2nd Full Week Updates

 Welcome to our second full week of school. Last week was full of learning more routines, with the addition of specials and more consistency to our schedule. This week we will become more consistent with math and ELA. Here is what we will be diving into in room 9 this week -

Math:  Last week we concentrated on Module 1 Topic A - making a ten and adding to a ten. This week we will stay there briefly to review number bonds. Then we will move into adding to a ten, review quick tens to add to a ten. We will also be practicing making the next ten and adding to a multiple of ten. In theory this is all done with mini games, but I am doing mini review lessons of these concepts from first grade before we get into the mini games, just to make sure we lay down the foundation properly before really diving into Module 1 Topic B towards the end of the week, which will be initiating fluency with addition and subtraction within 100. Go slow to go fast, at least here at the beginning of this year.

ELA:  As of now, I am planning to switch back and forth between two curriculums, our old Hartcourt curriculum and our new NatGeo curriculum. This is because I feel that we will cover more of our ELA standards if I utilize both curriculums. However, I will stay with the spelling from NatGeo on a weekly basis as of now for consistency. With that, I will be starting ELA this week with our story "The Mixed Up Chameleon" from our Hartcourt series. We will not be doing spelling until next week when we begin NatGeo. Last week we also began learning our Daily 5 routines, which we will continue this week as well. Daily 5/CAFE is a literacy framework that I use in conjunction with our  ELA curriculum to teach our children how to read. Daily 5 is a series of 5 choices your child will make everyday during part of our ELA time.  CAFE is the methods I will teach them to implement while they are reading during Daily 5.  Lat week we learned a part of how to read to self, which is broken into 3 parts - read the words, read the pictures, and retell the story.  This week we will practice building reading stamina during reading to self and read to someone. The students will also learn how to read to someone (which has very specific expectations and language), word work (to build on their spelling and writing skills), work on writing and listen to reading (which also has a writing component).

Homework:  Homework will not be starting this week. 

Water Bottles:  Please remember that our rooms get warm, and the students do as well. Especially as they come in from recess or when they are at PE. Please send them with a reusable water bottle for the week, labeled with their name on it. Thank you

Supplies:  Thank you for everyone who donated Kleenex! We are set. We also have headphones for every child, so if you have not sent in headphones for your child we have you covered! Yay :)

Going Home:  Thank you to everyone who is either emailing me or calling the office when there is a change in how your child is going home that deviated from the norm, or when your child has a schedule that changed often. This communication has been helpful and imperative in getting your child home safely the correct way. You all are rocking this communication and I appreciate it so much!

Save the Date:  Monday, September 6th School will be closed for Labor Day. 

I cannot begin to tell you all what a great bunch of kiddos we have in this class! I knew our old friends were the nicest bunch, but it has been so great to get to know all of our new friends who have been just as amazing. It really has set the tone for an amazing year, and I am so excited to rock second grade together! -Ms. Shaw