What's happening in 2So?We are so busy with our artists unit as it winds down. We cannot wait to share our work with you on June 19! LiteracyLook at this third grade writing! Second graders had a lot to write about for weekend news after our long weekend. Our writing is getting longer, stronger, and more detailed each week. MathSecond graders have practiced with multiplication. They have learned that you can multiply by making arrays or making equal groups (or piles, towers, stacks, etc.). ArtistsWe learned about Alexander Calder and Andy Goldsworthy to finish up our artists unit. Alexander Calder made small circus scenes using wire, corks, clay, and other materials. Second graders designed and built their own circuses! They worked collaboratively with a partner. (Ask your child what 'collaborative' means.) Andy Goldsworthy worked collaboratively with nature. His artwork really astounds us! We made our own artwork with materials from nature. A few fun photos from our lemonade celebration and Spirit Week!Spirit WeekRemindersArtists Celebration: Tuesday, June 19 8:05-9:00 All library books are due! Please bring any library books back to school on Monday.
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What's been happening in 2So?Already almost the end of May, can you believe it? Second graders are busy in their studies of different artists. We are working hard in literacy, math, social studies, and writing to apply and stretch our knowledge of these artists. We are having so much fun, and we can't wait to show you what we've been working on at our Artist Celebration! MathAs soon-to-be third graders, students have begun working with multiplication. We have explored what an "equal group" is, and how to represent a number of equal groups through repeated addition, and in multiplication form. LiteracyAs we explore more biographies about famous artists, we are making comparisons. What are some similarities and differences among the artists we have studied? Art!A sneak peak into our wonderful 2So world of art! As we complete art projects, students are reminding themselves (and others) that to be an artist, you must have a growth mindset. If something doesn't turn out as planned, that makes it even more special and unique! Thank you to Shiloh's wonderful mom for helping us remember the very important skills of having a growth mindset and making your art unique! Reminders & Announcements!No School on Monday, May 28.
Artists Celebration: Tuesday, June 19 8:05-9:00 Wishlist and Classroom Supplies: If you are looking for ways to help out our class, our wishlist is always being updated. It can be found on the class website. Also, we are in need of some supplies. The supplies we are currently needing are posted on our 2So door. Thank you for your amazing generosity and support! As we continue working on artist projects, we are running slightly low on some supplies. Your help is so greatly appreciated. - Current supplies needed:
What's been happening in 2So? Our busy artist unit is upon us! Each week, second graders learn about a new artist. Throughout the days, students are participating in math activities, reading and writing, and art activities that are centered around these artists. We are having a wonderful time, and working so hard to learn all this new information! Social StudiesWhat is a biography? As we learn about new artists, we read a variety of different biographies that teach us all about these men and women. A biography is a true story about someone's life, written by someone other than that person. We love seeing tables of contents, glossaries, and even timelines in these books! In addition to reading about artists, our classroom each week turns into a museum that features artwork by the artist. We really get to see the style and materials each artist liked to use. Artists!Each week, we create pieces of art in the style of the artist we are studying. Scroll down to see some of our wonderful work! So far, we have learned about Jacob Lawrence, Pablo Picasso, and Mary Cassatt. Which person has been your child's favorite artist? MathSince our last post, we have explored with telling time, recognizing fractions, and money! WritingStudents are busy writing letters that tell their opinion about a book or a character. Ask Us Why We're Awesome!Each day at closing circle, we give Kindness Shoutouts. This is a time for students and teachers to compliment kids they have seen being kind that day. Our kindnesses are endless! RemindersOpen Music Class will be on Tuesday, May 15 from 9:30-10:10. If someone special to your child is not able to attend, please let me know so we can think of a back-up plan. It is always nice for every child to have someone in attendance.
We have Library on Monday. Second graders should bring their books back if they want new ones. Wishlist and Classroom Supplies: If you are looking for ways to help out our class, our wishlist is always being updated. It can be found on the class website. Also, we are in need of some supplies. The supplies we are currently needing are posted on our 2So door. Thank you for your amazing generosity and support! - Current supplies needed: Clorox Wipes and glue sticks What's been happening in 2So!Ask us why we're awesome! Each day in 2So I see SO many students being kind to one another... kindnesses as large as standing up for a friend, and as simple as picking someone's pencil up! Each day, we choose one friend to wear a pin that reads "Ask me why I'm Awesome." During the day, other Heath teachers and students can ask the 2So student, "Why are you awesome?" This person can then respond with, "I was kind when _____." We are hoping to spread kindness all throughout the school! Math You can practice some two-digit addition problems at home! Here are our strategies! What is your child's favorite strategy? How does it work? Students have been using their place value knowledge and their knowledge of strategies to solve problems and puzzles. Students in this photo are trying to make the smallest difference by subtracting two 3-digit numbers. But, there is a catch! They can only use the digits 1-9 one time each. This is a puzzle you can try at home! Social StudiesJapan is an amazing country to learn about, we all want to visit! We have learned about the Japanese flag and what it symbolizes, we've seen what a traditional Japanese home looks like, we have read Japanese folktales and haiku, and we have also read traditional Kamishibai (paper theater) stories! Stay tuned to see our own Kamishibai story come to life next week. Check the classroom Twitter feed! Field Trip to the Children's Museum!Japanese House Kid Power! RemindersPlease send in your $13 materials fee for our artists unit. I would love to have this money collected before April vacation! I will also be asking for some help from room parents to collect other materials. Be on the lookout for an email or letter from room parents asking for volunteers.
April vacation is from April 16-20. If your child will miss additional days of school for traveling, please email me and let me know. We have Library on Monday. Second graders should bring their books back if they want new ones. Wishlist and Classroom Supplies: If you are looking for ways to help out our class, our wishlist is always being updated. It can be found on the class website. Also, we are in need of some supplies. The supplies we are currently needing are posted on our 2So door. Thank you for your amazing generosity and support! What's been happening in 2So?In math, we are creating our subtraction strategies list to help us solve subtraction problems using our knowledge of place value. In writing, second graders have begun writing opinion pieces about their favorite characters and favorite books. And in science... a new addition to our classroom - our very own worm bin! Keep scrolling to see some amazing photos from the past 2 weeks! MathAs we continue working with addition and subtraction, we have learned so many new games and centers that challenge us to use a variety of strategies to solve problems. We have met in small groups with Ms. Sontag to explore ways to subtract when we need to regroup. Writing2So writers are practicing how to voice their opinion about a favorite character by writing a letter. Second graders are adding a few very important things to their writing, such as an interesting beginning, their opinion, details and examples, and a good ending. ScienceWith the help of Ms. Gregoire, 2So has acquired our own worm bin! Inside the bin, there are worms, paper scraps, and food scraps. We have observed the worms in our bin. We have also asked SO many amazing questions that we have added to a Wonder Wall. Our next step is to research about worms and answer some of our wondering questions. What kinds of scraps can we add to our worm bin from our lunches and snacks? Social StudiesWe have said goodbye to the country of Ghana for now, and we are now traveling to the continent of Asia to study the country of Japan! To launch our unit, we had a very special guest from the Genki Spark drumming group come to Heath School and teach us about taiko drumming. Second graders even got to play their own drum! Forts and PJs!Questions to ask your second grader...
RemindersWe will take a field trip to the Children's Museum on Tuesday March 27th. A detailed email will be send to all parents and families on Monday.
We have Library on Monday. Second graders should bring their books back if they want new ones. Wishlist and Classroom Supplies: If you are looking for ways to help out our class, our wishlist is always being updated. It can be found on the class website. Also, we are in need of some supplies. The supplies we are currently needing are posted on our 2So door. Thank you for your amazing generosity and support! What's been happening in 2So?After February vacation, we jumped right back into our learning here in 2So. I am blown away each day by the progress these second graders are making. They continue to show me growth mindset strategies, and I am truly amazed! Just the other day, a student said, "Hey! I just made a mistake! I am following one of our classroom rules by doing that!" In Social Studies, we have finished up our unit about Ghana, and we are gearing up to launch our very exciting unit about Japan! In Math, we have added even more strategies to our addition strategies list. In Literacy, we have been researching all about Ghana. Keep reading to find out more! Social StudiesTo celebrate the end of our Ghana unit, students have been making their own Adinkra stamped t-shirts! The Ashanti people of Ghana are famous for Adinkra stamping - beautiful stamps or prints on fabrics. Each symbol has a special meaning, and we learned some of these meanings in our class. Each student designed their own t-shirt with specific symbols that meant something special to them. Then, we used fabric paint to stamp these symbols onto our t-shirts. They are beautiful! LiteracyWe have been busy in Literacy researching all about Ghana. 2So researchers have been using books and websites to find information about different research topics. We practiced how to take good research notes without copying the exact words that we read. Students learned how to gather the most important facts from a paragraph or page. MathAs we continue adding to our addition strategies chart, we explore each strategy and talk about why it works and when you might use it. When students add 2-digit numbers or 3-digit numbers (or even larger!), they use their place value knowledge, single digit addition strategies, and organization skills. Questions to ask your second grader...
RemindersWe will take a field trip to the Children's Museum on March 27th.
We have Library on Monday. Second graders should bring their books back if they want new ones. Wishlist: If you are looking for ways to help out our class, our wishlist is always being updated. It can be found on the class website. Thank you for your amazing generosity and support! What's been happening in 2So?Second graders are officially halfway through their school year! We have celebrated Half Way Day, the 100th Day of School, and Valentine's Day. During the month of February, we are celebrating kindness in 2So. Each day, students brainstorm ways they can be kind to one another at school. Social StudiesAs we continue our learning about Ghana, we have "traveled" to the 4 regions of the country! We learn about what the land looks like in each region, what people do, what you can see, hear, smell, and even taste! For each region, we listen to a reading and we visualize what the region looks like through the descriptive words we hear. We also had a special guest in our classroom, Carina Ray (the mother of a Heath second grader), teach us about her many trips to Ghana! We loved seeing Carina's slideshow of photos! Kids in Ghana are just like us in so many ways - they go to school, eat lunch, and play outside! MathIn math, we have learned new games to help us practice adding and subtracting 2-digit numbers. So far, we have 5 strategies on our list for addition. Which one is your child's favorite? Which one is a bit more challenging to use? We have also been practicing finding the difference between two numbers. Here is a picture of one of our favorite new games, target addition. Second graders, can you make this game board at home and teach your family? 100th Day!MindfulnessMs. Sontag is taking a class to learn more about mindfulness in the classroom. She is teaching us the importance of mindfulness and how it can help us throughout our day at school, and so many other times of the day too! We have learned belly breathing, sun breathing, folding star, and a drifting clouds meditation. When we practice mindfulness, we use our growth mindsets. It may be challenging now to empty our minds of all our thoughts and focus on just breathing, but the more we practice the better we will become! |