Second Grade Update – Week of 2/12

Dear Second Grade Families, 

Happy Friday!

This week, students reflected on our first 100 days of school – things they have enjoyed, accomplished, learned, and appreciated! We still have great experiences ahead of us and a lot of learning to do together! Please encourage your child to keep their foot on the gas! 🙂

Also, students were blessed with a lesson and craft to celebrate the Lunar New Year, prepared and led by Mrs. Wang, Mrs. Cheng, and Mrs. Lane! THANK YOU! Students learned what makes the Lunar New Year a special celebration, including many family traditions! They were even treated to a goody bag that included a red envelope! Attached is a picture. 🙂 Thank you again to our parent volunteers for creating this opportunity for our students! Happy Lunar New Year to all!

Next week we celebrate Valentine’s Day on Tuesday, Feb. 13th! If they would like to, students may bring valentines for their classmates. They should have one for each classmate (25 students in the class). We would appreciate it if Valentines are NOT addressed to specific students because it takes too long to pass them out. We will also be having a little party – thank you to anyone who is donating items and to Mrs. Bustos and Mrs. Garcia for organizing and volunteering in the classroom! 🙂
Below is our second grade learning update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

• Reading – 
  • In reading groups, students will continue SUPER magazine. Students will connect the text to their own experiences and ideas, use comprehension strategies to identify the meaning of unknown words, and practice citing evidence from the text to support their answers. As always, there is a focus on speaking and listening skills as we work together in a small group.
  • At night, students should read aloud to practice fluent reading skills. Please encourage your child to observe punctuation, read at a good pace, and read the words as they appear in the text (no deletions or substitutions).
• Grammar/Spelling – In Superkids, students practice with words with double consonants after a short vowel ff, ll, ss, and dd (ex. paddle, cliff, bluff). They will also learn to use the suffixes -ful and -less to create adjectives. Everyone should practice their spelling words for homework so they are prepared for the quiz on Friday.
• Writing – Based on our practice from last week, students will plan  problem/solution plots for their descriptive narratives. They will use the main characters they have developed. 🙂 I can’t wait to see what these stories will be about! 🙂
• Math – The class will focus on fluency using money. Students will practice adding coins, dollars, and using money in word problems. In Number Corner, we have also started talking about the attributes of 3-D shapes and recognizing shapes in daily life. 
• Religion – We will review our unit and also discuss the Lenten season, a time when we remember that Jesus died for us. Students will reflect on how they can sacrifice in their own lives to help them remember their love for God and others as we prepare for Easter. Students will be given the Act of Contrition prayer to memorize at home. In Family Life, we will focus on God’s gift of family, discussing why families have rules and how we can make good choices.
• Social Studies – We continue to celebrate Black History Month through read-alouds and discussions about important individuals who have contributed to our nation and world! This week, we focus on the Sit-In and photographer Gordon Parks.
• Science – We will take a detour from material properties this week. Students will explore the science behind (and the art of) communicating using emojis to supplement words.

Other Updates for this Week:

• Tissues – Thank you to everyone who has already donated. If you haven’t had a chance, please contribute 1-2 boxes of tissues.
• Two Upcoming Field Trips!
  • Thursday, March 14th, 9:30-12:30 – We won a spot to go to Rhythmix and see Rhonda Benin & Friends perform Onward to Freedom: Celebrating Black Music and History; 5 chaperones needed for the walk.
  • Tuesday, March 19th,  – Alameda Food Bank; 5-6 drivers and 5-6 chaperones Please consider volunteering to drive if you have a large vehicle!
• AR Reading – Just a reminder – I am encouraging all students to use their AR book for their homework reading time (15 minutes each afternoon/evening).
• Dates to Remember:
  • Tuesday, Feb. 13 – Burning of the Palms, morning assembly
  • Tuesday, Feb. 13 – St. Valentine’s Day celebrated (red, white, and pink free dress; students may bring valentines – 25 students in the class)
  • Wednesday, Feb. 14 – All School Mass for Ash Wednesday, 9:30am
  • Friday, Feb. 16 – Noon dismissal
  • Monday, Feb. 19 – No School, Presidents’ Day
  • Tuesday, Feb. 20 – Free dress, February birthdays
  • Friday, Feb. 23 – Field Trip to see “Seussical” at CMT San Jose!
  • Saturday, Feb. 24 – Gala Auction

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday!

All the best,
Catherine