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Second
Grade Update
Spelling
Unit 13
– Week of Nov. 17
Remember that two consonants together can spell a
single sound: wr in wrap and ck in thick. Two or more consonants can spell new
sounds called consonant digraphs: ch in chase, sh in shape, th in mother, and tch in watch.
1.
shape
2.
church
3.
watch
4.
father
5.
wrap
6.
check
7.
finish
8.
sharp
9.
mother
10. write
11. catch
12. chase
13. shall
14. thick
15. wrote
Challenge
1.
chance
2.
hatch
3.
seashore
4.
shipwreck
5.
depth
Immigration Doll and Report – Due: Nov.
20
Our second graders have
read Molly’s Pilgrim. In the story, each member of the class
is asked to make a pilgrim doll for Thanksgiving. Molly’s doll is different from the
traditional pilgrim dolls made by the other children in her class. Her teacher helps the children realize
that Molly’s doll represents her mother’s pilgrimage from
We would like for each child
to make a doll that represents the country (or one of the countries) of his/her
origins. Each child has been given
a choice of a clothespin or a cut-out to use as the body of the doll. The
students only need to decorate the one of their choice. The materials that your child chooses
for clothing should represent the country in some way (traditional costume,
colors of the flag, etc.) These
dolls will be displayed on the Christmas Around the
World tree in the Hillcrest library in December.
Each child should also
write a brief report about the country of origin. Students should use the attached form
for their report. Reports can also
be typed on the computer. If
typing, be sure that all the report information is included. The dolls and reports should be brought
to school by Thursday, November 20, 2008.
Click here
if you need another copy of the report form
What will we
be learning in November?
We all enjoyed reading The
Trojan Horse and some of Aesop’s fables last month. November’s reading promises to be
just as exciting. We will be
working on sequencing, drawing conclusions, and recalling details as we
continue reading stories from our anthology. The students are reading a variety of
books during their DEAR time.
Language Arts
We are learning about nonfiction writing by
studying the craft of other authors.
The students will be writing their own “How-To” books, and
will create their own “All About” books. These books are based on topics in which
the student has personal expertise.
The students are enjoying the opportunity to teach each other what they
know.
Math
In Unit 4, addition and subtraction number stories are used as a vehicle
for developing mental arithmetic skills.
The unit ends with work on pencil and paper addition strategies. Mental arithmetic, as defined in
Everyday Mathematics, is computation done by people “in their
heads,” either in whole or in part.
Children practice mental arithmetic to learn useful techniques, to
develop flexible thinking, and to gain fact power. These skills contribute to
children’s number sense, which includes a flexible understanding both of
numbers and operations on those numbers.
What is most important is that children devise their own solution
strategies. They should be
encouraged to experiment with various approaches to solving computational
problems. Sharing solutions is
important. Sharing strategies
requires children to verbalize their thinking, thus making them conscious of a
process that is often intuitive. By
trying to understand other people’s strategies, children strengthen their
understanding of the processes involved and obtain valuable input for refining
their own strategies.
Social
Studies – Immigration
During our study of immigration, the students will discover that
people from all around the world have come to