Mrs. Wong's 2nd Grade Class D-103 website
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Read Across America

3/1/2020

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

In Language Arts...
  • Students are learning that authors write to teach important lessons that we can apply to our own lives.  Many authors will often have a lesson in mind to teach even before the story is developed.  As good readers, it is our job to determine the central message and common theme.  We read many stories this week and last that taught us valuable lesson about teamwork, acceptance, courage, open-mindedness, and perseverance.  ​We read some all-time favorite classics and some new titles too!
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  • In addition, we continue to practice with author's message and retelling a story using great children's literature while addressing following standard: 2.RL.2 Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.​
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In math...
  • Students practiced adding two-digit numbers to three-digit numbers that also involved regrouping in the tens place and the hundreds.  For problems like these, students were taught to use base-ten pieces alongside when adding.  By using base-ten pieces, students could see a more concrete model to help them solidify their understanding of their jumps on the number line.  Number lines will eventually lend itself to mental math strategies.  
  • Students then got to practice adding three-digit numbers to three-digit numbers.  Students could choose various strategies that worked well for them.  Some strategies included base-ten drawing, number line, and adding by place value.  
  • Students applied these thinking strategies when solving word problems.  
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In science...
  • Camp Palehua came to our classrooms for a pre visit.  We learned that too much run off from the mountains can cause damage to the ocean.  Some sediment is nutrients for sea creatures, but too much can cause invasive algae to thrive.  It was interesting learning about how outplanting on the mountains can really help slow down erosion and eventually lead to healthier soil, land, and sea life too!  We also learned about different types of soil and even got to paint with them!!!​
Reminders and announcements:
  • No school from March 16-20 for Spring Break
  • No school on March 26, in observance of Prince Kuhio Day 
  • No school on March 27 due to a teacher PD day
  • No spring break homework will be assigned besides reading log.  Please encourage life-long readers.  Provide quiet time and a variety of reading materials for your child to read during the break.  The public library is a great resource and usually has a spring reading program.  I encourage you and your child to check it out!  Please ensure your child's reading log is complete almost daily.  
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Another Busy Week

2/8/2020

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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.  ​
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  • 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.​
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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.  ​

Using number lines to round numbers from ORIGO Education on Vimeo.

  • 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
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February 1, 2020

2/1/2020

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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.
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  • Our essential questions this week was What makes different parts of the world different?   Students read another text called Rain Forest by Nancy Smiler Levinson.  Within this text, the author compares a Tropical Rainforest and a Temperate Rainforest.  The author also compares and contrasts the layers within a tropical rain forest.  Using a similar double-bubble map, students describe the connections by comparing and contrasting the two habitats.  
In math...
  • We wrapped up our polygon unit.  Students practiced drawing different polygons following criteria.  For example, students had to draw a five-sided polygon with two sides of the same length.  
  • After a review of subtraction using a number line, students took the module 7 math assessment. This assessment measured understanding of subtraction using the number line, solving subtraction word problems also using the number line, and polygons.  
  • This week students learned a new method of subtraction using base-ten blocks.  Students started off using actual blocks to model their thinking.  Then they learned how to draw base-ten blocks to show the process of subtraction.  
  • Students are still working on the understanding of "regrouping" or "trading" 1 ten for 10 ones when there are not enough ones to subtract from.  For example, in the problem 54 - 28 = ?, students would need to regroup 1 ten for 10 ones, to show 54 as 4 tens and 14 ones.  Then, subtracting 2 tens and 8 ones becomes possible.  Check out this video https://learnzillion.com/lesson_plans/4979-subtract-numbers-within-100-using-base-ten-blocks/
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In science...
  • Students had so much fun using the app Google Earth to help them discover Planet Earth.  Using Google Earth students completed a scavenger hunt. Students first had to find Hawaii, then Oahu, then Kapolei, then Ho`okele Elementary school.  After completing that, student explored other places such as Disneyland, Paris, New York, White House, and some even tried finding their own homes.  Students filled in a map of the continents and the oceans.  Students learned why our planet is called the "Blue Planet" and where water can be found...in large bodies of water such as oceans, river and lakes, but also much of earth's water is found underground and in the form of ice.  
  • Students then learned about physical (natural) and human (man-made) characteristics of a community.  Physical characteristics are natural landforms or bodies of water not altered by man, such as mountain ranges, bays, oceans, rivers, forests, icebergs, etc.  Human characteristics are modifications humans made to the land or landforms.  These modifications change the natural shape of the earth.  These changes can be bridges, ports, man-made lagoons, cultivated or farmland, tunnels, roads, etc.  Students identified these structures on maps.  
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Kicking off 3rd quarter and the New Year!

1/19/2020

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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!!!

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​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.  
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  • 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. 
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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. 

Teaching the think-addition strategy for subtraction from ORIGO Education on Vimeo.

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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.   

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December Already!

12/8/2019

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The year sure does fly by when you're having fun!  Let's recap the last two weeks.  Thank you for all our Turkey Trot supporters.  The students ran long and hard for all the contributions!  The Hookele Ohana raised  over $20,000.  Thank you again for your generous donations to support student activities.   I hope the Parent-Activity Day was as fun as it was educational and hope you and your child enjoyed this experience learning more about number lines.  Thank you for the feedback from parent surveys.  

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:


​In Langauge Arts... 
  • Our essential question this week was How can people help out their community? Together we read Biblioburro by Jeanette Winter.  Using a similar T-chart, students analyzed specific details the author included and discussed why they support the main idea or point the author wants to make.  The story Biblioburro is a narrative nonfiction text.  This true story is about a school teacher from Colombia named Luis Soriano who wanted to share books with children near and far.  We talked about Benjamin Franklin and how he also wanted to share his books with people who would have otherwise not have had access to them.  These two people's love for books and desire to share them with others helped and are continuing to help many in communities.  Using the text Biblioburro and talking about Benjamin Franklin, students learned about how the idea of a lending library all started. ​
  • This week the reading standard addressed was Describe how reasons support specific points the author makes in a text.   Previously,  students were taught to identify the main idea of a text or a portion of a text and determine supporting details.  These are prerequisite skills for the standard taught this week.
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  • Using many expository texts read this week, we charted the text features we found and included a description of its purpose.  For example, a table of contents helps us to find what pages chapters are on, while the index tells us where we can find information about a specific topic.  We did this for all the text features we could find including table of contents, index, glossary, maps, charts, diagrams, captions, headings, and title.​​
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​In math...​
  • ​Once students understood the concept of base-ten blocks, students learned to add using base-ten with regrouping.  First they used actual base-ten blocks to manipulate and model the problem, then students practiced drawing the process of their thinking out.  
  • Students learned when adding two two-digit numbers together, you can estimate the numbers to its nearest ten before adding.  For example when adding 59 + 15, you can change 59 to 60 first then add 15.  The children learned this strategy is useful when you don't need the exact amount but just want a close calculation of the value.  
​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.  
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A very special guest!

11/17/2019

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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.  ​​​
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  • 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).  ​ ​​
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  • 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.
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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.  

Using Hundred Charts to Model Addition and Subtraction Strategies from ORIGO Education on Vimeo.

  • 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."

Teaching the count-on strategy for addition from ORIGO Education on Vimeo.

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!
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Pumpkins, Pumpkins Oh My!

10/28/2019

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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.  ​
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In Language Arts...
  • This week's genre focus was on traditional literature, particularly fables.  Students learned that fables are short stories, alway teach a valuable life lesson, and most times will have animals as main characters.  Students learned about Aesop fables.  We read The Fox and the Crane.  Majority of the children identified the moral as "treat others the way you want to be treated."  While this was a very fitting author's message we also talked about the following version of that message: He who plays a trick on someone, should expect to be tricked in return.  We also talked about other famous fables like The Tortoise and the Hare and The Lion and the Mouse. ​​
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  • After taking the children through the thought process of comparing and contrasting two versions of the same story using The Boy Who Cried Wolf and Wolf Wolf!, students did some practice on their own!  They used the classic folktale The Three Little Pigs and compared it with an Italian version called The Three Geese.  We talked about comparing key details.  Key details may be basic story elements such as characters, setting, and problem & solution or key details may also be more complex events that deal with the development of the story.  Something insignificant to the development of the story, would not be considered a key detail.   ​​
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  • In writing, we reviewed the writing process and created our very own anchor chart that will helps us throughout any future writing endeavors.
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  • Students learned about the following suffixes: ly- means "in a way that is" and -ful means "full of."  We practiced using these suffixes to create new words and talked about how words change when adding them.  
  • We finished are read aloud War with Grandpa and have started reading the classic Bunnicula by James Howe just in time for Halloween.  
In math...
  • Students wrote addition and subtraction equations to form fact families.  Students used math stories to help them understand the relationship between the equations.  
  • Using non-standard units of measure such as connecting cubes, students practiced various measuring skills.  They learned that the unit needs to line up with one edge of the object, you measure to the nearest whole unit, there should be no gaps between each unit, and the units should be the same size.  For example if you're measuring using cubes, all cubes should be the same size: a pencil is 6 - 1 inch paper clips long.  
  • After learning about non-standard units of measure, students were introduced to standard units of measure.  We talked about why using this common language of standard units of measure, such as inches, are important.  When you buy a piece of lumber from the store or need to get a suit tailored to your size, we use customary standard units of measure.
  • Students practiced using their rulers to measure objects around the classroom in inches and in feet.  They learned to align the first scale on the ruler with the starting point of the object.  
  • Then students compared lengths of objects using keywords like difference and how many more.
REMINDERS AND ANNOUCEMENTS
  • There will be early release at 1:05pm everyday until Thursday the 10/31 to accommodate Parent teacher conferences.  Wednesday will remain the same 12:52 dismissal.
  • There is a Costume Parade in which your child can participate in on 10/31.  Click here for costume guidelines.
  • 1-minute Oral Fluency starts this week.  Please time your child for 1 minute as they read the passage.  Log down how many words they read correctly.  Repeat this everyday until Thursday.  After the 1-min is up let them read to the end for their own benefit.  
  • No School on Friday 11/1 due to teacher professional day.  
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Safety Week

9/22/2019

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Here is a summary of what happened in class

Our Safety Week was a huge success!  All students participated in various drills that will help us know what to do in the event of an emergency.  We safely walked over to our evacuation site (KHS).  We stayed calm and walked together quickly, especially when crossing the street.  During our lockdown drill, students remained calm and quiet.  Students learned the best thing to do during an earthquake is to find cover under sturdy furniture using one hand to hold onto something sturdy and the other covering their head, stay away from shelves or areas where things can fall on you and as a last resort stand besides a wall.  
During I Wonder students watched a very moving video called 'Don't Laugh at Me' based on a story written by Allen Shamblin.  This video inspired us to show compassion to others.  Students made connections to the story.  Then we made a circle of compassion to share how we can show kindness to others. 
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In Language Arts...
  • As an extension from last week's Wonders lesson, students revisited the following essential question:  How do we care for pets?  Using the two stories they read last week, they practiced writing a constructed response that included text evidence.  After writing our responses, we used a highlighter to see if we included all the components of Q.A.D. 
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In math...
  • Students were introduced to three-digit numbers with internal 0 and teens.  They first represented these numbers using the most concrete method with base-10 blocks.  In this way students could physically touch and manipulate the number.  Next, they represented these numbers using more abstract methods like base-ten pictures, then finally using symbols like numbers, digits, and representing the number in various ways such as expanded form, number name, and place value. ​
  • Students problem solved when figuring out how to count a whole bunch of coffee stirrers.  Since there were so many, we struggled to count them.  At first students counted random amounts 56, 23, 68, etc...   But that didn't work because we had a hard time adding those amounts! Then we figured out it was easier to group them in bundles of tens.  We did that!  Soon someone suggested why not bundle 10 tens into 100.  We were able to count the total so quickly and more accurately.  We counted 847!
​​In Social Studies...
  • In triads, students shared their family trees and questionnaires.  They talked about  where their families came from, holidays or traditions their families celebrate, and special foods their families eat.  Students had lots of fun, not only sharing about themselves, but also learning about their classmates.  
REMINDERS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
  • Youngest and only children received a blue Parent Teacher conference form.  If you have not turned it in, please do so on Monday.  Thank you!
  • Culture Day is coming up on 10/1.  If you would like your child to participate in the mandoo making and tasting, please be sure to sign and return the permission form. 
  • Picture Taking is this Thursday 9/26.  Students do not need to wear their uniform shirt on this day.  Please bring payment if you're interested in purchasing a package.
  • Field trip to Hawaii's Plantation Village is on Tuesday 9/24.  Disposable lunch, drink, and shoes are needed.  Please have your child arrive to school on time.  
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Short but busy week

9/14/2019

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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. ​ ​
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  • 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. 
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  • 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.  

Teaching the use-doubles strategy for addition from ORIGO Education on Vimeo.

Teaching the count-on strategy for addition from ORIGO Education on Vimeo.

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
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A month already!

9/7/2019

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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.  ​
In math...​
  • Students reviewed time on-the-hour and were introduced to time half-past the hour.  They learned the various ways to say and write a given time.  For example, 7:30, thirty minutes after 7, half-past seven, or seven thirty.  And of course students practiced with drawing the hour hand and the minute hand properly on the analog clock.  
  • Using our Stepping Stones curriculum, students learned about number lines and number tracks and can distinguish between the two.  They used number lines to help them determine nearby multiples of 10.  Using a number line, students could see whether a number like 37 was closer to 30 or 40. ​
In Social Studies...
  • Students learned that a family tree is a record that helps us see how we are connected to our various family members.  It also shows us the different generations and where we came from.  I hope you and your child enjoyed learning more about your family history together.  Students were asked to review their information with you so that they can share out some interesting things they learned in small groups.  
  • In addition students continue to become experts on stranger danger.  They brainstormed various ways to share their information with others to teach them how to stay safe in harmful stranger danger situations.  Here's the choice board students came up with... make a song, poster, video, comic book illustration, and flyer.  Students will be working in small groups to showcase their learning by choosing their final project that answers our essential question: How can we keep ourselves and others safe from strangers in our community?​​​​
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Reminders and Announcements
  • No school for children on Tuesday 9/10 due to a teacher training
  • Family trees are due on Monday.  Please have your child familiar with the information, as they will be sharing out.
  • We have library on Friday 9/13.  If you haven't done so yet, please start bringing in borrowed library books.
  • Every Friday 1 Good Reading Habits worksheet will be due.  If this assignment was not complete, please work on it this weekend and have it completed by Monday.  
  • Field trip form to Hawaii's Plantation Village is due 9/13.  
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