10/29 - 11/2

Learning what a paragraph IS!

Multiplication - GROUPS OF - hands on!

Arrays with multiplication

Important Dates

1. Wednesday, October 31st: Dress Like Your Favorite Literary Character Day
2. Friday, November 2nd: Half Day
3. Wednesday, November 14^th: Part 2 of Simple Machines Project Due
4. Thursday, November 15^th: Fall Concert

A Look in the Classroom

1. ELA: This week we will be finishing up our study of the types of verbs by taking a closer look at helping verbs. We will continue to find the main idea and detail in texts we read. This will help to solidify our understanding of the parts of a paragraph. In writing, we will practice the first part of the writing process: brainstorming. We will be using a variety of graphic organizers to help develop our big ideas and supporting details.
2. History: We will look at several important inventions that China is famous for including silk, porcelain, and fireworks. Also, we will have a discussion about Chinese New Year, be on the lookout for some fun dragon masks coming home!
3. Science: We will create a model of a cell Monday using the cookie supplies! Students  will  understand  the  contributions  that  Anton  van  Leeuwenhoek  made  to  the  field  of  microbiology and take an open notes cell quiz in class.
4. Math Objectives: Review Arrays from last week
   1. Review multiplication and introduce division (word problems)
   2. Use objects or drawings to solve word problems that  involve multiplication 
   3. Divide by sharing equally in a given number of groups 
   4. Write division equations 
   5. Solve simple word problems that involve sharing
   6. Divide by grouping by specified number to find the number of groups 
   7. Solve simple word problems that involve grouping 
   8. Use rectangular arrays to relate division to multiplication. 
   9. Write division and multiplication equations for a given set of equal groups 

Assessments

1. Thursday: Cell Quiz
2. Friday: Spelling Test

Please reach out if there is anything I can help with.

Partnering with you,

Miss Hadley & Mr. Edmondson 

10/22 - 10/26

Greetings Parents!

 

It was such a pleasure to meet with all of you for conferences and discuss your kiddo’s progress. I am greatly looking forward to a growing Quarter 2! Here is a look at the week ahead.

• The following resources I referred several families to during our conference meeting. Plese see below for the phonogram sound app, shurley grammar resource, and one (more to come) math fact fluency online game:

Math Fact Extra: https://www.factmonster.com/math/flashcards
 Spalding Phonogram Sound App/Help: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.spalding.phonograms

 ^Copy and paste the link to check out this App for your Phone!

Great tool to change up nightly practice of the 70 phonograms! 

Please practice the phonograms your child struggles with (about 20-30) each night from your phonogram cards. Check out the Spalding website for more resources! I have the link in the left side bar column of the blog.

Grammar Resource:
Question and Answer Flow

In the Question and Answer Flow, an oral series of questions and answers determines the role each word plays in the sentence being analyzed. This is a classroom activity in which the teacher either

leads, or supervises while a student leads. In this way, students are able to completely analyze the sentence. The Q&A flow includes questions for every word in the sentence. The difficulty level increases by grade level during the course of the year.

Sample Question and Answer Flow: 

The bears ran to the woods.

1. What ran to the woods? bears – SN (subject noun)

2. What is being said about bears? bears ran – V (Verb)

3. To – P (Prepostion)

4. To what? woods – OP (Object of the Preposition)

5. The - A (Article)

6. The - A

Classified Sentence:

A       SN    V   P  A       OP

The bears ran to the woods.

The effectiveness of the Question and Answer Flow as a teaching technique is based upon several

key elements:

♦Each part of speech is analyzed within the context of the whole sentence. Parts of speech are never studied in isolated units.

♦Once a concept is introduced, it is never left behind. As each concept is learned, it is repeatedly applied in daily exercises throughout the year.

♦Much of the students’ work is done in a group environment. This approach provides immediate feedback to the students in a non-threatening way. Students are able to learn, using not only

visual but also auditory and kinesthetic learning styles. When students see, hear, and say their answers, retention increases

GREAT Grammar RESOURCE!!!
For more grammar help! See: 

https://www.shurley.com/pdf/parent_help/Parent_Help_Booklet_Level_2.pdf

Important Dates

1.     Picture Retake Day October 23rd; If your student was absent on picture day you can order with your Picture ID at mylifetouch.com  Picture ID# SR568042Q1 or just want to retake your picture, simply return your original package on Picture Retake Day.   Please email your child’s teacher by Monday, Oct. 22^nd to let them know your child will need to have their picture taken on Retake day so we won’t miss them.

2.     Fall Concert Thursday, November 15^th. Please see class blog for further details: http://hadleysecond.blogspot.com/

A Look in the Classroom

1.     ELA: We are going to dive deeper into our study of linking verbs. Our instruction on paragraph writing will begin as we learn the parts of a paragraph. As we transition into paragraph writing, please make sure you students are consistently writing in complete sentences. Also, we will be learning about how to find the main idea and details in what we read. Our next poem is going home Monday 10/22. Please have your scholar study our new poem "Something Told the Wild Geese" by Rachel Field nightly. Poems will be recited on Friday, November 9th. 

2.     Science: Students will be labeling the parts of animal cells and plant cells. We will be building a cookie model of a cell, please look out for help requests soon!  Additionally, students will explain how cells and tissues work together in the body.

3.     History: Delving further into our beautiful Ancient China unit, we will discuss The Great Wall, The Chinese and their Ancestors, Chinese writing, and the teachings of Confucius. 

4.     Measurement assessment Monday 
New Unit (4): Multiplication 
-Write multiplication equations for equal groups 
-Use repeated addition to evaluate a multiplication equation 
-Multiply a number by another 
-Use rectangular arrays to illustrate multiplication 
-Write two related multiplication equations 

Assessments

1.     Monday: Length Assessment

2.     Friday: Spelling Test

Please reach out if there is anything I can help with!

 

Partnering with you,

Concert - Save the date

Greetings, Archway Lincoln Parents and Guardians!

 

Believe it or not, the fourth annual, mandatory Archway Lincoln Fall Concert is fast approaching. It will be held on           

  Thursday, November 15^th

at the

Higley Center for the Performing Arts

4132 E. Pecos Road Gilbert, AZ 85295.

 

The K-2 concert will be 5:30-6:30 p.m. with students arriving at 5:00 p.m.

 

 

Attire for concerts is as follows:

Boys: White dress shirt, black pants, black dress shoes, and black socks. Hair should be combed neatly.

Girls: White top, black skirt (black tights optional), or black dress pants, and black dress shoes. Hair should be styled neatly.

Working with your children is a delight and privilege. I look forward to enjoying this beautiful event with you. If you have any questions, please reach out to me at rboswell@archwaylincoln.org

Thank You,

Rachel Boswell

K-2 Music Teacher │Archway Lincoln Classical Academy

https://archwaylincolnmusick2.blogspot.com

 

Reminder: Sign up for Parent Teacher Conferences

http://signup.com/go/mXhRqBk
(The link was sent out Friday, Sept. 28 via email and blog, but in case you missed it!)

If there are not any available time slots that work for you, please reach out to me and I'll try to accommodate your schedule!

Partnering with you,

10/17 - 10/19

Welcome back! I am greatly looking forward to a growing quarter two!

Announcements

1. We will be reading Cricket in Times Square and Sarah Plain and Tall for quarter 2. We will begin reading Cricket in Times Square as soon as we return from Fall Break, please send your kiddo in with their copy the first day back.

2. The second grade team has sent home the guidelines for our Simple Machines Winter Project. The first part is due October 24th. Fall Break is R and R, but we have sent it home early in case any families would like to get a head start. The project outline can be found here. Part one of the assignment can be found here.

A Look in the Classroom

1. ELA: We are starting off the quarter in writing by learning about the writing process. We will be introducing helping and linking verbs. We will also be learning how to determine what information is important as we read.

2. History: In History we are introducing our Ancient China unit with The Tale of the Four Dragons and discuss the two most important rivers China's civilization grew around.

3. Science: We will start our human body unit! Initial instruction will be on cells.

4. Math: Our Math objectives are as follows:

    - Review units of measurement

    - Review place value concepts

    - Review subtraction and addition within 1,000

    - Review measurement of length

    - Review Renaming 2 digit and 3 digit subtraction and additional equations

Coffee Talk Success and Thanks!

The Socratic "Coffee Talk" was a success thanks to our wonderful Parent Volunteers! 

Thank you so much for the Boxcar Children Themed food donations and supplies (cups/napkins etc)! Special thanks to our liaisons and to the moms who attended and served today the children their Literature based snacks.

 

We have now fully completed The Boxcar Children book 1. This is a series, if you are interested in ordering more for your scholar. 

Report Cards

 ^{Quarter 1 Evaluations will be posted on Friday, October 12 at 3 p.m.}

Grades
I know many of you are new to Great Hearts, so I wanted to take a minute to outline a few things about the grading system, specifically for 2nd grade. 
  
 N/A = skill has not been covered in Quarter 1


 In Kinder-2nd grade we do not assign numeric or alphabetic grades. Instead, you will see a scale like the one below:

1  Below Grade Level Expectations

2  Inconsistently shows Grade Level Expectations

3  Meets Grade Level Expectations   

4  Exceeds Grade Level Expectations

You will then see a long list of various learning standards that will be assigned one of these numbers.  
Quick note:
Some of our children have a natural tendency to be dissatisfied with a 3 "meeting grade level expectations" because it is not considered the best. Please help them understand that their mastery, at any level and any pace, is one to be celebrated. Help them find the positive and excitement in learning- if their natural bent is toward perfectionism. 
 

 

Your child has been leveled for reading. You will receive your child's level within their grade checklist. Please see below for defined reading stages (EE, UE, EF, F) and what books are available at your child's level for a-z reading (also will be noted for you at conferences).

A-Z Levels (Reading) 

Titles and Author / Books available at each level: 
http://www.archwaychandler.org/academics/reading-stages

Reading Stages Defined (Guided Reading Level)

Early Emergent (EE):
 Reader understands concepts of print and basic punctuation, can identify and name letters, is able to match sounds with letters, recognizes some high frequency words, uses illustrations for meaning and uses finger or marker to point to text.

Upper Emergent (UE):
Reader sub-vocalizes or often reads aloud, reads word by word pausing at unfamiliar words, recognizes many words immediately, is beginning to use a few decoding strategies to problem solve new words and uses one or more strategies to gain meaning.

Early Fluent (EF):
Reader is beginning to read silently with independence, uses a variety of strategies to gain meaning, is able to recognize many familiar words, uses story and text structure with guidance to establish meaning and is beginning to read a variety of materials for different purposes.

Fluent (F):
Reads silently with independence and aloud with expression and fluency, selects a variety of texts and more difficult materials, uses a variety of strategies to read unfamiliar words, comprehends and self-corrects to gain meaning, summarizes and makes meaningful predictions and self-selects and enjoys books of interest and variety.