WE have Sunny Days in our Second Grade!

We love teaching your students-even on days like last Friday when the rain just POURED down on all of us! We had been reading about "Henry and Mudge" camping, and making S'mores for our Friday Fun-day activity. It was a crazy day!
  This week we will be going for a "Walk in the Desert" lets hope the weather cooperates!

Second Grade Weekly Study Skills

Unit 1, Week 4 (A Walk in the Desert)

Below are the skills and vocabulary we will be working on for the next 5 days.  (*Please note: our literacy lessons are based on 5-day plans that may or may not align with a M-F schedule. In an effort to teach the entire grade level core, we will send home the “weekly study skills” on the day that we begin a new 5-day instructional sequence.)  You can support your child’s literacy skills by reviewing, discussing, and practicing the skills and concepts below:

Big Idea/Big Question (This is the theme of our unit in class.)	Question of the Week (This is the theme/question for this week’s instruction in class.)
Exploration:  What can we learn from exploring new places and things?	What can we learn by exploring the desert?
Phonics Skills (These are the letters and sounds we are learning in class.)	Spelling Patterns and associated Words (These patterns connect to our phonics skills we are learning this week.)
Base Words and Endings –s, -ed,    -ing	Base Words and Endings –s, -ed,    -ing dropped   dropping   excited   exciting   hugged   hugging   lifted   lifting   smiled   smiling   talked   talking
High Frequency Words (These reading words should be practiced and memorized.)	Story Words (These reading words are words from this week’s main selection.)
animals   early   eyes   full   warm   water	cactus   climate   coyote   desert   harsh
Oral Vocabulary (Try using these words in your conversations at home.)	Handwriting Practice (Students can practice the writing of these letters in manuscript this week.)
arid   dunes   extinct   forbidding   haven   landform   ledge   precipitation	Ff, Bb, Ll

Welcome to the Third Week of Reading Street!

This week is going to be great! We get to read some fabulous books about two beloved second grade friends...Henry and Mudge. Thanks to the volunteers who are coming in to help in centers this week.

Second Grade Weekly Study Skills

Unit 1, Week 3 (Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night)

Below are the skills and vocabulary we will be working on for the next 5 days.  (*Please note: our literacy lessons are based on 5-day plans that may or may not align with a M-F schedule. In an effort to teach the entire grade level core, we will send home the “weekly study skills” on the day that we begin a new 5-day instructional sequence.)  You can support your child’s literacy skills by reviewing, discussing, and practicing the skills and concepts below:

Big Idea/Big Question (This is the theme of our unit in class.)	Question of the Week (This is the theme/question for this week’s instruction in class.)
Exploration:  What can we learn from exploring new places and things?	What can we discover by exploring nature?
Phonics Skills (These are the letters and sounds we are learning in class.)	Spelling Patterns and associated Words (These patterns connect to our phonics skills we are learning this week.)
Consonant Blends	Consonant Blends ask   brave   breeze   clip   hand   mask   nest   state   stop   strap   stream   twin
High Frequency Words (These reading words should be practiced and memorized.)	Story Words (These reading words are words from this week’s main selection.)
bear   build   couldn’t   father   love   mother   straight	drooled   lanterns   shivered   snuggled
Oral Vocabulary (Try using these words in your conversations at home.)	Handwriting Practice (Students can practice the writing of these letters in manuscript this week.)
detective   fascinating   fledglings   galaxy   secure   slimy   tranquil   wildlife	Ee, Ss

Second Week of Reading Street

     Last week our story was called, "The Twin Club" about two boys who look like twins and make a club. We need a "Triplet Club" for our friends last Friday...:)

Here is the skills sheet for our next week of school...Second Grade Weekly Study Skills

Unit 1, Week 2 (Exploring Space with an Astronaut)

Below are the skills and vocabulary we will be working on for the next 5 days.  (*Please note: our literacy lessons are based on 5-day plans that may or may not align with a M-F schedule. In an effort to teach the entire grade level core, we will send home the “weekly study skills” on the day that we begin a new 5-day instructional sequence.)  You can support your child’s literacy skills by reviewing, discussing, and practicing the skills and concepts below:

Big Idea/Big Question (This is the theme of our unit in class.)	Question of the Week (This is the theme/question for this week’s instruction in class.)
Exploration:  What can we learn from exploring new places and things?	What can we learn by exploring space?
Phonics Skills (These are the letters and sounds we are learning in class.)	Spelling Patterns and associated Words (These patterns connect to our phonics skills we are learning this week.)
Long vowels:  vowel_e   (VCe)	Long vowels:  vowel_e blaze   fine   huge   late   mice   nose   page   race   rice   size   space   vote
High Frequency Words (These reading words should be practiced and memorized.)	Story Words (These reading words are words from this week’s main selection.)
everywhere   live (/liv/)   machines   move   woman   work   world	astronaut   experiment   gravity   shuttle   telescope
Oral Vocabulary (Try using these words in your conversations at home.)	Handwriting Practice (Students can practice the writing of these letters in manuscript this week.)
ascend   descend   enormous   journey   launch   meteorite   orbit   universe	Gg, Cc

WE had a great first week of school! Your students are all "smart cookies!" We made clay cookies to demonstrate our determination to meet our goals this year. They should be done by Friday.
   Thanks for all of the support at Back-to-School Night. It was fun for me to meet the family that goes with your child. I understand here are a lot of other commitments too, so the information went home in their Friday Folders. Here is a recap:
     1. We use the planners to write messages on the left side (you can write on the right) Spelling words will be written in it on Monday. (They can also be found in the Homework section of this blog...short vowels this week) Please jot down your child's reading minutes on the calendar page. right now we are on page 11.
     2. Math Packet is the homework for the month. Do a page or 2 every day to review math facts. This one is due by October 1st.
     3. I am glad to see so many students kept reading over the summer. 20 minutes a day is our goal.
     4. If you are available to be a parent helper, we need you from 9:55-10:55. Monday is full, but there are openings on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. It won't be for a few weeks, just let me know if you are available.Thanks!
   I am looking forward to another great week! You'll see a spelling pretest tomorrow.

Second Grade Weekly Study Skills

Unit 1, Week 1 (The Twin Club)

Below are the skills and vocabulary we will be working on for the next 5 days.  (*Please note: our literacy lessons are based on 5-day plans that may or may not align with a M-F schedule. In an effort to teach the entire grade level core, we will send home the “weekly study skills” on the day that we begin a new 5-day instructional sequence.)  You can support your child’s literacy skills by reviewing, discussing, and practicing the skills and concepts below:

Big Idea/Big Question (This is the theme of our unit in class.)	Question of the Week (This is the theme/question for this week’s instruction in class.)
Exploration:  What can we learn from exploring new places and things?	What can we learn by exploring different communities?
Phonics Skills (These are the letters and sounds we are learning in class.)	Spelling Patterns and associated Words (These patterns connect to our phonics skills we are learning this week.)
Short vowels and consonants	Short vowels and consonants: rock   list   desk   job   sad   chop  sack  tag  rib   mess   dust   drum
High Frequency Words (These reading words should be practiced and memorized.)	Story Words (These reading words are words from this week’s main selection.)
beautiful   country   friend   front   someone   somewhere	cousins   meadow   parents   promise
Oral Vocabulary (Try using these words in your conversations at home.)	Handwriting Practice (Students can practice the writing of these letters in manuscript this week.)
downy  founders  investigate  muttered  perch  rural  unanimous  urban	Aa, Dd, Oo,

Welcome to a Brand-NEW year!

I had a great summer visiting with my grandchildren, and now I am so excited to spend the year learning with your sweet children! Second grade is a fun year and I think we are off to a great start!

   This week we have done a few parts of the new reading program as the students settle in. Next week we will really start working on "The Twin Club" and explore what communities are like in rural, suburban and urban areas. No spelling test this week-I will post the homework for spelling over the weekend and the test will be next Friday.

   We have been doing placement testing and reviewing math concepts this week. I have the first math homework packet ready to go home on Thursday (Back-to-School Night) and will send it home Friday for those of you who are unable to attend. The students have until the end of September to complete this homework. Most of it is easy review of first grade. The 5 sticker reward is a great motivator!!

   I have really enjoyed these first few days. Our class is adorable and I look forward to a great year!