May 23-27

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS

There is a mistake on this week’s homework packet.  So sorry about that!  It says to practice units 22 and 23 for spelling.  It should be units 21 and 22.  You can find the words below.

You’ll see lots of paper reminders in your child’s folder today.  First, there is a reminder about shoeboxes.  We’ll need these for our animal projects.  Next, there is a request for a plain white t-shirt in your child’s size.  This is for our team jerseys.  Last, there is a request for plants/donations to help with the entryway to Russell School.  

Next Tuesday is Field Day!  Please plan to send your child to school with an extra set of clothes.  Dry socks and another pair of shoes are definitely helpful!  Water bottles are also welcomed so students can stay hydrated. 

THIS WEEK IN...

Spelling:  We are increasing our spelling expectation for the last few weeks.  Students will be asked to study two units instead of just one.  The second grade teachers have planned to do it this week to help prepare students even more for third grade.  This week, we’ll focus on units 21 and 22.  Next week, we will focus on units 23 and 24.  The first week of June will bring Units 25 and 26.  And our last full week of school with be Unit 27.  Here are the words we are studying this week:  why, different, off, number, help, away, went, put, again, and old.

Phonics:  This week we are working with the dipthong sound /oi/ and /oy/.  Our focus words are:  soil, oil, broil, moist, point, boil, toy, joy, soy, and royal. 

Vocabulary:  Our new vocabulary words are:  gathered, agreed, randomly, jabbing and signal.  We’ll define these words and then search for them in the play called “Why Sun and Moon Live in the Sky.”

Comprehension:  This week, we will focus on problem and solution.  The problem is something the characters want to change, fix, or find out.  The solution is what solves the problem.  We’ll practice this skill while we read the play called “Pushing Up the Sky” by Joseph Bruchac.

Grammar:  This week we will focus on contractions.  Contractions are when two words are combined to make a shorter word.  We use an apostrophe to take the place of any missing letters in the new word.

Scholastic News:  This week, we will read all about a LEGO mystery.  For years, people have been finding LEGO pieces at the beach.  The story began 19 years ago and we will learn all about it!  Then, we will practice using a map and a chart to answer questions about the text.

Writing:  This week, we are beginning the most important part of our animal projects... the research!  During writer’s workshop, we are really going to dig into our books and learn how to record the most important facts with enough detail for an interesting and informative book.  We will be modeling this process by studying both penguins and bears.  We’ll be learning all about what these animals look like, where they live, what they eat, as well as some other interesting facts.

Math:  This will be the final week for math switcheroo.  Students will finish up their study on adding and subtracting within 100 and 1,000 with a focus on word problems.  The rest of the week, will bring some review around odd and even numbers, time, money, and math facts.

Science:  This week, we will continue our life science studies.  We’ll be studying many different habitats and analyzing the diversity of life found within each habitat.  We’ll also use this time to study more specific penguins with a small group.  The culminating project will be a life-size drawing of the penguin we study.

Social Studies:  This week, we are really reviewing our classroom vision and the behaviors that help it come true.  Team Howard is expected to treat others they would like to be treated, give their best try and never give up, be positive, do their part, and take responsibility.  

We'll also be watching this inspirational video from the Kid President.  I love this kid and the positive energy he exudes!

May 16-20

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS:

Tonight is the Spring Concert!  I hope to see you all there.  Second graders begin their performance at 6:40 so please try to arrive at the Middle School by 6:30 at the latest.  I heard their rehearsal today.  They sound fabulous!

Tomorrow we will have a guest reader join our class from Hannaford.  We are so excited to see what story Ms. Penny will share with us!

Wednesday is an early release day.  Please plan accordingly.

On Thursday, we will have a presentation from the Children’s Museum.  They will be bringing us a life-size inflatable model of a humpback whale!  We’ll learn all about the life of Istar, a humpback whale who lived in the Atlantic Ocean.   This will be the perfect kickoff to our animal study unit!

Classroom Requests:

We are going to be creating dioramas to go along with our animal projects.  Every student will need to bring a shoebox.  If you could please send at least one shoebox, or more if you happen to have them, it would be greatly appreciated!

I would really like to create team jerseys for Team Howard and I’m thinking that tie-dye shirts would be a lot of fun!  For this, we’ll need three things.  First, we’ll need every student to send in a plain white t-shirt to be tie-dyed.  Next, if there is anyone who would be willing to send in tie-dying supplies, that would be great!  Finally, when the time comes, I will definitely need to have some adult volunteers to help us tie-dye the shirts.  

Paper reminders for the two above requests will also be sent home this week.  Keep an eye out for them!

THIS WEEK IN...

Spelling:  This will be a review/challenge week.  I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to pull your child’s individual list together before the end of the day.  I’ll be sure to get the lists home with your child tomorrow.  They will be given ten words to study and will be assessed on the words on Friday.

Phonics:  We are working with /ow/ and /ou/.  Our focus words are:  clown, growl, howl, brown, crown, round, loud, cloud, house, and sound.

Vocabulary: Our new words are:  lengthy, burrow, ranger, warning, distant, and beyond.  We’ll define these words and then search for them in the short story called “The Coatis of the Sonora Desert” by Nya Taylor.

Comprehension:  This week we’ll focus on identifying author’s purpose.  We can remember author’s purpose with the acronym PIE.  Authors write to Persuade, Inform, or Entertain.  We’ll be searching for clues in the text and the pictures to tell us what the author’s true purpose is.  We’ll practice this skill while we read Dig, Wait, Listen:  A Desert Toad’s Tale by April Pulley Sayre.

Grammar:  This week we will focus on homophones.  Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have a different meaning.

Writing:  This week, we’ll introduce our animal study unit.  We’ll begin by studying penguins as a class.  Next week, we’ll break into small groups to study specific penguins.  We’ll learn more about what they look like, what they eat, where they live, and some other interesting facts.  We’ll also be given time to explore many different animals to help us decide on an animal we would like to learn even more about.  This animal will be the focus of our animal projects.

Math:  We continue our math switcheroo groups.  All students are working towards being able to fluently add and subtract within 100 and 1,000, add up to four two-digit numbers, and to add or subtract 10 or 100 mentally from any number.  We also continue our individual practice in time, money, and math facts.  

Science:  We’ll finish up The Wings of Life tomorrow afternoon.  Then, we’ll have the chance to research specific habitats.  We’ll be looking at the diversity of life within the desert, rain forest, ocean, and also at the pond.  

Read Aloud:  We have started a new book that was generously donated to the classroom by a student.  It’s called Trouble-Maker by Andrew Clements.  It’s the story about a boy named Clay and his journey in understanding the difference between good-humored mischief and serious trouble.  So far, we know that Clay has trouble respecting his teachers and his principal.  Today, in art class, Clay drew a picture of the school principal like a donkey!

Words to Think About:  Don’t let what you can’t do, stop you from doing what you can do.

May 9-13

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS:

Miss Gilmour's time with us has come to an end.  She is now ready to graduate and head on into the world of teaching.  Good luck, Miss Gilmour!

I will not be as school on Friday.  This is a planned absence but I told the students it would remain a surprise!  While I am gone, they will be asked to write a newspaper article titled Teacher:  Gone Missing!  They will become detectives and try to answer questions like:  Who is Mrs. Howard with?  What is she doing?  When will she return?  Where is Mrs. Howard?  How do you think she is feeling about not being at school?

Since I will not be at school on Friday, please be sure to send any notes about transportation directly to Connie or written on paper.  Thank you!

Next Monday is the Spring Concert at GNG Middle School.  Hope to see you there!

THIS WEEK IN...

Spelling:  We are working on Unit 20.  The words are:  place, such, well, here, and take.

Phonics:  We are working with the patterns:  /oo/, /ue/, /ui/, /ew/, and /oe/.  Our focus words are:  root, boot, fruit, suit, flew, new, canoe, shoe, clue, and glue.

Vocabulary:  We will learn violent, beware, prevent, uprooted, destroy, and grasslands.  We'll define these words and build connections to them.  Then, we'll search for them in the short story called "Wild Weather Hits Florida" by Lisa O'Neil.

Comprehension:  We will work on making and confirming predictions.  When we make a prediction, we use the text, pictures, and what we already know to make a good guess about what will happen in the story.  When we confirm a prediction, we read on to find out if our prediction was correct.  We'll practice this skill as we read Super Storms by Seymour Simon.

Grammar:  We will work on irregular verbs.  Come and run are irregular verbs because they have a special form in the past tense.  

Scholastic News:  We will read the article called "Thank you, Cockatoo!"  This article is the perfect connection to science this week.  It's all about how animals help to pollinate different plants.  When we are finished reading the article, we will use a chart to help us answer questions.

Writing:  This week, we will finish up our animal friendship stories that Miss Gilmour began last week.  All of our stories tell the tale of two unlikely animals who end up being friends.  For example, a cat and a mouse or a shark and a minnow.  The moral of the story is that it's ok to be different from your friends.  Team Howard is really getting into sharing great details in their stories!

Math:  We continue Mission Possible as we complete top secret missions about time and money.  We also continue our Math Switcheroo work where students are working on using strategies to help them add and subtract within 100 and 1,000. 

Science:  We will watch the fabulous DisneyNature documentary "Wings of Life."  This beautiful movie shows the amazing relationships between plants and animals that we have been focusing on.  We will break the movie into smaller parts to allow for questions and discussion. 

Read Aloud:  We will finish our adventure with Dodger and Will this week and begin a new adventure next week!  Stay tuned for more information! 

Words to Think About:  The final words have been revealed and they are some of my favorites.  This month, we will focus on... "Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can do."  Perfection!

Have a great week and enjoy the amazing weather!

May 2-6

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS:

Next Tuesday will be Miss Gilmour’s last day with us.  We will be having a small celebration to give her a proper send-off into the world of teaching.  If you would like to donate some healthy snacks (i.e. fruit, veggies and dip, crackers and cheese) and some drinks, it would be greatly appreciated!  We wish Miss Gilmour the best of luck!

Regular homework packets have begun again.  Please help your child practice their goals at home and return their homework packet the following Monday.  Thank you!

THIS WEEK IN...

Spelling:  We are working on unit 19.  The words are:  must, because, does, part, and even.  Our spelling test will be on Friday.

Phonics:  We are working with the variant vowel sound with the spelling patterns oo and ou.  Our focus words will be:  shook, hook, crook, soot, should, stood, brook, foot, could, and would.  

Vocabulary:  Our new words are:  conservation, remains, trouble, extinct, and hardest.  We’ll define these words and build connections to them.  Then we’ll search for them as we read the short stories called “Prairie Problem” and “Be Careful!  We’re Almost Gone!”

Comprehension:  We will practice understanding text structure.  This week, we will be reading a description.  A description describes what something is like.  Authors use words like “to begin” and “here is how” to describe things in their writing.  We’ll practice this while we read A Way to Help Planet Earth.

Grammar:  We continue to focus on homonyms and contractions in our morning message.  We also practice identifying ending punctuation.

Writing:  This week, we will be writing some very special poems for our moms.  We hope you think they are a special as we do!  We’ll also do some fun writing to help us get ready for our animal research projects.  This week, we’ll read the book What If You Had Animal Feet?.  Then, we’ll decide what kind of animal feet we like best.  We’ll use those feet to collect information about the color, size, and amount of feet we have.  Creativity will come into play with our illustrations.  We’ll also look at how our feet help us adapt to our environment.  It’s sure to be a fun project!

Read Aloud:  We continue on our reading adventure, Dodger and Me.

Math:  Mission Possible continues on Mondays and Fridays.  Team Howard turns into secret spies for an hour and complete top secret missions around time and money.  If we are successful in our missions, we get to earn a fingerprint in our packets.  We can take as much or as little time as we need with the missions.  Team Howard is seriously dedicated to this project! 

We also continue with our math switcheroo groups.  In these groups, student needs are being met through targeted instruction and practice.  All groups are working on adding and subtracting within 100 using strategies.  

Science:  Miss Gilmour’s project about our very own animals will be completed and displayed in the hallway by the end of the week.  We’ll also be doing some lessons about meeting animal needs in a habitat through games and other activities.  On Friday, students will be invited to a beak lab where they will be testing different kinds of beaks for different kinds of food.  

Have a great week!