2nd Grade Blog

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Report card pick-up/conference day is only two and half weeks away on November 18. Please stop by our classrooms to sign up if you haven’t done so. If you do not sign up by November 9, we will assign you one of the available slots so that a copy of the conference schedule can be sent home with the student on Nov. 10.

Students will take the FOSS Unit 1 Science Assessment on Thursday, November 5. Please refer to the reviewing portion below to help your child study.

Friday, November 6 is a professional development day. There is no school for students.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers progress monitor, provide guided reading lessons and/or reading conferences during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided writing/ Writing conferences: teachers circulate the room to assist students during writing time.
- Guided Reading
- Word Knowledge (Fountas & Pinnell):
Recognizing words with vowels and r
- Explain the principle: When vowels are with r in words, you blend the vowel sound with r (car, her, first, corn, and hurt)
- Students play “Word Grid” game.

Spelling words for the week: around, been, cold, fast, goes, made, sing, tell, us, write

Day1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message

Interactive Read Aloud:
The Have a Good Day Café by Frances and Ginger Parker (Illustrated by Katherine Potter)
Word Study: insist, bustling, trickle, marinate, anxious, dwindle
- Locate Korea with the classroom map and ask students to share what they might know about Korean traditions.
- Read and analyze characters to guide students to identify the themes (Big Ideas) such as: family being resilient and resourceful.

Writing
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.

Day2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message

Interactive Read Aloud:
Good-bye 382 Shin Dang Dong by Frances and Ginger Park
Word Study: monsoon, scrolls, possessions, assure
- Read and analyze characters to guide students to identify the themes (Big Ideas) such as: family being resilient and resourceful.

Writing
Publishing:
- Explain to students that not only do writers edit their work, they also prepare it for publication. Model to students how to fancy up their writing.
- Students recopying their writing. They will continue to illustrate favorite parts of their stories with watercolors.

Day 3:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message

Interactive Read Aloud:
My Freedom Trip by Frances and Ginger Park
Word Study: invaded, rice paddies, border, shallow, captured, peasant, reunited, parting, embracing
- Read and analyze characters to guide students to identify the themes (Big Ideas) such as: family being resilient and resourceful.

Writing
- Reading Aloud for Visitors - An Author’s Celebration:
In this publishing party, students will read their stories aloud to their buddies (103 and 106) and visitors (Mrs. Royster and Mr. Mason).

Day 4:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message

Interactive Read Aloud:
Where on Earth is My Bagel? by Frances and Ginger Parks, Illustrated by Grace Lin
Word Study: perfected, persimmon, yeast, blanketed, flock
- Read and analyze characters to guide students to identify the themes (Big Ideas) such as: multiculturalism, people working together.

Writing
- Reading Aloud for Visitors - An Author’s Celebration:
In this publishing party, students will read their stories aloud to their buddies (103 and 106) and visitors (Mrs. Royster and Mr. Mason).

Math:
3.3 Telling Time
Objective: To review telling time, and to provide experiences with writing time in digital-clock notation
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing the Functions of Clock Hands (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Estimating Time with an Hour Hand Only (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Estimating the Time with the Hour Hand and the Minute Hand (Whole-Class Discussion
- Telling Time and Writing Time (Partner Activity) Differentiated Instruction: Teacher guides a small group of students using a demonstration clock to tell time.

3.4 Exploring Numbers, Time, and Geoboards (2 days)
Objective: To provide experiences with base-10 blocks, reviewing time, and making, describing, and comparing geoboard shapes
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploration A: Building and Renaming Numbers (Partner Activity)
- Exploration B: Making a Clock Booklet (Partner Activity)
- Exploration C: Making and Comparing Shapes on a Geoboard (Small-Group Activity)

3.5 Data Day: Pockets (day 1)
Objectives: To provide experiences with gathering data, entering data in a table, and drawing a bar graph, and to demonstrate a strategy for finding the middle value in a data set
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Finding the Middle Number of Pockets (Whole-Class Activity)
- Tallying the Pockets Data (Whole-Class Activity)
- Making a Bar Graph of the Pockets Data (Independent Activity) (Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group using the Pockets Data Table to make a bar graph.)
Enrichment: Comparing Pockets Data

Science:
Review Unit 1 (Mon, Tues, and Wed.)
- Air is matter and takes up space.
- Air is all around objects.
- Air resistance affects how things move (i.e. a parachute).
- Air can be compressed.
- The pressure from compressed air can move things.
- Weather describes conditions in the air outside.
- Meteorologists are scientists who study the weather.
- Scientific journals record what is observable.
- Temperature describes how hot or cold the air is.
- Temperature is measured with a thermometer.
- The unit used to measure temperature is degrees Celsius (C) or degrees Fahrenheit (F).
- There are three main types of clouds: cirrus (high and feathery), cumulus (puffy like cotton candy), and stratus (low and stretched out like a blanket).
- Clouds are made of water drops.
- Wind moves clouds in the sky.
- Meteorologists use rain gauges to measure how much rain or snow has fallen.
- Natural sources of water include streams, rivers, lakes (fresh water), and the ocean (salt water).
- Bubbles are filled with air.
- Wind is moving air.
- Bubbles can show the changing direction and speed of the wind.
- Meteorologists use a wind scale to describe the strength of the wind.
- Meteorologists use an anemometer to measure the speed of wind.
- A pinwheel provides evidence about how fast the wind is blowing.
- Meteorologist use wind vanes to observe the direction of the wind.
- A wind vane points in the direction the wind is coming from.

FOSS Unit 1 Written Assessment (Multiple Choice) Thursday, 11/05

Explorations:
- Rising warm air: Teachers demonstrate how warm air rises using hot, colored water and cold, clear water.
Clouds and fog:
- Teachers demonstrate how to make your own cloud in a jar to understand how clouds form from water vapor.

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

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Please be reminded that we are wrapping up unit 2 of math. Students will be given an Open Response on Tuesday, October 27 and a written assessment on Wednesday, October 28th. Be sure to refer to the review section below to help your child study.

Our Scholastic Book Fair begins this week. We will take students to the fair several times to view books and make wish lists. You can review the list with your child and send money for him/her to make a purchase.

It is Murray’s policy that students should not wear costumes to school on Halloween. However, if you would like your child to share candy with his/her classmates, please send enough for 31 students, and we will distribute them at the end of the day on Friday.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers progress monitor, provide guided reading lessons and/or reading conferences during this time.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided writing/ Writing conferences: teachers circulate the room to assist students during writing time.
- Guided Reading
- Word Knowledge (Fountas & Pinnell): Recognizing Beginning Consonant Clusters (Teachers explain the principles of consonant clusters and cluster words). Students sort words into single-consonant cluster, two-consonant cluster, and three-consonant cluster. They read the words out loud with a partner.
- Students from a table grouping are selected each day to read from their journals.

Spelling words for the week:
always, buy, call, does, five, gave, many, off, read, their

Day1:
Interactive Read Aloud:
My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Revealing Internal Stories (Day 2)
In this session, teachers will help students learn to unfold the pleats and reveal the internal stories (the reactions, thoughts, observations, feelings) in their pieces.
- Students share with partners work-in-progress.
- Students continue to write their personal narratives.

Day2:
Interactive Read Aloud:
Mr. Lincoln’s Way by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Writing Close-In Story Endings (Day 1):
In this session, teachers will teach students some guidelines for writing effective story endings, suggesting that it often helps to stay closer to the heart of the story rather than writing away from it.
- Students share with partners work-in-progress.
- Students continue to write their personal narratives.

Day 3:
Interactive Read Aloud:
Just Plain Fancy by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Writing Close-In Story Endings (Day 2):
In this session, teachers will teach students some guidelines for writing effective story endings, suggesting that it often helps to stay closer to the heart of the story rather than writing away from it.
- Students share with partners work-in-progress.
- Students continue to write their personal narratives.

Day 4:
Interactive Read Aloud:
The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Revising and Editing with Partners (Day 1):
This session will teach students some strategies for making revisions to their pieces, and teachers will help writers support their partner’s revisions.

Day 5:
Interactive Read Aloud:
The Graves Family by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Revising and Editing with Partners (Day 2):
This session will teach students some strategies for making revisions to their pieces, and teachers will help writers support their partner’s revisions.

Math:
Unit 2 Review
- Know addition and subtraction strategies that use “easy facts” (+0, +1), “double facts” (if 8+8=16, then 8+9=17), “+9 shortcut” (if 13+10=23, then 13+9=22).
- Write the turn around fact for a given number story (e.g. 7+8=15, 8+7=15)
- Fact triangles (e.g. 5,3,2. 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-2=3, 5-3=2)
- Write equivalent names for a given number (e.g. 12, 10+2, 11+1, 6+6, 5+7, etc.)
- Solve addition and subtraction problems, including story problems.
- Solve Frames-and-Arrows problems. (Examples will be sent home.)
- Find the rule and complete the “in/out” table. (Examples will be sent home.)
- Show coin combinations for a specific given amount. (e.g. $1.25 could be shown as 5 quarters or 4 quarters, 2 dimes and a nickel.)
- Identify place value (e.g. Given 145, if ask to put an x on the tens place, students should x out number 4.)
- Interpret graphs.

Math Open Response (10/27/09)
- Teachers model a similar open response.
- For the open response, students need to be able to identify, extend, describe, and use numeric patterns to solve a number story. An example of the open response will be sent home toward the end of this week for practice.

Unit 2 Written Assessment (10/28/09)

3.1 Numeration and Place Value
Objective: To review base-10 blocks, and to provide experiences with writing and matching numbers and displays of base-10 blocks
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploring a Simple Way to Draw Base-10 Blocks (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Matching Numbers and Displays of Base-10 Blocks (Whole-Class Activity)
- Saying, Writing, Displaying, and Describing Numbers (Whole-Class Activity)
- Doing Place-Value Exercises (Differentiated Instruction: Using manipulative, students work in a small group under teachers’ guidance to solve place-value problems.)

3.2 Using Coins to Buy Things
Objective: To practice paying for things with coins
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Review the Exchanges for Coins and $1 Bills (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Paying for Things with Coins (Whole-Class Activity)
- Taking Turns Selling and Buying (Partner Activity) (Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group using the number grid to solve -9 and -8 problems.)
Enrichment: Playing the Digit Game

Science:
Weather Assessment (10/26/10):
- Students take a fill-in-the-blank, multiple-choice, sequencing and short answer assessment.

Anemometer
- Students make their own an anemometers and go outside to explore wind speed.

Wind vanes Inquiry Question:
How can we use a wind vane to observe the direction of the wind?
- Students learn about wind vanes, a tool to determine wind direction. They compare the movement of the wind vane to those of bubbles and clouds.
Science Content:
- Meteorologists use wind vanes to observe the direction of the wind.
- A wind vane points in the direction the wind is coming from.
- Students observe and record wind direction and types of clouds for the next 3 days.
- Students make their own wind vanes and go outside to explore wind direction.

Interactive Read Aloud:
Cloud Book by Tommie de Poala
- Revisit cloud formations.

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

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Thank you for coming to read aloud, to set up and assist with science explorations, and to read in small groups. We truly appreciate your commitment.

Students will be assessed on the Harcourt Science Weather Unit on Monday, October 26. In addition to reviewing concepts daily in class, students will complete study worksheets nightly in preparation for this assessment.

We are wrapping up unit 2 of math by Thursday, October 22. Students will be given an Open Response on Tuesday, October 27 and a written assessment on Wednesday, October 28th. Please refer to the review section below to help your child study.

Students received their progress reports last week. If you haven’t completed and returned the bottom portion of the Mid-term Progress Report to us, kindly do so as soon as possible.

There will be no school for students on Friday, October 23. It is a staff development day.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the Reading 3D tests and/or provide guided reading each day during this time.
Spelling words: Review words from the last four weeks. Class will have a Spelling Bee on Thursday.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided writing/Writing conferences: teachers circulate the room to assist students during writing time.
- Guided Reading
- Word Knowledge (Fountas & Pinnell): Recognizing Beginning Consonant Clusters with s (Teachers explain the principles of consonant clusters and cluster words).
- Students play Sort Cluster Words by using the Make, Say, Check Mix Sheet.
- Students from a table grouping are selected each day to read from their journals.

Day1:
Morning meeting/morning message
Interactive Read Aloud: Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Writing Some Words in a Snap
Students learn that writers write certain words quickly, either by just knowing them or by taking a quick look at the word wall.
- Students continue to write their personal narratives.

Day 2:
Morning meeting/morning message
Interactive Read Aloud: Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Focusing on the Most Important Part (Day 1)
In this session, teachers will demonstrate that writers think “What is the most important part of my story?” and that they make that aspect of their story important by adding details to that part and cutting away the other parts.
- Students share with partners work-in-progress.
- Students continue to write their personal narratives.

Day 3:
Morning meeting/morning message
Interactive Read Aloud: Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Focusing on the Most Important Part (Day 2)
- Students share with partners work-in-progress.
- Students continue to write their personal narratives.

Day 4:
Morning meeting/morning message
Interactive Read Aloud: Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco
Personal Narrative Writing: Revealing Internal Stories
In this session, teachers will help students learn to unfold the pleats and reveal the internal stories (the reactions, thoughts, observations, feelings) in their pieces.
- Students share with partners work-in-progress.
- Students continue to write their personal narratives.

Math:
2.10 Frames-and-Arrows Routines (Day 2)
Objective: To guide students as they use a given addition or subtraction rule to generate a number sequence, and as they identify the rule for a given number sequence - Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Demonstrating Frames-and Arrows Routines (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Completing Frames-and –Arrows Diagrams (Differentiated Instruction: Students work in assigned pairs, taking turns to complete the Frames-and-Arrows diagrams under teachers’ guidance).

2.11 “What’s My Rule?” Routines
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Establishing “What’s My Rule?” Routines (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Using Function Machines to Illustrate “What’s My Rule?” Tables (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Solving “What’s My Rule?” Problems (Differentiated Instruction: Students work in assigned pairs. Some students work in a small group under teachers’ guidance. We use the number grid and counters to solve problems.)

2.12 Counting Strategies for Subtraction
- Reviewing the Meaning of “Difference” (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Reviewing the Counting-Back Strategy for Subtraction (Whole-Class Activity)
- Reviewing the Counting-Up Strategy for Subtraction (Whole-Class Activity)
- Practicing with +, - Fact Triangles (Differentiated Instruction: Each student works with a partner to practice addition and subtraction facts using the fact triangles. Some pairs will work under teacher’s guidance.)
Enrichment Activity: Students play Beat the Calculator.

2.13 Shortcuts for “Harder” Subtraction Facts
Objective: To guide students as they discover and practice shortcuts for subtracting 9 or 8 from any number
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Introducing the -9 Shortcut (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Introducing the -8 Shortcut (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Practicing -9 and -8 Shortcut. (Independent Activity) (Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in a small group using the number grid to solve -9 and -8 problems.)

Unit 2 Review
- Know addition and subtraction strategies that use “easy facts” (+0, +1), “double facts” (if 8+8=16, then 8+9=17), “+9 shortcut” (if 13+10=23, then 13+9=22).
- Write the turn around fact for a given number story (e.g. 7+8=15, 8+7=15)
- Fact triangles (e.g. 5,3,2. 2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-2=3, 5-3=2)
- Write equivalent names for a given number (e.g. 12, 10+2, 11+1, 6+6, 5+7, etc.)
- Solve addition and subtraction problems, including story problems.
- Solve Frames-and-Arrows problems. (Examples will be sent home.)
- Find the rule and complete the “in/out” table. (Examples will be sent home.)
- Show coin combinations for a specific given amount. (e.g. $1.25 could be shown as 5 quarters or 4 quarters, 2 dimes and a nickel.)
- Identify place value (e.g. Given 145, if ask to put an x on the tens place, students should x out number 4.)
- Interpret graphs.

Math Open Response
- Teachers model a similar open response.
- For the open response, students need to be able to identify, extend, describe, and use numeric patterns to solve a number story. An example of the open response will be sent home toward the end of this week for practice.

Science:
Investigation 3 part 1 Bubbles in the Wind
Inquiry Question:
How can bubbles be used to find out about wind speed and direction?
- Students use bubblers to blow bubbles outside. They investigate how the air moves bubbles in a variety of locations around the school building.
Science Content:
- Bubbles are filled with air.
- Wind is moving air.
- Bubbles can show the changing direction and speed of the wind

Investigation 3 part 2 (2 Days)
Wind Speed
Inquiry Question:
How do people describe the strength of the wind?
- Students go outside to feel and observe the wind. They are introduced to a descriptive wind scale and an anemometer, a tool use by scientists to more accurately measure the speed of the wind.
Science Content:
- Meteorologists use a wind scale to describe the strength of the wind.
- Meteorologists use an anemometer to measure the speed of wind.

Assessment: Monday, October 26
Weather
- Students take a fill in the blank, multiple choice, sequencing, and short answer assessment. We will review, and students will have opportunities to practice for the assessment.

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

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Thank you for coming to read and to help our students. We are always so grateful to you!

Permission slips for the second grade morning programs were sent home on Friday, Oct. 9th. Please return the forms on Tuesday, Oct. 13th. The morning program will begin Tuesday morning.

We will be sending home the Mid-term Progress Reports with the students on Wednesday, October 14th. 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.

The PTO fundraiser ends October 12th, 2009. Students should submit their order forms and fees by Tuesday, October 13th.

Please be reminded that Monday October 12, 2009 is Columbus Day. Students will not be attending school.

This is the FINAL notice for coins. If you haven’t sent the following coins to class, please do so immediately! (All coins will be returned at the end of the school year.): 25 pennies, 15 dimes, 10 quarters, and 20 nickels.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the Reading 3D tests each day during this time.
Spelling Words for the Week: again, could, going, just, live, may, open, over, stop, were

Day 1:
- Morning meeting/morning message
- Students share writing journal passages with table groupings.
Interactive Read Aloud: Night Shift Daddy by Eilllen Spinelli and Melissa Iwai
Personal Narrative Writing: Sketching rather than Drawing
- This session will teach students the difference between sketching and drawing, emphasizing that sketching is appropriate in the writing workshop so we can reserve time for writing. That when we finish writing, we can color in our sketches.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Word Knowledge (Fountas & Pinnell): Identifying long and short vowel sounds in words: Vowel Concentration (Teachers explain the principles of short and long vowels)
- One-on-one reading

Day 2:
- Morning meeting/morning message
- Students share writing journal passages with table groupings.
Interactive Read Aloud: Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Personal Narrative Writing: Internalizing Story Shapes
- The plan for this lesson will teach students the strategy of telling a story across one’s fingers to help students produce stories that have a beginning, middle and an end.
- Teachers model orally a short story with distinct beginning, middle and end. The class brainstorms topics for personal narratives.
- Each student works with a partner to discuss share, and select a topic that most interests them.
- Students begin their personal narratives.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided writing: teachers circulate the room to assist students.
- Guided Reading
- Writing conferences
- Word Knowledge:
Students play Vowel Concentration.
- One-on-one reading

Day 3:
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.
Interactive Read Aloud:
Do Like Kyla by Angela Johnson
Personal Narrative Writing: Planning Details
- This lesson will encourage students to plan details by saying the stories aloud before writing them.
- Students share with partners by saying details of their stories out loud.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Guided writing: teachers circulate the room to assist students.
- Guided Reading
- Writing conferences
- Word Knowledge:
Students play Vowel Concentration.
-One-on-one reading

Day 4:
- Steven Gilbert School Assembly: 9:30 to 10:30a.m.
- Students continue their personal narratives.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Word Knowledge:
Students play Vowel Concentration.
-One-on-one reading

Math:
2.7 Fact Families
Objectives: to demonstrate the inverse relationship between addition and subtraction, and to provide practice for addition and subtraction facts for sums up to and including 10
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing Fact Families (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Demonstrating the Use of +, - Fact Triangles (Partner Activity)
- Practicing with Fact Triangles
(Differentiated Instruction: Students practice with fact triangles in assigned pairs under teachers’ guidance)
Enrichment Activity: Solving Pan-Balance Problems

2.8 Exploring Weights, Scales, Equal Groups
Objective: To guide students as they use balance and spring scale, to experience the ounce/pound relationship, and find the total number of objects in equal groups
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Demonstrating the Pan Balance (Whole-Class Activity)
- Demonstrating the Spring Scale (Whole-Class Activity)
- Exploration A: Using a Pan Balance (Small-Group Activity)
- Exploration B: Using a Spring Scale (Small-Group Activity)
- Exploration C: Making Equal Groups of Objects (Small-Group Activity)

2.9 Name Collections
Objective: To review the concept that a number can be named in many ways
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Demonstrating Name That Number (Partner Activity)
- Playing Name That Number with Playing Cards (Differentiated Instruction: Students play Name That Number in assigned pairs under teachers’ guidance).
Enrichment Activity: Solving Subtraction Number Stories

2.10 Frames-and-Arrows Routines (Day 1)
Objective: To guide students as they use a given addition or subtraction rule to generate a number sequence, and as they identify the rule for a given number sequence
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Demonstrating Frames-and Arrows Routines (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Completing Frames-and-Arrows Diagrams (Differentiated Instruction: Students work in assigned pairs, taking turns to complete the Frames-and-Arrows diagrams under teachers’ guidance).

Science:
Interactive Read Aloud: Weather and Water, Forms of Water, Rain or Shine
Harcourt: Model a Rainbow (Day 2)
- Students place a mirror in a jar of water in a dark room. They use flashlights to create rainbows.
Harcourt: Measuring Temperature
- Teachers demonstrate how to make a simple thermometer.
- Students use thermometers in small groups to measure and record the weather in the morning, noon, and afternoon. We will do this for three days to compare and see if there is a pattern.

Investigation 2 part 3:
Watching Clouds
Inquiry Question:
Are clouds all the same?
What kinds of weather do different clouds bring?
Students observe and compare several types of clouds and discuss how they move across the sky. They read FOSS Science Stories to find out more about what meteorologists do.
Science Content:
- There are three main types of clouds: cirrus, cumulus, and stratus.
- Clouds are made of water drops.
- Wind moves clouds in the sky.
Assessment: Anecdotal Notes

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

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Kindly send the following coins to class if you haven’t done so: 25 pennies, 15 dimes, 10 quarters and 20 nickels. The students need them for math lessons.

Our thank you goes out to parents who volunteered to set up science explorations, reading aloud, reading in small groups and other classroom activities. If you haven’t had a chance to sign up to help, please stop by our room to do so.

Pin numbers are available for parents in room 113. This will allow you to view your child’s grades and attendance on IMPACT via the Internet.

Students received order forms for school pictures. Please return the order form and fees promptly.

On Friday, October 9th, there will be a science quiz about weather. Students will receive a study guide on Monday.

Homework is 5% of your child’s grades. It consists of reading 30 minutes, journal writing (one page, skipping lines), spelling words, and a math Home Link or worksheet. Please monitor your child’s work daily.

Language Arts:
Independent Reading (35-40 minutes at the beginning of each day)
Teachers administer the Reading 3D tests each day during this time.

Day 1:
Understanding a Small Moment Story
- This session will show students that authors write small moments stories and stretch the action across several pages because the moment is so important.
Interactive Read Aloud: A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
Word Study: pumps, silverware, paper wrapper, delivered- Read and analyze characters to provide an example of how to write a small moment story. Emphasize the theme of family and community experiences.
- Teachers chart a word web to help students identify the theme.
Modeled Writing:
Teachers model a small moment story.
- Students share knee-to-knee and write notes of their personal experiences for their small moment stories.
Spelling Words of the Week:
after, any, every, her, him, old, round, take, then, walk
Differentiated Instruction:- Writing conferences
- Reading 3D tests
- Word Knowledge (Fountas & Pinnell): Identifying words with long vowels (Teachers explain the principles of long vowels)

Day 2:
Interactive Read Aloud: Music, Music for Everyone by Vera B. Williams (p. 330 – 344)
- Word Study: accordion, terrific, tucked, fiddle
Discovering One Small Moment
- Teachers write a story in the air of one moment, demonstrating concentrating on and picturing the moment while you put it on the page.
- Read and analyze characters to provide an example of how to write a small moment story.
- Students share knee-to-knee their ideas for the small moment narratives.
- Students begin the small moment narratives.
Differentiated Instruction:- Writing conferences
- Reading 3D tests
- Word Knowledge:
Students make, write and read words with long vowels.

Day 3:
Interactive Read Aloud: Music, Music for Everyone by Vera B. Williams (p. 345 – 358)
Establishing Long-term Partnerships
- Teachers explain the importance of long-term partnership. Each student is assigned a partner to revisit his/her partner’s work from the preceding session to plan for upcoming work.
- Teachers model how to read and discuss the writing of the partnerships.
- Students continue to work on the small moment narratives. Then they will regroup with assigned partners to discuss the writing.
- Students present their work-in-progress.
Differentiated Instruction:
- Writing conferences
- Reading 3D tests
- Word Knowledge:
Students make, write and read words with long vowels.

Day4:
Interactive Read Aloud:
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
- While reading, teachers model to students how Audrey Penn stretches out a “Small Moment” in The Kissing Hand.
Stretching One Small Moment
- This session will invite children to listen to how a published author stretches a moment across several pages. Students will then learn to plan their own writing in the presence of partners.
- Students continue to work on the small moment narratives. Then they will regroup with assigned partners to discuss the writing.
- Students present their work-in-progress.
Differentiated Instruction:- Writing conferences
- Reading 3D tests
- Word Knowledge:
Students make, write and read words with long vowels.

Day 5:
Interactive Read Aloud:
Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe
Stretching and Writing Words
- Teachers model to students how to separate out the many sounds they hear in words and write down the letters that correspond to those sounds.
- Students continue to work on the small moment narratives. Then they will regroup with assigned partners to discuss the writing.
- Students present their work-in-progress.
Differentiated Instruction:- Writing conferences
- Reading 3D tests
- Word Knowledge:
Students make, write and read words with long vowels.

Math:
2.2 Review “Easy” Addition Facts (Day 2)
Objectives: To review +0 and +1 addition facts, and to provide practice with addition facts in which one of the addends is 0, 1, 2, or 3
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Reviewing =0 and =1 Shortcuts (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Demonstrating Beat the Calculator (Whole-Class Activity)
- Playing Beat the Calculator (Small-Group Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Teachers work with a selected group of a few students to re-teach how to count up mentally or by using fingers.
Enrichment: Students work independently to find distances on a number grid.

2.3 Doubles Facts
Objective: To review and provide practice for double facts
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Review the Meaning of “Sum” (Whole-Class Activity)
- Reviewing the Facts Table (Whole-Class Activity)
- Reviewing the Doubles Facts (Whole-Class Activity)
- Practicing Doubles Facts and “Almost Doubles” Facts (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Teacher guides a small group of students using dominoes to find the total number on both halves.
Enrichment Activity: Students play Beat the Calculator in groups of three.

2. 4 Turn-Around Facts and the +9 Shortcut
Objective: To review the turn-around shortcut for addition, and to discover and provide practice for a shortcut for addition facts that have 9 as addend
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Introducing the =9 Shortcut (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Practicing +9 Facts (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Teacher guides a small group of students using the number grid to practice +9.
Enrichment Activity: Creating and Solving Riddles

2.5 Addition Strategies That Use Doubles Facts
Objective: To provide opportunities for students to explore and practice double-plus-1 and double-plus-2 facts
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing Doubles-Plus-1 Facts (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Discussing Double-Plus-2 Facts (Whole-Class Discussion)
- Practicing Addition Strategies That Use Doubles Facts (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Teacher guides a small group of students using the doubles facts chart and the number grid.
Enrichment Activity: Looking for Patterns in the Facts Table

2.6 Subtraction from Addition
Objective: To review the -0 and -1 shortcuts, and to guide students to identify the subtraction facts relate to given addition facts
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Discussing the –0 and the –1 Shortcuts (Whole-Class Activity)
- Using Dominoes to Generate Related Addition and Subtraction Facts (Whole-Class Activity)
- Practicing Domino Facts (Independent Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Teacher guides a small group of students using dominoes to generate related addition and subtraction facts.

Science:
FOSS: Investigation 2 part 1
Weather Calendar
Inquiry Question:
How can we keep a record of daily weather condition?
The class shares what they know about weather and how it relates to air. A class meteorologist begins recording daily weather observation on a class calendar. Symbols are used to indicate five basic types of weather.
Science Content:
- Weather describes conditions in the air outside.
- Meteorologists are scientists who study the weather.
- Scientific journals record what is observable.
- Discuss how weather affects farming.
Harcourt: Weather: The big idea is weather can be observed, measured, predicted, and compared.
Lesson 1: How does weather change?
Vocabulary: weather, weather pattern, seasons
- Students observe weather and identify how it changes over time.
- Students use their lab manual pp. 71, 72.
Harcourt: Weather
Vocabulary: temperature, thermometer, wind, precipitation
- Identify tools used to measure weather. Use metric and standard English (customary) to measure temperature.

FOSS: Investigation 2 part 2):
Measuring Temperature
Inquiry Question:
How does a thermometer work to measure the temperature?
Students learn to use the thermometer and take turns measuring and recording the temperature. They construct a model thermometer and practice reading various temperatures.
Science Content:
- Temperature describes how hot or cold the air is.
- Temperature is measured with a thermometer.
- The unit used to measure temperature is degrees Celsius (C) or degrees Fahrenheit (F).

Harcourt: Model a Rainbow
- Students place a mirror in a jar of water in a darkroom. They use flashlights to create rainbows.
Science Quiz: Weather

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