Week 24

We're back to an almost-normal week, and we have a lot on the docket this week!

Math:
We'll be reviewing adding with regrouping (aka "carrying the one"), and we'll start on subtraction with regrouping (aka "borrowing").  We'll list the steps for both addition and subtraction, and we'll be spending lots of time practicing going through each step.  The more they practice the steps in order, the easier it will become.  Here are the steps that we're using:

Addition:
1.  Add the ones
2.  Regroup, if needed (10+)
3.  Add the tens

Subtraction:
1.  Look at the ones
2.  Regroup, if needed (top # is less than bottom #)
3.  Subtract the ones
4.  Subtract the tens

Language Arts:
This week we'll be using our language arts time for a big writing piece.  We've read two stories about kids who have made decisions about money.  In Alexander, Who Used to be Rich Last Sunday we read about Alexander's poor decisions about money.  In A Chair for My Mother, we read about the little girl and her family's decision to save to buy a chair.  The second graders will create a character who makes a decision about money. They'll write a story with a couple of events, using signal words (i.e., first, next, then) to signify the sequence of events.  They'll go through the writing process to prewrite, write a draft, revise, edit, and publish their writing.

Christian Studies:
We're into the start of Jesus' ministry in Christian Studies!  This week we'll be talking about Jesus and Zaccheus.  We'll focus on Jesus' grace and forgiveness, and the way our hearts can change when we're forgiven.  We'll also talk about Jesus stilling the storm, and we'll connect that miracle to how Jesus can still the storms (or fears) in our lives.

Science:
We've learned about some of the things a plant needs to survive.  This week we'll be looking at pollination and how plants can reproduce.  We'll be examining bees and why they're such good pollinators, and then the students will design and build their own pollination gadget, using their knowledge of bees and pollination.

Art:
In art we'll learn about Thomas Kinkade and the style of his artwork.  Then the kids will create their own masterpiece, inspired by Thomas Kinkade's artwork.