Second Grade News

Week of December 4th-8th, 2017

There’s no doubt about it, Christmas is in the air!! Our dress-down day and visiting the St. Nick Shop on Friday put us in full swing of the Christmas season. We are using our advent wreath and Bible stories about the birth of baby Jesus to keep the true meaning of Christmas in our minds on a daily basis.

Language Arts: *Reading: We are continuing to use Tikki TikkiTembo by Arlene Moselt this week. I’m using it as a springboard for teaching how to write conversations. We’ll reread parts of the story and hunt for the word “said” and use it as a clue for identifying who is talking. A list of alternate words for “said” will be created, and we’ll discuss how the words can “show” how a person said something. Book clubs are also meeting this week. During club time, we’ll be working on fluency and word attack skills. Your child should read their book club book to you at night this week.

*Spelling: Words with the long a vowel sound are being learned this week. These words are spelled with –ai, ay, or a-consonant-e. PLEASE make it part of your child’s homework routine (if it isn’t already) to do an activity that helps them practice their spelling words.

*Writing: In writer’s workshop we are continuing to work on small moment narratives. The final copies of our Thanksgiving weekend narrative will be completed and a new piece about family Christmas traditions is being started.

Religion: We’re learning about John the Baptist and St. Andrew the Apostle. Advent is at the core of our lessons for the next few weeks. Advent wreathes were made last week and are hanging over our cubbies. Each Monday in Advent we will “light” a new candle with a paper flame. We’ll also be making a kindness chain as we proceed through Advent to help give the children a visual of how kindness can spread.

Social Studies:Google Earth allowed us to fly to France this afternoon! A low “Wowww” passed through our room as we traveled across the Atlantic Ocean. We’ll be learning about the Christmas traditions in France and then we’ll fly off to Mexico to learn about their traditions.

Math:Place value will be our focus this week. We’ll be working to identify how many hundreds, tens, and ones are in a number. Greater than and less than symbols will help us to order numbers.

Odds and Ends

  • Please allow your child to bring a Christmas ornament from home to help decorate our classroom Christmas tree. Each child will have a chance to tell about their ornament and why they chose to bring that particular one. This is my way of brining each family’s home into our classroom.
  • Thursday is First Thursday, so there will be a 12:15 dismissal. We will NOT be going to mass on Thursday.
  • Friday is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.We will be going to mass. Please have your child wear his/her dress uniform. If you’d like to join us, mass is at 10:00.
  • Our Christmas party will be a Party in a Box. Please see the information at the end of the newsletter.

Enjoy the week. Remember, if you’re getting stressed about all that needs to be done between now and December 24th, keep the end in mind (Jesus’ birth), and put first things first – make time to PRAY! 

I couldn’t pick just one quote for this week, so here are three. 

Advent Blessings,

Mrs. Huck

Tis the season for a

Party in a Box!

Here’s how to participate:

Fill a shoe box with:

A sweet snack (store bought, NO nuts!)

A salty snack (No nuts!)

A drink

And an ornament

Wrap the shoebox and put a tag on it that says, “From, and your name”

We’ll play a fun game to mix up all the boxes, and each student will get a “party in a box” supplied by a classmate.

Please bring in a “Party in a Box” either on Tuesday, December 19thor Wednesday, December 20th

Please do not spend $10 on the ornament.