~*The Pitzer Post*~

December 19-21, 2016 & January 5-6, 2017

In this weekly post, you will find information about the academic content and special events happening in the upcoming week. 

Literacy (Reading & Writing)

Due to the shortened weeks, we will be reviewing skills and strategies that we have learned so far.  It is hard to believe it but we have had 42 vocabulary words and 37 phonics patterns.  We are learning so many things.

Vocabulary words so far: cabin, visit, memory, tradition, relatives, generation, rely, role, member, identity, sibling, symbol, fascinate, exploration, journal, measure, calendar, interval, daily, orbit, position, solar, ray, rotate, crossing, rural, build, purpose, social, urban, reside,  route, state,  journey, boundary, terrain, essential, wheel, machine, reduce, labor, and effort

Comprehension Strategies so far: Making connections, creating images, asking questions, determining importance, infer, use fix-up strategies, and synthesize.   Can you child explain all seven?  Which one is easier to use?  Which one is harder? Can you use more than one?

Phonics Patterns so far: diagraphs, short vowels, -ake, -oke, -ute, -ine, -ain, -aint, -ail, – ea, -eed, -eat, oat, -ow, -ue, ui, -or, -orn, -art, -urn, -ir, -ear, -eer, -ea, -ore, -are, -ire, -eer, -ear, -air, -oom, –ew, -au, -aw, -awn, -alk, and -all.  These are patterns your child is held accountable during independent writing.  Please encourage them to apply these skills during writer’s workshop!

Genres so far: Personal Narrative, Expository, Letters, and Biography.  Check out our genre lists below.  Can your child explain each genre?  Do they have a favorite genre and can they tell you why?  How could they use these genre lists to write at home?

Math

This week we wrapped our unit on Multiplication and Division.  When your child brings their test home please know this is not a concept that has to be mastered by the end of second grade.  However, I do encourage you though to continue practicing and or discussing multiplication as it does become a bigger focus on 3^rd grade.

We just finished the Math Chapters 1-6 benchmark.  You will receive the results when we return from winter break.  This will be an excellent way for myself and your family to see what your child still needs help with and or excels in.  Stay tuned in January for more information.  Chapters 1-6 covered place value, regrouping with addition, regrouping with subtraction, bar models, multiplication and division.

We will be reviewing place value concepts for the rest of our time together this year!

Chapter 1: Place Value
Vocabulary: hundred, hundreds, thousand, standard form, word form, expanded form, greater than, less than, greatest, least, more than
Objectives:

• Use base-ten blocks to recognize, read, and write numbers to 1,000
• Count on by 1s, 10s, and 100’s to 1,000
• Use base-ten blocks and a place value chart to read, write, and represent numbers to 1,000
• Read and write numbers to 1,000 in standard form, expanded form, and word form
• Use base-ten blocks to compare numbers
• Compare numbers using greaten than and less than
• Compare numbers using the symbols for greater than and less than
• Order three-digit numbers
• Identify the greatest and least number
• Identify number patterns

Science

Our battle of the bands was EPIC! If you haven’t yet already please check out our Facebook Live video on the Dunlap Grade School Page and or looked at your child’s SeeSaw account, I highly recommend you do so.  I was so very impressed with their creativity and ability to describe how their instrument made sound!  What was your child’s favorite part of the battle and creation of their instrument?  Feel free to leave us a comment below.

Upcoming Events

Monday, December 19, 2016 

• Lunch: McRib (No salads available all week)
• Feel free to wear plaid/flannel
• K-2 Dance Party @9:30am

Tuesday, December 20, 2016 

• Lunch: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
• POLAR EXPRESS DAY K-2!
  • Wear PJs (school and weather appropriate…please have shoes!)
  • May bring a stuffed animal that fits in their backpack

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

• Lunch: Cheese Pizza
• End of 2^nd Quarter
• Feel free to wear festive attire
• All School SING @10am
• Parties begin at 12:30pm
• 1:15pm dismissal

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR! 🙂

Thursday, January 5, 2017

• Lunch: Cheese Pizza

Friday, January 6, 2017

• Lunch: Chicken Sticks

 Celebrating Our Greatness!

• Our Grinch has 10 hears for out #DGSgrinchmas Challenge!
• 2 students leveled up on the Super Improver Wall! We have a new Yertle and new Who! #2Psuperimprovers
• Practicing typing skills by keeping 2 hands on home row using Dance Mat Typing (available on our Symbaloo page)
• Finishing our read aloud: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
• Publishing our 7^th Book Review! (see picture below)
• Getting MESSY in math with shaving cream and expanded form

Second Grade in Pictures

I wanted to take a moment and wish you and your family a wonderful and safe holiday.  I can’t thank you enough for all that you do at home with your child to help them be successful at school. Here’s to all the learning we did in 2016 and I can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store for us!