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St. Philip Neri Catholic School

Second Grade Update – Week of 12/4

Dear Second Grade Families, 

Happy Friday! Only two and a half more weeks until Christmas break, and second grade will make the most of them!

This week, we anticipated the beginning of the Advent season – we will have a weekly prayer service in our classroom to celebrate the four weeks of Advent and students will lead us. The class is also enjoying learning about how some of our Christmas traditions link to our faith (the tree, lights, ornaments, etc.). We will continue next week with more traditions as well! 🙂 Finally, we reflected on how we prepare for our Lord, and students put together a class Advent wreath. Attached is a picture of our new bulletin board. 🙂

Please reinforce the spirit of giving with your child. We are looking to support families through the Adopt-A-Family drive and our second grade drive for the Alameda Food Bank. See below for details:

  • Adopt-A-Family (due by Dec. 11) – Second grade is being asked to donate the following items: 
    • Body spray, full-sized
    • Bath + body kits
    • Underwear + socks
    • Gift cards to activities: movies, ice cream shop, bowling, Exploratorium, etc. 
  • Alameda Food Bank (due by Dec. 20) – Please share 1-2 items to support the Alameda Food Bank. Anything non-perishable in a non-glass container. 🙂

Below is our second grade learning update.

Focus Areas for Our Learning Next Week:

  • Reading – 
    • In reading groups, students will wrap-up our SUPER magazine. Students will read informational texts to identify the main idea and supporting details, link cause and effect of different events, and use context clues to understand specialized vocabulary. We will also have fun reading a poem and discussing rhyme and rhythm.
    • 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 practice associating oo, ew, and ue with /ōō/ (moon, new, blue). Students should practice their spelling words for homework so they are prepared for the quiz on Friday.
  • Writing – Students will continue their informational piece about a continent. They will use the notes from their planning page to write a well-structured paragraph.
  • Math – The class will combine their knowledge of 2 and 3-digit addition and subtraction with writing skills to create a story problem. They will focus on providing necessary information and a clear question so that others would be able to interpret and solve it.
  • Religion – We will finish our chapter about Jesus, the Son of God. 
  • Social Studies – Students will review different types of landforms and natural resources. The class will reinforce map skills as well.
  • Science – The class will start our unit about material properties with an anchor phenomenon. We will explore a special type factory called a foundry, a place where people melt solid metal into a liquid that can be poured into new shapes. Since foundries can be dangerous places to work, students will determine how the people that work in foundries stay safe. During the introduction, students generate observations and questions about the phenomenon and create an initial conceptual model to explain the phenomenon.

Other Updates for this Week:

  • Mass Responses – A “cheat sheet” will be sent home in your child’s homework folder so that they can continue learning how to actively participate during the Mass. Some of these responses are sung, and children can become very familiar with them during Saturday and Sunday Masses. This is especially important for all students who are preparing for their First Reconciliation and First Communion in the Spring.
  • Covid Daily Screening – Please continue to do the daily screening. Your diligence is important and appreciated.
  • Dates to Remember:
    • Friday, Dec. 8 – All School Mass: Feast of the Immaculate Conception, 9:30 a.m.
    • Friday, Dec. 8 – Winter Wonderland, 5:30-8:00 p.m.
    • Monday, Dec. 11 – Adopt-a-Family Gifts Are Due
    • Tuesday, Dec. 12 – Free Dress for December Birthdays
    • Thursday, Dec. 14 – Christmas Concert, 7:00 p.m. Students’ Attendance Required
    • Wednesday, Dec. 20 – Christmas Free Dress; Noon Dismissal, no share and care
    • December 21 – January 3 – Christmas Break: NO SCHOOL – No Share and Care

We look forward to seeing our students on Monday!

All the best,
Catherine

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What Our Families are Saying

"The supportive teachers at SPN played a big role in preparing me for high school and helping me understand what to expect. They encouraged me to ask questions and seek help when needed, which made me more confident in my learning. Thanks to them, I entered freshman year already familiar with many concepts and effective study habits that have helped me stay on top of my work. SPN also taught me valuable life skills that I still use today, helping me succeed academically, build strong friendships, and maintain my overall well-being."
— Tibby Horvath, SPN Class of 2022
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— SPN Parent
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— SPN Parent since 2016

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