Science Discovery Day This Week

Last week we began a study of Vincent Van Gogh's artwork.

Science Discovery Day
This Wednesday is Science Discovery Day.  On Wednesday, during school, all students will attend three different classes taught by TPES parents and community members.  Students will experience different types of sciences and science activities.  In past years students studied static electricity, butterflies, ocean tides, even maggots.  On Wednesday have your student wear clothes that are easy to move around in and okay to be messy in.

Star Test Strategy
This week I will practice with students how to eliminate answers on a multiple choice test.  This is a little tricky as they cannot cross out answers on their exam (those marks will confuse the computer that scans their test).  I will send home some practice for your students to try on Tuesday.

Writing Journal Homework
I hope the assignment for last week went well.  I will read the student journals today.  In the Writing Journal for this week I would like your students to research and write about an animal of their choosing.  It should not be the same animal they are researching in class.  They can find information from books or encyclopedias at your home, the Riford Library, or online at National Geographic for Kids.
If you wish to do more online research I have found that a google search that has "for kids" in it usually works.  For instance you could google "lobsters for kids".
After their research, students should write two sections (with topic sentences) on their choice of anatomy, habitat, diet, life cycle, or threats for their chosen animal.  You can tell them that this project does not need to be as detailed as their in-class report.

Spring Break
There is no school next week, 4/2 - 4/6, for Spring Break.


Curriculum Overview

Literacy - As a class, writing a non-fiction report on blue whales. Organizing our collected notes into paragraphs of similar information with clear topic sentences.  Adding to and editing our initial writing.  Creating a Bibliography.

Math - Multiplication

Writing - Individually writing a non-fiction report on a wild animal. Organizing our notes into paragraphs of similar information with clear topic sentences.

Language Conventions and Word Study - Syllable review.  Understanding that most words with double consonants split across those letters (rabbit / rab-bit, little / lit-tle).  Understanding that some syllables will have only one letter (avalanche / av-a-lanch, elephant / el-e-phant)

In-Class Art - A study of Vincent Van Gogh

Special Homework This Week

Room 5 is researching and writing about blue whales as a class.

California Star Test
The California Star test will be administered to all students in May. It covers all the curriculum we have studied in second grade since September. I want students to be comfortable with taking the exam, to aide them I am going to begin sending home practice sheets that have both a strategy for them to learn and a set of questions for them to practice with. This week's strategy is re-reading. Many students don't realize that if they have an exam with a reading piece, and they get to a question about that reading piece that they are unsure about, they need to re-read the story to locate the answer. There is no time limit, so speed is not a concern.

The first practice sheet I will send home will go home tomorrow. If you have any questions email me.

Writing Journal Homework
In the Writing Journal for this week I would like your students to practice their non-fiction writing. In class we have been studying Blue Whales. I would like your students to write two pieces about Blue Whales for their homework. To assist them I sent home an assignment sheet and two non-fiction articles on whales for them to reference. The assignment sheet can be found here, a hard copy went home. The articles have also been printed and sent home but can be found here and here.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - As a class, writing a non-fiction report on blue whales. Organizing our collected notes into paragraphs of similar information with clear topic sentences.

Math - Three digit addition and subtraction.

Writing - Individually writing a non-fiction report on a wild animal. Organizing our notes into paragraphs of similar information with clear topic sentences.

Language Conventions and Word Study - the oy sound, both oy and oi

In-Class Art - Beginning a study Vincent Van Gogh

Students Hard at Work on Non-Fiction Reports

In addition to reading non-fiction books students also did some research for their wild animal reports online.

Scholastic Book Fair
The TPES Scholastic Book Fair/Book Sale is up and running this week.  Room 5 students went to the fair today to preview the books and make a list of books that they would be interested in.  Every Room 5 student understands that the list of books they made today is a wish list.  I told them their parents would likely purchase only one or two books from their list, if any at all.

The pinnacle of the book fair will be on Wednesday when there will be a dinner Luau (the food pre-orders went home last week).  On that day Mr. Solo, Ms. Isom, Mr. Kent, and myself will also be doing small-format book readings (pretty informal).  Ms. Isom will start off the readings at 5:30 PM, I will finish up around 6:30 PM.

3 Early Dismissal Days This Week!
Because of Parent/Teacher Conferences, this week we will have three early dismissal or minimum days.  This Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday students will be dismissed at 12:45 PM.

Non-Fiction Reports
We are spending a lot of time each day working on these reports.  Our focus is both on collecting detailed information, and on making our writing clear and well organized.  If you didn't get a chance to read what I wrote about these reports last week please scroll down and check out that post.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - As a class, writing a non-fiction report on blue whales. Organizing our collected notes into paragraphs of similar information with clear topic sentences.

Math - Three digit addition and subtraction.

Writing - Individually writing a non-fiction report on a wild animal. Organizing our notes into paragraphs of similar information with clear topic sentences.

Language Conventions and Word Study - the ow sound, both ow and ou

In-Class Art - Beginning a study Vincent Van Gogh

The Value of Hard Work

Students have been reading non-fiction books about wild animals in preparation for writing a report.

Spring Conferences
Last Thursday (March 1st) I sent each of you a letter regarding Spring Conferences.  If you did not get your copy please let me know.

Smart vs. Hardworking
Lately in the classroom I have been hearing the students having a lot of conversations about who is smart, how smart they are, or how smart their parents told them they were.  While this isn't terrible, I really recommend putting the focus on hard work not innate ability or 'smartness'.  As a teacher I try to praise students not for their intelligence but for sustained concentration and extended effort.  My most successful students are the ones who tackle each assignment with 100% effort along with a sense of pride in one's work.  Similarly, in my personal life I have noticed the most successful friends I have are the ones who are willing to set goals for themselves and work tirelessly to achieve those goals.

There has been research about this, and the effect different types of praise have on students.  You can read an article about it here.  You can also watch a brief video here.

Non-Fiction Reports
This past week students chose a wild animal to write a non-fiction report about.  After making their choice they began reading books and online articles about that particular animal and taking notes on what they learned.  As they take their notes they are classifying the information into five main sections: Anatomy, Habitat and Range, Diet, Life Cycle, and Threats to Survival.  Once their notes are complete they will review them to find the most important concepts and then begin writing their reports.  Ask your student what animal they chose, you might even take them to the public library for some additional reading.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Reading about--and taking notes on--a wild animal, in preparation for writing a non-fiction report.

Math - Place Value to 1,000, Coins and Money

Writing - Taking notes on a wild animal in preparation for writing a non-fiction report.

Language Conventions and Word Study - contractions

Science - Basic Physics - Understand concepts around balance and motion.

Students have been reading non-fiction books about wild animals in preparation for writing a report.

As students read they also take notes on the different facts they learn about their chosen animal.