Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families, 

I hope this message finds you all safe and well, and that you all had a lovely Easter Break! I enjoyed some downtime with my family along with many walks and time for backyard reading and gardening. 🙂 

Below is our weekly update:

Focus Areas for Our Learning:

• Reading – We will continue our book clubs this week. Students will discuss characters and answer questions by citing text evidence. Students will also practice reading fluently (accuracy, pace, and expression).
• Grammar/Spelling – In Superkids, students will practice with regular and irregular plurals as well as long-vowel words with open-syllable vowel patterns.
• Writing – Students will continue practicing letters of the alphabet in cursive. We will discuss our next writing assignment, an informational piece about an animal of their choice!
• Math –Students continue to practice 2 and 3-digit subtraction with regrouping. Students will identify the attributes of 2-D shapes – triangles and quadrilaterals.
• Religion – Students continue to learn about the different parts of the Mass with a focus on the Liturgy of the Word and Liturgy of the Eucharist.
• Science – The class will continue our unit on plant adaptations. Students will discuss the “grass heads” they grew over spring break and explore how plants develop adaptations to survive in different environments.
• Social Studies – As we continue to discuss different levels of government, we will enjoy a very special visit from the Mayor of Alameda! Mayor Ashcraft will join us on Zoom, Tuesday at 1pm (this will take the place of reading groups).

Other Updates for this Week:

• Alameda Food Bank Drive – Thanks to your generosity and your children’s persuasiveness , the second grade raised $1,020 for the food bank along with a good number of food donations as well! The director of the food bank was so grateful to SPN! THANK YOU for your support!
• Effort Expectations for Trimester 3 – We are in the home stretch of our school year! It is easy to be hypnotized by the loveliness of spring and let good work habits take a back seat. Please help your child keep going! They are making such great progress, and giving their best effort in this last trimester is just as important as in the first two! 🙂
  • Assignments are not just in Seesaw! Students need to be checking off all assignments on their matrix each day. I try to make the matrix fairly routine each week so that everyone knows what to expect.
  • If some assignments fall to the weekend, that’s fine – I understand things happen and weeks get busy. However, assignments should be complete by Sunday evening.
  • If there is an issue completing assignments (including Xtra Math, ReadWorks, AR quizzes, etc.), please reach out to me. 
• Missing SUPER Magazines – Please ensure your child has turned in their SUPER magazine/packet. We are missing a few.
• Dates to remember:
  • April 12th: Return to school
  • April 19th: Dine and Donate Otaez
  • April 30th: Spirit Day (class theme TBD)

Key Documents/Links (master file attached – please print):

• Schedule – 
  • Tuesday – Zoom visit with Mayor Ashcraft at 1pm. Please arrive a few minutes early! 🙂
  • Friday – Distance learning day, but we will still have morning zoom and reading groups.
• Weekly Assignment Matrix – Below is work that will be done at home and needs to be brought to school:
  • Become a Writing Superstar worksheet (Thursday, 4/15)
  • Grass Head worksheet (Thursday, 4/15)
  • Shape Art (Monday, 4/19)
  • Plant Adaptations booklet (Monday, 4/19)
• Become a Writing Superstar worksheet

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday!

All the best,
Catherine