We have completed our first math assessment of 2nd grade! Thank you all for completing the review sheet with your child. All-in-all, we did well on the assessment. We will review question 2 together as a whole group to better understand the answer. I will also pull students to review a few other key questions that they will continue to see and need to be able to understand and answer. The assessment came/will come home with students on Friday. Even with the Topic Assessment and MAP Math test, we jumped right into Topic 2. Topic 2 is Working With Equal Groups. The essential questions for the topic are How can you show even and odd numbers? How do arrays relate to repeated addition facts? The first two lessons are on even and odd numbers. While most students can identify or state an even or odd number, we are working to understand why they are even or odd. We made a street with even houses on one side (these houses all look the same and are equal to each other) and odd houses on the other (these houses are all different and some look out of place!). Next week, we will continue on with arrays and repeated addition. This is a quick, quick chapter so look for information next week about the Topic 2 assessment. We may be doing somethings a bit different but I will let you know.
Our Wonders Reading essential question of the week was How are families around the world the same and different? We read two realistic fiction stories about this topic: Maria Visits Brazil and The Red Lollipop. We had some great conversations about The Red Lollipop as in the story the girl must take her baby sister to a friend's birthday party. Some students said that they would have NONE of that! Also, the mother held the girl responsible when her SISTER took her sucker and she reacted in angry. So far I have really enjoyed the lessons hidden in the stories and how the students discuss and react.Vocabulary in the stories included language, invited, scurry, aside and plead. We demonstrated our best pleading. No wonder pleading can get you somewhere sometimes! In Maria Visits Brazil, Maria dances in a parade. Students visualized what they thought the dances would look like and then demonstrated some of their moves! We ended with a non-fiction story that provided 4 examples of items that ALL families have: homes, food, language and celebrations. While all families have these, they look different in every family.
We are continuing on our friendly letter. Slowly but surely. Friday, we celebrated Constitution Day by learning and remembering the document that laid the foundation for our country. We are also completing a Civics packet where we have learned the 5 W's of being a citizen including EVERYBODY can be a good citizen who tries to make people happy in the community, school and home either by themselves or with others. We learned to even be a good citizen if you think nobody is watching. Topic 2 Of FUNdations is Bonus Letters which is doubling the letters f, l or s if they are the last letter of a one syllable closed work like ball, mess and puff.
Important Information:
* Students should be doing these activities for homework:
1. Read for 15 minutes weekly and initial in the front of planner
2. Raz-Kids for 30 minutes a week (can be part of above reading)
3. 3 assignments on Xtramath a week
* If you have not yet, please make sure to send in a check for $38 for school fees.
* Reading MAP test will be this Thursday, September 22nd.
Thanks,
Marissa Wilhelm
