Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

This will be our first full week of hybrid learning. It has been wonderful seeing children in the classroom, and they have been doing a very nice job with our new routines and safety procedures. My primary focus continues to be keeping all of us safe and healthy while making the most of our instructional time together.

Below is our weekly update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning:

• Reading – We will finish our SUPER magazine and begin our new book club. Students focus on practicing fluent reading skills – reading with accuracy, at a good pace, and with expression.
• Grammar/Spelling – Superkids, students will practice adding -er and -est endings to words used to compare. This will include changing base words that end in y.
• Writing – Using the graphic organizer they completed last week, students will continue the writing process (drafting, revising/editing, and illustrating) their opinion piece, “My Favorite Holiday”.
• Math – Students will use two-digit numbers and problem solving skills to create story problems of their own. We will also continue exploring and reinforcing concepts about 2-D shapes, time, and graphing in our morning number corner routines.
• Religion – We will discuss ways to learn about and celebrate God’s love for us, specifically through the seven Sacraments. We will also have our second Advent prayer service on Wednesday during our morning Zoom. Our focus for this week is love.
• Social Studies: To wrap up our unit about communities past and present, we discuss how citizens and leaders (local, state, and national) can shape their communities. Students reflect on what they would do if they were president.

Updates for This Week:

• Reading Groups: Students will switch teachers on Thursday as we start our new book club. Please refer to the schedule.
• SUPER Magazine: On Thursday, students should bring their SUPER Magazine and packet to school to turn in.
• Class Expectations: As Christmas approaches, it is very exciting! Please remind your children that it is important to continue following our class expectations (whether during our morning session or on Zoom reading groups). This helps them AND their classmates learn. The basics are:
  • Raising a quiet hand when you want to contribute to the discussion (versus calling out)
  • Having materials ready to go (especially in reading groups)
  • Avoiding side conversations that can be distracting to others
  Thank you for your support!
• Dates to remember:
  • December 7: Report cards go home
  • December 8: All School Mass (students will attend virtually with their classes)
  • December 9: Pajama Day
  • December 15: Art Docent (during afternoon reading group block)
  • December 18: Noon Dismissal (remote learning day for all)
  • December 21-January 5: Christmas Break

Key Documents/Links (master file also attached for printing):

• Schedule – Reading Groups
  • Monday/Tuesday – Students should come prepared with their SUPER Magazine and packet. (Turn these materials in at school on Thursday.)
  • Thursday/Friday – Students will switch teachers as we start our new book club. Materials will be provided at school and will come home in your child’s backpack.
• Weekly Assignment Matrix – Since we have stopped using the daily checklist on Seesaw, students should continue to check off their at-home assignments to ensure they are on track.

If anyone has issues printing, please let me know. Your child should have a copy of both the schedule and the matrix each week.

Hope you have a lovely Sunday afternoon and evening! Looking forward to a great week. 🙂

All the best,
Catherine