What an amazing first week of
school! It has been a week of figuring
out routines and rules, as well as learning about each other. The personalities of our students are beginning
to emerge as they rise to the challenges and responsibilities that are found in
second grade. I must say students are
all doing a wonderful job! I was truly
impressed by the quality of the work students are completing, as well as the
engaging questions. My favorite
conversation of the week focused on which of the following does not belong:
rock, plant, penguin, or beetle. I love
how Archway students not only have ideas, but are learning how to support those
ideas.
Here is a look at the coming week in second
grade.
Language Arts: We will read a short story entitled “How the Camel got its Hump” by Rudyard Kipling. Over the course of the week we will act out the story, practice finding key points and vocabulary, identify the beginning, middle, and end, and analyze the characters. We will also be discussing the author’s purpose for writing the story. Students will record what they learn in packet about the story, which they will be taking home (hopefully at the end of the week!).
Language Arts: We will read a short story entitled “How the Camel got its Hump” by Rudyard Kipling. Over the course of the week we will act out the story, practice finding key points and vocabulary, identify the beginning, middle, and end, and analyze the characters. We will also be discussing the author’s purpose for writing the story. Students will record what they learn in packet about the story, which they will be taking home (hopefully at the end of the week!).
History: We will begin the week by discussing maps and
their keys. We will then move into
learning about types of landforms and how they are pictured on maps. We are making folding booklets that highlight
each landform we study. On Friday, we
will have the chance to make some landforms of our own! Your child will come home with the assignment
to make and describe each landform for you.
I will also be giving the students an extra
credit option on Monday to bring in any type of map on Tuesday so that we can
explore the various types of maps. Also,
here is a link to a great map practice website for your child to develop
his/her map reading skills: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/multimedia/interactive/maps-tools-adventure-island/kd/?ar_a=3
Science: We spoke about some big ideas in
science last week – the life cycles that all living things experience. As the picture book, Lifetimes,
expresses so well, “There is a beginning and an ending to everything that is
alive. In between is living.” It is the same for plants, animals, birds,
people, and even the tiniest little insect.
I look forward to this week when we look specifically at a chicken’s
life cycle. We will be sure to take a look in the
incubator to see the conditions that chicken eggs need to develop
properly! On Tuesday the students will
get to look at eggs with hand lenses, and this Friday we will have the exciting
opportunity to candle our chicken eggs.
This means that we will hold the eggs up to a bright light and see the
developing chicken embryos!
Important Notes:
-The first Friday folder will go home on Friday! These folders contain your child’s work from
the week. Please look it over, take out
the completed work, sign the paper in the folder, and send it back on
Monday. You should leave the signed paper in the Friday Folder when you
return it.
-Curriculum Night is this Wednesday, August 14 at
6:30pm. I look forward to seeing you
there and discussing how second grade works!
You will also have the chance to meet your child’s math teacher if you
have not yet done so. Remember, this is
a parents-only event.
-Second graders have received their agendas! Make sure you check your child’s agenda each
night to see what homework there is to complete. You student should also bring the cloth
reading bags that were used last year….when we have assigned readers to the
students, we will send their nightly books home in those bags. If you don’t have a book bag, any cloth or
heavy-duty bag with your child’s name on it will work just fine.
-I encourage you to read with your child each night to promote good
habits early in the year. You should
sign your child’s agenda indicating he/she has read for 20 minutes (10 minutes
out loud) each night as part of homework.
Please contact me with any questions, comments, or
concerns!
Warmly,
Ms. Norris
