Week 15

We’re back to another full week of school!  I can’t believe how quickly November flew by, and I know December will go even more quickly!  A quick note about the weather: with the weather getting colder, I’m encouraging the students to come prepared with a heavy winter coat.  A sweatshirt won’t be enough for recesses when it gets below freezing.  They’re also welcome to bring hats and gloves; I recommend trying to write their last name on the tags and having the kids store them in their coat pockets.

Movie and Stuffed Animal Day:
The 2^nd grade class has earned a movie and stuffed animal day!  We’ll be watching The Super Mario Bros Movie on Friday, December 5!  Look for more information on a dark green note going home on Monday!

Christian Studies:
This week in Christian Studies we’ll continue our walk through the Old Testament.  We’ll talk about Solomon and how he turned from God, leading to some dire consequences for Israel.  In the midst of that bad news, we’ll also talk about the promise God gave Israel, as well as how He sent Jesus to redeem us.  We’ll then learn about Elijah and how God spoke to Him in a surprising way.

Math:
This week we’ll start and finish a new module on money, this time talking about dollar amounts.  We’ll continue to count coins and will use the amounts we’ve counted to solve other problems.

Language Arts:
This week’s phonics rule is the drop rule.  When we have a silent e at the end of a word (like when we have a Magic E), before we add an ending that starts with a vowel, we’ll drop the e.  We’ll practice this rule throughout the week, as well as our new red word: through.

We’ll also do our first unit reading assessment.  We’ll break it up into shorter pieces, and the students will use reading strategies to answer questions about a text they read independently.  This assessment also has a writing component to it, where the kids will write a paragraph about a time they helped someone.

Week 13

Parent/teacher conferences are this week and I’m looking forward to meeting with each of you!  If you haven’t signed up yet, please do so at the following link:  https://calendly.com/pickerbls/2024-2nd-grade-conferences-clone

Report Cards:
Report cards will be sent home on Friday with your student.  This is the first day of conferences.  If you don’t have time to review the report card before our conference (especially those who have conferences on Friday), I’ll have a copy at the conference.

Free Dress Day:
2^nd grade has a free dress day on Thursday, November 20!  Please review page 31 of the handbook for the free dress guidelines and let me know if you have any questions!

Christian Studies:
This week we’ll be moving along in the Old Testament.  We’ll start the week talking about Saul’s jealousy of David and the times David had opportunities to kill Saul.  We’ll discuss how David obeyed God by sparing Saul’s life.  We’ll also learn that David was a sinful man.  We’ll talk (very briefly) about David and Bathsheba, focusing on David’s repentance and God’s forgiveness.

Math:
This week in math we’ll finish our module on counting money.  We’ll practice counting coin combinations.  Then we’ll make the same amount of money with different coins.  We’ll do a practice test and review counting money, and we’ll take our test on Thursday.

Language Arts:
This week’s phonics lesson is the first of what we call the “Three Great Rules.”  We’ll be talking about the doubling rule.  When we have a one-syllable word with a short vowel sound, we need to double the last consonant before adding the ending (like “ing” and “ed”).

Week 12

We have a different kind of week ahead of us, with a day off in the middle of the week, so it'll feel a little weird.

No School Tuesday!
Please remember that there's no school on Tuesday for Veterans' Day!

Early Dismissal on Friday!
Friday is an early dismissal day, with kids leaving at 11:15, for a professional day for teachers.

Veterans' Day Assembly:
We are having a Veterans' Day assembly on Monday, November 10 at 2:20 to honor veterans.  You're welcome to join us!

Christian Studies:
This week in Christian Studies we'll learn about Eli's death and the ark of the covenant being stolen.  We'll discuss how we should come to Jesus with humility and grace, rather than manipulating or demanding.  We'll also learn about the dynamic between David, Jonathan, and Saul.  We'll talk about God's plan and how David tried to be faithful to God's plan.

Math:
This week in math we'll start our module on counting coins.  We'll start with relating tens and ones to dimes and pennies.  Then we'll identify and find the value of coins.  After that, we'll compare the value of coin combinations.  Note:  If your child needs extra practice counting coins, that's a great way to use their 5 minutes of flash cards these next couple of weeks!

Language Arts:
This week's phonics concept is the vowel team "igh."  We'll practice words with that vowel team, as well as our two new red words: "great" and "though."

We'll also finish our deep dive into our realistic fiction text called You Can't Climb a Cactus.  We'll close read the text, then focus on making and confirming predictions.

Week 11

Our clocks have been turned back, and hopefully that means this weekend was full of rest and rejuvenation!

Christian Studies:
This week in Christian Studies we’ll learn about Othniel, who was the first judge of Israel.  God used him to deliver the Israelites out of Mesopotamian control with God’s power.  We’ll talk about how God delivers us from our enemies.  We’ll also learn about Ruth and discuss God’s faithfulness.  Not only did God provide for Ruth, but through doing so, He also continued to fulfill His plan for a Savior, as Jesus came through Ruth’s lineage.

Math:
This week in math we’ll continue solidifying our mastery of place value.  This week we’ll add and subtract 10 or 100.  We’ll also identify and extend number patterns.  We’ll also compare three-digit numbers, using both words and symbols.

Social Studies:
We’ll continue looking at communities, identifying different types of communities and how living in a community helps people.

Language Arts:
This week’s phonics concept is another set of diphthongs: ou and ow.  We’ll discuss the rules for when to use each spelling, and we’ll practice some words and sentences using those words.

In reading, we’ll be looking at another realistic fiction text.  This text focuses on comparing different places, with some real information embedded in the text.

Week 10

 This week is full of lots of learning, and some fun changes, as well!  We'll start off the week in groups for the first time.  I'm excited to see how this changes how they can work together and positively impact each other's learning in this new arrangement!  We also have our harvest party at the end of the week!

Christian Studies: 
This week in Christian Studies, we'll learn about Moses striking the rock to get water.  While we oftentimes see this only as a reminder that God will provide for His people, we often miss the fact that Moses was disobedient, striking the rock, rather than speaking to the rock, as God had instructed him.  We'll discuss God's faithfulness, despite our disobedience.  We'll also talk about the fall of Jericho and discuss how God defeats our enemies and fears.

Math:
This week in math we'll finish off our module on different ways to show numbers.  We'll practice showing numbers in hundreds, tens, and ones, and then we'll show the same numbers with just tens and ones.  We'll practice reading and writing numbers, focusing on place value.  On Friday we'll start our new module on using place value by counting within 1,000.

Language Arts:
This week's phonics concept is the sound |oy|, spelled "oi" and "oy."  We'll discuss the word "diphthong" and practice spelling words with these diphthongs.

We'll also be looking at poetry, focusing on not only the topic of the poetry, but also the word choices the poet made.  We'll check for understanding and formulate complete sentences to answer questions about our text.  We'll also explain patterns and structures found in poetry.

Social Studies:
Now that our first science unit is finished, we'll dive into Social Studies!  This first unit is on geography, and we'll start by defining "community" and identifying different purposes of places and people in a community.  We'll create a pictoword for "community" and the students will identify different types of communities.

Week 9

We’re back to a normal, full week of school!  With the fall weather rolling in, I’m encouraging the students to dress in layers.  It’ll be important for them to bring a jacket each day (I suggest a waterproof jacket).  If they have gloves or hats, I recommend labeling them with their last name, as those are easy to lose.

Christian Studies:
This week in Christian Studies we’ll keep moving through the Old Testament, this time looking at the Israelites disobeying God and making a golden calf to worship (while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the 10 commandments)!  We’ll discuss God’s forgiveness, even when we don’t deserve it.  We’ll also talk about God’s instructions for building the tabernacle.

Math:
This week in math we’ll finish our module on place value and start our next module, which focuses on different ways to show numbers, including expanded form, spelling out the name, and hundreds, tens, and ones.

Language Arts:
This week we’ll review our prior phonics concepts: 3-letter blends, schwa, and Bossy R combinations (-er, -ir, -ur).  We’ll be practicing words from these concepts throughout the week, and the spelling words for the week will come directly from our practices.

In reading we get a chance to look at a different genre: poetry.  We’ll talk about rhythm and word choice, and we’ll check our reading for understanding.

Science:
We’ll be finishing up our science unit on land and water on Earth this week.  We’ll be making a map of our models, then checking the maps of others to help the improve their map.  Then we’ll show what we have learned about land and water on Earth.

Week 8

We have a short week this week, but it’ll be full!  We have a full day of school on Monday and Tuesday.  No school Wednesday through Friday.

Christian Studies:
This week in Christian Studies we’ll learn about the 10 commandments that God gave the Israelites.  We’ll learn the order of the commandments and what they mean, as well as how to apply them in our lives.

Math:
This week in math we’ll represent numbers with hundreds, tens, and ones, and we’ll practice place value to 1,000.  This module is designed to give the students a solid mastery of place value.

Language Arts:
We’ll have no phonics concept this week.  Next week we’ll review the phonics concepts we’ve had so far this year.

Science:
This week in science we’ll study some maps from around the world and from history.  We’ll look at the symbols that were used in those maps, and then the students will create their own legend to make their own maps of their models.  They’ll make their maps next week.