Mrs. Short's Second Grade

We will be learning in class how to leave a comment on our classroom blog. I found this great poster on another teacher’s blog and it contains things that we will be talking about in class tomorrow.  Next week we will be visiting the computer lab for the first time this year and we will all practice leaving comments on different posts. Parents, we would love to hear from you too. If you like something we do, please feel free to leave a comment and let us know. We can’t wait to hear from you!!!!

We are starting math homework today. Your child should have brought home their “Math Homelink” paper. Math homework always reinforces the skill that was taught in class that day. A Homelink paper should come home Monday-Thursday, and is always due back the next day. THANKS!!

Our first student of the week is Angelo. Angelo shared his “All About Me” poster on Monday, and will share the contents of the frog backpack tomorrow. We have been enjoying learning about Angelo!!

This week I have introduced the third aspect of The Daily 5, Listen to Reading . Students may listen to reading a few different ways. They may go to the computers and go to one of two websites and listen to stories that are at their reading level. Students may also go over and sit at the listening center and listen to books on tape. Finally, students can take an individual tape player to somewhere quiet in the room and listen to books on tape. Listen to Reading is quickly becoming a favorite classroom activity!!!

Last week we learned another aspect of the Daily 5. We began “Work on Writing.” During “Work on Writing” students are writing independently around the room about what they choose to write about. We started off  just writing in our reader’s response notebooks. The students were given an activity ring to keep in their book baskets. On the ring are 12 ways to respond to texts. We had learned 3 of them; story map, retelling, and beginning, middle, end. We did an example for each activity together as a class last week. Last week they had to pick one of the three activities and wrote about a book that they had read from their book baskets. Students wrote at their desks, but will eventually be allowed to sit anywhere in the room and will have a choice about what they are writing about. Each day we have been building stamina, and are already up to 20 minutes!!!

This week we are working on Unit 3 in spelling. The skill for the week is the spelling patterns of “ou” and “ow”. Spelling homework is due back to school by Friday. Please help your child study for the test on Friday. THANKS!!! Also, I  found a website to practice the “ou” and “ow” spelling patterns. Just click on the picture below to go to the website. Once there, click on “ou and ow”.

This week’s spelling words are:    will, each, about, how, up, your

We are continuing to practice our math facts with sums to 10 by doing our Mad Minutes every day. Here is a fun game to help you practice your facts at home. Just click on the picture below and it will take you to Alien Addition.

1. LIBRARY: We have library on Monday, don’t forget to bring your books to school.

2. SUNNY D LABELS: We had 4 labels brought to school last week. That means we only need 16 more. If you drink Sunny D, please save your labels and bring them to school. We are trying to collect 20, so that we can get 20 free books for our classroom. Don’t forget that I am giving out Eagle Bucks to everyone who brings them in. THANKS!!!

3. PARTY FUND: If you have not sent in your donation to the party fund, please try to do so as soon as possible. We have a lot of fun things planned for the year!!!

4. GYM: We have gym on Thursday, please wear or bring your tennis shoes so that we can earn 5 points for the week.

5. BOOK TREASURE: Your child should have brought home their first book treasure last Friday. The book treasure stays at home in their treasure boxes. The sheet (filled out) and envelope need to be returned by Friday.

As part of our Ideas unit in writing, we wrote shoe riddles this week. We were learning how to write on a specific topic. Below are a few examples. Please click on “comment” and let us know what you think of them.

Kaylee: I am black and pink and light up. I help feet from getting dirty. I go home, to the backyard, school, and the store. I like getting cleaned and I don’t like getting dirty. I am………..a tennis shoe.

Adam: I am blue. I protect feet from stubbing their toes. I go on the sidewalk and the house. I like holding feet and I don’t like to get wet. I am…………a slipper.

Madison: I am black and have buckles on me. I protect your bad foot. I go to school, the store, soccer, and grandmas. I like the snow and I don’t like water and hotness. I am………a boot.

Haven:I am pink with rubys. I help you walk. I go to dance and the house. I like to show off and I don’t like to break. I am…………high heels.

Laura: I am black and white. I keep your feet clean. I go home, shopping, and the beach. I like to be happy and clean and I don’t like to get dirty and wet. I am…………flip flops.

Tyler: I am white. I help you skate on the ice. I go to the ice rink. I like going to hockey and I don’t like the cement. I am…………..ice skates.

This week in writing, we have been working on Ideas. We are learning how to come up with writing ideas, and then how to keep our writing narrowed down to a specific topic or idea. We read a story called, The Best Story by Eileen Spinelli. In the story, a little girl is trying to write the best story ever. She goes around asking her family what makes a good story. They all have different ideas of what makes a good story and they all tell her to add different things, such as humor and romance. Finally, she asks her mom what makes a good story? Her mom tells her that a good story comes from your heart. Today we talked about that, and then we each made our own “heart map”. Inside a big heart, we wrote down things that are important to us and close to our heart. We also drew some little pictures. Below are a few examples of our “heart maps.” Click on one to see a bigger picture of it.