Reminders

• No School Monday, Sept. 9 Teachers will be having a professional development day at the high school.
• Library is on Tuesday-books are due each Tuesday.
• Grandparent's Day is next week Friday.  Did your child extend a special invitation?  Also, with permission from you, your child is welcome to go home at the end of the day with his/her grandparent.  Let me know.
• Math homework went home on Friday, this is due on Friday, Oct. 3.
• Spelling test, Bible memory will be on Friday

Many Seconds in Second

We had many special learning opportunities this week that included a concert, Apple Day and a field trip. 

We started the week off on Tuesday by listening to music played by the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra.  These three men sure did have a gift of playing their instruments.

Wednesday was Johnny Appleseed Day.  We did everything APPLES!!!

Thursday we went to Robinette’s Apple Orchard.  We started the field trip off by learning the proper way to pick an apple-two hands and twist.  We walked over the apple cider press helped make apple cider.  We walked into the huge cooler, walked the hay maze, and ended the field trip with apple cider and donuts!  Yum!  

Language Arts:

In reading your child has been learning how to work with a reading buddy.  We started the week off by learning how to be a great working partner.  Your child has been planning out what they will share with their reading buddy while they are reading.  Later in the week, your child learned how to have a meaningful reading conversation about the books they are reading and the thinking they are doing while reading.  They are also sharing this with their reading buddy.  They are very busy during our reading time!  

Reading minutes are due every Monday.

In writing this week we noticed we are so busy writing that many times we forget to put in ending punctuations.  We reviewed how we need to be reading ‘detectives’ and carefully look at the writing we have done and add punctuation.

Math:

We continue to learn how to solve story problems using many addition and subtraction strategies. 

Math homework is due Friday.

Bible: 

This week we reviewed many of the Moses Bible stories.  We retold some of these stories on our ipads. Then we fast forwarded to the period of the Judges-We learned that Israel fell into a pattern of obedience and disobedience.  God sent Judges to preserve Israel.  Deborah and Ehud were two of the judged whom God used in Israel. 

Bible Memory due Friday-see side bar for the verse.

Reminder...

Many Seconds in Second

Reading:

We learned good readers can retell the stories they read with great detail.  We use our hand as a graphic organizer so we don't forget any parts of retelling.  We focused on: characters, setting, the problem, solution, beginning, middle, and end.  As your child reads at home encourage him/her to retell the story ‘across their hand’. 

Reading minutes are due on Monday-100 minutes a week.  A bright pink recording sheet goes home every Monday and should be returned the following Monday.

(Anika and Alex practicing retelling across their fingers)

Writing: 

We continue to use the book Jane Yolen as our mentor author. This week we learned how to create ‘leads’ that hook a reader in and learned to write endings that stay close to the small moment.

Math:

We continue working on addition and subtraction strategies.

Math homework is due each Friday.

Bible:

Your child learned about God’s special people:  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. The patriarchs.  Even though all of them made mistakes, they tried to follow God and pass on His promises to the next generation.  God used these people even though they were sinful.  We too, are sinful. However God continues to love us.  What a great and wonderful God He is!

Science: 

We continue to study and learn all about plants and how to make meaningful observations.  This week we planted a baggie garden and are learning what is happening under the soil.  We also learned the different parts of plants.  We taste tested the leaf, stem, flower, root, and seeds of many different kinds of plants!  Yum!

(Many experiments happening in second grade!)

(Eating different parts of a plant-some yummy, some yucky)

APPLE DAY on WEDNESDAY!!!!

On Wednesday we will be doing APPLE activities and learning about Johnny Appleseed.  Please have your child dress up like Johnny Appleseed (jeans rolled up, plaid shirt, a cooking pot for a hat, and Bible in hand.)  Also, have your child bring in one apple that is not cut.  This is such a fun day!

Field Trip on Thursday: 

We will be leaving school at 8:30 a.m.  on a bus to Robinette's Apple Orchard.  We will be returning to school before lunch.  Please be sure to have your child dress for the weather!