May 4-8

Hello Second Grade Families,

With all of the sickness going around, we are nearly out of Kleenex! Please send a box if you can spare one. I know the specials teachers are low too, so if I get more than what we need for the month I’ll pass a box on to music, art, etc.

Upcoming Dates

May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation week! If you are looking for ideas to help your child appreciate their MANY teachers, here is a website with printable cards and more! Our public library can help you print if needed! I have also put out some supplies for students to make thank-you/appreciation cards during our morning literacy rotations. 

I don’t usually share a classroom wishlist, but our classroom budgets will need to be tighter this year, so I created an amazon wishlist! If you are interested in donating to our classroom in the coming month, take a look! 

Thank you to the anonymous donor(s) who already purchased 4 items off the wishlist! ❤️ It was the best surprise to come home to on Friday after a long week! 

May 8th: School Forest Visit - AM. I need a few permission slips and background check forms back yet! Please return them tomorrow, Monday 5/4!!!

May 12: Spring Music Concert at 6 pm, arrive to classroom at 5:45 pm

May 27th: Field trip to Barlow Planetarium and Timber Rattlers game! Please return yellow field trip form and background check forms that I sent last week to chaperone volunteers.

June 4: Last day of school for students

Homework:

~ Math Sheet 6-1

~Read about 15 minutes per night - Please continue to ask your child to reread the decodable texts that come home on Thursdays. 

~Check planners for notes and reminders.

What are we learning?

Character Strong: Week 1 of Courage

ELA 

Module 9: Home Sweet Habitat (week 2)

HELLO, FAMILY!

Over the next three weeks, our class will be learning about different animal habitats and the animals that live there.

We will read about animals that make their homes in forests, oceans, and deserts. We will also learn how different habitats meet the basic needs of the animals that live there. Children will write a research report about an animal and its relationship with others.

BRING IT HOME! Learning fun for the whole family!

Big Idea Words. Reinforce these important topic words when you are reading or talking with your child: ecosystem, habitat, species.

Try to incorporate questions like these into everyday conversations:

·        What kinds of living things are in our ecosystem?

·        What would it be like to live in a blank habitat?

·        What makes your favorite animal species special?

Let’s Read Together. Make a special time and place to read with your child every day.

During this module about animal habitats, try these activities during your reading time together:

·        Read outside. Notice the living things around you, where they live, and how they depend on other living things.

·        Snap your fingers when an animal is mentioned in your book. Talk about its habitat.

·        Decide if the text you are reading is fiction, nonfiction, or tells someone’s opinion. Explain how you know.

Word Play. Play with words to help develop skills that are important for reading.

Week 1: Syllable Search

Take turns pointing out things at home that have two syllables. Tap out and say the syllables with your child.

Week 2: A Good Book

During your daily reading, look for words that have the same vowel sounds as good and book.

Week 3: Word Search

Look for words with a long u vowel sound, spelling with oo or ou, as in loop and soup.

Math

We will begin unit 6 which focuses on understanding place value up to the thousands and + and - problems with those bigger 3 and 4 digit numbers.

Science

Some of their radish seeds sprouted so we finished that lesson! In lesson 4, we are considering how some plants may need more or less of one of these: sunlight, water, shade.

We will also visit the forest this week and study the forest ecosystem. I have a fun forest products lesson that relates science, history, and our school forest coming up! Hoping to squeeze it in before we go to the forest or right after. 

Mrs. Naparalla