Hello Second Grade Families,

I hope everyone is enjoying these cool, foggy mornings. We continue to make our start through the school year and add a little more to our list responsibilities each and every week. Below is a peek at what lies ahead:

Math: We will wrap up Unit 1 this week with a test on Friday. Before reviewing what is largely a review unit, we will take some time to go over temperature and reading a thermometer. As mentioned last week, I would highly recommend taking some time to practice telling time and counting money. These are life skills that take quite a bit of time to perfect, so if your child hasn’t mastered them yet just keep practicing. In addition, take some time this week to review 10 less and/or 10 more of any given number between 1-1,000.

For this week’s IXL math homework, please complete the following skills:

Q.12 Days of the week.

B.2 Comparing numbers up to 1,000.

A.7 Hundreds chart.

Word Work: At last, we are fully up and running. We have 13 different differentiated spelling groups between second and third grade! All of our kiddos should know how to access them online at this point too, as we’ve practiced in the computer lab for several days now. Besides being written in the planners, students and parents can log on to spellingcity.com (see planner for username & password) and find their child’s specific sort # with the week’s words. Not sure which sort is your child’s? Look in the planner for a label above his/her spelling words. Color? Ask your child which color paper his/her words were printed on this week. Hint: It was either red or yellow. Or, you can always just compare the words in the planner with the ones online.

Our first spelling test is scheduled for Friday, but rest assured that if a group sort is especially challenging or requires more practice that we will give it another week. So add “Study spelling words” to your nightly homework routine!

Reading: This week we make our way around the bend into the next part of our unit: Working Hard to Solve Tricky Words. Readers are now expected to use more than one strategy at a time, drawing upon everything they know before figuring out what makes sense.

Reading logs will go home on Tuesday. Students are required to read 100 minutes (or more!)

Writing: At this point, we will begin a close study of Jane Yolen’s picture book Owl Moon. We will revise with intent as we learn writing moves from a master. In order to help guide revisions, students have been given a checklist and are expected to set goals for themselves and specific writing pieces. Ask your child how he/she is using the checklist and what his/her goals are! Some examples include: writing across several pages, writing about one time when something happened, and bringing characters to life through details, talk and action.

Science: I am pleased to announce that the kinder kids will be joining us for part of our unit on plant life. They have invited us to share their garden as we begin to plant together!

Religion: We continue to make our way through the Family Life series continuing God’s Gift of Life.