Dear Families,
Here is our week in review:
Social-Emotional Learning:
This week, the students learned more about empathy. They listened to the song “Empathy” by the Second Step curriculum and sang along beautifully. We did a little game to go along with the song too. Ask your child to explain. The game helped them recognize other people’s feelings.
We had another restorative circle with Ms. Nicole. This week, the students learned about perspective taking. They practiced listening attentively to others, while paying close attention to their emotional cues, while sharing “just enough” about a particular topic. They did great.
We had a classroom celebration with Mr. Deyo’s Kindergarten friends too. They visited our classroom for some explore time and friendship building. Enjoy these pictures:
Reading:
This week, our second grader readers continued to navigate different literacy stations during our independent reading blocks. They worked on sight words, read “just right” books and showed their understanding through various visualization activities.
We started a new graphic novel as our classroom read aloud this week. We are reading the first book in the series about “Pea, Bee and Jay”, written by Brian “Smitty” Smith.
Writing:
The students are finishing up their personal narratives. This week, they added sound words to their stories. They also learned that authors often add “juicy words” to their stories to add more interest, detail and “sparkle”. When we read together as a class, we often add “juicy words” to our classroom chart. We have collected many interesting words, such as satchel, dwelling, dune and mound, to name just a few. Ask your child to tell you more. Ask your child to be a word detective at home too. Encourage your child to hunt for “juicy words” during quiet reading time at home! Perhaps your child wants to start a collection chart at home too?
Math:
Second grade mathematicians continued to learn more efficient and simple strategies to solve 2-, or 3-digit numbers problems in our “Number Talks”. Ms. Schaw visited our class several times this week to facilitate this work. At this point in the school year, the students are encouraged to think about what they already know about the numbers before simply using a strategy-that might or might not work. They are amazing math thinkers and they are always willing to share their solutions. This week they practiced equations like 40+40+90 or 32+57+90 to give some examples. They were also encouraged to think about problems such as this: “If you can solve 57+3, how can that help you solve 257+3, or 687+30?
Second grade mathematicians also participated in a December math check-in about partners to 20, addressing both addition and subtraction strategies.
Technology:
Ms. Scott visited our classroom to teach the students more about coding. This week, the students accessed codable. You will receive a separate email shortly about accessing this from home, if you choose to.
News and Reminders:
On the last day of school before the holiday break (Thursday, 12/22), Harmony House will celebrate together with a pajama day. Your child is welcome to wear pajamas to school that day. No slippers or stuffed animals please. We will have regular recess that day, so please make sure your child’s pajamas fit nicely inside winter boots and snow pants. Harmony House will also offer two movies and one workshop. The students will sign up at school with their teachers. They will only attend one activity. Ms. Fisher will show the movie “Happy Feet” and Ms. Crowley will show the movie “Frozen”. I will offer crafts, using sticks, pine cones, and other materials. Please let me know if you do not want your child to watch any of these movies.
Please check your email for the class contact list, which was shared with you on Thursday. We hope this list will encourage you and your family to find the time to play/meet with other students from class outside of school.
Have a great weekend,
Maria
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