The 2nd Graders were very excited to start completing their blank world maps!  We also used our inflatable world globes to discover and explore our world.  After working hard to complete their place value assessment (which I will share with you at your child's conference), we began our new geometry unit.  The 2nd Graders continued to also write and listen to poetry, especially enjoying poems by Shel Silverstein.

Here are some questions to ask your 2nd Grader:

*. Name a quadriladeral polygon.  How many angles does a quadriladeral have?

*. Can you name 2 or 3 of the rivers that we located on your world map?  (The Mississippi River, The Nile, The Yangtze River, The Volga River, and The Amazon)

*. What is an act of kindness you have witnessed either in our classroom or at Loker School this week?

*. What did your write your poem about this week? What were some adjectives (describing words) you used to describe your object from nature?

*. What does "frindle" mean?

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This week has been a very busy one! We started our unit on maps and globes during Social Studies. The 2nd Grader were fascinated to look at our world maps and maps of the United States and find many of the places where they have been or heard stories. During our writing time, we started our poetry unit. Children began to write poems about everyday objects in our classroom.  We also continued our work on double digit addition and subtraction. There will be an end of the unit assessment on Monday and Tuesday which I look forward to sharing with you at your child's conference.

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Here are some questions to ask your 2nd Grader:

*. What did you start writing your poem about this week?
* What is happening in our read aloud, Frindle?
*. How do you play "Arctic Addition" the game you learned during math?
*. What are the 4 directions on the compass? 
*. What does it mean to "visualize"?
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The 2nd Graders did an amazing job writing their Valentines Day compliments today! It was obvious how much thought and care went into each compliment as the students went around the room writing down their thoughts on each child's heart. I hope your child enjoys sharing these special words with you!  

Here are some questions to ask your child about their week:
* . What were some of the liquids that froze this week?  What happened to the butter when you added warm water? What was an accidental thing that happened when Mrs. Wyner added water to one of our containers during science?

* . What was the message in the book The Girl With a Mind for Math which Mr. Jones read at school meeting this week?

* . What did Neil share with us in his e-mail to the class?  What were some things that we wrote back?

* Who is in your new desk group?

* . What are some key words to look for in a math word problem?  What is an example of a 2 step word problem?

It was another jammed packed week! The 2nd Graders benefited from using a new checklist to help them review their writing to understand what is expected for a writing piece to be "done". We also worked on double digit subtraction with regrouping- this is a skill that we will continue to practice all year long as it is a long, multi-step procedure.  During science, we continued to explore liquids and solids- identifying the properties of each and if it's possible to reverse the process of making a solid a liquid!  We were even able to bring science outside this week as we explored the different ways that a solid spills compares to a liquid.
* . Please help your child to plan out their Valentine's compliments so it doesn't seem like an overwhelming task. As stated in the note, this activity can take the place of reading homework. As always, please let me know if you have any questions*

Questions to Ask Your 2nd Grader: 
*When do you know if you have to exchange a ten for ones when solving a double digit subtraction equation?

* . What were some solids that dissolved in the water? What solids stayed the same?

* . What did you do with your buddy this week?

* . What are some characteristics of Tacky, the Penguin? Would you want to be friends with Tacky?

* . What are some words in a word problem that tell you need to use addition to solve?  What are some words that tell you that you need to subtract to solve?

We had a very busy week this week, continuing to work on our opinion writing and also starting a new author study of Helen Lester and Tacky The Penguin.  During math, the 2nd Graders worked hard to decipher and figure out word problems which included finding the result and those missing a part for the number sentence. The children persevered and seemed to enjoy the challenge of these real life situations.

During science, we investigated liquids and learned how liquids take on the shape of the container in which they are in. We also learned many words, such as translucent and viscous, to describe liquids.  We look forward to continuing our investigations next week!



Questions to Ask your 2nd Grader:
* What are some properties of liquids?  Can you define translucent? Is a window shade translucent or transparent?
* . What are some words in a word problem that you let you know that you are looking for the sum? What are some words that tell you that you are subtraction?
* What are your thoughts about being in the Spelling Bee?
*How does a graphic organizer help with our writing?
* . Do you prefer reading fiction or non fiction books? Why?

This week, the 2nd Graders continued their Opinion Writing and started to use their graphic organizers to write their letters. We will continue this next week.  We are also working on our spelling and writing skills when writing our Friday letters, as well as our Monday journals. Thank you, again, for your support with your child's Friday letter. There is such excitement when reading the letters each week!

We had an interactive and fabulous learning opportunity on Thursday when the Acton Discovery Museum visited and presented a lesson on solids, liquids and gas. The 2nd Graders had the opportunity for hands-on learning as well observing experiments with dry ice and liquid nitrogen.

During math, we are continuing to focus on double digit addition and subtraction on the open number line.  Next week, we will use the strategies learned to solve word problems.

Questions to Ask Your 2nd Grader:

• What did you do with your buddy this week?
• What happened to the banana when it was placed in liquid nitrogen?    Why? What can molecules do (expand and contract)?
• How do addition and subtraction symbols act as "speed bumps" when working on math?
• Which Robert Munsch book did you enjoy reading this week?
• Did you enjoy having the 8th Graders visit today? What did they help with in our classroom?
  

We spent a large part of our week focusing on Martin Luther King, Jr. and the importance of equal rights. After reading numerous non-fiction books about MLK, the 2nd Graders responded about their own understanding of MLK in an art/writing project. We will be displaying these outside of our room. Please come and check them out:-)

For math, we continued working on double digit addition on a number line. Next week, we will focus on double digit subtraction and word problems.  By working slowly and giving very similar homework to classwork, I hope your child is feeling confident with the skills being presented.

During science, the 2nd Grade Engineers were challenged to work in groups of 2 or 3 to design a tower. We looked at towers such as the Eiffel Tower and The Space Needle and noticed how both these towers  have wide bases and rigid structures.  We then tested each tower to see if would blow down in the wind (AKA a fan :).  Next, the 2nd Grader will be challenged to build a bridge with the same materials.

We continued our Opinion Writings this week.  We compared Opinion Writing to an OREO cookie, where we state our opinion, give the reasons, and then re-state our opinion. We will continue these next week.

Here are some questions to ask your 2nd Grader:
* After learning about Martin Luther King, what is your dream to make the world a better place?

* . What were some properties of towers  you thought about when building your own tower?

* . What are some words you might use when explaining your thinking when using the Open Number Line?  (first, then, finally...)

* . How is opinion writing like an OREO cookie?

* . What books did you read this week during Reading Workshop?

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Happy New Year!  It was fabulous to see your children in the new year- they were all so excited to share about their times with their families and the excitement for being at school was quite contagious!  The following are some highlights of our week together:
*During Writing/Language Arts time, we started Opinion  Writing. Using a graphic organizer, the children were guided to write an opinion, 3 reasons for the opinion, and then to restate their opinion. We worked together on a piece about longer recess, and they are now working independently to plan their next opinion writing piece.  Next, we will take our plans and create letters to send to the intended audience. Look for these shortly!

* During math, we are continuing our place value unit and focusing on 2 digit addition. We are doing this by using an open number line and trying to get from one number to a (specified) other number in the least number of jumps possible.  This will prepare our students for double digit addition as they will add tens first, and then the ones.  During our Mix It Up Math, we are continuing to review, practice, or enrich our knowledge of place value.

* During Science, we have started our new unit on Liquids and Solids.  This week we identified matter as being a liquid, solid , or a gas. We then described the properties of the materials that make a solid. Properties included words such as rigid, flexible, pointy, flat, or soft.  The materials that were explored included ceramic, fabric, rubber, and wood.

The following are some questions to ask your 2nd Grader: 
* . What are you writing your opinion paper about?
*   What are the materials that some of the solids in your house are made from?
* . How did we do on our PRIDE behavior chart this week?
* . What book are you reading with Mrs. Wyner, Ms. Sontag, or Ms. Lukianov during Reader's Workshop?

The 2nd Graders have continued to work hard this week.  During math, we have focused a lot this week on the hour hand of the clock, specifically focusing on  when the minute hand is on the 2nd half of the clock.  Thanks to Ms. Lepow, we liked the hours on the clock to a birthday.  Ask your child for more information!

During science, we worked with clay this week. The 2nd Graders molded  and painted clay to make beads. We hope these come home in one piece....

We continued writing our narratives, both in our Writer's Workshop folders and in our 2nd Grade journals.  The 2nd Graders continue to work hard and to enjoy writing their Friday letters to you- I hope they are helping you to know what your child is enjoying and learning in class.

Questions to Ask Your Kindergartner:

* . Who is Luna?  Do you think she will be helpful to you?

* . How did you make a hole in your bead?

* . Why are having a DEC day next week?  

* . What book are you reading with Mrs. Wyner during Reader's Workshop?

* . What are some examples of "positive self-talk"?

We have had a very busy week here in Room 5. The 2nd Graders have had a blast both inside and outside of the classroom! The playground has transformed into a winter wonderland and the children have enjoyed sliding down the hill, making snow people and forts!
In the classroom, we are now learning about how to tell time to the "5's", differentiaitng between "am" and "pm" and also figuring out how much time has passed. During science, we continued to learn about rocks and sand and we made sand sculptures to help us think warm thoughts.

Here are some questions to ask your 2nd Grader:  

* What is a prefix? What is the prefix in the word "unhappy"?  What is a word where "dis" is the prefix?

* What is the difference between "am" and "pm"?

* Who sits at your new desk cluster?

* . What are your writing about in your newest narrative?

* . What did we use to make our sand sculptures ?  (sand and a matrix made of cornstarch and water)?