We have had a great first three days of school. The essential questions have all focused on the importance of rules and procedures. I've attempted to make the lessons meet the objectives in a student friendly way. There are many serious faced children on day one, as we practiced the kind and safe way to do things. More smiles begin on day two and three as we learned to learn and play with partners. If you do not see a picture of your student, it is likely I do not have a returned photograph for him/her or a classmate in the same photo. Don't worry, more photos will be posted throughout the year. If I have accidently posted a photo of your child and you want it removed, text or email me!
Has anyone asked, "Where's the math?"
Every year, district assessments set the schedule. In order to be able to meet assessment deadlines, as a teacher I must start by getting literacy stations taught, practiced, and succeeding. We do five literacy stations almost every day. The stations are designed to help students become independent, fluent readers and writers. The stations are called:
While students are working quietly, I am completing assessments. Soon the assessments will be complete. I'll use the data to make small groups for teacher guided reading groups. I'll also use the data to determine how paraprofessional, volunteers, teacher candidates and I can best help each reader make contious progress in their reading and writing. Thanks for your patience and understanding as I build the routines and collect the data I need to provide individualized instruction. Below are pictures of your children working away at all 5 of the literacy stations. Watch for math photographs next week. It was an amazing first three days of second grade. Our essential questions were:
What are the four rules at Westwood? What are procedures? How do rules and procedures help people? We spent a great deal of time talking about, practicing, and capturing our success. A great parent - child activity is to view the pictures together and try to figure out what good choice (s) were being photographed! SJU was a blast! The kids were engaged entomologists. I had super parent chaperons. And the Saint John's teachers ran an amazing field trip. The kids were able to search for bugs in a prairie, wetland, and forest! They walked 1.5 miles in the heat with very little complaint. You should be so proud of your kids!
We are trying to write our numbers to 1000! The first person to finish was McKenna, but many others are getting close. Your kids are amazing! The kids have been brainstorming and self-selecting math topics that they can write about in their math journals. They work quietly to cement their learning, applying it on their own, while Mrs. Bares and I support their learning in different small groups. It is so fun to watch the ideas they come up with. All on their own they have thought to write story problems, build calendars, make math games, and so much more.
In math, we are studying two - dimensional shapes. We are learning about vertices, sides, closed, and composite. We will also be using shapes to learn about equal parts, whole, halves, and fourths.
Your children are in LOVE with science. We are working on our life science standards. The kids are growing plants and built mealworm habitats. We are observing and recording how things grow and change (life cycles). Along with growing plants, we have been working on measurement. We have measured in both inches and centimeters.
A special thank you to Ian's mom, Bethany, and Abbie's mom, Melissa, who helped with the 100th Day and Friendship Party, respectively. The kids had a blast and might not have realized they were learning!
We are having a ton of fun reading about penguins and writing about Mr.Popper's Penguins, inside our iceboxes!
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AuthorJen Lucken Archives
September 2018
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