This month the read alouds I have been reading are all about sled dogs.
We have read
Stone Fox, about a little boy who helps save his grandfather's farm. We just started
Akiak, a story about a dog who is determined to lead no matter what. The next book we will read is called
Balto and the Great Race. If you have access to the movie
Togo, your 2nd grader will enjoy making connections between it and the story of Balto. The 2020 Iditerod race will begin in Alaska on March 7th.
Akiak and
Balto and the Great Race are both about the Iditerod race.
Field Trip
We are going on a field trip to the Nampa Civic Center on Jan. 29th to see the MTI production of Wizard of Oz. We will load the buses at 8:20 to be at the Civic Center by 9:00. We won't arrive back to the school until noon. I already have 2 chaperones for the field trip and I am unable to take any more.
Second grader's lunch is normally at 11:00. On this day, they will pick up their lunch at 12:20. If your child will have trouble waiting that extra hour, you may send a healthy, easy-to-eat-on-the-bus, snack they can eat on the way back to school after the program. Some good ideas are nuts, or a cheese stick.
Social Studies
We will be spending the next week learning about different African American leaders in our country in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. I'm hoping to introduce students to some people they may not have heard of before.
Science
Right now we are learning about properties of matter. Students have been learning that different types of clothing have different properties and it is important to wear clothes appropriate for your activity. They learned how cotton is soft, absorbent, light and opaque. It is good for comfort and warmer weather. Plastic is good for wet weather. Metal is good for battle, (suit of armor). If one is going to be running and jumping or swimming, stretchy material is better.
Math
We have been practicing measuring and comparing. Students need to understand language like shorter, longer, how much more, how much less, difference, and combined. Some students are ready to add and subtract more complex numbers. I am searching for mastery of all addition and subtraction.
Reading and Writing
In the next month students will be writing a report. They have begun collecting facts. I will help them organize that information into a report. They will be expected to write multiple paragraphs.
Students are continuing to read books at their reading level and take comprehension tests on them. If you would like an itemized copy of the comprehension books and tests for your second grader, send me an email and I would be happy to send one home.
