Dear Parents/Guardians,
I cannot believe it is already the middle of the school year! I am very proud of the second graders hard work and progress! Here is a brief overview of what we have been and what we will be learning.
Math: In chapters 12, 13, and 14 we have been and will continue to work on two digit number addition problems with and without regrouping. In chapter 15 we will learn to subtract one digit number problems with and without regrouping. We began taking timed addition and subtraction tests. I encourage students to continue practicing and memorizing these facts. Please practice them daily at home with your child. Below, I have written several websites that offer fun ways for students to practice their facts. I hope you find these helpful.
Websites for Math Fact Practice:
1. www.oswego.org/ocsd-web/games/Mathmagician/cathymath.html
2. www.funbrain.com/math/index.html
3. www.playkidsgames.com/mathGames.htm
4. www.aplusmath.com
Social Studies: Students will be learning about our country’s history and past. The students will begin researching African Americans and American Presidents, and will be learning about the impact these men and women had on our nation and in the world.
Science: In Chapter 7 the students have been learning about how forces change the way objects move. We have been learning about friction and gravity, as well as simple machines such as a pulley and wheel/axle. In Chapter 8 students will be learning about different types of energy (heat, sound, light, and electricity). Then the students will begin learning about the earth, seasons, and space. We will discover what causes night and day, why seasons happen, and understand how we can see the moon from the earth.
Religion: We have been practicing for The Sacrament of Reconciliation, which takes place on Tuesday, February 7th at 6:30 in the church. The students have done a wonderful job preparing for the sacrament. We have begun practicing the Act of Contrition in class. Please practice it with your child at home as well.
Phonics/Spelling: We just finished up with long and short e, as well as silent letters. We will be learning about the soft c and g sound, as well as the aw, au, and augh sounds. The class will continue to have spelling tests on Friday. Please make sure that you are checking your child’s homework for correct spelling and sentence structure.
Again at the end of each reading unit, I will be giving the children a spelling unit test containing 25 words from the last 5 spelling tests. The children will not be tested on the challenge words, just on the first 10 words on each list. Please study words from BOOK ONE UNIT THREE. The test will be given during the week of January 23rd. At the beginning of the year I sent home the spelling words for the entire year, please let me know if you need another copy.
Reading: We are almost finished with our first readers and will be getting out our new reading books soon! The children are doing a wonderful job on their reading tests! We will continue to have reading tests on Thursdays. I will always send home the story to read on Wednesday nights for homework.
The students are also doing well with their book-in-a-bag books. Please make sure that your child brings their books in completed on Mondays so they can pick a new book to read during the next week. I also encourage the students to complete the activity sheets when they are able to.
Writing: We have been practicing many different types of writing in class (stories, poems, letters, etc). We have also been working on writing our answers to questions in complete sentences, as well as sentence structure and punctuation in writing. Please work with your child in making sure that his/her homework is being written in complete sentences. After speaking with third grade teachers they request that second graders have this skill mastered before entering third grade.
Important Information:
Recess: Please make sure that your child comes to school with appropriate clothing for recess. We will continue to go outside for recess as long as the temperature and wind chill is above 20 degrees. If you do not want your child to go outside, due to illness or you do not feel the weather is appropriate, please send in a note and he/she can have indoor recess with the teacher who has inside recess duty. All students will go outside unless a note has been sent in. Thank you!
Treasure Box Items: Thank you to all parents who have sent in items for our classroom treasure box! I greatly appreciate it! If you have any items at home that you’re not sure what to do with (toys or candy), please feel free to send them in!
Valentine’s Day: We will be having our party on February 14, 2011. More information will follow. All are welcome to attend!
Thank you for all of your support and assistance!
Miss Smith
