Dear Families, November 13 - 16, 2017

We have published our Expert Books and have shared them with our classmates. Our next Writer’s Workshop involves collecting memories for our Personal Narrative: Small Moment Stories. Mapwork will include a geography project based on our place in the world. There can be great confusion between continents, countries and states, so a hands-on project provides clarity.

In reading we will be starting book groups in December. If anyone would like to commit to reading with a small group of students it will be on Fridays from 2:15 – 2:45. Look for more info on Book Group coming home this week.

Soon, Unit 4 in math begins. It provides opportunities for more and more addition and subtraction – even getting into the double digits! Strategies for developing mental arithmetic skills are a focus, and to that end, the students are also introduced to rounding and mentally estimating in the form of what is termed a “ballpark estimate,” which means to round up or down to the nearest 10. There will also be many graphic organizers used to help students visualize patterns and follow into extending the rules. The unit ends with work on pencil-and-paper strategies. If you are interested, the website has further information.

With dusk falling earlier, it’s the perfect time to participate in some fun evening activities – like the annual Second Grade Family Science Night on Monday from 6:30-7:30. This event-filled evening will include experiences for families of children in second grade to visit hands on stations and participate in whole group activities. Please come!

Looking forward to seeing you this week for conferences! If you are not certain about your date and time, please contact me.

General Information:

Specialists: PE, S, M
11/13 Music In the Park visits: Dover Quartet
11/13 Public Library 1:00
11/13 Science 2nd Grade Family Night 6:30 – 7:30
11/15, 11/16 Evening Conferences 4 – 7
11/16 Officer Friendly
11/17 No School Day Conferences 8:30 – 3
11/2324 No School Thanksgiving Break
2nd grade website:

Spelling: pool, school, soon, spoon, fool, moon, noon, cool, stool, drool, there, they’re

Vocabulary: together, mishoon, nervous, stranger, Wampanoag

Best, Ms. Lee and Miss Lair

Volunteer opportunity request: Art Adventure

This is a wonderful opportunity to present information and art history stories about artwork from the Minneapolis Institute of Art. We use scheduled art times for classroom presentations during the month of February.

There is 1 ½ hour training in January for volunteers at the Institute with a docent trained in our particular group of art called Cultural Reflections in Art.

There is a set of reproductions on loan to our school to use for discussion.

I love this piece of art education and welcome anyone that would like to step into a classroom once a week in February… or twice a month , or whatever may work for you.

For more info:

If you are interested in participating please contact Courtney Oleen, art specialist, at 651-744-3749 or .