Second Grade Update

Dear Second Grade Families,

Happy Friday! 

This week, a highlight was our virtual author visit with Nidhi Chanani! She shared how she became an author and illustrator, the process of creating a book, and how she uses not only her creativity, but her ability to work hard and iterate to make her final work wonderful!

As a reminder, our class is also now attending weekly Mass on Thursdays with fifth grade. Students get to sit next to fifth grade buddies, who are doing a lovely job modeling reverence and what to do during different parts of the Mass. As I’ve been sharing in our religion update, we are learning about all parts of the Mass in class as well. If you don’t currently attend a weekend Mass, I encourage you to join us either at SPN or St. Albert’s. Weekend Mass includes all Mass prayers and music, so it is a great faith formation opportunity for students preparing for their First Communion. As a child, I developed my appreciation for Mass and our Catholic traditions by attending weekend Mass with my family. I usually attend St. Albert’s at 4pm on Saturdays as my older daughter is an altar server there. I’d love to share Mass with your children if you would ever like to join me! 🙂 

Next week, students get to look forward to another art docent experience with Mrs. Frentzel! Thank you, Mrs. Frentzel! 🙂

For our field trip, we have our chaperones! – Mrs. Grant, Mr. and Mrs. Balster, Mrs. Escobar, Mrs. Laguicao, and Mr. Bright. Thank you also to Mrs. Jacobs and Mrs. Sebastian for volunteering in case we need alternates. 🙂

Below is our second grade update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

• Reading – We will finish book clubs and start our new SUPER Magazine, focusing again on the key skills important for reading and comprehending informational texts. Fluent reading (reading at an appropriate pace with accuracy and expression) is always a focus for all students. Students are practicing active listening skills during our groups.
• Grammar/Spelling – In Superkids, students will practice with irregular plurals (ex. mouse-mice, woman-women). We will also be focusing on decoding and encoding words with open syllable vowel patterns (ex. mu-sic, mo-tel, bro-ken).
• Writing – The class will discuss poetry and the different types of descriptive language poets can use, specifically alliteration. Students will practice with alliteration this week and then create their own poems next week.
• Math – Students focus on building their conceptual knowledge of currency. They will practice adding and subtracting amounts within $5.00. We will use word problems to deepen our understanding and increase comprehension of mathematical terminology.
• Religion – We continue learning about the parts of the Mass, specifically the Liturgy of the Word and its different elements – first reading, responsorial psalm, second reading, the gospel, the homily, our profession of faith, and prayers of the faithful.
• Science – Students will reinforce the importance of sunlight to plants and discover how this life-giving energy is collected by their leaves. In our activity, students make a “person” out of a paper towel and a popsicle stick with grass for hair! Packets with all materials will be sent home next week, and students will water and care for these over the next couple weeks. Students will make predictions about the direction that the grass will grow based on the orientation (standing up or lying down) that they place the Grass Head.
• Social Studies – The class will employ their knowledge of the three branches of government, laws in our communities, and their ideas about justice as we work through “The Case of the Missing Money”!

Other Updates for this Week:

• Report Cards – Your child’s report card is in their Friday Folder. Please return the signed envelope on Monday. Thank you!
• Dress Code– Please review the handbook to ensure your child is in the proper uniform. I will be discussing it with students as well. 
• COVID Safety– Please continue to be vigilant with the daily health screening. We appreciate your continued diligence – it keeps us all safe!
• Dates to remember:
  • Wednesday, Mar. 30th – SLC Spirit Day – Decades!
  • Friday, Apr. 8th – Field Trip to U.C. Botanical Gardens
  • Tuesday, Apr. 12th – Rice Bowls due back

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday!

All the best,

Catherine