Thursday, January 31st

This morning we wrote about what we like to do and how to behave on field trips.  Then we did many Jimmy's Boa activities.  We made a cause/effect chart, put words from the story in ABC order, answered comprehension questions, and practiced our vocabulary words.  Then, we completed our DLP.  We also read with our 4th grade book buddies.  In Social Studies, we read about the voting process.  We took our Science test this afternoon.  We learned the cursive letters k and f.  They are very difficult.  Some students could finish the page at home for more practice.  In math, we reviewed three digit subtraction and will have a test tomorrow.  There will also be a Reading and Spelling test tomorrow. 

FYI--Tomorrow I will be at a Joint Evaluation Committee Meeting.  I will be here on Monday for Conferences.  I have been invited by the Superintendent to attend a No Child Left Behind Conference next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday downtown Chicago.  Therefore, the children will have a substitute for four days.  I have left explicit plans for the substitute to follow.  Because I will not be here, there will be no blog next week.  I will be back next Friday for the Early Release Day. 

Wednesday, January 30th

Wow!  We sure had a busy day!  We practiced visualizing this morning.  We drew pictures of animals that we would have on our farms if we were farmers.  We also made a list of all the animals on our farms.  Then, we re-read the story Jimmy's Boa with small groups.  We completed a graphic organizer to tell what happened in the beginning, middle and end.  We also drew a picture of our favorite part.  We do have a scavenger hunt to complete for homework, along with a grammar worksheet on pronouns.  After we went to the library, we had centers/guided reading.  In Social Studies, we re-read our lesson on the federal government, completed a worksheet and made vocabulary cards.  We watched two brainpop videos on the duties of the President and the three branches of government.  In Science, we reviewed for our Science test tomorrow.  Books were sent home again tonight for practice.  In math, we learned how to subtract across zeros.  Students have one page of math homework.

Spelling Packets are due tomorrow!

Tuesday, January 30th

This morning we wrote non-fiction information about snakes in our journals.  I was amazed at how much the class already knew!  Then, we reviewed words with -ou and -ow.  We did a Making Words activity, too.  Then, we learned this week's vocabulary words.  We talked about cause and effect.  Then, we read The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash and used the cause/effect strategy while we discussed the story.  We completed our DLP and a grammar activity on pronouns as well.  Then, we went to art class.  This afternoon, we silent read and set up our Book Bags.  Then we went to music and gym class.  In math, we learned how to problem solve using three digit subtraction.  Most students do have math homework, but a few finished in class.

There will be a Science Test on Thursday on Animal Classifications.  Notes and definitions of the vocabulary words went home today along with the Science book for review.  The Spelling Packet is due on Thursday.

Monday, January 28th

We imagined what it would be like to have any pet we wanted....then we wrote about it in our journals.  The children had some interesting pets that I'm sure you wouldn't want to have living in your house!  Then, we learned about words with -ou and -ow.  We completed a word sort and then introduced our spelling words.  We also learned about pronouns today.  We will be working with them all week.  Then, we learned the cursive letters b and h.  They are really coming along!  In Social Studies, we learned about the federal government and the jobs of Congress, the President and the Supreme Court justices.  We took notes on a tri-fold that we've been working on.  This afternoon we learned how to rewrite horizontal math problems vertically.  The students have one page of math homework.  At the end of the day, we went to the computer lab.

The Spelling Packet was sent home today. It is due on Thursday, as usual.  We will also be taking a Science test on Thursday.  Information on what to study will be sent home tomorrow.

Friday, January 25th

This morning we introduced our exciting Washington, D.C. project to the children.  We will be combining the three second grades to research different monuments and buildings there.  They will eventually produce a poster and paragraph to present to the rest of the second grade.  After we sorted the children into groups, we selected which building/monument each would be researching.  Then, we wrote letters to send off to Washington, D.C. requesting information to help our research.  It is a huge project that we all look forward to working on!  This afternoon we went to music and gym.  At the end of the day, we learned how to regroup in all place value columns.  We do have one page of math homework.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Don't forget that the Fun Fair is tonight!

Wednesday, January 23rd

Finally, it's snowing!!!  The children are so excited to see the large flakes!  This morning, we reviewed what we learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and put on a play about his childhood.  It was quite fun!  Then, we took part of our Theme 3 Literacy Test.  We also went to the library.  We practiced some map reading skills.  Then, we learned the cursive letters u and w.  This afternoon we learned about the life cycle of certain animals.  We read about how they grow and change.  Then, we watched a video clip showing the life cycle of a butterfly.  We completed our lesson outline in class. In math, we reviewed how to regroup in the tens column while subtracting three digit numbers.  Most students have one page of homework.

Thank you to all of you who visited our classroom yesterday!  I was so sorry to have missed it, but I attended a district math committee meeting.  I hope you enjoyed your experience and saw what we do here every day at Wesley School.

Thursday, January 17th

We had a busy day!  We wrote about amphibians in our journals.  The children did great using some non-fiction writing.  Then, we reviewed our vocabulary and word wall words.  We practiced making predictions.  We completed our DLP, too.  We read with our 4th grade book buddies.  Then, we learned the cursive letter t.  We had guided reading/centers.  In Social Studies, we made a vocabulary card for the word "governor".  We also completed a worksheet on the state government.  This afternoon we silent read.  Then, we learned about animal adaptations in Science.  We completed two activities in class.  We also watched a video clip showing some different adaptations.  In math, we started switching with all three 2nd grade classrooms.  We introduced the new unit on 3-digit subtraction and taught the students to subtract hundreds.  They have one page of math homework. 

There will be a Reading and Spelling test tomorrow!

Wednesday, January 16th

After we wrote in our journals this morning, we reviwed our vocabulary words.  We wrote the word "crown" on a crown and used it in a sentence.  Then, we re-read Pumpkin Fiesta in small groups.  We checked out new books in the library.  Then, we completed our DLP and a grammar worksheet on possessive nouns.  We also had centers/guided reading.  In Social Studies, we took notes on the state government and talked about how a governor runs a state.  This afternoon, we looked at animal classifications and took notes on our bulletin board.  Then, we read about animal adaptations.  We watched a video clip as well.  Most students completed the lesson outline in class, but a few have to finish for homework. 

Don't forget that the spelling packet is due tomorrow!  We will have our Reading and Spelling tests on Friday, as usual.

Tuesday, January 15th

We started our day by writing about our hobbies.  Then, we practiced writing plural nouns with -ies endings.  We learned our vocabulary words and read the story Pumpkin Fiesta.  We completed our DLP and did a grammar activity on possessive nouns.  Then, we went to art class.  This afternoon we silent read.  Then we went to gym and music.  In math, we took two tests, one on problem solving and the other on 3-digit addition.  The students did so well and we are so proud of their progress!  They are really rising to the Common Core Standards!  At the end of the day, we worked on a practice math worksheet.  Those who used their time wisely finished, those who didn't need to finish for homework.

Monday, January 14th

This morning we wrote about what we would do if something precious to us disappeared.  Then, we turned and told our neighbor what we wrote.  The neighbor then had to report back to the class about what they had heard.  It was an interesting lesson that tested our listening and summarizing skills.  We will practice this more often.  Then, we learned about plural nouns with -s, -es, and -ies endings.  We did a word sort and practiced our spelling words as well.  We completed our DLP and learned about possessive nouns, too.  Then, for the first time, we learned a cursive letter!  I explained to the students that we are only allowed to practice letters that have been taught in class.  Please do not encourage your child to write cursive at home because bad habits form before they have even been introduced to them!  There is nothing harder to do than break a bad habit.  As we learn the letters, we will learn to write our names, but we have to be patient.  We will learn all lower and uppercase letters by the end of May.  In Social Studies, we took notes on the local government.  We also watched a Brainpop video on local and state government.  We will learn about the state government later this week.  This afternoon we used the strategy guess and check to solve problems in math.  Students have review pages for homework as we will have a test tomorrow on adding three digit numbers.  On Wednesday, we will begin subtracting three digit numbers.  At the end of the day, we went to the computer lab.

Friday, January 11th

This morning we chose our own topics for journal writing.  Then, we added a new poem to our poetry binders.  We reviewed words with -ear and completed our DLP.  We took our Spelling test.  After centers/guided reading, we took our Reading test.  At the end of the day, we had Celebration Day.  The only homework over the weekend is to practice reading the poems in the poetry binder.  Enjoy the nice weather!

Thursday, January 10th

In our journals, we told what we would do if we could change one thing in Addison.  Then, we reviewed our phonics pattern and vocabulary words.  We re-read Watermelon Day in small groups.  We also completed our DLP and did a grammar activity.  We read with our 4th grade Book Buddies.  Then, we had centers/guided reading.  We re-read our lesson on the local government in Social Studies and made vocabulary cards.  After lunch, we silent read.  In Science, we re-read our lesson on animal classifications. We completed a Reading Pictures worksheet and reviewed the vocabulary from the lesson.  In math, we practiced rewriting three digit numbers and added them together.  There is one page of math homework. There will be a Reading and Spelling test tomorrow. 

Remember tomorrow is an Early Release Day. We are done at noon.

Wednesday, January 9th

Throughout the day today, some students were given a Fountas and Pinnell Reading test to help us pinpoint students' reading levels.  Those who were not tested today will be tested sometime between now and mid-February. 

The students wrote about what they would like to do if they had their own Watermelon Day.  Then, they reviewed the phonics skill and re-read the story.  They completed their DLP and a grammar activity, too.  We visited the library.  We had centers/guided reading.  In Social Studies, we read about the local government and completed an activity in class.  This afternoon we silent read.  Then, we learned about animal classifications in Science.  Some students need to finish the lesson outline for homework.  In math, we learned how to regroup in both the tens and hundreds columns.  We have one page of math homework. 

Spelling Packets are due tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 8th

This morning we wrote about our likes and dislikes of watermelon.  It was interesting!  Then, we worked on activities with a watermelon theme.  Our story this week is called Watermelon Day.  We read the story and enjoyed thinking about eating watermelon on a hot, summer day.  We also reviewed our spelling words/phonics pattern and completed our DLP.  We then went to art class. This afternoon, we silent read.  Then, we went to music and art class.  In math we learned how to regroup in the hundreds column.  The students do have math homework.

Spelling Packet is due on Thursday.

Monday, January 7th, 2013

Welcome back!  I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday break!  We took it a little slow this morning.  We wrote about what we did over break and everyone got to share today.  Then, we learned about words with silent letters with kn, gn, wr.  The Spelling words and packet are coming home today.  There are several difficult words to be studied.  We completed a word sort, our DLP and talked about how to abbreviate both the days of the week and months of the year when writing the date.  In Social Studies, we started a new unit on our government.  We practiced the reading skill main idea and details.  We also watched short video clips about our local government.  This afternoon we started to add three-digit numbers with regrouping.  Please practice at home!  There is one page of homework to be completed.  At the end of the day, we went to the computer lab and took a timed test.