Second Grade Update Week of 10/16

Happy Friday!

This week, a highlight was starting our first book club! Reading groups have enjoyed getting to know the characters in their books, thinking about settings, and sharing the connections they’ve made. Mrs. Serles and I agreed – we’ve had some GREAT conversations with our groups! 🙂

I was also excited to experience some very good listening at our closing circle! The class had talked about what it could mean to the person sharing if you were having a side conversation. While it seems like a little side conversation is not a big deal, it could make the person sharing feel like you really don’t care about what they have to say. I asked them all to imagine having to tell someone, “I don’t care about what you are sharing. My conversation is more important.” That’s a tough but important concept and it got students’ attention. They did a really nice job after that conversation, and I hope they carry the lesson with them.

Guest Speaker and Puppet Show! Froggy to the Rescue!Next week, students will have some fun with Mr. Joe Leon as he shares about the importance of taking care of our environment with a puppet show! Specifically, Mr. Leon will address the need for clean water, what storm drains are, how litter affects the animals of the creek, bay and ocean, and what we can do to help keep water clean. 

FIRST COMMUNION: Registration forms went home a couple weeks ago. So far, we only have three families registered. Registrations are due to the parish office by October 27th. Please make sure you register your child if you want them to receive First Reconciliation/First Communion in the spring.

Below is our second grade update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

• Reading – 
  • In reading groups, students will continue our book clubs using differentiated texts. Students will focus on identifying the main idea and supporting details, identifying character motivation, and using strategies to determine the meaning of unknown words.
  • 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 will decode/encode plurals that end in /s/ or /z/ sounds. We will also practice breaking words into syllables for easier decoding. Students should practice their spelling words for homework so they are prepared for the quiz on Friday.
• Writing – Students will develop plans for their personal narratives before they draft. This will help them focus on what they need to share with their reader at the beginning (who, where, when), the middle (all the details about the event), and the end (what happened last as well as how they felt, what they learned, etc.). This plan will help them meet their goal of a well-written 5-7 sentence paragraph.
• Math – Students will jump into the world of place value! We will evaluate how the place of each digit within a three-digit number determines its value. We will also practice the skill of estimating and evaluating/refining estimates when giving additional information.
• Religion – We will give special focus to being reverent during prayer and Mass experiences. Students reflect on how the Church helps us come to know and love God through faith and learning about Jesus as our greatest example.
• Science – This week, students deepen their understanding of how water interacts with land structures. The class will explore the phenomenon of flash floods and create an explanation of why these severe weather events are more or less likely in different regions. Specifically, they will attempt to locate and explain a unique region in Texas known as Flash Flood Alley. In our activity, students will develop a map to document how land and water interact across the state. Students then use that map to explain how different shapes and kinds of land increase or decrease the chances of rainfall causing a flash flood.
• Social Studies – In our next unit, the class will explore different types of landforms, develop map skills, and think about how we fit into the broader world around us. We now move outward from our families, neighborhoods, and communities to states, countries, continents, and the world.

Other Updates for this Week:

• ART SHIRT – Students need an art shirt to cover their uniforms! Please send one in if you haven’t already. Thank you.
• Covid Daily Screening – Please continue to do the daily screening. Your diligence is important and appreciated.
• Dates to Remember:
  • Tuesday, Oct. 17 – Free dress October B-days
  • Thursday, Oct. 26 – Art Docent!
  • Friday, Oct. 27 – First Communion registrations due!
  • Tuesday, Oct. 31 – Noon Dismissal – Halloween
  • Wednesday, Nov. 1 – All School Mass

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday!

All the best,
Catherine