News From Room 27

Read! Read! Read!

The children continue to make good progress in their guided reading groups, as well as in their whole group reading lessons.
  Comprehension strategies continue to focus on:  visualizing, asking questions, making predictions, inferencing, making connections, and analyzing the main idea and generating supporting details. 
During April, we celebrated “Poetry Month” at Jeffrey School.  We enjoyed combing through our classroom collection of poetry both with reading buddies and during read-aloud time in class.  We also enjoyed a special presentation by a published poet, Amber Moonstone, who talked with students about her inspirations and experiences with writing poetry.  Finally we enjoyed a special reading of poetry from a member of the Madison Chamber of Commerce, who donated the book “Polar Bear, Arctic Hare” to our class.

Math Mania

We will soon be finishing our unit of study which emphasized problem solving using addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers.  First we revisited how to solve these problems using manipulatives and visuals.  Then the students were taught the process of regrouping using pencil and paper to solve these addition and subtraction algorithms.   Next we will explore fractions and probability.  We will also review the concept of time.

!!Spelling Update!!

Next week, we will finish our formal spelling for the year—having covered all the core words for second grade.  After that I will do a weekly review of the words we’ve studied on Fridays.  This review will cover 10-12 words a week in the form of a dictated passage.  The children do not need to study for this dictation.  Tuesday night spelling homework will be a written assignment reviewing various core words we have studied this year.

Writers Spring Ahead!

       We have just finished our comprehensive “spring story” writing project.  It is amazing to witness the growth that the students have made in writing this year. The children are demonstrating their knowledge of what makes a good story, as well as their ability to write a piece that exhibits a well-developed beginning, middle, and end.   Thank you for your support in typing your child’s story so that it can be bound into a hardcover book.  We will plan a special writing celebration of these stories once the books are completed.  More information will follow.

Science/Social Studies News

In social studies we continue to “tour” the United States.  The students are enjoying learning about the various regions of the U.S. through literature study and research.  The arrivals of all the “Flat Stanley’s” has also helped to enhance the students’ knowledge of our country.  Presently the students have researched, with a partner, one of the fifty states.  Mr. Halpern is now going to join us in the computer lab to assist us with turning the research into a state brochure for each child.  In a few weeks we’ll start our final science unit, “New Plants”.  In May, we’ll take a walking trip to Bauer Park.  More info will follow.

MAY

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
			1	2
5	6	7	8	9
12	13	14	15	16
19 Bauer Park Trip	20	21	22	23
26	27	28	29	30