Dear Parents,

I hope you all had a great weekend. Here is a quick look at the second week of our third quarter. It is actually the 20^th week of school. I am half way through calling all parents. For some, I left a voice message. Please, feel free to call me back any time after school. I will continue phone calls this week.

LANGUAGE ARTS  

SPALDING – We will continue with our spelling list this week. Please, review homework as they come home. This week, we will have only two days of spelling.

List 1: road, rode, ride, March, march, next, indeed, four, herself, power

List 2: wish, because, cause, world, country, meet, meat, another, tripped, trip

List 3: people, ever, held, church, once, one, own, before

READING – READING STRATEGY: In comprehension, students will learn how to identify main idea and supporting details. This is a very important comprehension strategy that students have to know. A good way to support them as they begin learning this strategy, is to begin to ask them questions about main ideas and supporting details after completing their reading.  

POETRY: Title: Our poem this month is “Smart” Author: Shel Silverstein.

We had a wonderful conversation about the meaning of this poem on Friday. Students learned that it is a humorous narrative poem, and they were able to pinpoint particular lines that proved it to be one. This week week, we will focus on the literary elements. This poem will be memorized over the course of 5 weeks. (Each week students will work on one stanza, and build on to what they've learned in subsequent weeks.)

SAYING: To Turn Over a New Leaf means to make a fresh start, to change your behavior or attitude. (In the 16th century people referred to pages in a book as “leaves”. When they turned over a new leaf it meant they were turning to a blank page in a workbook to start a new lesson.) We will appreciate it if you use it at home because children retain sayings when they engage in it through meaningful use.

           

GRAMMAR/VOCABULARY – We will begin learning about adverbs this week. We will review nouns, verbs, pronouns, and adjectives.

WRITING – As we continue working on Writing With Ease, students will continue to develop narration, dictation and copy work skills.

LEVELED READERS - Please, encourage your scholars to take their readings seriously. Some students will begin reading chapter books this quarter. The goal is to phase all students into reading chapter books. All students will continue to do their reflective journals. For some, instead of writing the title of the text, they are expected to write the title of the chapter. Students are expected to hold on to chapter books for two weeks. We do not want them to rush through the books. We want them to form a habit of taking their time to digest the meaning behind every book they read.

MATH

We will continue division by 2s and 3s. Please, continue to work on timed mental math homework for multiplication and division. Please, help us ensure the time (2mins) indicated on the worksheet is adhered to.

SCIENCE

As we continue our unit on insects, we will learn about how insects use their senses. As we come to terms with these learning we will make comparisons with how humans use their different senses.

HISTORY

  In History, we will finish our learning on the Persian war. Please, expect a letter axplainingour culminating activities for our Greece unit. By now, you are aware that your scholars are presenting Greek Myths Reader’s Theatre at the end of this unit. Please, expect more information in the letters coming home tomorrow.

VIRTUE OF THE MONTH - INTEGRITY

solidity and adherence to moral principle and character.

Walk tall in TRUTH

“I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”

                                                                                    - George Washington

Announcements

• There will be no handwriting tutoring anymore after school because we have finished learning how to write the alphabets and numbers. Now that your child knows the art, we will continue to encourage them to put in their best effort at all times.
• We will resume guided reading and Math groups this week. I look forward to seeing all our wonderful parent volunteers.
• We will have Math Tutoring on Tuesday after school at 2:50-320pm.
• Please, if you have any area of expertise that corresponds with what we are learning in any subject area, feel free to contact me about doing a presentation to the class.
• Second grade will have a Greek Festival (More on this to come home).
• Our wish list is still active

- Kleenex

- Sani hand wipes for kids

- Chapter books

Have a great week.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Toyin and Ms. Peterson