Oh, Rats! What a Week!

This week was quite a whirlwind of activity in second grade!

On Monday, we introduced new spelling words.  We added the "ui" hunk and chunk to our Phonics Dance board, and we introduced our vocabulary words for the week.  This week we decided to allow the students to make the vocabulary video, so on Monday they were put into groups and assigned one of the six vocabulary words for the week.  Each group was required to come up with a way to give the definition of their word, use it in a sentence, and somehow act out a skit demonstrating their word.  On Monday we also looked briefly at graphic aids, specifically diagrams.  We began a discussion of past-tense verbs.

On Tuesday we added the "ew" hunk and chunk to our Phonics Dance board.  We answered questions about our vocabulary words and practiced for the vocabulary videos.  We listened to the story for the week, The Bee, on CD, and we continued our discussion of past-tense verbs.

On Wednesday we answered the R.A.P. questions that go with our vocabulary words for the week.  We finalized our vocabulary skits, and the videos were recorded.  You can see them on my Weebly site.  We read The Bee with a partner and worked together to label a diagram of a bee's body parts.  We talked more about past-tense verbs.  We had BABES with Mrs. Lindquist, and the topic was coping skills.

On Thursday we had a really easy, fun day.  The only thing we had time for in language arts class was our spelling test because we had BABES again in the morning, and we had two hours of practice for the music program in the afternoon!  Our music program was so adorable and all of the students did a great job!  I tried to take a bunch of pictures, but they came out really dark because I was sitting so far away.  Here are two that I took before the program and a couple more of the rats during the program - I think I got everyone in!  (Please excuse my three year-old...he insisted on being in some of the pictures.)

On Friday we had a "business" day.  Because of BABES and the music program on Thursday, we had to squeeze in all of our assessments on Friday.  The kids worked really hard and were really good sports about it.  Unfortunately we did not have time to blog this week, but hopefully again soon.

Next week we will be reading a story called Watching in the Wild.  We will continue to focus on using graphic aids to help us understand what we read.  Our vocabulary words will be blended, cradled, raggedy, distance, personalities, and crumpled.  We will discuss the different forms of the verb be.  Spelling words will have the air and are spelling patterns.  Words are:
hair, glare, fair, scare, pair, care, share, chair, rare, stair, airplane, repair, downstairs, haircut, careful, next, hard, open, example, begin
Challenge list:
airplane, repair, downstairs, haircut, careful, staircase, scared, fairgrounds, glare, rarely, armchair, share, careless, hairy, pair, next, hard, open, example, begin

Our specials schedule for next week will be:
Monday - art
Tuesday - music
Wednesday - gym
Thursday - library
Friday - NO SCHOOL

Happy weekend!

Down the Home Stretch

Today after school Mrs. Myerholtz and I counted how many days are left in the year.  If you include tomorrow (Friday), there are only 41 days of school left until summer!

This week we read a story called Serious Farm.

On Monday we introduced our new spelling words, added a hunk and chunk to our Phonics Dance board (or), and introduced new vocabulary words.  We learned cursive m and n.  We continued our verb discussion from last week and worked on tying up some loose ends from the end of last week as well.

On Tuesday we added another new hunk and chunk to our Phonics Dance board (oo).  This one will help us with our spelling words for next week.  We answered some questions about vocabulary words in our packets.  We read the story for the first time and talked about the problem and solution.  We answered a lot of other oral questions about the story as well.  We completed a verb assessment.

On Wednesday we learned cursive v and x.  We played a "Memory" game with vocabulary words and answered R.A.P. questions.  The morning class read the story with a partner and worked on a brochure with questions from the story.  The afternoon class read the story using the Smartboard, and they began working on problem/solution puzzles.  We discussed subject-verb agreement.

On Thursday we had a "business" day.  We have a lot of things we are trying to get through on Thursdays lately so we have time on Fridays to work on our blogs.  We took our spelling test.  We finished our vocabulary packets and watched Miss Murphy's and Mrs. Schulte's vocabulary video before we took our test.  We read the story again and finished up the projects we started on Wednesday.  We read the book If You Were a Verb... and completed an assessment on subject-verb agreement.

On Friday we welcomed Cole, a new student to our room.  We took our comprehension test and worked on our blogs.  We wrote Star of the Week letters to Amy (for my homeroom) and Nathan (for Mrs. Myerholtz's homeroom).  We added to our blogs, so be sure to check them out this weekend.  Also, make sure you check my Weebly site for important information about your child's blog.  Report cards went home on Friday as well.

Next week will be a crazy, jam-packed week.  We will visit the book fair twice (once for previewing and once for purchasing).  The preview day has slipped my mind, but we will be purchasing on Thursday.  If you want to send money with your child for the book fair, please make sure it is in a sealed envelope or baggie clearly marked with your child's name and "Book Fair."  We have our BABES program with Mrs. Lindquist on Wednesday and Thursday mornings next week.  We also have our dress rehearsal for the music program on Thursday afternoon and the performance Thursday evening.  Please note that the performance is a part of your child's music grade, and he/she is expected to be there.

Our story for next week is The Bee.  It is a nonfiction selection.  We will be focusing on using charts and diagrams when reading nonfiction texts.  Vocabulary words for next week will be pattern, carefully, crowd, disappear, attack, and sealed.  We will be talking about past-tense verbs.  Spelling words will have the oo, ew, ue, and ui spelling patterns.  Words are:
true, grew, suit, smooth, clue, soup, stew, food, group, fruit, nephew, classroom, cartoon, juicy, newspaper, along, might, close, something, seem
Challenge list:
nephew, classroom, cartoon, juicy, newspaper, jewel, suitcase, cruise, balloon, noodle, shampoo, group, true, swimsuit, screwdriver, along, might, close, something, seem

Our specials schedule for next week will be:
Monday - music
Tuesday - gym
Wednesday - library
Thursday - music
Friday - computer

Reading logs will be due next Friday, and are never accepted if they are more than a week late (unless it is late due to absences).  Have a wonderful weekend!

3rd Quarter Has Come to an End!

This week was busy.  We tried hard to squeeze in a lot of last-minute things before the quarter ended on Friday.

On Monday we introduced new spelling words and vocabulary words.  We added the "ou" hunk and chunk to our Phonics Dance board.  The morning class read Strega Nona and the afternoon class read Kitten's First Full Moon.  We used these stories to talk about plot.  We identified the problems in the stories, the steps that each character took to attempt solving the problem, and then finally the solution to the problem.  We introduced our unit on verbs.  We learned a verb chant - ask your second grader to do it for you (they love it!) and read To Root, To Toot, To Parachute: What is a Verb? 

On Tuesday we added the "ow" hunk and chunk to our Phonics Dance board.  We also began cursive!  We learned lowercase c and o.  We answered questions about our vocabulary words and watched a hilarious video (available on my Weebly site) that Miss Murphy made explaining each of our vocabulary words.  We read A Chair for My Mother and practiced using the story to answer some oral comprehension questions about what we read.  We wrote verb poems about ourselves, and we began story planning for a St. Patrick's Day story titled "My Lucky Leprechaun."

On Wednesday we learned more cursive letters.  We learned lowercase a and d.  We answered R.A.P. questions using our vocabulary words.  The morning class partner read A Chair for My Mother and the afternoon class read it on the Smartboard.  We worked on our leprechaun stories.  We also began a program called B.A.B.E.S. that we will be participating in for the next six weeks on Wednesdays.  This is a life skills program that teaches second graders about topics such as self-esteem, coping skills, and the dangers of drugs and alcohol using puppets.

On Thursday we took our spelling test.  We learned lowercase g and q in cursive.  We finished up our vocabulary packets by telling stories using all of our words, and we watched Miss Murphy's video again.  We took our vocabulary test.  Vocabulary tests will, more often than not, be moved to Thursdays now so that we can squeeze in blogging on Fridays.  We re-read A Chair for My Mother and reviewed the plot elements - problem and solution.  We worked on our leprechaun stories.

On Friday we blogged again.  We took our comprehension test and finished up our leprechaun stories.  Some of us got to start on our Star of the Week letters to Emerson and Cassidey.  Others will begin them on Monday.

Next week we will be reading a story called Serious Farm, which is one of my favorite stories that we read all year.  Vocabulary words will be extremely, barely, admit, serious, hilarious, and witty.  We will continue with problem and solution, as well as verbs.  Next week our focus will be on subject-verb agreement.  Spelling words will have the r-controlled vowel sound spelled or, ore, and our.  Words are:
store, fork, pour, score, your, chore, short, more, four, sore, ignore, important, factory, explore, fourteen, saw, left, don't, few, while
Challenge list:
ignore, important, factory, explore, fourteen, morning, support, normal, tornado, stories, shortest, afford, stormy, pour, hornet, saw, left, don't, few, while

Our specials schedule for next week will be:
Monday - gym
Tuesday - library
Wednesday - music
Thursday - computer
Friday - art

Enjoy the warm weekend!

Weebly Update

I have updated my own Weebly website.  I will be doing so periodically, so please make sure that you check it once a week or so.  I will be continuing to use the current Blogspot site mostly for parent communication, but I would like to encourage your child to use my Weebly site.  I will post helpful links (including videos) of vocabulary words and our weekly stories that your child may want to check out.  This week I have posted a YouTube video of our story, A Chair for My Mother, and a vocabulary video that Miss Murphy made that we watched in class on Wednesday.  My Weebly site is going to be primarily geared toward the students, so encourage them to look at it every once in a while (and leave comments)!

Surprises!

What a fun and exciting week full of surprises!

On Monday we had an unexpected snow day!  It sounds like everyone had a fun and relaxing day off.

On Tuesday morning we had an assembly.  Jay Berschback from 13abc news was here to talk to us about weather.  We learned about different types of clouds, what causes different types of weather, the water cycle, and different types of weather instruments.  We even made it onto the news that night!  In class on Tuesday we worked on our vocabulary packet, began practicing our Readers Theater scripts, and were introduced to comparative adjectives (adjectives that use -er or -est to compare two or more nouns).

On Wednesday we continued working with vocabulary.  We used R.A.P. to answer questions about our vocabulary words.  We practiced our Readers Theater again, and we made flip books showing comparative adjectives.

On Thursday the morning group got to blog again.  It went much more smoothly this time, and I was very impressed at how easily some of the students navigated their Weebly site!  Some students have even changed their background design, added author information, and even posted from home!  The afternoon class finished up their vocabulary packets and made a flip book to review vocabulary before they took the test.  Both classes read and performed their Readers Theater scripts and took the comprehension test.

On Friday the morning class reviewed vocabulary with the flip books that the afternoon class had made on Thursday.  They took the vocabulary test as well.  The afternoon class got to blog on Friday.  Both classes reviewed comparative adjectives and wrote Star of the Week letters to Cullen (for my homeroom) and Cole (for Mrs. Myerholtz's homeroom).

Next week we will be reading a story called A Chair for My Mother.  Our focus skill will be plot, specifically problem and solution.  Robust vocabulary words for next week will be bargain, delivered, spoiled, boost, comfortable, and exchanged.  We will introduce our new grammar skill - verbs, which we will be talking about for the next five weeks.  We will begin with present tense action verbs.  We will begin planning and writing a leprechaun story.  Spelling words for next week will have the ou and ow spelling patterns.  Words are:
out, town, count, crowd, ground, now, found, crown, sound, down, surround, without, cowboy, powerful, cloudless, light, thought, head, under, story
Challenge list:
surround, without, cowboy, powerful, cloudless, bounce, shower, eyebrow, amount, pouch, coward, crowd, growl, grouch, downtown, light, thought, head, under, story

A few needs:
We are running very low on some of our classroom supplies.  We are completely out of glue sticks, and are very close to being out of erasers.  Donations of either would be greatly appreciated.  Also, please check with your second grader to see if he/she has received a second box of crayons from me or needs a second box purchased.
We have $10 for our carnival basket.  This is a joint project with Mrs. Myerholtz's class for the carnival on March 23, and we need your help to make our basket worth winning.  The theme is sports - a note went home on Tuesday with specifics.  Any donations of items or cash to help us buy items would be great!

Our specials schedule for next week will be:
Monday - library (we have lots of overdue books, so please check at home!)
Tuesday - music
Wednesday - computer
Thursday - art
Friday - music

I now have a Weebly site that is up and running (though still very much a work in progress).  The site has classroom information, a blog that I'm using to give helpful tips on how to use Weebly at home, and eventually links to each student's blog.  Check it out when you get a chance at mrslawniczak.weebly.com.

Enjoy the weekend!

Blog Mania!

We had an exciting week!  The highlight of the week, by far, was blogging.  I was so happy to see how excited the kids were about their blogs!  Hopefully everyone will get a chance to view their site at home this weekend, and maybe even look at others' pages as well - make sure you leave a comment if you do!

On Monday we brainstormed a list of adjectives for every letter of the alphabet.  The students then used these lists to write acrostic poems using their names.  They wrote their names vertically down the side of a piece of paper, then wrote an adjective that describes them for each letter of their first name.  They decorated them, and they looked great!  We also read The Life of George Washington Carver again and worked on our president reports.

On Tuesday we reviewed Table of Contents again.  We practiced by completing a worksheet together.  The morning class completed their Table of Contents assessment this day.  We also took our comprehension test on The Life of George Washington Carver.  Look for possible changes in your child's comprehension test grade beginning this week - I am going to start giving one bonus point for every correctly cited page number on the test.  I am really working to encourage the students to find the answers in the text before they answer the question - this is an important test-taking strategy that will be very beneficial next year when your child has to take their first OAA test.  We also continued president reports, and many of us finished up.

On Wednesday the morning class talked about how to use the glossary and index in their Storytown books.  We practiced for a while, and then I gave them a scavenger hunt using the Table of Contents, glossary, and index of their books.  The afternoon class took their Table of Contents assessment this day.  We also did our pre-writing for the blogging we did on Thursday.  The rule is that the students may not type until they have what they want to say written down first, so they will be required to write out all of their posts before they post them.

Thursday was the big blogging day!  We began with our spelling tests, and then spent the rest of our time blogging.  Overall it went very well, and I was pleased with how each student's site turned out.  We are hoping to post again at the end of next week.

Friday was kind of a crazy day.  We had very short switches in the morning.  We finished up our president reports (FINALLY) and previewed our Readers Theater story for next week.  We spent the afternoon switching between each of the second grade classrooms participating in different Dr. Seuss activities to celebrate Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss' birthday.

Next week will pretty much be a normal week of a Storytown lesson.  We will read What's My Job?, which is a Readers Theater about a game show in which players have to guess a contestant's job.  Vocabulary words will be sleuths, host, statue, risk, responds, and accurately.  There will be no spelling next week.

Our specials schedule for next week will be:
Monday - computer
Tuesday - art
Wednesday - music
Thursday - gym
Friday - library

Have a wonderful weekend!