Second Grade Newsletter 8.26.22

Hello Parents and Guardians!

Important Dates:

Monday, 8/29: Poetry Recitation "The Year"

Monday 8/29: Flower Dissection

Thursday 9/1: Life Cycles Quiz

Friday, 9/2: Math Test-Chapter 1 Numbers to 1000

Friday, 9/2: 12:30 Dismissal

Monday 9/5: Labor Day-No School

 
We can’t believe we have been in school for 3 weeks already! Time flies when you’re having fun learning. Please continue reading for important reminders and to learn about all the amazing things your scholar has done their third week of second grade.

A few important reminders:

-  If your scholar wears bottoms with belt loops, your scholar must wear a belt.

 -Please remember to empty your child’s Friday Folder every Friday and sign the folder. Students should bring emptied and signed Friday Folders back to school every Monday.

-  Please remember to check your scholar’s agenda and daily sign the bottom of the agenda. Agendas must go home and return back to school every day.

-Please send your scholar with a silent reading book they will keep at school.

 

Conversation Starters:
How many ten-dollar bills would you exchange for a hundred-dollar bill?

Tell a fun fact that you learned about Japan.
 

What treasure did The Boxcar Children find?
 

Draw the different parts of a plant.

Academics:
Poetry:
Recitation of the entire poem, The Year by Sara Coleridge, will be on Monday, August 29^th. Please practice the poem with your scholar this weekend. The poem is in your scholar’s yellow folder.

Grammar/Writing:
This week, students listened to an annotated version of various chapters from The Boxcar Children. Students practiced narration, copywork, and wrote sentences from dictation using this text selection.  Next week, we will write more based on our readings of The Boxcar Children. We reviewed nouns and are learning about pronouns next.

Math:
Scholars practiced counting and using number lines this week. We also counted bills and talked about exchanging money. This next week, we will review and take the Chapter 1 assessment on Friday.

History:
This week, students took their first History assessment on the different continents and oceans. We then began our study of Japan and learned about Tokyo and Mt. Fuji.

Spalding:
This week in Spalding, scholars began to write spelling words in their notebooks. We took our first Spalding spelling test Friday. We will continue word dictation each week with a spelling test each Friday.

Literature:
The Boxcar Children is such a hit in class; scholars are enjoying reading the book. We continued our focus on character analysis as well as summarizing each chapter we’ve read so far.

 
Science:
This week in science, we began our study of the plant life cycle. Scholar learned about and drew the different parts of a plant, planted seeds, and dissected Lima beans. We will have a life cycle quiz this Thursday, 9/1.

We hope you and your family enjoy a terrific weekend. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Warm Regards,
The 2nd Grade Team

Second Grade Newsletter 8.19.22

Hello, Parents!

News: 

Please remember to empty your child’s Friday Folder (celebrate your child's hard work!), and sign and return it on Monday.

Your student’s agenda should be signed each day by the adult who listened to their read aloud homework. Please also ask your child to write the name of the book they read. If they continue the same book for more than one day, they may draw an arrow and not rewrite the title.

Please join us for 2^nd grade Curriculum Night on Wednesday, August 24 from 6:30 – 8:00. This event is not for students and will begin in the MPR before moving to your child's classroom.

2^nd graders will take the Galileo standardized test on Friday, August 26. Please make sure your child eats and rests well, and arrives on time (or early!), as we begin testing at 8:05.

Please send The Boxcar Children book on Monday if you have not done so already.

Please send a silent reading book that your scholar can keep at school.

Students who are new to Archway Chandler this year should purchase a reading bag. Please watch your email for a message that includes a link to order one. If you are having trouble ordering supplies or have any questions, please contact your teacher.

Donation Opportunity:  Students will be dissecting fresh cut lily flowers for science on Monday, August 29. Each 2^nd grade class will need 16 fresh lilies (any color), please see the sign up below. If you would like to contribute, please drop the lilies off at the front desk on the morning of the 29^th. Thank you!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050844ADAE2BA2FC1-lilies

Conversation Starters:

How are chicken eggs and frog eggs different?

How many tens are in the number 79? How do you write 79 in word form?

How is a peninsula different from an island?

Which letters are consonants, and which are vowels? How do you know?


Studies:

Poetry:
You will find our first poem The Year by Sara Coleridge in your child's yellow folder. Recitation of the first 8 couplets (January through August) will take place on Monday, August 22nd. We recommend practicing 5 minutes per night.

Grammar:
This week in Writing with Ease (WWE), students listened to a reading from Misty of Chincoteague. They continued to work on creating summaries, copy work, and writing sentences from dictation. These exercises use reading comprehension, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and handwriting skills. Students also reviewed types of nouns.

Math:
Students will begin working on number patterns and counting bills. Please encourage your child to count by 1's, 5's 10's, and 100's.

History:
This week, students studied landforms (and created them out of clay!).  We have our first assessment on continents and oceans on Monday, August 22nd.  Your child took home a map to use for study. Please review these at your convenience in preparation for the quiz.

Spalding:

We will begin dictating words next week. Please dictate each word to your child for homework and have them write the words an additional two times if they made any errors.

Literature:
Students are enjoying The Boxcar Children! We have been working on character analysis and settings. Ask your child to name the boxcar children from oldest to youngest. Next week, we will read, discuss, and act out chapters 5-8 of the classic, The Boxcar Children.

 
Science:
This week we continued studying the development of chicken embryos, and then moved on to learn about the life cycle of frogs. The students seem to be captivated by the development of these living things. Next week, we will discover the life cycle of butterflies and plants.

We hope you and your family enjoy a terrific weekend. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Second Grade Newsletter 8.12.22

 Hello Parents!

News:

Parents, please be aware that this blog site is for your benefit and should not be viewed by your student. We don't want to spoil the discovery of learning!

The first full week of school was beautiful! Your students are learning our classroom procedures, working on perseverance, and making new friends.

Agendas and your first Friday Folder will be in your student's backpack today! Please empty the Friday Folder (celebrate your child's hard work!) and return it on Monday. Sign the bottom of the agenda and return it as well.

Please send The Boxcar Children on Monday if you have not done so already. We will start reading the book Monday.

Please send a silent reading book that your scholar can keep at school.

If you are having trouble ordering supplies or have any questions, please contact your teacher.

Upcoming Events:

Curriculum Night: Wednesday, August 24th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm

We would love to have you join us to discuss your child's upcoming year of learning. Curriculum Night will begin in the CPA Theatre at 6:30pm. Afterwards, you will join your child's teacher in her classroom for some information about our curriculum, parent and student expectations, and classroom procedures. A lot of important information is given on this night, so please let your teacher know if you are unable to attend.

Picture Day: Thursday, August 18th (Order pictures online beforehand at MyLifeTouch)

Conversation Starters:

What is a compass rose?

Ask your child to look at the clock during dinner tonight and tell you the time!

Did you make a new friend yet?

Tell me 5 phonograms!


Studies:

Poetry:
You will find our first poem The Year by Sara Coleridge in your child's yellow folder. Recitation of the first 4 couplets will take place on Monday, August 15th. We recommend practicing daily for memorization.

Grammar:
This week, we began our Writing With Ease (WWE) studies. Students listened to The Owl and The Grasshopper and created a 2-sentence summary. They also copied a sentence and wrote a sentence from dictation. Ask your student what happened to the grasshopper! Next week, we will focus on nouns. We will continue WWE next week with a reading of Misty of Chincoteague.

Math:
Students reviewed first grade math concepts this week and took an assessment to see what they could remember after summer break! They did a lovely job, and we're looking forward to moving on to our 2nd grade concepts. Next week, we will work on numbers to 1000. Students will use manipulatives, read books, sing songs, learn to spell and match word forms, and work on place value.

History:
Students have been reviewing the continents and oceans and learning how to use maps and cardinal directions. Next week, we will learn about land forms. We have our first assessment on continents and oceans on Monday, August 22nd.  You will find a map labeled with the continents and oceans in your child's yellow folder. Please review these at your convenience in preparation for the quiz.

Spalding:
We are reviewing the phonograms. Please dictate and have your child write the phonogram as homework. Thank you.

Literature:
Students will begin reading The Boxcar Children on Monday.. We will work on predictions and character analysis.

Science:
We are studying Cycles in Nature to kick off Science. Students learned living and non-living characteristics and a basic life cycle. We then observed an egg and examined the parts as we begin to talk about the chicken life cycle.

Have a wonderful weekend! Please feel free to reach out to your teacher with questions, concerns or joys!

Warm Regards,
The 2nd Grade Team

Welcome to 2nd Grade!

 Welcome to our 2nd Grade Blog!

     We are excited to begin our 2nd grade adventure with you and your child! This blog is a place for you to find all of the pertinent information for second grade at Archway Chandler. We highly suggest that you subscribe to receive notifications of new blog posts. The blog will be updated on Fridays with information on the following week's lessons, experiments, and activities. Please continue to email your child's teacher with questions. You will also find important school wide dates as well as assessment dates, information on all those papers in your child's yellow take home folder, field trips, and volunteer opportunities. More detailed information about the wonderful world of learning your child is entering will be forthcoming on Curriculum Night which will be held Wednesday, August 24th at 6:30pm. We hope to see you then!

Until then, I would like to share some of our expectations and policies:

Take Home Folder: Your child’s yellow folder is his/her “Take Home” folder. One side will be labeled “Return” and the other “Home”. Please check the "Home" side and empty the folder each night. The return side will contain homework or worksheets to be returned to class the next school day.

Return of Completed Assignments: Completed and graded assignments will be returned in a folder each Friday. Please look through it each week, sign anything labeled “Parent Signature” and leave it in the folder, empty all other assignments, and sign the front “Friday Folder Signature Page”. Your student will turn the Friday Folder in on Monday morning. This will be sent home for the first time next week and every Friday thereafter.

Homework: Students will have 40 – 60 minutes of homework each night. They will write the assignments in their agenda/planner. You will sign daily to show that your student has completed their assigned reading aloud.

Reading Homework: We will place a leveled reading book in your child’s book bag once per week (assigned days will be forthcoming). Students are required to read 20 minutes each night aloud to an adult or responsible sibling.  Afterwards, the student will retell what he/she just read. Students should write the title of the book in his/her agenda/planner, and the parent or guardian will sign it. Please give a grace period of 2-4 weeks to allow us to assess your child’s reading level.

Water Bottles: Students must bring a 32oz or smaller water bottle daily.

Snack: Please send a healthy snack each day. Students' snacks should be taken out of their backpack (not lunchbox) in the morning and placed in their desk until snack time. Snacks should be dry (no juice boxes, fruit in juice, yogurt, or apple sauce) and should not require a utensil to eat.

 

Lunches: Please send a lunch inside a lunch box daily. Today you will receive in your child's yellow folder a note from our hot lunch vendor with information about ordering meals.

Supplies and Consumables: You will receive a notice from your teacher if your child is missing any supplies. Please purchase them as soon as possible. 

 

Birthdays: This year we ask that you do not send in food or goodie bags to celebrate your child's birthday but rather a donated book that we will read aloud (if you would like to send something in). We found in the past that goodie bags focused too much on the material and countered our pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. Thank you for your support in this regard. 

 

Uniform: Don't forget that second grade uniform includes a belt, shirt tucked in, all white shoes or all black shoes. Since second grade is the first year belts are required, we recommend practicing at home! Also, just a friendly reminder that students may not wear colored nail polish, please remove this weekend so that your child is ready on Monday. Thank you!

Our first book is The Boxcar Children. We begin reading it on Monday, August 15th . 

 

Please send a silent reading book that your scholar can keep at school. Thank you.

We are so pleased you and your child are here to join us on this wonderful second grade journey!