Newsletter January 2008 Second Grade

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT 2^ND GRADE!

JANUARY EDITION

CLASS 2-206- MRS. CALHOUN

CLASS 2-204- MS. BERKOWITZ

CLASS 2-201- MRS. HANNAN

What’s new in Reading?

For the month of January, your children will be working on reading non-fiction text with a strategic lens: Readers will get information and grow ideas from non-fiction texts. We are looking to see that students are carrying over strategies learned in previous units of study. This includes, decoding tricky words, stopping to think about characters, motivations and relationships based on the mood of the story, and the setting.

What’s New in Writing?

For the month of January, students will be writing their very own fairytales. Together through read aloud we will notice and discuss different characteristics of fairy tale stories. We will also be working on revising parts of our stories to clear up confusion and developing strong leads and endings.

Ways to help your child at home:

Encourage your child to talk specifically about writing ideas.

You can help your child stretch their thoughts in writing by encouraging them to incorporate elaboration strategies covered in class. These strategies include:

• Showing internal thought through words
• Creating action by slowing down the moment
• What they see, what they feel, and what they hear. (Include sensory detail)
• Expressing a characters feelings using action

What’s New in Math?

For this month, students will be learning all about 3-D and 2-D shapes. The primary purpose of this unit, however, is to develop classification skills. This objective will be accomplished through hands-on activities, in which children observe similarities and differences, among various shapes and explore special relationships.

Ways to help your child at home:

Please participate in math games with your child at home. Assist with homework when necessary, and have conversations around math thinking.

What’s New in Social Studies?

For the month of January, we will be continuing our study of Community. We will be comparing schools of today to schools of long ago. Children will be required to interview a grown-up, as well as a member of our school community. This experience will enable them to have a better sense of vast differences and similarities between communities of past and present.

January Birthdays

Madeleine Lorenzen

Katherine Stubs

Sierra Pile

Tempest Monge

Zale Ledlon

Jeremiah Gaddy