January 15, 2020

Hello Families,

Brr, this cold weather combined with numerous indoor recess times is leading to super high energy kiddos! We are doing our best to have lots of movement breaks in the schedule so we can keep our bodies moving and burn up some energy!

We continue to work on patterns this week! Some students are having the chance to apply their understanding of representing and extending repeating patterns when the element that changes is shape. Students are very successful with color changing repeating patterns at this point, and need a little help understanding that repeating patterns can change in lots of different ways, for example, shape, size, direction, etc. Here is our question from today:

Other kiddos are ready to add a level of complexity and look specifically at growing or increasing patterns. Increasing patterns are a component of the grade 2 curriculum. Here is our question from today:

We have also started to make some I see, I know, I wonder statements about worms! This will be part of our next inquiry around worms and their environmental impact. We used our knowledge of sensory words (descriptive words for the five senses) to make observations about a worm and it's habitat yesterday.

"I know worms have slime to slide around in the soil"

We are reading a novel in class called My Fathers Dragon. It is about a boy's father who is taking a journey to Wild Island. Here is the map, you can ask your child to summarize the journey using the map to show where the main character has been. They should be able to retell the journey thus far and answer these questions about the story: Who is the main character? Who is the narrator (hint, different from the main character)?

Exciting news -- Room 11 has earned a reward for tomorrow! After collecting data today, we have decided to have a Toy and/or Jersey day (it was a tie). Students can choose to bring one toy, or wear a jersey, or both! Please limit it to only one toy of an appropriate size.

Important Dates:
Friday, January 17 - PD DAY
Thursday, Janaury 30 - Report Cards
Friday, January 31 - PD DAY
Tuesday, February 18 - full day field trip, Leighton Art Center! Please contact me via email if you'd like to volunteer, paperwork for students will be coming home soon-ish :)

Take care, stay warm!

Lindsay