Second Grade Update – Week of 9/26

Dear Second Grade Families,

Happy Friday!

This week, a special virtual guest reader (Mrs. Le Boeuf, Kalia’s mom!) shared “It’s Brave to Be Kind” by Natasha Daniels. Students made fantastic connections about how we can be curious and inclusive, even when someone has been unkind in the past. Learning from mistakes and offering (or being offered) a fresh start allows us to see a path forward together. Thank you for sharing, Mrs. Le Boeuf!

As students progress through second grade, I’m always looking for teachable moments – both to praise and help them grow. The class discussed the importance of completing quality work – what it means and what that looks like. Completing quality work is important because it shows that you care about your learning and that you know you’re responsible for doing your best work. The main ideas were:

• Making time for your assignments by using time wisely and giving your focused attention (whether homework or classwork)
• Using your best handwriting and writing in pencil so that you can erase if necessary (versus scratching out)
• Following directions and asking for help if you don’t understand
• Writing in complete sentences whenever possible 
• Reviewing/editing your work – capitals at the beginning of sentences, proper punctuation at the end, sentences make sense when reread

Thank you for your support with these ideas at home, too. These skills create a solid foundation for all of your child’s work, learning, and growth going forward – in second grade and way beyond! 🙂

Next week, we have our first art docent lesson with Ms. Ortiz (Desi’s mom!). Ms. Ortiz always brings joy, fun, and connection through art, so we look forward to welcoming her! 🙂

Below is our second grade update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

• Reading – 
  • In reading groups, students will continue SUPER magazine with a focus on connecting articles to themselves and the world around them. We will also cite text evidence for responses and compare/contrast information presented.
  • 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 practice with contractions and homonyms (words that sound the same, but have different meanings and often different spellings – example: there, they’re, their). Students should practice their spelling words for homework so they are prepared for the quiz on Friday.
• Writing – The class will practice sharing their opinion writing in small groups. Taking turns, listening, asking questions, and giving compliments will be focus skills. Students will also review the key components of a letter and brainstorm ideas for what to share in a “what’s new” letter.
• Math – Students will practice subtraction story problems and build subtraction equations. Throughout the week, the class will also be reinforcing our fluency with counting by twos, fives, and tens from different starting points. Telling time on an analog clock to the nearest five minutes continues to be a focus as well.
• Religion – We will start our new chapter with a focus on the ways God invites us to know and believe in him and the importance of demonstrating faith and hospitality to others as disciples of Jesus and signs of God’s love.
• Science – This week, students revisit the mountain model we created last week and connect concepts about rivers to our anchor phenomenon. They will expand on their initial ideas about how and why two rivers come together and look a certain way. They will document these new hypotheses for our next exploration.
• Social Studies – We will discuss the concepts of neighborhoods and communities as part of understanding our own families and the world around us. Students will learn about and identify different types of communities, specifically urban, suburban, and rural.

Other Updates for this Week:

• Field Trip to the Library– We still need two more chaperones to walk with us on October 17th, 9:15am-12:00pm. Please email me. Please make sure your volunteer requirements are complete (you can check in with Mr. Carter if you are unsure).
• Covid Daily Screening – Please continue to do the daily screening. Your diligence is important and appreciated.
• Dates to Remember:
  • Wednesday, Sep. 28 – Noon Dismissal
  • Friday, Sep. 30 – Progress reports come home – I look forward to discussing your child’s progress at our conference! 🙂
  • Tuesday, Oct. 4 – Blessing of the Animals Prayer Service
  • Oct. 4-7 – Noon dismissals for Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences (these are in-person and students should attend)
  • Monday, Oct. 10 – No School
  • Monday, Oct. 17 – 2nd grade trip to the Alameda Free Library
  • Tuesday, Oct. 18 – Free dress October B-days
  • Monday, Oct. 31 – Noon Dismissal – Halloween

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday! 

All the best,
Catherine