Read for a Better Life - 2011

This past week we celebrated the love and importance of reading books with our 2nd graders! Thank you to all of our wonderful guest readers that came in to share good books with us - we loved having you visit us! Here are some pictures of our guest readers below......

Christopher and his dad, Mr. Larimore

We had a visit from this guy who said he was a pirate! Hope said it was really just her dad, Mr. Parker.

Anna and her mom, Mrs. Tate

We even had a surprise visit from some ORHS football players....very cool!

Nicholas' mom, Mrs. Pendland

Victoria and her mom, Mrs. Pollard

Jacob and his dad, Mr. Altizer

Audree and her mom, Mrs. Cannon

Peri and her dad, Mr. Lunn

Mrs. Williamson and Happy the Clown helped us visit Storyland during our visit to the library on Wednesday. She reminds us each week how important reading is!

Mrs. Williamson crowned Sedona the Storytime Princess and she helped us start our journey into a good book!

Mack and his mom, Mrs. Smith

Hope and her mom, Mrs. Parker

Landon and his mom, Mrs. Evans

Marissa and her dad, Mr. Larimore

Jordan and her mom, Mrs. Parks

William and his mom, Mrs. Tennison

Emei and her mom, Mrs. St. Laurent

Jacob and his mom, Mrs. Eads

Braydon and his mom, Mrs. Caldwell

Water Discovery Lab

The students participated in a "Water Discovery Lab" this past week where they were given a piece of wax paper, an eye droper, and red, yellow and blue colored water. They were instructed to make a design on their wax paper using the eye dropper. They soon discovered that their water dots grew as they dropped a dot of water next to the first dot. We called this property sticky--or that it grew. Enjoy the slideshow below!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

What we're learning the week of Sept. 19th - 23rd

***Please remind your child to put forth their very best effort on all of their assignments at school. Also, please go over their graded work with them that comes home in the Tuesday folder. Thank you!

This week in Math we will explore numbers to 99. We will look at a hundreds chart counting by 10's, 5's, and 2's. We will also learn different ways to show a number. For example, in numerical form, expanded form, tens and ones, drawing a simple picture showing the number using tens and ones and in written form. I encourage each child to practice their math facts for 5-10 min. each night. This could be done in the car as you are going to after school activities. Our goal is to know the facts without using our fingers, so the more they hear them and say them it will become easier for them.

This week in Science we will continue to learn about matter. We will participate in a two different experiments this week......"Its' a GAS!" and "Ice Cube". Look for pictures later in the week from our science experiments! Please discuss the scientific method with your students this week. Ask them if they can tell you about the different parts: Question, Materials, Hypothesis, Data/Experiment, Conclusion. They should be able to tell you about these things this week.

In Social Studies we will be learning about maps. We will be making a map of our classroom and the community we live in. We will learn about map titles, map keys, and the compass rose. For fun this week you may have your child make a map of your house. You could also have your student help you determine which way is North, East, South, and West. If your child chooses to complete this extra fun project this week, please have them bring the map to school so we can see it!

In Reading we will be reading Eric Carle's, The Mixed-Up Chameleon. We will be working on sequencing, literal and non-literal meanings of words and suffixes. The students will be writing their own version of the story, "The Mixed Up Me".

In Writing we will be learning how to effectively write about small moments. We are learning to write personal narratives as well.

In Word Study/Spelling we are working with words that have the short u sound.

What we will be learning for the week of Sept. 12th - 16th

***In order to help kick off CISD's "Read for a Better Life" program, we will be sending home an invitation in your child's Tuesday folder asking volunteers to come and read to our class the following week. The program officially starts up the week of Sept. 19th - 23rd, but we wanted to go ahead and let parents know a week in advance in case they'd like to make arrangements to come in and read! Your child will also be bringing home a "Read with Me Club" folder this week which is another incentive to encourage children and their parents to read together. Readers are leaders!

This week in math we will be learning about temperature. We will take a daily temperature reading and use that data to create a temperature graph. Students will realize that temperature is a vertical number line and will explore the way to read the temperature on a thermometer. Some thermometers count by 1's, 2's, and 10's. If you have a thermometer outside your house try to take a temperature reading each night and discuss with your child how you determined the temperature.

In science, we will continue our unit on matter. We are continuing to explore the properties of matter. On Tuesday we will perform a discovery lab with water. ***Be sure and ask your child that afternoon what kind of lab they did in science and what they learned about water.

This week in social studies we will finish our unit of learning all about our national symbols. We have learned about the Bald Eagle, Statue of Liberty, Uncle Sam, the United States Flag, and the Liberty Bell. Your child should be able to tell you something about each of these symbols. Our next study in social studies will be learning about our great state of Texas. Students will learn some important symbols of our state. We will discuss the Texas Flag, tree, flower, song, small mammal, and our state's nickname.

We'll be reading stories (both non-fiction and fiction)about hedgehogs this week. One of the fiction stories we'll read is called "Hedgehog Bakes a Cake". This a great story to teach sequencing and following steps in a process. We'll be back on a regular homework routine this week so watch for your child's spelling spirals to come home for Monday night's homework. All of our grandparent letters have been written and mailed so we will be anxiously awaiting the arrival of their letters back to us here at school.

In Writer's Workshop this week we will work on creating interesting sentences in our writing and planning out the details that we include in our stories. We will also practice storytelling and writing with a partner in class. Our word study/spelling this week will focus on words with the short o sound.

What we will be learning for the week of September 6th - 9th

***Please note: We will have a spelling test on Friday over words with the short i sound. Watch for the list to come home on Tuesday in your child's red homework folder. The students will not have to complete and turn in any spelling homework this week due to the holiday and no school on Monday.
However, homework for the rest of the week will be regular.

In Math, we will begin exploring measurement. We will use nonstandard units of measurement such as paper clips, teddy bear counters, and cubes. We will also look at how to use a ruler to measure in inches. We will measure objects around our classroom in nonstandard units of measurement as well as inches. We will discuss the vocabulary words length and height. Try to measure a few things around your house and compare different objects of length and height!

I was very proud of each students effort with their first math fact challenge. I could tell they were ready and are excited about this challenge in our class each week. Please continue to practice. Our next math fact challenge will be this coming Friday, Sept. 9th.

In science this week we will begin our unit on matter. Matter is everything around us! This week our focus will be on properties of matter. We will use our five senses to explore a Hershey's Kiss - yum! We will also be using the balance scales to determine the mass of an orange using some teddy bear counters as our unit of measure for weight. Over the next few weeks, be discussing with your student the different types of matter: Solids, Liquids, and Gasses!

This week in Social Studies we will begin to look at our national symbols. We will learn about our Flag, patriotic songs such as America the Beautiful, and The Star-Spangled Banner. We will also discuss the Bald Eagle, Uncle Sam, the Liberty Bell, and the Statue of Liberty. Lastly, on Friday we will discuss September 11th. In Texas, this day is called "Texas First Responder's Day" in honor of the bravery, courage, and determination of Texas men and women community helpers who contributed to helping 10 years ago on September 11 - firefighters, police, doctors, and many other good citizens as well. Be in discussion about this with your students because it is a part of our nation's history.

In Language Arts we will be talking about Grandparent's Day (Grandparent's are honored on the second Sunday of Sept. each year). To honor our grandparent's, we will be writing letters to them in class and asking them to write us back. Watch for a note with more information and some envelopes to come home in your child's Tuesday folder this week. The Grandparent's really enjoy receiving these special letters! We will also be reading some stories about grandparents and families throughout the week.

Dry Ice Experiment