This week we were treated with a special guest reader...Mrs. DeBaun (Isabella's mom).  She read to the children The Dot by Peter Reynolds.  Through this inspiring tale, children learned the power of encouragement and perseverance.  If you're stuck, change your perspective, amazing things can happen.  Just..."Make your mark and see where it takes you"

Very proud children got to show off their amazing work at the Student Showcase.  D103 students really helped to transform the cafeteria into a "forest" of colors and creatures with their work. This year our second graders met their first grade buddy class and viewed the showcase together.  Our second graders assisted the first graders in writing happy grams. ​

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​​In Langauge Arts... 

• Continuing our essential question from last week How does the earth change?  we read a text called Into the Sea.  Using this text, students learned about cause and effect.  The following standard was addressed:  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 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.  ​

• In writing, students learned about Word Choice.  We read a fiction story called Rainforest by Helen Cowcher to notice the words (specifically the verbs), the author uses which makes the story more interesting.  We noticed words like dwell instead of live, trooped instead of walked, and dart instead of run.  We made a list of overused verbs and came up with better alternatives.   

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.  

In 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, cardinal direction.  They created a map of our classroom.  In addition, they read different types of maps, such as a weather, topographical and a classroom map.   

Announcements & Reminders

• Read Across America Week:
  • ​Tuesday: "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish"~ Wear red and/or blue
  • Wednesday: "Cat in the Hat Day"~ Hat Day
  • Thursday: "I'm Not Going to Get Up Today"~ Pajama Day
  • Friday: "Oh, The Places You'll Go"~ Favorite Place Day

Our class of 22 is now 23!  We are so excited to have Rikki as our newest friend in D103.  Having a new classmate this week gave all of us the opportunity to benefit from some Tribe activities.  Students shared things about themselves and important things that anyone should know about our school. These activities were great community builders that brought a sense of fellowship.  ​

​​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.