Family Newsletter

 Dear Families,

Here is our week in review:

Social-Emotional Learning:

• This week, the students participated in multiple collaborative learning activities and games  to build trust and strategies for cooperation.  For example, they worked together in small groups to sort books into two categories; fiction and nonfiction, while figuring out how to share their understanding with the rest of the class.  As a class, the students discovered that collaboration can work in many different ways.  For example, one group solved the problem by taking turns to sort one book at a time, while another group checked in with its members after the book sort was completely done.  

• This week, we continued our work around restorative practices; both as a class but also in conflict-resolution between friends.  The students are doing a great job verbalizing their needs and using affirmative strategies and statements to help each other navigate big and small problems.  The students are also doing a great job listening respectfully to each other.  We continued to build a deeper understanding of this when we read a book about  a character who blurts out a lot and how those choices can interfere with relationships and learning.  The students shared ideas and strategies they can do to avoid blurting out.  Ask your child to share a strategy to use at home.

• Please read this message from Ms. Nicole:

We have filled The Hive twice by showing We are Safe, We are Kind and We are Responsible at Allen Brook School. We will celebrate with Spirit Week next week. Here is a copy of the week's activities. Students do not need to participate, but if they would like to, that's great!

Please feel free to reach out to our PBiS Coordinator, Nicole,  if you have any questions or concerns at npfende@cvsdvt.org

Thanks all, Looking forward to having fun next week!! 

Reading:

• This week, the students continued to listen to the Red Clover books in our library time.  Soon, the students of ABS will vote for their favorite book (out of the 10 nominated books this year).  This week’s book addressed the importance of understanding each other’s perspectives and differences.

• This week, the students also had the opportunity to read nonfiction books with their reading partner.  This week, we immersed ourselves in books about different cultures and countries.

Writing:

• The students had opportunities to learn more about collaborative writing this week.  They have editing partners who will help them in the revision process, making sure that age-appropriate grammar is represented.  They also wrote letters and commented on each others’ google slides/book recommendations on SeeSaw.

• The students learned that making comments online must be related to academic work and reflect school policy of what it means to be a safe digital citizen.  Comments and posts on SeeSaw reflect full sentences and words.  We do not use emojis and other short-cuts for showing our understanding.  We use positive feedback and try to engage in a conversation by asking for clarifying questions.  All writing on SeeSaw will need to be approved by the classroom teacher.  It will not be visible until it has been approved. The students also practiced using their “best spelling” and typing/keyboarding skills.

Math:

• Second grade mathematicians celebrated their 100th day of second grade this week too!  We celebrated by looking at the number 100 in many different ways, using many different groupings to show groups of hundreds too!

• We started a new unit on fractions in our math class too.  The students reviewed wholes and halves from first grade.  They will continue to build their understanding as we explore quarters and thirds too as well as how we can add them together to get “larger” parts.  We also explored the importance of equal parts in fractions.

News and Reminders:

• Your child has an informative letter about accessing SeeSaw from home and how parents/guardians can comment and view the content.  Please follow the directions if your family is interested in connecting digitally with your child using this platform.  We have new SeeSaw accounts this school year.  Our SeeSaw community as a class is private for our class.  Other people cannot access the content.  All comments and posts must be approved by the classroom teacher before becoming available on SeeSaw.   Let me know if you have any questions.

Have a great weekend,

Maria