2nd Grade Blog

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The unit 6 math open response and written assessment will be administered on Tuesday, 2/9, and Wednesday, 2/10 respectively. Please continue to refer to the review portion below to assist your child.

Students will not have school on 2/11, 2/12 and 2/15 due to a professional development day for staff, Lincoln’s birthday, and President’s day.

The PTO has chosen the theme for this year for Black History Month. It is “Extraordinary African-Americans throughout History.” The fair will be held Friday, February 26, 2010 beginning at 5:30 p.m. The second grade classes will focus on the Harlem Renaissance. The students will learn about art, music and literature from this period. We will collaborate with the fine arts teacher, Mr. Brown, to create paintings and learn music for a presentation the night of the fair. Room 106 will be turned into a Harlem Renaissance Salon during the fair. If you are able to volunteer with your child’s class, please let us know.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the DIBELS and the Reading 3D Mid-year Benchmark tests each day during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Administer the Mid-year Benchmark for Reading 3D.
- Writing Conferences
- Guided Reading
There will not be a spelling test for this short week.

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Making Connections
- Students listen to the author read the poem “Mommies” by Nikki Giovanni.
- Teachers guide and provide opportunities for students to make connections during the read aloud.
Writing: Contrasting Ordinary and Poetic Language
This session will point out that poets use comparisons and artful language to convey a sound, an image, an observation, an idea (almost anything!).
-Teachers think-aloud how to analyze the poem using clues given by the author. Explain the author’s intention of conveying her strong feelings through poetic language to capture the reader’s reactions.
- Students use the read-aloud as a model for their writing of poems, which convey strong feelings.
- Students compose a 6- to 8-line poem.

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Making Connections
- Students listen to the author read the poem “The Reason I Like Chocolate” by Nikki Giovanni.
- Teachers guide and provide opportunities for students to make connections during the read aloud.
Writing: Contrasting Ordinary and Poetic Language
This session will point out that poets use comparisons and artful language to convey a sound, an image, an observation, an idea (almost anything!)
- Students share knee-to-knee feelings evoked from the poem through the author’s use of poetic language.
- Teachers and students make diagram to show things/activities they like and what feelings are evoked by the events.
- Students compose a short free-verse poem using the diagram we created.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Making Connections
- Students listen to the author read the poem “Trips” by Nikki Giovanni.
- Teachers guide and provide opportunities for students to make connections during the read aloud.
Writing: Stretching Out a Comparison (Sustaining a Metaphor)
This lesson teaches students that poets stay with and develop their comparisons.
- Students brainstorm personal experiences about how their perceptions of a given situation are different from those of their parents’. Students share knee-to-knee in pairs.
- Scribes chart students’ ideas as support for independent writing.
- Students write a short poem to describe their experiences.

Math:
6. 10 Division Stories
To guide students as they explore situations that require equal sharing or making equal groups of things
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Modeling Equal-Sharing Number Stories (Whole-Class Activity)
- Modeling Equal-Grouping Number Stories (Whole-Class Activity)
- Solving Division Number Stories (Partner Activity)
Differentiate Instruction:
- Students work in assigned pairs solving division stories using counters.
- Readiness: Sharing Cookies Equally

Unit 6 Review:
- Write the time to the quarter hour.
- Solve a parts-and-total situation using a given diagram (e.g. M has 5 cookies, L has 3. How many total?)
- Complete the “What’s My Rule?” table.
- Use the >, <, and = symbols.
- Making ballpark estimates of exact answers (e.g. 57-29=? The ballpark estimate is 60-30=30)
- Solving problems by drawing arrays (e.g. 4 packages of pencils. 3 pencils in each package. How many pencils?)
- Solve a comparison situation using a given diagram (e.g. Jim is 12 years old, Anita is 4 years old. How much older is Jim?)
- Solving 2-digit subtraction problems by using the Trade-First algorithm (e.g. 51- 24=? Students should rewrite 51 as 4 longs and 11 cubes, then they can take away 2 longs and 4 cubes.)

Unit 6 Open Response
- Solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of 2-digit whole numbers.
- Write and solve number sentences involving addition and subtraction.

Unit 6 Written Assessment

Science
What Is an Environment?
Objectives & Reading Focus Skill:
- Draw conclusions about why animals live in certain places.
- Know that there are many different kinds of animals living in different environments.
- Understand that living things adapt to their environments in order to survive.
- Main Idea and Details
- Look for details about where animals and plants live.

Introduce the lesson by building on students’ prior knowledge. Read and discuss vocabulary. Students investigate to find out about how energy flows. They read and learn about environments.

Social Studies:
- Interactive Read Aloud: Abe Lincoln Remembers (Part 2) by Ann Turner
- Guide students to compare/contrast between Washington and Lincoln using a Venn diagram.

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang and LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The second quarter ended on Friday, 1/29. Please look for your child’s report card, which will be distributed on Wednesday, 2/3. We would appreciate if you would return the signed report card envelope by Monday, 2/8.

The unit 6 math open response and written assessment will be administered on Tuesday, 2/9, and Wednesday, 2/10 respectively. Please refer to the review portion below to assist your child.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the DIBELS and the Reading 3D Mid-year Benchmark tests each day during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Administer the Mid-year Benchmark for Reading 3D.
- Writing Conferences
- Guided Reading
Spelling Words for the Week: ate, brown, float, half, important, line, must, new, show, small
For the week, students will focus on noticing metaphors, imagery, interesting punctuation, phrasing of lines, the voice inherent in the first-person and third-person perspective, rhyming structure and well-chosen verbs.

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Goal of Lesson: Enhance Students’ Understanding and Use of Descriptive Words
- Students will learn that another important ingredient of poetry is using juicy, descriptive language.
Interactive read-aloud: The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Shotter
Word Study: scrumptious, melody, oddball, harmony, luscious, purpose.
Writing:
- Students will begin writing animal poems today. We will revisit some of the animal poems we read in Days 4 and 5.
- Teachers will model how to begin poetry-writing process using mental imagery and descriptive words. Students will be given the choice to write in “first person” (as a persona poem) or “third person.”

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Goal of Lesson: Using Similes, Metaphors and Other Comparative Language
- Students will learn that using comparative language fosters writing about ordinary things in a fresh way.
Interactive read-aloud: Crazy Like a Fox by Loreen Leedy
Word Study: Students will learn to differentiate between similes and metaphors.
Writing:
- Teachers will model for students how similes/metaphors/and other comparisons can be used in poetry by revisiting yesterday’s poem and adding comparative language.
- Students will use independent writing time to revise yesterday’s work by adding comparative language. Students will complete their initial animal poems and write a second animal poem.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Goal of Lesson: Teaching Students to Write Poems About Small Moments with Big Feelings.
Interactive read-aloud: “Three Blind Mice,” “I Chop Parsley While Listening to Art Blakey’s Version of Three Blind Mice,” “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” and “My Dog Sky.”
- Students will engage in open-ended discussion about what each author’s small moment was and the big feeling he or she expressed.
Writing:
- Teacher will model how to write a poem that captures a small moment with a big feeling.
- Students will use shared writing to collaboratively author a poem using a small moment and a big feeling. This will help students to begin to process how to choose what the “big feeling” is and how to translate it to a small moment.

Day 4:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
- Interactive read-aloud: “The Road Not Taken,” “Key Rings,” and “Independence Day.”
- Students will engage in open-ended discussion about what each author’s small moment was and the big feeling he or she expressed.
Writing:
- Goal of Lesson: Continue to Refine Poems about Small Moments with Big Feelings.
- Students will use independent writing time to continue writing small moments poems.
Day 5:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
-Interactive read-aloud: poems from Douglas Florian’s Mammalabilia and Patricia MacLachlin’s Once I Ate a Pie.
Writing:
- Students “fancy up” their poems by editing and publishing. They will illustrate the poems by creating collages.

Math:
6.6 Exploring Arrays, Coins, and Division (2 days)
Objective: To develop readiness for multiplication; to guide students in finding coin combinations equivalent to $1.00; and to explore one meaning of division
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploration A (Table 1, 2, 3): Making Geoboard Arrays (Independent Activity)
- Exploration B: Making a dollar
- Exploration C (Table 4, 5): Finding How Many Children Get n Things

6.7 Multiples of Equal Groups
Objective: To introduce multiplication as a way to find the total number of things in several equal groups
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Review Solving Number Stories about Equal Groups of Things (Whole-Class Activity)
- Solving Number Stories about Equal Groups (Partner Activity)
Differentiate Instruction:
Under teachers’ guidance, students work in assigned pairs solving number stories using counters.
Enrichment: Solving Equal-Groups Riddles

6.8 Multiplication-Array Number Stories
Objective: To introduce everyday examples of rectangular arrays; and to provide experiences with solving multiplication problems using multiplication diagrams and array models
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Identifying Familiar Arrays (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Creating and Solving Number Stories about Arrays (Whole-Class Activity)
- Solving Array Multiplication Problems (Partner Activity)
Differentiate Instruction:
Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group solving number stories using manipulatives.
- Enrichment: Creating Array Number Stories

6.9 Multiplication with Arrays
To introduce everyday examples of arrays, and to provide experiences with solving multiplication problems using multiplication diagrams and array models
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Making x-by-y Arrays (Whole-Class Activity)
- Introducing Array Bingo (Whole-Class Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
- Playing Array Bingo (Partner Activity)
- Enrichment: Finding Arrays

Unit 6 Review (For Wednesday, 2/10):
- Write the time to the quarter hour.
- Solve a parts-and-total situation using a given diagram (e.g. M has 5 cookies, L has 3. How many total?)
- Complete the “What’s My Rule?” table.
- Use the >, <, and = symbols.
- Making ballpark estimates of exact answers (e.g. 57-29=? The ballpark estimate is 60-30=30)
- Solving problems by drawing arrays (e.g. 4 packages of pencils. 3pencils in each package. How many pencils?)
- Solve a comparison situation using a given diagram (e.g. Jim is 12 years old, Anita is 4 years old. How much older is Jim?)
- Solving 2-digit subtraction problems by using the Trade-First algorithm (e.g. 51- 24=? Students should rewrite 51 as 4 longs and 11 cubes, then they can take away 2 longs and 4 cubes.)

Science:
Which Food Occupies the Most Space?
- Students measure out equal weights of the four foods.
- Students observe which of the four foods occupies the most space.
- Students explain the reasons for their observations.
Where Are the Six Marbles? (2 days)
- Students apply a strategy to discover which of five sealed canisters contains six marbles.
- Students discuss the importance of the weight of the empty canister in solving this problem.

Social Studies:
- Discuss and fill in the K and W parts of the KWL chart for what we already about George Washington.
- Interactive Read Aloud: George Washington’s Breakfast by Jean Fritz
- Chart (the L part of KWL) what we learned about George Washington in preparation for next week’s compare/contrast writing assignment between Washington and Lincoln.
- Discuss and fill in the K and W parts of the KWL chart for what we already about Abraham Lincoln
- Interactive Read Aloud: Abe Lincoln Remembers by Ann Turner
- Chart (the L part of KWL) what we learned about Abraham Lincoln in preparation for next week’s compare/contrast writing assignment between Washington and Lincoln.

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang and LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This Friday is the end of the second quarter. There will be no school on that day, as teachers and staff are attending professional development.

The social studies and science quizzes will be administered on Tuesday, 1/26 and 1/27 respectively. We sent home the graded study guides last week. Please refer to them to assist your child.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the DIBELS and the Reading 3D Mid-year Benchmark tests each day during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Administer the Mid-year Benchmark for Reading 3D.
- Writing Conferences
- Guided Reading
Spelling Words for the Week: are, busy, finally, good, here, jump, last, mail, number, said

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Poetry Unit:
Ingredients/Pattern in Poetry
Interactive Read Aloud: Read more Small Poems by Valerie Worth
- Teachers review the concept of recipes/ingredients for cooking to guide the students to understand that there are ingredients in our recipe for writing a poem.
The first ingredients are: Use the eyes of a poet to look at the world closely and carefully, and use the eyes of a poet to look at ordinary things in fresh a, new ways.
- Review with students the idea of patterns in poetry. Discuss how “line breaks” make up a poetic form, that poetry has music, and the music of poetry comes from how words are put on a page.
Writing:
- Students continue to write short poems based upon notes from the objects they explored previously.

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Poetry Unit:
Ingredients/Pattern in Poetry
Interactive Read Aloud: A pyramid poem entitled “Hedgehog” by Mrs. Reino
Writing:
- Teachers explain the format for writing a pyramid poem through a shared-writing activity:
(1) Start with a noun on the first line. (2) Repeat the noun but add an adjective for the second line. (3) Write the same adjective and noun followed by a verb (ing form). (4) The next line is the adjective, noun, and verb followed by an adverb. (5) Students end their poems with a question or an exclamation.
- Students share knee-to-knee with a partner to brainstorm of ideas to write.
Interactive Read Aloud: Feathers for Lunch by Lois Ehlert
- Teachers guide students to identify and chart “juicy words” from the story and from students’ input.
- Each student selects a subject for his/her poem and structures the poem on a graphic organizer as a rough draft. Students are reminded to utilize “juice words” for their poems.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Poetry Unit:
Understanding and Creating Mental Imagery
Interactive Read Aloud: “The Whale” from beast feast by Douglas Florian (Read a 3 or 4 times)
Writing:
- Students draw an image of how they see the poem and write text that inspires their drawing.
- Students buddy share their drawings and thinking.
- Reread the poem. Have students incorporate the feedback they receive from buddy sharing. Ask if they would change the drawing to reflect how they see it now.
- Students compose a poem about an animal of choice using the pyramid poem format. They may write additional animal poems using other formats.

Day 4:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Poetry Unit: Understanding “Voice” in Poetry
- Explain to students that voice is sometimes considered the “personality of the poem” and that using a “clear voice” is also an important ingredient in writing a poem. Add “voice” to the “Recipe for Writing a Poem” chart.
- Use the following categories to explain “first” and “third” person: (1) Person is telling a story vs. poem is about a story. (2) Animal is telling a story vs. poem is about an animal. (3) Object is telling a story vs. poem is about an object.
- Differentiate categories for students through interactive read-alouds illustrating each category. Make “Telling” and “about” charts.
Interactive Read Aloud:
(1)“Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Day” by Robert Frost vs. “A Girl’s Garden” by Robert Frost (2) “Once I Ate a Pie” by Patricia MacLachlin vs. “Dog” by Valerie Worth (3) “Now You Need Me” by Virginia Hamilton vs. “Coat Hangers” by Valerie Worth
Writing:
- Teachers model how to write a poem using a first or third person “voice”.
- Students share knee-to-knee with a partner to brainstorm of ideas to write.
- Students compose a poem using a first or third person “voice” in pyramid poem format. They may write additional poems using other formats.

Math:
6.2 Comparison Number Stories
Objective: To introduce comparison number stories by using comparison diagrams
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Solving Comparison Number Stories (Whole-Class Discussion)
Differentiated Instruction:
- Solving Comparison Number Stories (Partner Activity)

6.3 Data Day: The Four Food Groups
Objective: To provide experiences with collecting, sorting, tallying, and graphing data
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Collecting Data on Favorite Food (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing the Favorite-Food Data Table (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Making a Bar Graph of the Favorite-Food Data (Whole-Class Activity)
Differentiate Instruction: Students survey and tally collected data to create a bar graph.

6.4 Mixed Addition and Subtraction Stories
Objective: To guide students in selecting and completing an appropriate diagram to help solve an addition or subtraction problem
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Selecting Diagrams and Solving Number Stories (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group solving number stories using manipulatives. Teachers tailor the numbers to meet the students’ ability.

6.5 Modeling Subtraction with Base-10 Blocks
Objective: To review solution strategies for subtraction of 2-digit numbers
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Using Base-10 Blocks to Model Subtraction (Whole-Class Activity)
- Solving Subtraction Problems (Partner Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
Under teachers’ guidance, students work in assigned pairs solving number stories using base-10 blocks.
- Enrichment: Analyzing a Subtraction Strategy

Science:
- Using the beam balance, students explore weighing to review for the quiz.
- Students take a multiple choice/true and false quiz about balancing.

Describing the Four Foods (Day 1)
For the next four lessons, students will apply their comparing and weighing skills to solve problems that involve four foods of varying weights, shapes, and sizes. Later, they will apply their observations to help explain why equal cupfuls of the four foods have different weights.
- Students observe and describe the properties of four different foods.
- Students record their descriptions of the four foods.
- Students share their observations of the foods and create a class chart.
- Students compare and contrast their observations of the foods.

Social Studies:
- Students will complete a multiple choice/True or false assessment on the Civil Rights Movement.

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Monday, 1/18 is Dr. King Jr.’s birthday observance. There will be no school.

The unit 5 open response and written assessment takes place on Wednesday, 1/20 and Thursday, 1/21 respectively. Please view the information below in the math section to guide your child’s study at home.

The social studies and science quizzes will be administered Tuesday, 1/26 and Wednesday, 1/27 respectively. Study guides will be given to students next week.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the DIBELS and the Reading 3D Mid-year Benchmark tests each day during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Administer the Mid-year Benchmark for Reading 3D.
- Writing Conferences
- Guided Reading
Spelling Words for the Week: away, brother, couldn’t, funny, great, into, knew, listen, please, went

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Poetry Unit
What is a poem?
Interactive Read Aloud:
- Students listen to a poem entitled “Things” read by Eloise Greenfield.
- Teachers and students read together “Things”.
- Teachers and students discuss how our expression and patterns are different after listening to the author read the poem.
- Teachers introduce the genre of poetry by creating a chart entitled “What is a poem?” based upon the students’ thinking.
Writing:
- Revisit “Things” by Eloise Greenfield and ask students to write a short essay about why they like the poem.

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Poetry Unit
Interactive Read Aloud:
- Teachers and students read Love That Dog by Sharon Creech.
- Classes take a Museum Poetry Walk reading selected poems from our read-aloud.
- Teachers revisit the “What is a poem?” chart and revise the chart based upon what was learned during the museum walk.
- Teachers introduce the concept of recipes/ingredients for cooking to guide the students to understand that there are ingredients in our recipe for writing a poem.
The first ingredients are: Use the eyes of a poet to look at the world closely and carefully, and use the eyes of a poet to look at ordinary things in fresh, new ways.
Writing:
- Students to select a favorite poem and write a short essay about why they like the poem.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Real Men Read Program
- Assigned Mentors will read, discuss and analyze children’s literature in the second grade classes once every month. Each month a copy of the selected text will be provided to each student. After each unit, the students will bring their copy to add to their home library. We are extremely excited about Real Men Read and look forward to sharing valuable children’s literature with your family.
Writing: Poetry inspired by common objects
- Students explore (seashells, mirrors, pecans, artichokes, and precious rocks) and note characteristics of the objects in order to write a poem.

Day 4:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Poetry Unit
Interactive Read Aloud:
Small Poems by Valerie Worth
- Introduce students to the idea of patterns in poetry. Discuss how “line breaks” make up a poetic form, that poetry has music, and the music of poetry comes from how words are put on a page.
- Model to students how some poems would look written as prose. Then show students the poems the way they were originally written.
- Using word cards and pocket charts, let students experiment with making a poem with line breaks and patterns.
Writing:
- Students write short poems based upon notes from the objects they explored previously.

Math:
Unit 5 Review
- Writing the fact family for any given domino (e.g. 2, 3 the fact family is 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-2=3, 5-3=2)
- Counting in the thousands (2,123; 2,124; 2,125…)
- Ordering numbers in the 100s and 1,000s (from least to greatest)
- Drawing line segments
- Drawing a line segment that is parallel to a given line
- Drawing a line segment that is not parallel to a given line
- Identifying polygons such as hexagon, rhombus, square, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid
- Identifying 3-D shapes such as cone, cylinder, sphere, pyramid, rectangular prism
- Identifying shapes that have lines of symmetry
- Understanding attributes

Math Open Response- For this task, students use triangle pattern blocks to make polygons and figures that are not polygons and to describe why some figures are not polygons.

Unit 5 Written Assessment

6.1 Addition of Three or More Numbers
Objective: To review strategies for solving addition problems, with emphasis on problems having three addends
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Adding Three Numbers in Any Order (Whole-Class Discussion)
Differentiated Instruction:
- Playing Three Addends (Partner Activity)

Science:
Graphing The Weights of the Objects (2 days)
- Students review the information on the data table from the previous lesson.
- Students make bar graphs that show the weights of the six objects.
- Students read about how animals are weighed at the zoo.

Social Studies:
Integrated with Language Arts
- Interactive Read Aloud: Happy Birthday Dr. King by Jean Marzollo
Read and discuss Dr. King’s contributions to society.
- Chart key concepts to assist students to understand the civil rights movement.
- Interactive Read Aloud: The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles. Read and discuss Ruby’s experiences with desegregation, how she struggled and overcame adversities.
- Word study: elementary school, ordered, marshals, anxious, irritable, mobs, persuade

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The science quiz on balancing using the equal-arm balance will be given Thursday, 1/14. A study guide will be sent home on Monday, 1/11.

The math Unit 5 Open Response is on Wednesday, 1/20, a week from this Wednesday, and the written assessment is on Thursday, 1/21. Please refer to the review portion below to assist your child.

Monday, 1/18 is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday observance. There will be no school. Additionally, the end of the second quarter is Friday 1/29. Staff will attend professional development. Students will not have school.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the DIBELS and the Reading 3D Mid-year Benchmark tests each day during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Administer the Mid-year Benchmark for Reading 3D.
- Writing Conferences
- Guided Reading
Spelling Words fro the Week: and, another, back, between, came, different, down, even, find, help

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Predict
- Explain to students that we will be using the pictures and text to predict what will happen, what characters might be thinking, and how the events from the book will lead us.
Interactive Read Aloud: Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson
Word Study: plantation, muslin, chokecherries, jump the broom, straight-boned, picture reading
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to predict during the read aloud.
Writing: Students continue writing family history essays.
- Students present their essays to classmates at table groupings.

Day2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Predict
- Remind students that we are using the pictures and text to predict what will happen, what characters might be thinking, and how the events from the book will lead us.
Interactive Read Aloud: Read and discuss If a Bus Could Talk; The Story of Rosa Parks (p. 1-14) by Faith Ringgold.
Word Study: fare, reserve, instilled, recovered, segregated
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to predict during the read aloud.
Writing: Authors As Mentors (Lucy Calkins and Amanda Hartman)
Revising Endings:
- Teachers will re-explain and model why endings are crucial and should not be rushed through.
- Students continue writing family history essay.
- Students present their essays to classmates at table groupings.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Predict
- Remind students that we are using the pictures and text to predict what will happen, what characters might be thinking, and how the events from the book will lead us.
Interactive Read Aloud: Read and discuss If a Bus Could Talk; The Story of Rosa Parks (p. 15-29) by Faith Ringgold.
Word Study: boycott, oppression, honorary, valiant, unceasing
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to predict during the read aloud.
Writing: Authors As Mentors (Lucy Calkins and Amanda Hartman)
Learning Revision from Authors:
- Teachers will teach students that they can learn from other authors when revising their pieces.
- Students proofread and edit their essays.

Day 4:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Predict
- Remind students that we are using the pictures and text to predict what will happen, what characters might be thinking, and how the events from the book will lead us.
Interactive Read Aloud: Read and discuss My Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King (p. 1-11) by Faith Ringgold.
Word Study: encompassed, prejudice, justice, demonstrators
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to predict during the read aloud.
Writing: Students complete proofreading and editing their essays. They begin to affix their essays onto decorative paper to construct story quilts.
- Students begin constructing their story quilts.

Day 5:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Predict
- Remind students that zwe are using the pictures and text to predict what will happen, what characters might be thinking, and how the events from the book will lead us.
Interactive Read Aloud: Read and discuss My Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King (p. 12-24) by Faith Ringgold.
- Word Study: sermon, resistance, sit-ins
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to predict.
Writing: Students continue constructing their story quilts.

Math:
5.5 Quadrangles (Day 2)
Objective: To guide students as they identify the names and characteristics of various quadrangles, and as they explore similarities and differences among quadrangles
-Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploring Similarities
and Differences among Quadrilaterals (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Making Shapes Out of Triangles and Rectangles (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group to make shapes using triangles and rectangles.

5.6 3-Dimensional Shapes (2 days)
Objective: To guide students as they compare and contrast the characteristics of 3-dimensional shapes
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Reviewing the Names of the Basic 3-Dimensional Shapes (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Discussing Similarities and Differences among Shapes (whole-Class Discussion)
- Starting a Shapes Museum with a Display of 3-Dimensional Objects (Whole-Class Activity)

5.7 Pyramids
Objective: To guide students as they construct pyramids and explore the relationship among the number of faces, edges, and vertices in pyramids
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Constructing a Pyramid Out of Straws (Whole-Class Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
- Constructing Four Kinds of Pyramids Out of Straws (Partner Activity)
- Discussing Pyramid Constructions (Whole-Class Discussion)

5.8 Line Symmetry
Objective: To guide children as they find lines of symmetry in objects and complete drawings to create symmetrical shapes
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Finding Lines of Symmetry (partner Activity)
- Completing Half-Pictures of Templates Shapes (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group folding cutout shapes to find lines of symmetry.

Unit 5 Review
- Writing the fact family for any given domino (e.g. 2, 3 the fact family is 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-2=3, 5-3=2)
- Counting in the thousands (2,123; 2,124; 2,125…)
- Ordering numbers in the 100s and 1,000s (from least to greatest)
- Drawing line segments
- Drawing a line segment that is parallel to a given line
- Drawing a line segment that is not parallel to a given line
- Identifying polygons such as hexagon, rhombus, square, rectangle, triangle, trapezoid
- Identifying 3-D shapes such as cone, cylinder, sphere, pyramid, rectangular prism
- Identifying shapes that have lines of symmetry
- Understanding attributes

Math Open Response
- For this task, students use triangle pattern blocks to make polygons and figures that are not polygons and to describe why some figures are not polygons.

Science:
Equal-arm Balance
- Developing Strategies for Placing Objects in Serial Order: Challenge students to apply their comparing skills to develop strategies for placing objects in serial order from lightest to heaviest.
- Placing Six Objects in Serial Order: Challenge students to expand and refine their comparison-making strategies. Students determine where to place two new objects in the serial order of the original four objects from the previous lesson.
- Review: Using the beam balance, students explore weighing to review for the quiz.
- Equal-arm balance quiz: Students take a multiple choice/true and false quiz about the beam balance on Thursday 1/14.

Social Studies:
America’s Journey to Freedom and the Civil Rights Movement (Integrated with Language Arts)

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We hope that you will have a wonderful and restful winter break and a Happy New Year.

During the winter break, the second grade students are expected to interview a parent or grandparent about their family history. The interview could include family origins, traditions, and experiences unique to your own family. Here are some examples of questions that students may pose:

- Where are my grandparents/parents from?
- Why did my family move to Chicago?
- Does our family have any traditions? What are the traditions?
- Please describe any life experiences (achievements, hardships, special events).

When school resumes on January 4, please make sure your child is ready to share the vivid details of their family history. The interview information will support your child’s writing for their story quilt.

Students will be given a social studies quiz on Friday, 1/08. A study guide will be sent home on Monday, 1/04 to help your child study.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the DIBELS and the Reading 3D Mid-year Benchmark tests each day during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided Reading
- Writing conferences
Spelling Words for the Week: fall, got, hurt, light, much, own, shall, start, today, try

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Inferences
- Explain to students that inferences are something we create in our minds when we notice clues and think about what those clues might mean.
Interactive Read Aloud:
Read and discuss Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold.
Word Study: flood lights, skyscraper, claim, patronize, cohesive
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to infer.
- Guide students to identify the theme or “big idea” of the story, which is family history, cohesiveness, traditions, or hardships.
- Students will share family interviews from journal writing over the holidays.
Writing: Authors As Mentors (Lucy Calkins and Amanda Hartman)–Discovering Small Moments as Faith Might
- In this session, students will learn that Faith Ringgold finds tiny moments to write about, and students will continue to develop this skill.

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Inferences
Read and discuss Bonjour, Lonnie (pp.1-14) by Faith Ringgold.
Word Study: extraordinary, griffins, gargoyles, perched, opera, jubilant, emancipation, exterminated
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to infer.
Writing: Authors As Mentors-Review Leads
- To raise awareness and knowledge of effective leads, and to include leads as parts of their writing process
- Teachers model think alouds of how to compose an introductory paragraph for the narrative on family history, cohesiveness, traditions, or hardships.
- Students begin the introductions for their narratives.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Inferences
Read and discuss Bonjour, Lonnie (pp.15-28) by Faith Ringgold.
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to infer.
Writing: Authors As Mentors-Review Leads
- To raise awareness and knowledge of effective leads, and to include leads as parts of their writing process
- Teachers model think alouds of how to compose an introductory paragraph for the narrative on family history, cohesiveness, traditions, or hardships.
- Students share work in progress with class.
- Students continue the introductions for their narratives.

Day 4:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Classroom Spelling Bee
Reading Skill: Inferences
Interactive Read Aloud:
Read and discuss Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky (p. 1 – 12) by Faith Ringgold.
Word Study: ramshackle, bedraggled, plantation, quicksand
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to infer.
Writing: Authors As Mentors (Lucy Calkins and Amanda Hartman)–Studying Faith’s Writing: Putting Quotation Marks around Dialogue
- In this session, students will identify and discuss dialogue within the mentor’s text.
- Students share work in progress with the class.
- Students begin the first body paragraphs of their narratives.

Day 5:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Primary Spelling Bee
Reading Skill: Inferences
Interactive Read Aloud:
Read and discuss Aunt Harriet’s Underground Railroad in the Sky (p. 13 – 24) by Faith Ringgold.
Word Study: clapboard, weather-beaten, resounding
- Teachers provide opportunities for students to infer.
Writing: Authors As Mentors (Lucy Calkins and Amanda Hartman)–Studying Faith’s Writing: Putting Quotation Marks around Dialogue
- In this session, students will identify and discuss dialogue within the mentor’s text.
- Students share work in progress with the class.
- Students continue to stretch the body paragraphs.

Math:
5.2 Points and Line
Segments (Day 2)
Objective: To guide students as they define, name, and draw line segments
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing How Points are Named (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Defining and Naming Line Segments (Whole-Class Discussion) (My Reference Book, P. 50)
- Drawing Line Segments with a Straightedge (Partner Activity)

5.3 Parallel Line Segments
Objective: To introduce the concepts of parallel line segments
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing the Meaning of Parallel Line Segments (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Drawing Line Segments That Are or Are not Parallel (Independent Activity) Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group using manipulatives to draw segments that are parallel.)

5.4 Exploring Polygons, Arrays, and Coins (2 days)
Objective: To review names and classify polygons, to develop readiness for multiplication, and to provide opportunities to explore similarities and differences of attribute blocks
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Reviewing Characteristics of Polygons (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Naming Polygons by the Number of Their Sides or Angles (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Exploration D: Constructing Polygons on a Geoboard (Small-Group Activity)
- Exploration E: Making Centimeter-Cube Arrays (Partner Activity)
- Exploration F: Finding Attribute Blocks that Differ by One Attribute or More (Small-Group Activity)

5.5 Quadrangles
Objective: To guide students as they identify the names and characteristics of various quadrangles, and as they explore similarities and differences among quadrangles
- Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploring Similarities and Differences among Quadrilaterals (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Making Shapes Out of Triangles and Rectangles (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group to make shapes using triangles and rectangles.

Science:
Exploring the Equal-Arm Balance
- Students assemble and equilibrate an equal-arm balance.
- Students observe and describe how the equal-arm balance reacts when they place objects in the pails.
- Students compare and contrast the equal-arm balance and the beam balance and record their observations on a class Venn diagram.
- Using the Venn diagram we have generated to review the differences and similarities between the beam balance and the equal-arm balance. Discuss situations when it is appropriate to use one or the other.
- Students use the equal-arm balance to compare objects
- Students record comparisons using binary symbols – greater than (>), less than (<), and equal to (=).
- Students discuss their comparisons and problem-solving strategies.
- Students discuss the concept of fair comparisons.

Social Studies:
Reread Grandfather’s Journey
- Review
- Social Studies Quiz

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We have been reviewing unit 4 of Everyday Math, and our students will be given an open response on Tuesday, 12/15 and a written assessment on Wednesday, 12/16. Please continue to refer to the review section below to help your child study.

Mid-term Progress Reports will be sent home with the students on Wednesday, 12/16. Please discuss the report with your child and complete the bottom portion to return to us. If we have requested a conference with you, kindly email or call us to schedule an appointment. Keep in mind that we do teach the before-school program, and therefore, cannot meet with you during the following times: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 7:45 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

As you are aware, the second grade students will perform during the Winter Assembly on 12/18 at 9:15a.m. On the same day, we will celebrate by having a winter party at 12:45 p.m. In order for these events to be successful, the children need support from as many families as possible. Please consider volunteering for any of the activities we list below.

-assisting with costumes and make-up for the assembly (8:45a.m.)
-setting-up for the party (12:30p.m.)
-serving food
-monitoring craft activities
-cleaning-up (2:15p.m.)

Winter break begins 12/19 until 1/3. School will resume on Monday, 1/4/10.

Happy Holidays!

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers provide guided reading lessons and/or reading conferences during this time. Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided Writing
- Guided Reading
- Writing conferences
- Reading 3 D Progress Monitoring
- Reading Skills: lessons on Context Clues
Spelling Words: carry, draw, far, hold, keep, myself, never, only, pick, six

Day 1:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Analyze and evaluate
-Explain to students that we all have opinions. They help us to think critically, to analyze and to evaluate things around us. This kind of critical thinking is going to help us as we read.
Interactive Read Aloud: Erika-San by Allen Say.
-Read and discuss the theme of finding happiness in an adopted country. Pause occasionally to give students time to offer opinions and to evaluate the behavior of the characters.
Writing:
-Students select a piece of writing from this quarter to fancy up or use watercolors to illustrate last week’s writing.
- Practicing and making masks for winter assembly

Day 2:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Analyze and evaluate
Interactive Read Aloud: Allison by Allen Say.
-Read and discuss the theme of adoption. Pause occasionally to give students time to offer opinions and to evaluate the behavior of the characters.
Writing:
-Students select a piece of writing from this quarter to fancy up or use watercolors to illustrate last week’s writing.
- Practicing and making masks for winter assembly

Day 3:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Analyze and evaluate
Interactive Read Aloud: Stranger in the Mirror by Allen Say.
-Read and discuss the theme of acceptance.
Pause occasionally to give students time to offer opinions and to evaluate the behavior of the characters.
-Ask students to evaluate the story with a partner. Have them share their opinions about the author’s ability to help us understand the boy and his feelings.
Writing:
-Students select a piece of writing from this quarter to fancy up or use watercolors to illustrate last week’s writing.
- Practicing and making masks for winter assembly

Day 4:
Reading: Analyze and evaluate
-Explain to students that we all have opinions. They help us to think critically, to analyze and to evaluate things around us. This kind of critical thinking is going to help us as we read.
Interactive Read Aloud: Kamishibai Man by Allen Say.
-Read and discuss the tradition of “paper theater”. Pause occasionally to give students time to offer opinions and to evaluate the behavior of the characters.
-Students select a piece of writing from this quarter to fancy up or use watercolors to illustrate last week’s writing.
- Practicing and making masks for winter assembly

Day 5:
Winter Assembly

Math:
Unit 4 Review
- Calculate the value of a coin combination.
- Write the temperature shown on the thermometer.
- Mark the thermometer to show the temperature.
- Write whole numbers using base-ten notation (e.g. 34 = 3 tens 4 ones)
- Recognize numbers as odd or even.
- Fill in the number grid puzzle.
- Calculate the amount of change after paying.
- Solve the change-to-less problem.
- Solve problems using ballpark estimates.
- Solve problems involving multidigit addition (e.g. 74 + 45 =)
- Circle the digit in the 100s place. (e.g. 5,219, number 2 should be circled).

Open Response: Finding the Largest Sum (Tuesday 12/15/09)
Description: For this task, students create and add two-digit numbers to find the largest possible sum.
Focus:
- Identify the values of the digits in the 2-digit numbers.
- Compare and order whole numbers.
- Solve problems involving the addition of 2-digit whole numbers.

Unit 4 Written Assessment (Wednesday, 12/16/09)
- Calculate the value of a coin combination.
- Write the temperature shown on the thermometer.
- Mark the thermometer to show the temperature.
- Write whole numbers using base-ten notation (e.g. 34 = 3 tens 4 ones)
- Recognize numbers as odd or even.
- Fill in the number grid puzzle.
- Calculate the amount of change after paying.
- Solve the change-to-less problem.
- Solve problems using ballpark estimates.
- Solve problems involving multi-digit addition (e.g. 74 + 45 =)
- Circle the digit in the 100s place. (e.g. 5,219, number 2 should be circled).

5.1 Exploring Attributes Rules, Equal Sharing, and Time
Objective: To demonstrate rules used to classify shapes, to develop readiness for division, and to demonstrate telling time using digital and analog notation
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploration A: Figuring Out the Attribute Rules (Small-Group Activity)
- Exploration B: Exploring equal sharing
- Exploration C: Making and Playing Clock Concentration (Small-Group Activity)

5.2 Points and Line Segments
Objective: To guide students as they define, name, and draw line segments
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing How Points are Named (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Defining and Naming Line Segments (Whole-Class Discussion) (My Reference Book, P. 50)
- Drawing Line Segments with a Straightedge (Partner Activity)

Social Studies:
- Practicing for the Winter Assembly.

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

There will be a science quiz on Friday 12/11 covering the vocabulary we will be using during the next unit of study on Motion. Please refer to the science portion below for the vocabulary and definitions.

Our students will be given a math open response and written assessment on Tuesday 12/15 and Wednesday, 12/16 respectively. Please refer to the review section below to help your child study.

The second grade students will perform during the Winter Assembly on 12/18. On the same day, we will celebrate our achievements by having a winter party at 12:45 p.m. In order for these events to be successful, the children need support from as many families as possible. Please consider volunteering for any of the activities we list below.

- making costumes
- making props
- assisting with costumes and make-up for the assembly
- setting up for the party
- serving food
- cleaning up
- monitoring craft activities

If you are able to assist, please contact:
- Mrs. Beene at onnibeene@sbcglobal.net and Mrs. Robinson at nlrobinson@sbcglobal.net for costumes and set-up.
- Mrs. Dennis at dennis.amy@sbcglobal.net for food and drinks.
- Mrs. Hilde Campbell at hildecampbell@bankofamerica.com

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers provide guided reading lessons and/or reading conferences during this time. Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided Writing
- Guided Reading
- Writing conferences
- Reading 3 D Progress Monitoring
- Reading Skills: lessons on Context Clues
Spelling Words: bring, done, eight, grow, hot, kind, laugh, seven, together, warm

Day 1:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Connect to experiences of Others
Interactive Read Aloud: Tea with Milk by Allen Say.
- Using the Venn diagram students discuss similarities and differences between Japanese and American cultures. The class examines how a family learns to adopt a foreign culture, rediscover their roots to find out that people on earth share one main similarity: We all love our families.
Writing:
(Lucy Calkins and Pat Bleichman)
Review Leads:
- To raise awareness and knowledge of effective leads, and to include leads as parts of their writing.
- Teachers model introductory paragraph for the composition comparing and contrasting Japanese and American cultures.
- Students begin their compositions independently.

Day 2:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Connect to experiences of Others
Interactive Read Aloud: Reread Tea with Milk by Allen Say.
-Review the Venn diagram identifying the similarities and differences of Japanese and American cultures.
Writing:
(Lucy Calkins and Pat Bleichman)
Showing, not Telling:
- Teachers explain that when students write, they need particular goals such as to create a setting, to make characters talk, to explain step by step what happened, to make the story’s lead sound more story-like, and to show not tell.
- Teachers model second paragraph for the composition comparing and contrasting Japanese and American cultures.
- Students continue their compositions independently.

Day 3:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Connect to experiences of Others
Interactive read aloud: Tree of Cranes by Allen Say
Writing:
(Lucy Calkins and Pat Bleichman)
Teaching Children to Confer about Writing:
- Teachers model to students how to explain the stages of their writing during conferences.
- Students continue their compositions independently.

Day 4:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Connect to experiences of Others
Interactive read aloud: The Bicycle Man by Allen Say (p.1 – 18)
Writing:
(Lucy Calkins and Pat Bleichman)
Endings:
- Teachers will explain and model why endings are crucial and should not be rushed through.
- Teachers model conclusion for the composition comparing and contrasting Japanese and American cultures.
- Students complete their compositions.

Day 5:
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Connect to experiences of Others
Interactive read aloud: The Bicycle Man by Allen Say (p. 19 – 36)
Writing:
(Lucy Calkins and Pat Bleichman)
Revising and Editing with Partners:
This session will teach students some strategies for making revisions to their pieces, and teachers will help writers support their partner’s revisions.
- Teachers model proofreading strategies and marks.
- Students proofread their compositions.
- Students present their compositions.

Math:
4.6 A Shopping Activity (Day2)
Objective: To guide students as they develop strategies for adding 2-digit numbers mentally, to provide experiences with calculating the total cost of two items, and to demonstrate making change for whole-dollar amounts up to $100
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Using Shopping Strategies (Partner Activity)
- Solving Shopping Problems (Partner Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Students work with an assigned partner to solve Shopping Problems.

4. 7 Exploring Length, Area, and Attributes (2 days)
Objective: To guide children as they measure lengths and distances to the nearest inch and centimeter, explore area by tiling surfaces, and sort attribute blocks according to rules
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Examining Inch and Centimeter Scales (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploration D: Measuring Lengths with a Tape Measurer (Small-Group Activity)
- Exploration E: Tiling Surfaces with Different Shapes (Partner Activity)
- Exploration F: Sorting Attribute Blocks (Small-Group Activity)
Each group takes turns to complete all explorations.

4. 8 Pencil-and-Paper Addition Strategies
Objective: To guide students as they develop paper-and-pencil strategies for adding 2- and 3-digit numbers, and to demonstrate using estimation to check if answers are reasonable
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing the Use of Ballpark Estimates to Check Answer (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Solving Addition Problems; Keeping a Paper-and-Pencil Record (Small-Group Activity)
- Finding the Sum of Two Multi-digit Numbers
Differentiated Instruction: Assigned partners work together to solve addition problems
- Enrichment Activity: Minute Math

4. 9 The Partial-Sums Addition Algorithm
Objective: To introduce and practice the partial-sums addition algorithm
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Introducing the Partial-Sums Addition Algorithm Using Base-10 Blocks (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Introducing the Partial-Sums Algorithm as a Paper-and-Pencil Method (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Practicing the Partial-Sums Algorithm (Whole-Class Discussion)

Unit 4 Review
Open Response: Finding the Largest Sum (Tuesday 12/15/09)
Description: For this task, students create and add two-digit numbers to find the largest possible sum.
Focus:
- Identify the values of the digits in the 2-digit numbers.
- Compare and order whole numbers.
- Solve problems involving the addition of 2-digit whole numbers.

Unit 4 Written Assessment (Wednesday, 12/16/09)
- Calculate the value of a coin combination.
- Write the temperature shown on the thermometer.
- Mark the thermometer to show the temperature.
- Write whole numbers using base-ten notation (e.g. 34 = 3 tens 4 ones)
- Recognize numbers as odd or even.
- Fill in the number grid puzzle.
- Calculate the amount of change after paying.
- Solve the change-to-less problem.
- Solve problems using ballpark estimates.
- Solve problems involving multi-digit addition (e.g. 74 + 45 =)
- Circle the digit in the 100s place. (e.g. 5,219, number 2 should be circled).

Science:
What makes things move?
- Students plan an investigation to find out how things move downhill.

Science Quiz:
Fill in the blank, multiple choice, and short answers using the following vocabulary:
- A force is a push or a pull that makes something move.
- Gravity is a force that pulls things towards the center of the earth.
- Friction is a force that slows down objects when they rub against each other.
- A lever is a simple machine made up of a bar that pivots, or turns on a fixed point.
- An inclined plane is a simple machine that makes it easier to move or lift things.
- A magnet is an object that can pull things made of iron and steel.
- To attract something is to pull toward it.
- To repel something is to push it away.
- Motion is movement.
- Speed is how fast something or someone moves.

Social Studies:
Students write to explain how would they feel if they moved to another country where the culture is different from theirs.

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

In order to prepare for our second grade winter assembly and winter party on December 18th, we would like to have a meeting on Wednesday, 12/02/08 at 2:35 pm. in room 106. Parents who are interested in assisting with costumes and props and planning the winter party are welcome to attend.

Thursday, 12/3 is Literacy Night at Murray. The second grade teachers will share activities related to balanced literacy beginning at 6 p.m. We hope you are able to attend.

The science quiz on balancing will take place on Wednesday, December 2. A study guide was sent home last week to help your child prepare.

Students will not attend school on Friday, December 4. It is a professional development day for teachers and staff.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers provide guided reading lessons and/or reading conferences during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- DIBLES Progress Monitoring
- Guided Writing
- Guided Reading
- Writing conferences
- Phonics: Identifying the y sound in words -Explain the principle y is a letter that sometimes makes a vowel sound. Y sounds like e on the end of words like happy, funny, family. Y sounds like i in words like my, sky, by
- Students play Two-Way Sort.
Spelling Words for the Week: about, better, clean, cut, drink, right, those, use, why, wish

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Identifying the theme (Big Idea)
Interactive Read Aloud:
Music for Alice by Allen Say
- Read and analyze characters to guide students to make written connections from text-to- self. Begin to identify the theme (Big Idea) of: perseverance.
Writing for Readers (Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies - Writing with Sight Words:
- In this session, students will revisit the concept that writers rely on sight words, not just stretching words and recording the sounds, to write with more fluency.
- Students continue writing their Thanksgiving personal narratives.
- Each day a small group of students share their work in progress.

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Identifying the theme (Big Idea)
Interactive read aloud:
A River Dream by Allen Say (p. 1 – 17)
Writing for Readers (Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies - Spacing Words and Indenting:
- In this session, students will learn the importance of leaving a finger-size blank space when they hear no more sounds in a word. They also learn that each paragraph is indented.
- Students continue with their Thanksgiving narratives.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Identifying the theme (Big Idea)
Interactive read aloud:
A River Dream by Allen Say (p. 18 – 31)
Writing for Readers (Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies - Checking Content: Focus on the content of the Personal Narratives:
- In this session, teachers will remind writers that their content matters, specifically encouraging them to write focused narratives.
- Students utilize strategies from lessons to fancy up their Thanksgiving narratives.

Day 4:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading: Identifying the theme (Big Idea)
Interactive read aloud:
Under the Cherry Blossom Tree retold by Allen Say
Writing for Readers (Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies - Learning More Sight Words:
- In this session, students will learn how to write some words in a snap, without sounding them out.
- Students continue to utilize strategies from lessons to fancy up their Thanksgiving narratives. They use watercolors to illustrate their narratives.

Math:
4.3 Exploring Temperature, Money, Shapes (Day 2)
Objective: To guide students as they explore reading temperatures on a thermometer, practice finding the total value of a group of coins, and develop readiness for classifying geometric shapes
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Playing Addition Spin (Partner Activity)
- Exploration A: Exploring temperature using a thermometer
- Exploration B: Coins booklets using groups of coins and the total value and dollar and cent notations
- Exploration C: Students classify geometric shapes according to attributes size, color and shape.
- Students complete Math Journal 1, p. 86, 88, 89.

4.4 Temperature Changes
Objective: To guide students as they read and show temperatures and solve number stories about temperature changes
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Solving “How Much Warmer (Colder)?” Problems (Whole-class Activity)
- Reading and Showing Temperatures and Solving Temperature-Change Problems Differentiated Instruction: Students work in pairs using the number grid to solve temperature change problems.
Enrichment: Identifying Situations as Change to More or Change to Less

4.5 Estimating Costs
Objective: To guide students as they use estimation to solve problems for which an exact answer is not necessary
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing Estimation (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Solving Problems by Estimation (Whole-Class Discussion and Partner Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: In small groups, teachers use the previously discussed strategies to guide students toward estimating sums of items.
- Enrichment Activity: Using Estimation to Compare Sums of Weights

4.6 A Shopping Activity (Day1)
Objective: To guide students as they develop strategies for adding 2-digit numbers mentally; to provide experiences with calculating the total cost of two items; and to demonstrate making change for whole-dollar amount up to $100
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Strategies for Adding 2-Digit Numbers (Whole-Class Discussion)
Differentiated Instruction: Using play money and calculators, students work in assigned pairs playing shopping.

Science:
Lesson 5 (2 days):
- Students build simple mobiles that balance.
- Students describe and compare how their mobiles balanced.
Science Quiz:
Multiple choice, and true and false answers using the following concepts:
- The beam balance has a beam and a fulcrum.
- The fulcrum is the pivot on which a lever moves, that is: the point about which the lever is free to rotate.
- The fulcrum under the beam can be moved from side to side in order to balance objects on the beam.
- When the beam has no weight on it, the fulcrum must be placed in the middle in order for the beam to be balanced.
- If one side of the beam is heavier, the fulcrum must be moved towards the heavier side in order for the beam to be balanced.
- The amount of weight and the position of the weight affect the balance of the beam balance.

Social Studies:
- Practicing for winter assembly

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

We were so pleased to meet with you during the Parent/Teacher Conferences last Wednesday. It is always very informative to have the input of our students’ parents.

The science quiz on balancing will take place on December 2. A study guide will be sent home this week to help your child prepare.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, students will continue to write journal entries about how their family celebrates this holiday and use this information for their writing project in class. Please share stories, experiences and traditions with your child.

Words cannot express how thankful we are to have the support of our parents who are so caring and are working arduously at home with the children to ensure that they are successful in school. This really makes our job enjoyable.

Have a happy Thanksgiving filled with love and peace!

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers provide guided reading lessons and/or reading conferences during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided Writing
- Guided Reading
- Phonics: Recognizing words with vowels and r
- Students play “Word Grid” game.
- Students from a table grouping are selected each day to read from their journals.

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Interactive Read Aloud: Making Connections
Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say.
- Guide students to reflect upon Mr. Hoang’s presentation to make connections about difficult situations that immigrants have to experience.
Writing for Readers
(Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies - Inspiring Students to Write for Readers:
- In this first session, teachers will aim to convey the big picture of this new unit. Specifically, students will be inspired to work harder and in new ways so that others can read their writing.
- Teachers model verbally a personal narrative about Thanksgiving celebrations and demonstrate how to create an outline for writing the narrative.
- Students share knee-to-knee Thanksgiving celebrations.
- Each student writes an outline for his/her personal narrative. The outline includes the following:
1. Preparation for the Thanksgiving celebration
2. The day of Thanksgiving
3. Why is the celebration important to their family?

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Interactive Read Aloud: Making Connections
The Pilgrims and Me by Judy Donnelly (p.1-15)
- Teachers guide students to make connections between personal experiences and the anchor text.
Writing for Readers (Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies - Inspiring Students to Write for Readers:
- In this session, teachers will aim to convey the big picture of this new unit. Specifically, students will be inspired to work harder and in new ways so that others can read their writing.
- Teachers think out-loud of examples of introductions to the personal narratives on celebrations.
- Teachers and students review lists of engaging leads/openings to the narratives.
- Students share knee-to-knee how they would write an introduction, and they begin writing their introductions.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Interactive Read Aloud: Making Connections
The Pilgrims and Me by Judy Donnelly (p.15-30)
- Teachers guide students to make connections between personal experiences and the anchor text.
Writing for Readers (Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies - Stretching and Writing Words:
- In this session, children will be encouraged to hear and record more sounds in the words they write.
- Teachers think out-loud paragraphs on preparation for Thanksgiving.
- Students share knee-to-knee the first body paragraph about how their families prepare for Thanksgiving.
- Students begin writing the body paragraph.
- Each day a small group students share their work in progress.
Interactive read aloud:
The Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

Math:
4.1 Change-to-More Number Stories
Objective: To guide students as they solve change-to-more number stories
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Introducing the Change Diagram (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Solving Change-to-More Number Stories (Partner Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in assigned pairs using the number grid and base-10 blocks to solve number stories.
Enrichment: Students create Change-to-More number stories for classmates to solve.

4.2 Parts-and-Total Number Stories
Objective: To guide students as they solve parts-and-total number stories
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Finding the Cost of Two or More Items (Partner Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
Enrichment: Students solve Part-and-Total number stories using parts greater than 1 dollar.

4.3 Exploring Temperature, Money, Shapes and Sums (Day 1)
Objective: To guide students as they explore reading temperatures on a thermometer, practice finding the total value of a group of coins, and develop readiness for classifying geometric shapes
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Playing Addition Spin (Partner Activity)
- Exploration A: Exploring temperature using a thermometer
- Exploration B: Coin booklets using groups of coins and the total value and dollar and cent notations
- Exploration C: Students classify geometric shapes according to attributes size, color and shape.

Social Studies:
Presentation:
Mr. Hoang continues his presentation about immigrating to the U.S.

Science:
Lesson 2: Building Structures that Balance (Day 1)
- Students build structures that balance using a beam, fulcrum, and Unifix Cubes and base ten blocks to explore how the amount of weight and position of weight affect balance.
- Students read Julie’s Balancing Act.
- Students write about the exploration: Exploring the balancing beam.

Thank you for your support.
Anh Tuan Hoang, LuAnn Lawson