11/16/09
We began Theme Three in the first reading book from Houghton Mifflin.
The stories in this theme "Around Town: Neighborhood and Community" are
about friendly places in different neighborhoods. The stories in Theme
Three are "Chinatown," "A Trip to the Firehouse," "Big Bushy Mustache,"
and "Jamaica Louise James."
The vocabulary words for "A Trip to the Firehouse" are:
chief: a leader of a group
dipatch: to send a message; the act of sending messages
emergencies: things that happen without warning and require a quick response
fire engine: a truck used to help put out fires
firefighters: people who work at putting out fires
gear: equipment used to do certain things
The vocabulary test will be on Friday, November 20th, 2009.
The regular spelling words, challenge spelling words, and bonus words will
be posted on this web page after the pretest on Monday. If your child
spells all the words correctly, he/she will take home the challenge list of
spelling words. The spelling test is on Friday or the last day of the week.
The students are tested on the either the regular spelling words or the
challenge spelling words. All students are responsible for the bonus words,
the review words and the dictation portions of the test.
The spelling test is Friday, November 20th, 2009.
This week students will learn to identify special nouns (proper nouns). "A
special noun is a word that names a certain person, place, or thing. Special
nouns always begin with capital letters." Students learned to identify
namming words (common nouns). Nouns name a person, place, thing, or animal.
Students reviewed the definition of a sentence. "A sentence is
a group of words that tells what someone or something doew or is." Then
students will identify and revise stringy sentences. A stringy sentnece has
too many and's. Studentslearned about an exclamation sentence. "An
exclamation sentences shows that someone has a strong feeling. It begins
with a capital letter and ends with an exclamation mark. "A command is a
sentence that tells someone what to do. A command has the understood
sugject 'you.' A command begins with a capital letter and ends with a
period." Students learned to identify telling sentences and questions. "A
telling sentnece tells about someone or something. It begins with a capital
letter and ends with a period. A question asks about someone or something.
It begins with a capital letter and ends with a question mark."
Students learned to identify run-on students. "A run-on sentence is formed
from two or more sentences, each with a naming part and an action part,
that are joined together but should not be." Students learned to identify
the action parts of sentences. "Sentences have naming parts and action
parts. The action part of a sentence tells what is happening." Students
learned to identify the naming parts of sentences. "The naming part of a
sentence tells who or what does the action." Students reviewed about how to
identify and write and a complete sentence. "A sentence is a group of words
that tells what someone or something does. A sentence always names the one
who does the action. A sentence always tells what the action is. A
sentence begins with a capital letter and ends with an ending mark."
Literacy centers will begin the week of October 5th. Guided reading groups
will begin the week of October 12th and will be on Tuesday and Wednesday
mornings. Students will work cooperatively in literacy centers while I see
students in small reading groups. Students will work cooperatively in the
partner reading center, poetry center, listening center, and the writing
center. I am looking for volunteers to assist from 9 to 10 AM.
We finished our in-depth unit on amphibians. Tadpoles arrived the week of
October 5th. They now have developed hind legs. We are working on an in-
depth unit on the pond. We are also studying the idea of "being
thoughtful." I am thankful for such a wonderful group of second graders.
Students will continue to go to music class for the second quarter.
Schedule for Specials - Quarter Two
Monday: PE (Physical Education), Mrs. Johnson, 10:40 to 11:10 AM
Tuesday: Music, Mrs. Blanchard, 10:40 to 11:20 AM
Media Center, Ms. Mishkin, 1:50 - 2:20 PM
Wednesday: PE (Physical Education), Mrs. Johnson, 10:40 to 11:10 AM
Thursday: Music, Mrs. Blanchard, 9:20 to 10:00 PM
Friday: PE, Mrs. Johnson, 10:40 - 11:10 AM
Computer, Mrs. Gould, 1:50 to 2:20 PM
