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)