Newsletter

Second Grade News                      October 10, 2013

Science:  Students enjoyed their first Hands on Nature lesson this week.  Students learned about the different types of leaf eaters in our ecosystem.  Students enjoyed a puppet show, identified different types of leaf eaters, and students even got to go outside and hunt for the different types of leaves that have been eaten by the leaf eaters we learned about. Students also drew their favorite leaf! This week we also had Mr. Bradshaw as a guest teacher!  Mr. Bradshaw talked to us about how plants and animals depend on each other. He also answered our many questions about anything plant related! Science is so FUN! 

Technology:  Last week students were able to actually begin working with the netbooks.  They were so EXCITED!  They quickly found out that technology can sometimes be finicky.  We are looking forward to our next class with Mrs. Abair and beginning to learn how to type. 

Math:  Students have been doing amazing work with Cuisenaire Rods.  Through some guided discovery students found the value for each rod and have identified which rods go together to make 10.  Students have been working to find all the different ways to make numbers 1-8 using rods and recording those ways with drawings and equations in their math journals.  The work they have recorded has been wonderful.  In addition to our work with Cuisenaire Rods, we have been learning new math games and focusing in on how to improve our fact fluency.

Literacy:  Second graders LOVE to read and are always asking for more reading time!  Yay, it is so nice to work with a group of kiddos who already enjoy reading!  We have been focused in on reading non-fiction books about plants.  Students have listened to many books read aloud and have discussed what they have learned from these books as well as reading non-fiction books on their own.  Reading can be for entertainment but it can also be to learn new facts! 

Students are learning about the –ed ending and the different sounds it can make.  Students have worked to sort –ed words into sounds like –d, -ed, and –t at the end lists.  I cannot believe how well the students can hear the different sounds the –ed ending can make.  My hope is that this knowledge of the –ed ending will help students when writing and minimize misspellings such as, pusht for pushed. 

Thank you for being an important part of your child’s education!

Have a great week – Mrs. Raynor