Have your child practice skip counting by different numbers. They can review skip counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s. Challenge them to skip count by 3’s, 6’s, or 7’s.   

 

Science:

What are slow changes to the Earth’s surface?

-          This week we will continue our fourth and final science unit: Processes that Shape the Earth. During this students will create hands on experiments that represent different slow changes to the earth’s surface, like how wind and water can create mountains and canyons.

 

Writer’s Workshop:

How can I write my opinion about being healthy?

-          After learning about Michelle Obama’s healthy kids initiative, we will write letters to her about the healthy choices that we are making.  In order to write our letters, we will find research that supports our healthy choices.

 

Mrs. Tabor’s 2^nd Grade Weekly News

4/25 – 4/29

Dear Families,

Volunteers and Lunch Guest:  Testing starts May 16^th and make up testing ends May 25^th for the upper grades.  To ensure a quiet building for testing, we ask that no volunteers or lunch guests come during this time.  I’m sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. 

Relay for Life: We will be collecting coins all week for Relay for Life.  Each class has been challenged to a competition between the boys and the girls to see who can raise the most money!  Who’s it going to be??  Let’s make a difference for those in need!

Related Arts for This Week:  Art – Monday - Tuesday / Music– Wednesday - Friday

Daily Lunch Time:  10:43 – 11:08 am   

 

Other Information:

-          Our next MAP testing session will take place on Friday, May 6^th from 1-2 pm.  We will take the Language section of the test.  Please make sure your child goes to bed early and eats a healthy breakfast prior to coming to school this morning so they can stay focused during the test.  
 

-          May 4^th  - FREE Skate Night 6-8 pm @ Champs Skating Rink 


-          May 6^th - Oaks Day Pink Out 
 

-          Tuesday, May 17^th – Election Day – No School

-          Huskypalooza May 21^st from 5-8 pm

-          Memorial Day – No School on May 30^th

-          Last Day of school is Wednesday, June 1^st.

 

Daily Homework:

-          Homework Notebooks are due on Friday.

-          Read 15 minutes each night and record title in student agenda.

-          Word Wall Words:  July, August, September, October, November, December,  threw, knew, bled, slid, before, going

-          Please check agenda and take home folder nightly. Sometimes assignments will come home to be corrected, completed and returned.

 

Reader’s Workshop:

What is synthesizing?

How do I synthesize books I read?

-          This week we will begin Unit 7 Taking Care of Ourselves where students will read a wide range of informative/explanatory texts while studying the human body systems and healthy eating habits. We will revisit taking notes about the books we read. These notes will help our thinking build and develop into big ideas. Ask your child to tell you how nesting dolls can represent their thinking.

 

Math Workshop:

How can I count faster?

How do I find the total number of things in equal groups?

How does multiplication and division relate?

-          We will continue Unit 8:  How Do I Count Faster?  In this unit students will be exposed to multiplication.  We will learn that multiplication is repeated addition, or making equal groups.  Students will learn how to draw arrays and use them to solve multiplication problems. Have your child practice skip counting by different numbers. They can review skip counting by 2’s, 5’s, and 10’s. Challenge them to skip count by 3’s, 6’s, or 7’s.   

 

Science:

What are fast changes to the Earth’s surface?

-          This week we will start our fourth and final science unit: Processes that Shape the Earth. During this students will create hands on experiments that represent different fast changes to the Earth’s surface: volcano, landslide, and earthquake.

 

Writer’s Workshop:

How do author’s order by importance? 

How can I write my opinion about being healthy?

How can I persuade my reader?

-          We will start the week exploring different ways authors order the details in their stories. In groups we will brainstorm different details/evidence to support different topics about healthy living. Students will choose topics and write to persuade their reader.