Grade 2 News
November 2017
Dear Parents,
October was a month full of meaningful learning and fall fun! It’s hard to believe it is already November and the season of Advent is just around the corner. October highlights included:
- Inquiring about celebrations & traditions
- Terry Fox Walk
- Thanksgiving Mass
- Banaras Historic House Field Trip
- Halloween Dance
- Partnering with kindergarten Inquiry Buddies
- Building on our guided reading routines
- Exploring numbers 0-200
- A descriptive writing monster story
- Exploring Siri, Pebble Go and green screens using the iPad
The next two months are sure to be busy times filled with more learning and celebrations. Thank you for your continued support. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Mrs. A Skyvington
PYP Update
We are currently finishing up on our unit of inquiry under the transdisciplinary theme, “Where We Are in Place and Time”. It has been exciting to see students develop a deeper appreciation for their own traditions and a deeper understanding of the diverse celebrations taking place all over the world.
We enjoyed a field trip to the Banaras Historic House, where we learned how Halloween was celebrated in Clarkson 100 years ago. Upon returning to school, students completed a chart explaining how Halloween traditions have changed over time.
Throughout this unit of inquiry we used books, videos, and technology to help guide and develop our learning. Students created ascrapbook communicating how their family celebrates and how other communities celebrate around the world. They used pebblego.com to research a celebration of their choice and create a “mind map” showcasing their learning.
The grade 2s also created an oral report on a celebration of their choice. They used Siri on the iPad to scribe their ideas and then recorded an oral presentation on the iPad, using the green screen to project an image of their choice as the background.
Lastly, we watched a Canadian film called “The Peace Tree” and learned about how two little girls created peace in their schools by learning about one another’s cultures and celebrations. We researched different peace symbols from around the world and will be making our own classroom Peace Tree during Advent.
Our next unit of inquiry will explore simple machines. It will be a fun unit filled with inventing and building. Please keep your eyes open for the next inquiry ticket, coming soon!
News and Reminders
A Note from the Eco Team: Please help your child prepare a littler-less lunch on Mondays.
Parent-Teacher Interview: Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place on the evening of Thursday November 16 and during the day on Friday November 17. Please stayed tuned for interview schedule times. We will try our best to accommodate your first preference in time/date. Interviews are 10 minutes long.
Headphones: We frequently use technology in our class to support our learning. It is recommended that each child has their own pair of headphones or ear buds.
Primary Choir: Primary Choir has temporarily moved to Fridays. Practices will move back to Tuesdays once chess club has finished. The Primary Choir will sing the national anthem at the Remembrance Day celebration.
Book Presentations: Thank you for your continued support with Book Presentations. The November and December schedule is available online. We will take a break from Book Presentations during the month of January.
Homework: Homework will continue to be due on Fridays. Please encourage your child to write the date, use a pencil, and keep a neat notebook. I try my best to mark and return the homework every Fridays. If I cannot get to the homework on Friday, the books will be returned on the following Monday.
Extra Clothing: Students are encouraged to have an extra pair of clothing, socks and mittens/gloves at school in a labelled bag. Thank you!
November Learning Goals
Math: comparing numbers, rounding, addition/subtraction, graphing
Reading: Retell, visualizing, questioning
Writing: Letter writing and recount writing
Oral: Book Presentations and responding to stories
Inquiry: Simple Machines
Art: Perspective (foreground, middle ground, background)
Religion: Conscience and Reconciliation
Family Life: Living in Relationship
Media: Posters and Commercials