2nd Grade Blog

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

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Last Thursday, a schedule was sent home to remind you of your conference time on Report-card Pickup day. We are looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, 11/18/09. There is no school for students on that day.

In order to be considerate to all, please keep your appointment time. Each conference is allotted for ten minutes. However, should you feel the need to discuss your child’s progress further, you can always request another appointment and we will be happy to accommodate.

We are wrapping up unit 3 in math, and our students will be given an open response on
Thursday 11/19 and a written assessment on Friday, 11/20. Please refer to the review section below to help your child study.

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: Teachers circulate the room to assist students during writing time.
- Guided Reading
- Reading Comprehension Skills: context clues
- Teachers present a short passage and engage students to use context to define the unknown vocabulary.
- Students from a table grouping are selected each day to read from their journals.
Spelling Words for the Week: before, both, found, its, sleep, these, wash, which, would, your

Day 1:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Ask/answer Questions
Interactive Read Aloud: Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathmann
- Focus the learning: Questions help us as readers and allow us to think more deeply, as well as make more connections to our prior knowledge
- Model and Guide Practice: Teachers model how to ask questions through thinking out loud.
- End of Story Reflection: Students generate “I wonder” questions. They work in pairs to reflect and write answers to the questions.

Day 2:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Ask/answer Questions
Interactive Read Aloud: Duke Ellington by Andrea Davis Pinkney
- Focus the learning: Questions help us as readers and allow us to think more deeply, as well as make more connections to our prior knowledge
- Model and Guide Practice: Teachers model how to ask questions through thinking out loud.
- End of Story Reflection: Students generate “I wonder” questions. They work in pairs to reflect and write answers to the questions.

Day3:
Report-card Pickup Day

Day 4:
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.

Day 5:
Independent Reading
Morning meeting/morning message
Reading Skill: Making Connections
Interactive Read Aloud: Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall
- Focus the learning: Making connections helps us understand the story better.
- Model and Guide Practice: Teachers model how to make connections through thinking out loud.
- End of Story Reflection: Students work in pairs to discuss which connections help to understand the story better.
Writing for Readers:
(Lucy Calkins and Natalie Louis)
Teaching Skills and Strategies
Session 1: 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 orally 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?

Math:
3.8 Coin Exchanges (Day 2)
Objective: To guide students as they solve multi-step problems for amounts under $1.00 and as they practice making change using nickels, dimes, and quarters
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Making Vending Machine Purchases (Partner Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
Enrichment: Playing Making Change

3.9 Unit Review- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
Mini Lesson:
Model a math extended response.
- Identifying the values for the given base-10 blocks (e.g. 1 flat, 2 longs and 4 cubes equal 124
- Identifying ones, tens and hundreds places
- Writing P, N, D, or Q to show the coins use to pay the exact amount. (e.g. Nina paid 43 cent for an apple. Students write Q, D, N, P, P, P)
- Adding and subtracting
- Solving addition story problems
- Interpreting bar graphs
- Skip counting by 5s and 25s
- Solving Frames-and Arrows problems with two rules
- Making change (e.g. You buy a milk for 35 cents. You paid with 2 quarters. How much change should you get back?)
- Reading a thermometer

Unit 3 Written Extended Response
(Students will take the assessment in the morning)
- Students need to know how to calculate the value of coin combinations and make exchanges between coins.

Unit 3 Written Assessment
(Students will take the assessment in the morning)

Science:
Thinking about balance
- Using paper butterflies, paper clips and a pencil, students will explore the principals of balance. Words study: fulcrum, symmetry, weight distribution
- Using a paper cutout of an asymmetrical animal, paper clips and a pencil, students will explore the principals of balance. Words study: asymmetry
- Students share out what they discovered from previous explorations.
- Teachers model how to write a lab observation.

Social Studies:
Mr. Hoang will present his immigration experiences from Vietnam to the U.S.A.

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

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

A copy of the conference schedule will be sent home with students on November 10 to remind you of your conference time. We are looking forward to seeing you on Report-card Pickup day, which is Wednesday, November 18.

There will be no school for students on Wednesday, November 11 for Veterans’ Day.

Picture retake day is Friday, November 13. If you would like for your child to participate, please return the unwanted pictures by that time.

We are wrapping up unit 3 in math, and our students will be given an open response on Thursday 11/19 and a written assessment on Friday, 11/20. Please refer to the review section bellow to help your child study.

In the week of November 16, we will begin a new author study of the works of Allen Say, which have the theme of immigration. Social Studies will be integrated in this unit. Please let us know if your family emigrated from another country, and you would like to share your story. We would love your participation.

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: teachers circulate the room to assist students during writing time.
- Guided Reading
- Word Knowledge (Fountas and Pinnell): Each day, students will explore sight words by playing the Make, Say, Check, Mix game.
Spelling Words for the Week:
because, best, don’t, first, green, pull, sit, upon, very, work

Day 1:
Using Prior Knowledge
Interactive Read Aloud: Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
- Mini Lesson: Teachers demonstrate using prior knowledge from life experiences to better comprehend text.
- Students utilize skills from previous lessons to identify big ideas.
- Writing: Students reflect on what they had learned during the first quarter.
- Teachers model orally about what we learned in reading.
- Students write a paragraph about what they learned in reading.

Day 2:
Using Prior Knowledge
Interactive Read Aloud:
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
- Mini Lesson: Teachers demonstrate using prior knowledge from life experiences to better comprehend text.
- Students utilize skills from previous lessons to identify big ideas.
- Writing: Students reflect on what they had learned during the first quarter.
- Teachers model orally about what we learned in writing.
- Students write a paragraph about what they learned in writing.

Day 3:
Using Prior Knowledge
Interactive Read Aloud:
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
- Mini Lesson: Teachers demonstrate using prior knowledge from life experiences to better comprehend text.
- Students utilize skills from previous lessons to identify big ideas.
- Writing: Students reflect on what they had learned during the first quarter.
- Teachers model orally about what we learned in math.
- Students write a paragraph about what they learned in math.

Day 4:
Using Prior Knowledge
Interactive Read Aloud:
Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse by Leo Lionni
- Mini Lesson: Teachers demonstrate using prior knowledge from life experiences to better comprehend text.
- Students utilize skills from previous lessons to identify big ideas.
- Writing: Students reflect on what they had learned during the first quarter.
- Teachers model orally about what we learned in science.
- Students write a paragraph about what they learned in science.

Math:
3.6 Frames and Arrows Having Two Rules (2 Days)
Objective: To guide students as they solve Frames-and-Arrows problems having two rules
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Frames-and-Arrows Diagrams Having Two Rules (Whole-Class Activity)
- Solving Frames-and-Arrows Problems (Independent Activity)
- Students complete Math Journal 1, p. 68, 69, 71.
Differentiated Instruction: Students work in assigned pairs under teachers’ supervision. We use manipulatives to solve Frames-and-Arrows problems.
Enrichment: Reading a Bar Graph

3.7 Making Change by Counting Up
Objective: To guide students as they make change by counting up from the cost of an item to the amount tendered
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Demonstrating How to Make Change by Counting Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Acting as Customer or Clerk (Partner Activity)
Differentiated Instruction: Under teachers’ guidance, students work in assigned pairs using coins and dollar bills to purchase and make change.
Enrichment: Solving Frames-and-Arrows Problems Having Two Rules

3.8 Coin Exchanges (Day 1)
Objective: To guide students as they solve multi-step problems for amounts under $1.00 and as they practice making change using nickels, dimes, and quarters
- Mental Math and Reflexes/Math Message
- Math Message Follow-Up (Whole-Class Activity)
- Buying Items with Exact Change Only (Whole-Class Activity)
- Buying Items without Exact Change (Whole-Class Activity)
Differentiated Instruction:
Enrichment: Playing Making Change

3.9 Unit Review
- Identifying the values for the given base-10 blocks (e.g. 1 flat, 2 longs and 4 cubes equal 124
- Identifying ones, tens and hundreds places
- Writing P, N, D, or Q to show the coins use to pay the exact amount. (e.g. Nina paid 43 cent for an apple. Students write Q, D, N, P, P, P)
- Adding and subtracting
- Solving addition story problems
- Interpreting bar graphs
- Skip counting by 5s and 25s
- Solving Frames-and Arrows problems with two rules
- Making change (e.g. You buy a milk for 35 cents. You paid with 2 quarters. How much change should you get back?)
- Reading a thermometer

Science:
Balancing and Weighing
Pre-Unit Assessment (3 Days)
On a beam balance, balance is dependent on the relative mass of objects, the location of the fulcrum, and the relative lengths of the arms of the beam.
Lesson 1: Thinking about balance
Students use simple materials to explore the relationship between balance and mass.
- Students write ideas in response to the statement “What I know about balancing.”
- Chart students’ responses to “What they would like to know about balancing.”
- Let the students know that during the next few weeks they will be investigating balancing and weighing. At the end of this time, they will look at the chart again to see which questions they have answered.

Social Studies:
Interactive Read Aloud; Why Did They Come? by Solomon Gordon
- Teachers and students read and discuss how and why people from around the world came to America to escape danger, hunger and poverty.
- Teachers guide students to trace travel sailing routes on a globe and map to the countries/continents mentioned in the book (Europe, Asia, Ireland, China, Russia).

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

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