Last week we had two special guest readers!  We counted our way through a silly adventure with Mrs. Battad and Ten Apples Up On Top by Dr. Seuss.  The silly characters did some acrobatic tricks to balance their apples.  After reading this story with Mrs. Battad, students made their own apples and stacked them with their own reading goals.  Mr. Viloria  read the children Fox in Sock also by Dr. Seuss.   Fox speaks almost entirely in tongue-twisters and Knox finally understands him in the end!  What a terrific tongue-twister tale!  Mr. Viloria then taught the children how to fold their very own fox origami.  

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​​In Langauge Arts... 

• Our essential question is How does the earth change?  We read a text called Into the Sea.  Using this text, students learned about cause and effect.  Students learned the causes of beach erosion and the effects beach erosion can have on the infrastructure of a community. Students learned how to use partial-flow maps and multi-flow maps to show cause and effects of erosion.  ​

• Students read more informational text on earth's changes.  One text was about flash flooding and another about earthquakes.  Both these natural circumstances can make changes to our earth.  The focus this week was on multi-flow maps, hence students learned how to identify both the causes and effects at the same time.  In doing so students addressed the standard 2.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.​

In math...

• Students learned about estimation with a curved number line to help them determine  which ten a number is closer to.  Then after estimating, students found the differences between 2 two-digit numbers.   The video below shows the idea of a curved number line, although the numbers in the video are larger than the numbers our students estimated, the concept still applies.  ​

• Students learned to subtract a two-digit number from a three-digit number when decomposing the ten.  For example in the problem, 162 - 28 = ?  students learned to trade a ten for 10-ones.  So instead of representing 162 as 1-hundred, 6-tens, and 2-ones, they draw the numbers as 1-hundred, 5-tens, and 12-ones.   
• Students then transferred this same concept of trading into the hundreds place.  For example in a problem like 126 - 41 = ? students learned to trade the hundred for 10-tens.  Instead of representing 126 as 1-hundred, 2-tens, and 6-ones, students represented it as 12-tens and 6-ones.  

Announcements and reminders:

• No school for students on Monday 2/10 due to Teachers' Institute Day
• No school on Monday 2/17 in observance of Presidents' Day

In Langauge Arts... 

• The standard covered this week was 2.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.  Students used informational text from Wonders to compare and contrast big ideas the author presents within the same text.  Students learned to use red and blue colored pencils to underline differences they found.  They used both the red and blue to underline similarities.  

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• Students read a text called Alaska: A Special Place, which describes different land features of Alaska as well as compares Northern and Southern Alaska regions and compares Alaska's seasons.  Students used a double-bubble map to compare these scientific concepts within a text.

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone enjoyed time with family and friends this holiday season bringing in the New Year.  Every start to a new year makes for the perfect opportunity to reflect on our achievements and set new goals.  This is exactly what the children did.  Going through this process is meaningful for the children as they are learning that they can track and monitor their progress and by doing this it motivates them to strive higher.  Looking at their growth also allows them to self assess, set another goal, and make a plan to get there.  Students set goals for reading, math, and they also set personal goals as well. ​

We had a special visitor from South Korea come and spend the whole day with us.  Rogki got to observe what we do in our classroom. 

Even more exciting, we have a new student in room D103.  We are all very thrilled to have Brooklynn as part of our Ohana!!!

​Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

In Langauge Arts...

• This week's essential question was how does weather effect us?  Students practiced to describe the main idea and find supporting details using a text called Tornados!  Prior to reading, students activated their prior knowledge about the subject.  Students learned this is an important reading strategy because it allows students to connect new information they learn about a subject to information they already know helping us to understand complex topics or ideas.   

• Using another text called Wild Weather by Seymour Simon, students learned about extreme weather conditions and how it can effect people.  The practiced describing the main idea while learning about the differences between thunderstorms, lightning, tornados, hurricanes and blizzards.  They even learned about some of the most devastating hurricanes in history, including Hurricane Katrina that hit New Orleans in 2005. ​
• Below is an example of how students pulled the main idea from a section of a book about weathering and erosion.  

• Grammar and vocabulary lessons this week included synonyms and antonyms.
• In writing, we read Pete's a Pizza, then students made pizza slices and described thier pizzas using juicy and colorful adjectives.  Students learned that using "juicy" adjectives and verbs helps create voice and makes your writing more interesting. 
  
• Students circled boring adjectives and verbs in the ocean animals writing they're working on and swapped them out for better one.  For example: 
  • Instead of:  The eel comes out of its cave to eat small fish
  • Changed to:  A sneaky eel darts out of it lonely cave to dine of small fish. 

In math...

• Students first learned how to use the count back strategy on a number line to subtract.  They practiced decomposing numbers to stop at "friendly" numbers.  
• Then, students learned how they can "think addition" on a number line to subtract.  If a subtraction problem is 85 - 64 = ? Students were taught to start at 64 and make a "jump of 10" to 74, then another "jump of 10" to 84 and finally a "jump of 1" to 85.  The answer is how many "jumps" were made. 
• Students applied these strategies when solving word problems. 

In Social Studies and Science...

• Our PLTW unit on The Changing Earth is in full swing.  This week, students learned all about maps.  They learned the purpose of maps and the different features, such as a map key, symbols, scale, and cardinal direction.  
  
• Alongside learning about maps and map features, students are learning how weathering and erosion change the shape of our land.  Students learned that wind, water, and ice are the elements that play the biggest part in shaping landforms.   
  
  

​In science...​

• Using the engineering design process, students built and designed their seed disperser.  Students designed a model that mimics something in nature, like an animal (biomimicry) that would help disperse seeds over a large area.  Click here for photos of your child.  

The one and only Mr. Frank De Lima, one of Hawaii's most popular and beloved, kid-friendly comedians,  visited our school on Friday and shared a wonderful message about the importance of school, respect, and living a healthy and happy life.  It was not only a funny,  entertaining, and educational experience for the children, but also a nostalgic one for me!  If you're born and raised here is Hawaii like me, you've probably seen Frank De Lima at school at least a handful of times.  It was a blast experiencing it all over again with D103 students singing Peanut, Peanut Butter, Jelly and Buta Hunt.  

CANDY, CANDY, Oh my!  With Halloween recently ending, I know you must have a lot of candy around the house you're trying to get rid of.  I sure do!  Please refrain from sending candy to school with your child as a snack.  Let's encourage healthier choices!  We also want students to maintain their focus during instructional hours and candy will not help.  Please adhere to our Ho`okele Welness Policy.  

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​In Langauge Arts...

• Students read narrative non-fiction this week.  We talked about the characteristics of this type of genre.  Students learned that narrative non-fiction is when a text presents true information in a style very close to fiction.  The two narrative non-fiction stories we read this week were Prairie Guard Dogs  by Wonders and Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out! by April Pulley Sayre.  Using these stories we answered the following essential question this week: What are the features of different animal habitats? 
• Students learned about main topic and main idea.  The main topic was Prairie Dogs and the main idea of this text was that prairie guard dogs works hard to protect their family from danger.  After determining the main idea, students identified 3 supporting details that support the main idea.  ​​​

• Students learned about Author's Purpose.  They learned that authors write for three main reasons: to persuade, inform, or entertain.  After reading various text and sorting them into those categories, we found some common features amongst the three categories.  Books that may want to persuade its readers will have strong words like "you must" "STOP."  It may want to try to convince us to feel a certain way about a topic or even try to get us do so something.  We also talked about how we should be critical of the text we read and be aware that only the author's perspective is presented and can be sided or bias.  Text with an author's purpose to inform will present lots of facts or true information, may teach you how to do something step by step, and has text features.  While text with an author's purpose to entertain can be a made-up story, have characters, and makes us emotional (happy, sad, excited).  ​ ​​

• Using the text Magnets Work! we discussed our essential question: How do earth's forces affect us?  Students looked for clues that helped to determine the author's purpose.  Using this text students noticed the author's precise use of language, particularly with the smilies used.  Students learned that smilies are when two unlike objects are being compared.  We read a great book called Stubborn as a Mule and Other Silly Smilies by Nancy Loewen.  
• We have been reading the classic Bunnicula by James Howe.  We’ve gotten to the best part- the war is on!  Chester and Harold have decided that Bunnicula is a threat and to "fight" back, and the kids are loving the heightened conflict between Chester, Harold, and Bunnicula.  It gives us the perfect opportunity to discuss rising conflict and resolution.

In math...

• Students learned how a hundreds chart can be a useful tool when adding.  They practiced moving their fingers down to add ten and to the right to add ones.  

• Students practiced their skip counting fluency using a number line.  They practiced adding 10 to any given number, not starting at 0.  For example 52 + 10 or 27 + 10.  They also practiced skip counting by 5s.  They noticed patterns as the skip counting continues.      
• Students used the number line to add numbers.  They learned to start at the larger number, then decompose the other addend to more friendly jumps.  For the example 57 + 12 students should start at 57 then decompose 12 into 10 and 2.  Then do a jump of 10 first, then a jump of 2.  We call this strategy the "Jumps-of-Ten."  
• Students learned that numbers can be decomposed in other ways to stop at 10s on the number line.  For the example 58 + 9, students learned to think 58 + 2 + 7.  They would jump from 58 to 60, then 60 to 67 on the number line.  We call this strategy "Make-ten."

In Science...

• Our form and function PLTW unit is in full swing.  Students are learning the form and function of things found in nature and how man-made objects can be made modeling after the form and function of things found in nature.  As they are engaged in this unit students have already begun exploring plant life cycles and seed dispersal.  They will be helping to design and build a product that will help the characters in this Unit's fictional story to disperse seeds over a large field.  
• Students participated in a science lab about plant pollination.  Using fake flowers and cheetos, students transferred the pollen on the stamen of one flower to another flower of the same species' stigma then down the pistil.  

Reminders and announcements...

• Our Ho`okele Book Fair is running until Wednesday 11/20.  Please have your child bring in their cash.  They are allowed to purchase books during 1st recess.  
• Turkey Trot is on 11/26.  Pledges are being accepted.  Thank you for your much needed monetary contribution to support student activities and programs.
• Out Grade 2 Parent Involvement Activity is on 11/27 from 8:30-9:30 in the cafeteria.  Please reserve the day.  Thank you!
• No school on 11/27 and 11/28.  Happy Thanksgiving!

This week, pumpkin faces filled our halls dressed as some of our all-time favorite characters as well as some brand new ones too!  It was amazing to see such variety and creativity.  Believe me when I say...I could not believe my eyes!  The children should be so proud.  ​

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​In Langauge Arts...

• Response to Intervention (RTI) started this week.  This is class time devoted to small-group instruction and also for differentiated and targeted instruction for students' various needs. ​ During RTI, students learn how to participate in small-group instruction.  Using leveled readers, 4 to 6 students work together in a group at a time.  During this time students are engaged in phonics instruction, vocabulary, comprehension, pre-reading activities, this may involve activating prior knowledge, setting the learning objectives, going on a picture walk before reading, predicting, asking questions, etc... with a text that is at their level. 
• They read a non-fiction text written like a story and had a narrator about a boy who takes care of his pet horse.  Our essential question this week was How do we care for animals?  Students learned how to look for key details in the text to ask and answer questions in nonfiction.  The standard covered was 2.RI.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text. ​ ​

• We read a autobiography called Author by Helen Lester.  We learned that writing doesn't always start out easy.  A lot of times writing is something you have to work at.  We learned from Helen Lester (author of Tacky Penguin and many other great children books) that it takes practice and a growth mindset.  After reading this story, all students jotted down what they feel makes good writing.  Then we sorted all our ideas into a tree map. 

• In writing, students are worked a lot on their categorical narratives.  They began with a circle map to brainstorm ideas.  Students chose a topic of their choice.  Something that they did this summer with family or friends.  After brainstorming with a circle map, they categorized their ideas into a tree map with three big ideas.  

​​In Math...

• Reviewing the doubling strategy, students were introduced to near-doubles like 4+5, 9+8, and 7+5.  Applying their knowledge of double facts, students practiced to fluently add near-double facts when solving word problems.  

Reminders and Announcements:

• Please turn in the Federal Survey Card if you have not turned it in yet
• 2nd grade Jamba Juice Fundraiser is on Friday.  Please support 2nd grade.  Your purchases are greatly appreciated
• Safety week from 9/16-9/19
  • ​​Evacuation is scheduled for Monday.  Please have your child wearing shoes

With the advice from his friends, will Peter used Gorilla Warfare on his own Grandpa?  Peter makes his first "attack."  In the middle of the night Peter sneaks down into Grandpa's room to sets the alarm for 3:00  a.m. and leaves this note:  People who steal other people's room, should not sleep well at night!  Will Grandpa ever surrender?  The children are enjoying this humorous, witty, and very suspenseful story!!!

In Language Arts...

• Students continue learning about AVID levels of questioning as we addressed the following two reading standard: RL.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text and RL.2.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges. Students read different fiction texts, including The Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan, The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland, and  The Name Jar  by Yangsook Choi and identified story elements and learned to describe how characters respond to major events and challenges.  ​