Math Word Problems and Goo

     UGH, math word problems.  They are soooooooooooo tricky.  We've been practicing all week and I'm definitely seeing improvement.  I have been encouraging the students to look carefully at the answer they get to see if it makes sense.  "If Timmy starts with 67 crayons and brakes 12 of them.  He couldn't possibly have 89 unbroken crayons."  Encourage your child to double check if their answer seems reasonable.   

     We have started writing our biography notes into a report.  Many students really know their famous person facts.  We wrote half yesterday, half today and the children think its FUN.  WHOO HOO.  How great is that?  Most reports are edited and ready for the final copy.  Presentations will start next week.  I'll send home your child's specific day by the end of this week.  Don't stress out about this......remember "fun". 

     We have lots of different things going on during reading block.  Everyone is reading non-fiction text.  Some students are reading about volcanoes, some Chinese New Year, and we all are reading about our government.  Today we used post-it notes to jot down facts that we thought were most interesting from our books.  

     Here are some of the learning centers we visited recently.

fact/opinion sort

sentence scramble

number ordering

missing addend

noun sort

snowman money

prefix/suffix sort

counting by 5, 10 or 100's

rhyming match

     I'm sure you are all aware that next Friday is a half day.  Well, I've been promising for months that we'd make goo in class.  It took me this long to get the main ingredient-Borax.  So we are finally ready.  I thought that we'd hold out until that half day, snow make up day, that wasn't REALLY supposed to be a school day and make it then.  Why not spend the day with learning fun?  Warning, there will be food coloring involved, so save that special spring outfit to wear a different day.  

     This is Petey.  He came in a junk mail catalog I received and I fell in love.  So here he is reminding us that goo is coming soon.

Biographies

     Happy almost St. Patrick's Day everyone.  We all got a taste of spring fever last week and boy did that feel good.  Looking forward to getting bit by that bug again.  Glancing at the calendar, we are so busy that it will be here  before you know it.

     Biography project directions went home last week.  Children are to pick a famous person from HISTORY (Tom Brady doesn't cut it) to research and present to the class.  This project is just like the animal one.  Notes will be completed at home (you should have those already), we will turn it into a report in class, then read our reports to the class.  Children are encouraged to dress up or bring in a prop representing their person.  This is supposed to be fun not stressful.  A simple construction paper hat for Abe Lincoln is enough.  Notes are due on Monday, March 23h.

     We have been testing like crazy last week.  We completed a city wide math, reading and writing assessment.  I was quite please with how well the children did but I'm glad it's over.  It's not very fun.

     If you haven't had a chance to meet Sprinkle or Sparkle yet get ready.  They are twin stuffed dragons that have been visiting homes with diaries this past week.  I cannot tell them apart but the students can.  One has a broken leg.  He fell out of bed but I bet he'll be back to himself in no time.   We read a story titled Missing: One Stuffed Rabbit and it inspired us to have a class pet just like the class in the story.   These little guys have been around for a few years and you'll be able to read about some of their past adventures in the diaries.

    The teachers at the Linscott School have been training for the Boys Club 5K.  I decided to take the challenge and quite a few Wyman teachers have jumped on board to.  It's a walk/run 5K (3.2 miles) that starts at Library park on May 3rd.  I was very excited to join and told the kids all about it.  Of course now they are all excited for it.  I predicted that I may win but honestly I'm just hoping to run MOST of it.  Click here for a link with information about it if anyone is interested.  I've heard that it has been lots of fun in years past.

    The second trimester ends this Wednesday.  That means report cards will be coming home sometime the following week.  Here are some of the learning centers we've been "playing".

matching shapes

counting coins

snowmen fact families

word sort

      If you haven't heard yet.  We will have a half day of school on Good Friday, April 3rd.

What Time is It?

     You won't be hearing that much longer.  Your learner has started telling time today.  The good news is that most of the students already knew how......YIPPEE!  Practice reading clocks at home.  Hopefully you have an analog clock to practice with.  Don't forget to add A.M. and P.M.

     Yesterday was FUN.  We all got comfy and read quietly for 15 minutes before recess, after recess and after lunch.  On Friday, a student told me she was concerned that she may be teased because her comfy thing was "babyish".  We discussed this as a class and assured her that we all had favorite comfy things and teasing would never happen in our caring environment.  This led us to an excellent text connection when we started Monday morning reading Ira Sleeps Over.  Ira is invited to his first sleepover and has a big problem (mostly caused by his sister).  I tear up whenever I read this aloud.  It's not at ALL sad, just sooooooo darn cute.  It's definitely one of my favorites.  

     We had two guest readers, Mrs. Elin and Mrs. Mahoney.  They both read CRAZY books about pigeons.  One pigeon wanted to drive a bus and another wanted to stay up late.  Be sure to ask you child all about these stories.  

     Subtraction with regrouping is going SPLENDIDLY.  I'm so please with how hard the students are working.  In writing today, we wrote about getting ready for bed.  Students used their transition words (first, next, after that, finally etc) and added details.  

     

We're Back

     These past two days have been the most productive days in February.  No storms distracting us means we are back into the swing of things.  We were lucky enough to present our dioramas before vacation.  I didn't think we would be able to finish them but we did and they were AWESOME.  Be sure to check out our secure EDLINE site to see pictures.  They will be posted (hopefully today) by the end of the week.

     This Friday students will be tested on mountain ranges.  The ranges they are responsible for were in the homework packets.  We will be practicing in class but please practice at home as well.  Students will be given a map with no words and a list of ranges.  They will use the list to label the map.  Our very own Miss Nicole, just came back from a ski trip to the Alps.  How exciting.

     We have started reading about laws and how they are made.  Students brainstormed lists of laws we have that keep us safe and laws that ensure equality.

     The subtraction with regrouping is going beautifully.  We had to dust off some math cobwebs yesterday but today everyone remembered.  Please keep on XTRAMATH!  We are more than half way through the school year and by now students should be finished with addition.  Math fact fluency will make math for your child a MILLION times easier for the rest of their life and is graded on our report card.

     The Wyman School Talent show is this Friday night at 7:00 at the Kennedy Middle School.  Believe me you won't want to miss this.  It's my favorite night of the year.  I'm so proud of each and every student that gets on that stage.  This year we have quite a few students from our class performing.  I can't wait.

     Reminder:  Next Thursday is parent teacher conferences.  It's not to late to sign up if you are interested.  Friday is a half day.  Dismissal will be at 12:30.

Snow, Snow and More Snow

     I love snow and love all these snow days.  I'm sure, in June, I'll regret that I said that but snow days are FUN!  The down side to all these snow days is the lack of consistency in class.  Students started learning subtraction with regrouping, which is a pretty big deal in second grade.  I had hoped to get a LOT more practice in before February vacation but time hasn't been on our side.

     We started writing our animal reports.  Dioramas were due on Monday so I hope everyone has them in school tomorrow.  We will continue writing our reports but may have to wait until after vacation to present our projects.

     We read a biography on George Washington last week and wrote an expository paragraph about him.  This week we will do the same for Abraham Lincoln.

     Valentine's Day will be celebrated on Friday.  Thank goodness we started making our mailboxes.  Your child should bring in a valentine for each classmate, remember no candy, and a special snack for  themselves to eat during our after lunch party.

     Mark you calendars, Thursday, March 5th will be parent teacher conferences.  A note will be sent home tomorrow with the information about signing up.  Friday, March 6th, will be a half day.  It is the make up half day for the one we missed because of snow.

     Next week is February vacation!   I hope everyone enjoys and for those going away somewhere sunny, please sneak me into your suitcase.  I love snow but love tropical sunshine too!

Thursday's Field Trip

     The theater company has cancelled Thursday's performance.  Our field trip will be rescheduled for a later date.  I hope everyone is enjoying the snow!

Old diorama photos