update, 6/4

Hello Fantastic Families,

It is absolutely shocking that we are here at the last week of our school year. We will finish off the year with a week of STEAM design challenges, friendship activities, school celebrations, and our class presentations. In addition, I have one last bit of homework for you and your child to complete:

Summer Learning Plan

Homework for our last week of school 

What a wonderful school year it has been. Now summer is here and days drift by with less active learning. Remember, it is incredibly important to keep reading, writing, and practicing math during the summer months.

This week it is your homework to create a summer learning contract with your parents. The contract should provide a concrete plan for continued learning throughout the summer. The contract can be created in whatever form you prefer but must be signed by both parent and child. It may include things like: camps, field trips to local natural/historical sites, travel journals and photo-journals, daily family reading times, trips to the library, math practice and any of other innumerable learning experiences.

The contract should be turned in on Thursday June 9th. It will be returned to you for use this summer.

A (semi) wise teacher once said, “The whole world is a child’s best and most exciting homework.”

Dancefest

Send in a hand towel with your child’s name on the tag as soon as possible to use as a prop for our dance. On the day of Dancefest, June 8th, have your child wear Hawaiian/tropical print clothing. Kindergarten dancing begins at 12:30 with the rest of the grades sequentially dancing thereafter. The dancing follows an all school picnic. 

Summer Birthdays and Friendship day

We will celebrate all our summer birthdays with our usual silly celebration. Let’s hold off on the treats for this day as there will be lots of little goodies coming home because it’s…..Friendship Day! 

To celebrate the friendships we’ve made, maintained,  and grown this year we will be doing a series of fun friendship activities. Please send in 24 tokens of some kind to be distributed to the class. These can be homemade, bought, written, drawn….whatever you’d like. No treats please.

Important dates

6/6 summer birthday celebrations and friendship day

6/7 Lifeguard presentations

6/8 Dancefest! Parents invited!

6/9 last day of school

Best,

 Andrew Smith

Teacher, Del Mar Heights School

Update 5/30

Dear Fantastic Families,

I sincerely appreciate your time and engagement as students shared their writing and their gratitude last Thursday. Thank you for indulging my sentimental side in our circle together.

Last week the class was able to enjoy two performances. One, the fourth grade performance of Gold Dust or Bust, featured many siblings of class students and was full of both information and fun! The other, a professional performance of Peter and the Wolf, was amazing by all accounts. Reflections were written about the performances and we will capitalize on the musical elements in instruction this week. 

Volunteers

I thank the generous gifts of time and talents that were given in support of students during the year. We are now officially concluded with volunteers. With the variability of scheduling during these last two weeks it is less than pragmatic to maintain our volunteer schedule.

Homework

In lieu of regular spelling words and homework for the next two weeks, your student is asked to research a topic of interest and prepare a simple presentation for the class. Directions will be sent home tomorrow or can be found here. You may help as little or as much as you like, as long as it is their project and their learning. I am expecting amazing kid-prepared poster boards, speeches, dioramas, etc, of great fun and variety!  

Dancefest

Send in a hand towel with your child’s name on the tag as soon as possible to use as a prop for our dance. On the day of Dancefest, June 8th, have your child wear Hawaiian/tropical print clothing. Kindergarten dancing begins at 11:30 followed by an all school picnic and then the rest of the grades around 12:30.  

Summer Birthdays and Friendship day

We will celebrate all our summer birthdays with our usual silly celebration. Let’s hold off on the treats for this day as there will be lots of little goodies coming home because it’s…..Friendship Day! 

To celebrate the friendships we’ve made, maintained,  and grown this year we will be doing a series of fun friendship activities. Please send in 24 tokens of some kind to be distributed to the class. These can be homemade, bought, written, drawn….whatever you’d like. No treats please.

Important dates

6/1 Countdown to Summer after school PTA celebration

6/6 summer birthday celebrations and friendship day

6/7 Lifeguard presentations

6/8 Dancefest! Parents invited!

6/9 last day of school

update, 5/22

Dear Fantastic Families,

Thank you for a wonderful appreciation week! Your notes, words, and gifts arrived at the perfect time.

Just as many of you have been affected by the accident at school, I have too. Our school and the people at school mean the world to me and it is taking me some time to emotionally heal and process. Your kind words reminded me of how special a community we have here at Del Mar Heights and reaffirmed the gratitude I have for being a part of it. 

If you or your child are in need of help in the aftermath, please reach out to me. There are a series of meetings planned in the evenings to help our community move towards healing. Please see this week’s Dolphin Digest for more information.

Our studies of Geology continue with a pair of lab times guided by scientists from the San Diego Natural History Museum. On Friday we used the observational techniques of identifying streaking, coloring, luster, hardness, and cleavage (breakage) to classify rock varieties. We continue on Monday with more exploration of rocks and minerals! 

Coinciding with this study, we have invested a touch of time in Byrd Baylor’s book, Everybody Needs a Rock, the close reading revealed a bit of author’s craft and inspired the writing of our own book, Everybody Needs a Friend. Each child is just now working on their own adaptation of this story to be shared on Thursday at our Celebration of Writing.

Celebration of Writing

This Thursday 8:00-8:45ish

Please join us this Thursday in our room for our Celebration of Writing presentation. Your children will be presenting a selection of current pieces including their final fictional narrative, a few poems, the aforementioned Byrd Baylor adaptation, and perhaps a special technology surprise. More than anything, this serves as a way for us to be together to celebrate the kids and this fine school year. After our presentation, you will feast on kid-made tea sandwiches and incredibly fancy spa water made from ingredients grown and harvested by our kids from our garden. 

Homework

In lieu of regular spelling words and homework for the next two weeks, your student is asked to research a topic of interest and prepare a simple presentation for the class. Directions will be sent home tomorrow or can be found here. You may help as little or as much as you like, as long as it is their project and their learning. I am expecting amazing kid-prepared poster boards, speeches, dioramas, etc, of great fun and variety!  

Dancefest

Send in a hand towel with your child’s name on the tag as soon as possible to use as a prop for our dance. On the day of Dancefest, June 8th, have your child wear Hawaiian/tropical print clothing. Kindergarten dancing begins at 11:30 followed by an all school picnic and then the rest of the grades around 12:30. 

Heroes All Link

If you’d care to watch a version of our grade level performance feel free to take a look on my recently sent email. It’s unlisted and cannot be searched in any way on the web. 

You might also enjoy this link. Thanks to the Del Mar Heights PTA for providing weekly music assemblies where each child was able to learn and perform on a simple instrument while being exposed to music theory. Take a look on the link sent in my recent email to enjoy a little performance from our class! It’s unlisted so no public eyes can find it.

Best,

 Andrew Smith

Teacher, Del Mar Heights School

Important dates

5/23 Natural History Museum Geology mobile lab of discovery

5/26 Celebration of writing, Parents invited! 8:15 a.m.

5/27 Peter & the Wolf 12:40 p.m. (kids event)

5/30 Memorial Day - No School

6/1 Countdown to Summer after school PTA celebration

6/6 summer birthday celebrations

6/7 Lifeguard presentations

6/8 Dancefest! Parents invited!

6/9 last day of school

Update, 5/9

Hello Fantastic Families,

Happy Mother’s Day to all of our ever-loving, ever-patient mothers! I hope your day was filled with hugs and giggles!

The Del Mar Schools Education Foundation does a great job funding the credentialed STEAM+ teachers that make school a well-rounded place to be a learner. Please consider giving what is comfortable. What Del Mar has is really rare. Most “specialty” teachers in other districts are not trained and credentialed in their field of expertise. They are often uncertificated aides. This matters. It matters in instruction and in articulation with classroom teachers to reach maximum learning outcomes. 

Speaking of a well-rounded education, thanks to the Del Mar Heights PTA for providing weekly music assemblies where each child was able to learn and perform on a simple instrument while being exposed to music theory. Take a look here to enjoy a little performance from our class! It’s unlisted so no public eyes can find it.

Our trip to visit Urban Plantation and Green Acre farm to table restaurant yielded quite a learning harvest. Students were treated to a tour of the sustainable farm while discussing issues of sustainability and agricultural practice. We also were invited to explore new healthy foods direct from the garden. Who knew pickled fennel and baby corn shoots were so delicious?

Our next trip is a docent-led hike through the North Extension of Torrey Pines Park. We are so very fortunate to have such wondrous natural beauty at our doorstep and it is incumbent upon us to use it as a classroom to at least some extent. The Natural History Museum generously sends us volunteer guides who tend to be both knowledgeable and enthusiastic. So far the weather report for hike day, this Friday, looks San Diego sensational so hike on we will!

Mr. Phillip’s fantastic first-through-third grade Dolphin games featured fun athletic enterprises such as The Chicken Toss and The Hula Hoop Roll. These non-standard games help introduce the timid to competitive games while helping Mr. Philip teach about physical skills. Coming on May 18th the more traditional Junior Olympics will be held. This event must be entered through registration. Forms came home a week and a bit ago and are also available in the office I would guess. Encourage your child to join in!

Our young scientists have enjoyed experimentation with plants and are just about to plant their sprouted corn and sunflowers in the school garden to allow their further growth. The garden has been full of activity lately and the addition of these second grade crops will make it all the more vibrant as the plants mature over the summer and into the fall. 

Bird Baylor is an author of signature style and focus. Her emphasis on poetic prose centered on the care and appreciation of nature fits perfectly with our recent studies of habitats and their inhabitants’ interconnectedness, plants, Earth Day, and upcoming studies of geology. Further, We are exploring her books as part of an author study that allows us to ask critical questions as readers- developing the ability to progress from concrete interpretations to synthesis and abstracted conclusions. For instance, in the book, “The Table Where Rich People Sit” we meet a girl who believes her “poor” family needs more money. But after assigning value to their relative freedom and ability to enjoy the natural world together, she arrives at a different understanding of what “rich” means. Our readers moved from gaining an understanding of this character’s growth to generalizing her learning to a greater cohort. Finally they were able to try to approach the question, “What do you think it means to be rich?”. Answers varied as widely as you might assume but generally had nothing to do with money. Evidently I am rich because I have a little, old, and friendly dachshund. 

I’d like to invite everyone to come celebrate the writers of our classroom on May the 26th from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. We will enjoy presentations from the students and a bit of time together to end the year right!

As May moves on please consider if you might like to have a meeting with me before the year concludes. There are no formal conferences in the district but I am more than happy to debrief and set new summer-and-beyond goals for our little ones. Please let me know if you’d like to meet.

Important dates

5/13 Torrey Pines Hike with the Natural History Museum Docents

5/18 Jr. Olympics 12:45-2:30 p.m.

5/20 Natural History Museum Geology mobile lab of discovery

5/20 Stuffed Animal Spirit Day

5/23 Natural History Museum Geology mobile lab of discovery

5/26 Celebration of writing, Parents invited!

5/27 Peter & the Wolf 12:40 p.m.

5/27 Next Grade level visit day (1 hour in third grade)

5/30 Memorial Day - No School

6/1 Countdown to Summer after school PTA celebration

6/6 summer birthday celebrations

6/7 Lifeguard presentations

6/8 Dancefest!

6/9 last day of school

Best,

 Andrew Smith

Teacher, Del Mar Heights School

Update, 4/17

Hello Fantastic Families,

Our young scientists are moving on from studies of habitats (though writing on the subject continues) into studying the various types and characteristics of plants found in differing habitats. To coincide with this study, we are planting crops in the school garden, observing and recording data related to seeds, flowers, and seed dispersion, designing our own experiments about the growth of plants, and taking a field trip to a nearby urban farm. 

Mathwork has two main emphases at the moment.

 First, we are working on using larger quantities with a variety of problem solving strategies. As I have emphasized in the past, second grade is a time to solidify understanding of how bace ten and place value concepts interplay. Because of this, many experiences problem solving different types of problems are necessary with the onus to demonstrate understanding not only with answers but with communication of chosen strategies. For example, one student might solve a Join: change unknown problem might be solved by counting on from the smaller of numbers towards the larger by like units, then place value units might be joined together. The same problem could be solved by subtracting the like units from one another to see where the change occurred. 

The second emphasis point we will be working on through the end of the year is to build fluency with very simple addition and subtraction. These are concepts that are well understood, now we must commit them to rapid recall or solution-finding. You can help with this by using one of the many online games that can be played for simple recall or by just doing some quick recall games in the car while driving. This does not need to be stressful, just a bit of extra practice to go along with the extra practice we are beginning in class. 

I am itching to begin a rich author study that I have planned. Byrd Baylor is an author who expresses depth and complexity in relationships between humans and nature with clean, concise text and beautiful linear illustrations. We will be exploring her works and her style in late April and into May. Look for some art and writing to come as we work through her texts. 

I am out tomorrow at a district meeting. Please give the kids my best and give thanks for their amazing little selves. 

Best,

 Andrew Smith

Teacher, Del Mar Heights School

This Week’s Highlights

4/18-22

Phonics and word study focus

-synonyms

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: habitats, plants, ecology

Close reading: Non-Fiction, magazine articles

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: plants and ecology

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals, Commas in a series, Indentation

Writing skill- structure of multiple-paragraph essays, transitions and high-interest topic sentences in expository writing

Topical writing- multiple paragraph essays, habitats

Fiction- continue workshop for Magic Medicine Narrative

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, larger numbers in addition and subtraction

Fluency work

Social Studies focus

Earth day

Science focus

Plants

Homework

Daily reading, homework packet, and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox, typing club)

Field Trip Follow-up

Hello Fantastic Families,

After an enlightening field trip today I thank those who chaperoned and offer appreciation for the very fine attention that our students gave to our presenters. Please compliment your children.

As part of the field trip we were given time to use our creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking in purposeful play with reusable and repurposed materials. The “play” session consisted mainly of kids interacting with each other and their materials in multi-modal, dynamic ways. Safety was, as always, a priority through the play session. There were opportunities for problem solving, engineering enterprise, negotiations, and collaborations. Labyrinths that referenced Mythology were created while models of imaginative launching machines and semi-realistic gymnastics studios took form. In the end, the “play” sessions reminded us that in a world dominated by schedules and absolutes, it is important to empower the innovative and collaborative internal lives of our children through invitations to create. 

In class we have done this with many STEAM+ activities, the most recent of which challenged our students to use what they had learned through research about a given habitat, create that habitat in a manner that represented the key concepts found therein in teams, and present their learning and project to educate others. 

Perhaps there is even more room to be made in out-of-school life for the benefits of play. Something to think about as you read through articles and papers that refer to play as a key educational tool that helps students construct a vision of themselves and functional tools of creators in a broad sense. 

Hello and Checking-in!

Hello Fantastic Families,

As we reach the midpoint of our week of spring vacation I wish you many enjoyable hours with family. As an enticement for time spent well, I encourage you to try out a visit to our local tide pools this week. Afternoon tides should be very good. I’ve attached the local tide chart so you can plan your visit prudently.  My favorite local tide pools are just north of us at Tabletop Reef in Solana beach (101 North, exit into seaside park with large lot just after descending the hill into Cardiff. The tide pools are to the south of the parking lot. Alternatively, you can turn West on Solana Vista then park at the top of the coastal stairs, descend and head north a bit.) Tide pools can be slippery so you may want to wear water shoes of some type (not flip-flops), bring a towel, and a curious mind. Have fun!

As well, please be sure your child is reading wonderful books daily! Here’s a visit to the Roald Dahl website to explore with your young reader as well. 

I look forward to sharing our days at our fantastic school once again next week!

Smith update, 3/26

Hello Fantastic Families,

Open House is one of my favorite nights of the year. Allowing time for our students to share the fruits of their learning and labors is edifying and inspiring. It also grounds me in what is most important in the process of growing young learners and citizens: balance. 

As I plan for the "whats and wheres" of learning-product presentation I am conscious of the need to make sure both curriculum and its delivery and social and personal education are kept in focus. Are the kids learning? What is being emphasized? Where does my focus need to turn for learning objectives to be met? These very academic questions are balanced with questions of citizenry and individual needs. Does that student feel empowered in their thinking? Are they able to express their wants and needs and feel validated? Is the affective filter too high for that child? How can I help them to engage with their peers in a reciprocally positive manner? In the end, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as an educator of not just your students’ minds, but also of their personal beings. I will and do make mistakes, but I am privileged to do my best to build balanced people through education.

Our second-grade Flex-Fridays are another way that the concept of balance is articulated at Del Mar Heights. Most Friday afternoons the second grade students rotate to three stations, headed by the three second-grade teachers, for activities which speak to parts of the child outside of the core academic disciplines. Spanish language, physical education, engineering through tinkering, and chess have been some of the stations this year. These Flex Fridays are anticipated eagerly and embraced as a way to work the mind and the body in slightly different but certainly beneficial ways. Also, this structure allows all three of the teachers to know each child- empowering us to talk more collaboratively and strategically when setting learning goals.

With Earth Day approaching and our recent studies of animals continuing we will be designing our own animals and habitats out of reclaimed and recyclable materials. This project will integrate research, writing, art, engineering, and math as we create our own unique pieces. In order to help with this we need some supplies. Please gather clean, dry recyclables and reusables and send them to class on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week. The supplies will be shared among the classes so send as much as you are able. Also, donations of masking tape would be appreciated. Thank you!

After Spring Break, the second graders will have the special opportunity to attend two new field trips that support our science standards. On April 13, we are going behind the scenes of Urban Corps Recycling Center to participate in the actual recycling process.  Then, on April 25^th the second grade will be visiting the Urban Plantations’ organic farm and restaurant for a “farm to table” experience. Students will be taken on a private tour of the farm to taste various crops. Then, they will tour the restaurant’s kitchen to help prepare some of the freshly picked greens. Both field trips should be unique experiences rich with learning. If you would like to chaperone, please let me know. In May, we will be going on a series of 3 in-house geology field trips in partnership with the San Diego Natural History Museum.

Have a happy weekend and thank you for turning in your field trip permission slips.

Best,

 Andrew Smith

Teacher, Del Mar Heights School

This Week’s Highlights

3/28-4/1

Phonics and word study focus

Contractions, syllables

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: animals and habitats

Close reading: Non-Fiction, magazine articles and Animals

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: Animals and Habitats, James and the Giant Peach

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals, Commas in a series, Indentation

Writing skill- Fictional Narrative- Vibrant Verbs

Topical writing- Fictional Narrative “My Magic Medicine”

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, larger numbers in addition and subtraction

Fraction essentials

Social Studies focus

Science focus week

Science focus

MARE in class and in Mrs. Minarik’s Science Lab

Homework

Daily reading, homework packet, and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox, typing club)

Update, 3/14

Mon. and Tues., March 14-15: Kindergarten and New Student Visitation

Sun., March 20: Second Grade Picnic

Mon., March 21: Science Fair Projects due (optional, but encouraged)

Thurs., March 24: Open House

Week of April 4: Spring Break

Wed., April 13: Field trip to Urban Corps Recycling Center

Hello Fantastic Families,

My brain is bubbling with all the wonderful things happening! 

The PTA Gala seemed to be amazing! I wish I could’ve attended. Thank you for helping make our school a great community of collaboration and ambition! 

First, thank you for sharing conferences with me this past week. The time to speak about our students with a collaborative eye and set goals for the future is incredibly valuable. As always, please be in touch with me if you have any questions. 

Thank you for taking the time to enjoy the kids’ performance of Heroes All! I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did! It was a joy to practice and perform. I am working on finding a full copy of the video to share. If I can find one I will share it for all to enjoy. I appreciate how the performance paralleled our study of biographical figures.

Congratulations to our little athletes for winning two rounds of March Madness in Mileage Club. We defeated two third-grade classes to advance to the semifinals. Two more victories will make us the Mileage Club Champions! Each victory comes with a prize of some sort, but I have to say that the feeling of pride that I see in the kids is the real incentive. 

As we wrap-up biography studies we are readying to present our reports and posters to third and first-grade classes. This opportunity for public speaking is important as the intelligence of our students must be see through many different channels. The ability to communicate to groups of people with confidence is a fantastic skill that must be practiced. I will try to take some pictures of the sharing events to share at Open House.

We have begun science studies of the seashore area and all it’s fun crustaceans as part of our school-wide MARE program. Students will pursue investigations in science lab and in class, where work on animals and their habitats is progressing in a broader sense as well. As MARE studies continue, it might be a great idea to take a purposeful nature walk along the shore. Aim for a low tide and enjoy!

The Garden is alive with activity! Our little farmers planted sweet potatoes not long ago and the harvest is imminent. Take a look at some of the attached photos for fun!

After Spring Break, the second graders will have the special opportunity to attend two new field trips that support our science standards. On April 13, we are going behind the scenes of Urban Corps Recycling Center to participate in the actual recycling process.  Then, on April 25^th the second grade will be visiting the Urban Plantations’ organic farm and restaurant for a “farm to table” experience. Students will be taken on a private tour of the farm to taste various crops. Then, they will tour the restaurant’s kitchen to help prepare some of the freshly picked greens. Both field trips should be unique experiences rich with learning. If you would like to chaperone, please let me know. In May, we will be going on a series of 3 in-house geology field trips in partnership with the San Diego Natural History Museum.

Best,

 Andrew Smith

Teacher, Del Mar Heights School

This Week’s Highlights

3/14-18

Phonics and word study focus

-le, contractions

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: animals and habitats

Close reading: Non-Fiction, magazine articles and Animals

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: Animals and Habitats

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals, Commas in a series, Indentation

Writing skill- structure of multiple-paragraph essays, transitions and high-interest topic sentences in expository writing

Topical writing- multiple paragraph essays, biographical figures and animals

Single paragraph expository writing

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, larger numbers in addition and subtraction

Fraction essentials

Social Studies focus

Biographies

Science focus

MARE in class and in Mrs. Minarik’s Science Lab

Homework

Daily reading, homework packet, and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox, typing club)

Update, 2/28

A very humble thanks to all of our class who generously provided a fantastic class-signed picture and a gift card to Snooze! I am grateful to share my days with your remarkable kiddos and feel blessed to get to know your families as well.

Dates

Fri., March 4 Heroes All Musical- MUR 1:00-2:30 (if you can’t make it we will also have a dress rehearsal- contact me)

Week of March 7: Parent Conferences & Minimum Days

Sat., March 12: PTA Spring Gala

Mon. and Tues., March 14-15: Kindergarten and New Student Visitation

Sun., March 20: Second Grade Picnic

Mon., March 21: Science Fair Projects due (optional, but encouraged)

Thurs., March 24: Open House

Week of April 4: Spring Break

Wed., April 13: Field trip to Urban Corps Recycling Center

Matisse, Van Gogh, and Chagall were the three artists we studied as part of our Biography Unit last week. Accompanying artwork was created and writing about the artists will be undertaken this week. This week also marks the moment when students will be able to select their own important figure to study and about whom they will create a presentation. It should be an enjoyable week. 

Please try to attend the performance of Heroes All this Friday at 1. The kids have worked really hard and it is a neat show to watch. If you can’t make it please let me know as we will have a dress rehearsal as well. If your student wants to bring a small item to wear for the show that represents an historical figure please allow it upon my approval.

Please make sure your child has an analog watch or clock and uses it. I will consistently review the steps to telling time with students who need a little reminder but practice is very important. Additionally, now would be a great time to start some kind of earnings system with your child to help them work with the economic ideas we have recently studied and continually practice counting and exchanging money.  Here are some ideas to accompany- some better than others.

Assessments are completed and conferences are around the corner. If you haven’t yet signed-up please do so here. The sign-up sheet will be locked as of Friday afternoon so that I can plan with a set schedule in mind. Make any changes before then. 

This Week’s Highlights

2/29-3/4

Phonics and word study focus

-le, contractions introduction

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: biography

Close reading: Teacher Choice Biographies

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: Student Selected Biographies

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals, Commas in a series, Indentation

Writing skill- structure of multiple-paragraph essays, transitions and topic sentences in expository writing

Topical writing- multiple paragraph essay, Civil Rights Heroes

Single paragraph expository writing, artist of choice

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, larger numbers in addition and subtraction

Measurement

Social Studies focus

Biographies

Science focus

Mrs. Minarik’s Science Lab

Homework

Daily reading, homework packet, and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox, typing club)

Update, 2/23

Dates

Fri., March 4 Heroes All Musical in the MUR 1:00-2:30

Week of March 7: Parent Conferences & Minimum Days

Sat., March 12: PTA Spring Gala

Mon. and Tues., March 14-15: Kindergarten and New Student Visitation

Sun., March 20: Second Grade Picnic

Mon., March 21: Science Fair Projects due (optional, but encouraged)

Thurs., March 24: Open House

Week of April 4: Spring Break

Wed., April 13: Field trip to Urban Corps Recycling Center

Hello Fantastic Families,

In our work studying the genre of biography, we have also been learning about important people. Our young writers are currently crafting a multiple paragraph piece about three inspirational figures of the Civil-rights era. They are taking the fledgling confidence they grew while creating their first true essay about economics and applying it with much more confidence. Today we spoke about how as you begin to feel comfortable with something you are able to confront more challenge. Currently in both writers’  conferences and whole group situations I am witnessing the emergence of a new willingness to create expository pieces in more sophisticated ways. Writers are using varying types of topic sentences and more cohesive transitions from detail to explanatory sentences. They are taking the known information from the biographies we have read and organizing them in ways that are both structurally sound and personally chosen. By the end of this week we should have some proud writers on our hands- and certainly a proud teacher. 

During this week we continue to study biography by exploring the lives and works of some seminal artists. We speak about creativity and challenge, effort, reward, and personal vision. There are strangely apt parallels between the dreams and almost obsessive pursuit of goals of great artists and the determined perseverance of the heroes of the civil rights movement. Though we won’t go into much depth about that concept, it is notable that some of the kids have already noticed and wanted to discuss this point. While we read about the artists, we are also creating works inspired by their techniques or subject matter. Today we began work on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers while tomorrow or Thursday we will visit with Henri Matisse. 

Next week our students will select a person that they would like to research through exploration of biography. I have plenty of resources available but please feel free to allow students to bring in their own books or articles if desired. A presentation and poster will be created once research is completed. 

Biography studies have aligned with our practice for the performance of “Heroes All” on March 4th. Some students wondered if they might bring an item or wear a hat or wig to imitate a famous hero for the performance. This is fine. Please allow your student to bring something to dress up for the show. It must be a small item- think hat, wig, or other worn item. Please have these totally optional items in as soon as is reasonable.

If you are looking for some additional ways to get your child excited about reading, you may like to take a field trip to the San Diego Central Library. Recently, I took my family to explore the fascinating architectural work and all the great resources that reside therein. Another option is using audiobooks in the car with the Audible app or checking out audiobooks from the library. Your student also has access at home to Rosetta Stone, Typing Club, Raz Kids, Dreambox, and all of the website links on our second grade website.

Attached is the Science Fair information. If you would like to participate in the Science Fair, you are more than welcome. Simply turn in your child’s proposal to me when you can to receive a poster board, and then bring the completed project to the MUR by 8:00 on March 21^st.

This Week’s Highlights

2/22-26

Phonics and word study focus

-le

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: biography

Close reading: Artist biographies

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: Artist Biographies

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals, Commas in a series

Writing skill- transitions and topic sentences in expository writing

Topical writing- multiple paragraph essay, Civil Rights Heroes

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, larger numbers in addition and subtraction

Begin Measurement

Social Studies focus

Biographies

Science focus

Mrs. Minarik’s Science Lab

Homework

Daily reading, homework packet, and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox, typing club)

Update, 2/7

Briefly- 

-Mr. Phillip’s “Toy Day” as a reward for achievements in mileage club is Tuesday. Feel free to send an active, school appropriate toy. See previous email for more information.

-Valentine’s fun on Friday for the kids. Please help them make their Valentine’s cards for all students if interested in participating. We will not be having any treats in class but will be making some neat things and playing some games. 

-Service projects “Nick’s Picks” and “Sports Equipment Exchange” are in effect. Volunteers are needed for The Exchange. See note from Mireille Barnard here:

"Hi Heights Families,

We are organizing a Gently Used Sports Equipment Exchange (Click HERE for more details) and we will be needing a lot of volunteers. Please consider giving an hour of your time for this great event. The link to the sign-up sheet is below. If you would also forward this email to a couple of Heights families that you think might like to know about the event and/or could volunteer, we would really appreciate it.

Thanks so much!

Mireille & Heights Cares Team

p.s. if you have any trouble accessing the sign-up sheet, please let me know. 

-Mireille

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0f44acad2ea7fb6-used”

-Please be sure to sign up for parent conferences via our website.

-save the date: March 4th at 130 we will present “Heroes All!”- the students are sounding fantastic!

-Remember we have RazKids, Rosetta Stone, Dreambox, and Typing Club available for productive learning extensions at home. 

-Finally, be very proud of your young writers and social-scientists. They completed a multi-paragraph essay about their experiences with economics this last week. Stamina, structure, understanding of concepts, and willingness to take on challenges made ALL of the kids quite successful. We will continue our writing work with an essay that emerges out of this week’s biography studies. 

This Week’s Highlights

2/8-12

Phonics and word study focus

Kn,wr

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: biography

Close reading: My Brother, Martin

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: Ruby Bridges, My Brother Martin

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals, Commas in a series

Writing skill- transitions and topic sentences in expository writing

Topical writing- multiple paragraph essay, character traits of biographical figures

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, larger numbers in addition and subtraction

Social Studies focus

Biographies

Science focus

Mrs. Minarik’s Science Lab

Homework

Daily reading, homework packet, and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox, typing club)

February is here!

Our last week was ripe with learning as the students planned and executed their businesses. Products and services were designed, business plans presented in order to gain functioning capital, advertising distributed, and a grand shopping fair was held. The M.U.R. Of the school had businesses ranging from gymnastics lessons, to original comic books, to custom purses, to mine craft models all on offer. During the fair, price points were altered to respond to challenges or opportunities in supply and demand. With minutes left in the sale, inventory was pushed out of the door as sale prices were announced. It was both a lot of fun and very productive. Aside from the obvious work in economics, I was very satisfied in the way that groups collaborated with an end goal in mind. Many variables had to be negotiated by the groups and all can be proud of their achievements. 

This week we will reflect on our learning by writing a five-paragraph essay about our work. I will be focusing on three different transitional tools to be used inside of paragraphs to make the pieces more readable and fluid while encouraging more interesting topic sentence use.

This week also signals the beginning of our biography studies units. We will be investigating the lives of important and influential people through reading and media. Over the course of many weeks, studies will involve literacy, art, music, and public speaking. In conjunction with this work, we are preparing for our performance of “Heroes All” on March 4th. 

Please be sure to sign up for parent conferences through our class website. Sharing about learning and setting new goals together is always rewarding.

The Del Mar Heights Dad’s Club put together a great sandbox area just adjacent to the garden. If you have any extra sand or beach toys that you would like to donate please send them in. 

Best,

 Andrew Smith

Teacher, Del Mar Heights School

This Week’s Highlights

2/1-5

Phonics and word study focus

Blend review

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: features

Close reading: George’s Marvelous Medicine

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: George’s Marvelous Medicine

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals, Commas in a series

Writing skill- transitions in expository writing

Topical writing- multiple paragraph essay, “Economics and our Businesses”

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, larger numbers in addition and subtraction

Social Studies focus

Biographies

Science focus

Mrs. Minarik’s Science Lab

Homework

Daily reading, homework packet, and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox)

Update, 1/24

I just returned from enjoying a performance of “Seussical the Musical” with a few of our class’ families. It was great to see Tori on stage and to see the kids enjoying a night out with their families. 

Watching the show, it made me think of the impact that great literature can have on our understanding of the world and each other. Dr. Seuss is quite famous for his obvious allegory and morality tales. Recently, we have completed a short author study of Faith Ringgold’s books, which teach about the power of imagination to escape difficult circumstances and about the historic underground railroad. We followed this up with a fictionalized account of the true historical figure of Henry “box” Brown, who escaped from Slavery through the underground railroad. Surrounding studies of Martin Luther King Jr. and our simulation, speaker, and lab work throughUnderstanding Differences program help to further inform the driving idea of this past week or so- that we all are deserving of respect. It’s funny, we can tell our kids this simple fact one hundred times with only glancing impact, but a few good books and some meaningful conversations begin to create real understanding. 

In other exciting news, studies of economics have led us to our STEAM+ challenge. The challenge is for small groups to design, plan, advertise, and “sell” a product or service to a target customer base. Using a business plan, students applied for and received capital investment that they used to purchase or rent supplies needed to create their company. Then advertising and product is created to lead towards a final market day, where commerce will take place. The money is fake, the learning is real.

A few quick reminders:

-By Friday, Please send a white tee shirt with name on the label to be tie-dyed for our performance of “Heroes All” (3/4)

-Please sign up for parent/teacher conferences via our class website

This Week’s Highlights

1/25-29

Phonics and word study focus

r- controlled blends

Reading focus

Comprehension focus: Non-Fiction Texts: features

Close reading: Text-based questioning “Henry’s Freedom Box”

Book club individualized strategy lessons: Lessons created for specific skill outcomes based on individual and group needs

Focus books: Roald Dahl Choice book

Writing focus

Conventions- Spacing, Feeling ending of sentences, Periods and Capitals,

Writing skill- Planning Opinion pieces

Topical writing- Opinion pieces, The best sport or activity

Math focus

Full Math workshop

Math journal problem solving through visual models

Individualized challenges

Word Problem solving, Join change unknown

Social Studies focus

Economics- STEAM+ challenge

Science focus

Mrs. Minarik’s Science Lab and Understanding Differences

Homework

Daily reading and optional online work (razkids, rosetta stone, dreambox)

Update, 1/10

Happy New Year!

Again, thank you so much for the very generous class gift! I am humbled and grateful. 

I would love to get a group of families from our classroom together to go see Tori in her performance of Seussical the Musical. Likely date would be Sunday, January 24th at 4:30 at the JCC in the UTC area. Please let me know by Wednesday, January 13th if you are interested and how many tickets you would require. I will try to get a group rate at that time. 

Our classroom is buzzing with activity..

We just entered into a new author study of the wonderful artist and award-winning children’s book author Faith Ringgold. Last week we explored her most famous book, Tar Beach, as an exercise in asking important readers’ questions and looking for the motive of the author in writing stories. Through close reading of the text, in both conversation and in our reading logs, we were able to explore questions about the importance of setting in the story and the symbolism in the actions of the character as a response to her problems. The book, which is set in New York City, offered an opportunity to speak about the broad swath of the world that lives very differently to us here in Del Mar and to build an empathetic response without establishing a dualist mentality. This week students will synthesize their thoughts about the book as they create a piece of artwork that helps summarize the primary lessons of the book. We will also engage with other of Ringgold’s books, again closely reading the text for important readers’ questions. 

In writing, we are pursuing expository work and opinion pieces as we refine structure for these different genres. At this point virtually all students can formulate and execute expository work of correct and repeatable structure that forms the essential blocks of writing to communicate information for all of the rest of their academic career. The structure is predicated upon the use of topic sentences, which reveal what is to be discussed, detail sentences, which teach new information, explanation sentences, which teach more about the preceding detail, and conclusion sentences, which reiterate the thrust of the piece. It is important to recognize that this structure is not rigid. Rather, once internalized, students are able to write coherently about any topic with confidence and flexibility. Ask your child to share about how an expository paragraph is crafted and try your hand at the craft.

We have begun our study of economics. Your child will be learning about wants versus needs, consumers, producers, and resources. Our class will become a tiny town with students earning incomes, starting their own businesses, and selling their merchandise to each other. It might be the perfect time to have a lemonade stand or start an allowance. Teach your child to understand the value and use of money now to help them in their future.

Del Mar Heights Award-Winning Understanding Differences program is ongoing throughout January. Second-grade students will build knowledge and understanding of issues surrounding hearing and hearing impairment through simulation, science labs, and interactions with speakers. This is a great time to speak to your child about the importance of acceptance, empathy, and flexibility since the world is full of individuals all of whom carry their own unique traits.

In February, our attention will focus on biographies. We will end our study with our all-second grade musical performance called Heroes All on Friday, March 4^th from 1:00-2:30 in the MUR followed by cookies outside our second grade classrooms. In Art, the kids will be making their costumes: tie-dye shirts. Each child will need a plain white t-shirt by Friday, January 29^th. Their names need to be written on the tag. The shirts can be used or new. New shirts need to be pre-washed to help the tie-dye set. Target sells packs of 3, if you would like to partner up with a friend. We need 3-4 parent volunteers for Feb. 3, Feb. 4, or Feb. 5. Volunteers can embrace their inner camp counselor skills and dye the prepped shirts. If you would like to help, but cannot dye shirts, you could donate the tie-dye or rubber bands for our class.

January Focus

Reading: Increase reading stamina and enjoyment, learn strategies for comprehension, accuracy, and fluency

Writing/Grammar:  Opinion & narrative

Math:  Place value, adding and subtracting larger numbers

Science: Sound Energy, Hearing Loss, Understanding Differences

Social Studies: Economics (STEAM project: Student-made businesses)

Spanish:  Rosetta Stone

PE: Cooperative team building games

Music: Reading music, playing kazoos, singing, preparation for our Heroes All performance

Tinkering Lab: Cooperative problem solving, engineering, and old-fashioned tinkering

Understanding Differences: Hearing loss

er, Del Mar Heights School