What kind of animal is warm-blooded, drinks milk from its mother and has hair or fur? That's right! A mammal! Last week, and for the next several weeks, students will be learning about animals. We were busy this week learning about animal classification. The class participated in Internet games, interactive Smartboard lessons and a small group animal sort. Now that we have learned a little about animals the students will be choosing an animal from the NEW zoo to research. After researching the students will be making an non-fiction book and using technology to teach other students and parents about their animal. Ask your student this week which animal they have chosen to research!
This week the students have also been learning about making inferences. Students are learning to put the clues on the page together with their own background knowledge to infer in their reading. We read several animal poems written as riddles to practice inferring. We've also been learning about the important features in non-fiction books. The students are learning how to use a table of contents, glossary, headings, index, types of print and other features to research their animal. They will also use these features when creating their own non-fiction book about their zoo animal.
Check out this great website to learn about animal classification! Read about different animals and play a fun game!
Have a great week and fabulous SPRING BREAK!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Happy Spring!
The students have been learning about different kinds of weather through non-fiction books we have been reading during Reader’s Workshop. We listened to “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” on tape, read many non-fiction books about weather and learned about weather idioms in our Scholastic News. Starting this week we will be reading books about health and nutrition. Every Tuesday for 5 weeks a speaker will be visiting us from Waupaca County to talk about making healthy food choices. She will be teaching the students about the new food pyramid and different food groups.
During math we have been visiting www.thatquiz.org to practice counting coins. We are continuing to practice counting coins and telling time this week. Check out www.thatquiz.com to practice many different math skills! This week we also tried www.ixl.com. This site has math concepts organized by grade level.
Our reading incentive will be coming up next week!! Will you make it???
Monday, March 7, 2011
Glogster
Over the last 2 weeks the students have been learning and researching about presidents. The students worked in pairs to research a president on www.classroomhelp.com. The students recorded their new learning so that they could make a poster on www.glogster.com. Last week the students were introduced to this website and will be creating a new glog about their president during social studies this week. If all of this talk about glogs is making your head spin try visiting the site with your student. They each have a login for the site that I would be happy to share with you. The students glogs will be printed off and hung on the very large timeline hanging on the wall by the 2nd grade stairwell.
We are also finishing up a writing unit about poetry. The students wrote a silly scramble, diamante, haiku and a sense poem. The students picked their favorite to publish last week. The students typed their poems on Microsoft Word, used spell check to edit their poem, changed the font and added clipart! We printed the poems today and they will be made into a classroom book for all of us to enjoy!
The students were very busy practicing their addition facts all month long. We've learned many strategies to help students increase their fact speed. The students took a pre-test and a post test and ALL the students improved. The class agreed at the beginning of the month that if all of the students improved we would celebrate by having a sledding party down the big hill on the playground. Depending on the weather and snow coverage we'll be doing that sometime during the school day this week! Great job boys and girls!
We are also finishing up a writing unit about poetry. The students wrote a silly scramble, diamante, haiku and a sense poem. The students picked their favorite to publish last week. The students typed their poems on Microsoft Word, used spell check to edit their poem, changed the font and added clipart! We printed the poems today and they will be made into a classroom book for all of us to enjoy!
The students were very busy practicing their addition facts all month long. We've learned many strategies to help students increase their fact speed. The students took a pre-test and a post test and ALL the students improved. The class agreed at the beginning of the month that if all of the students improved we would celebrate by having a sledding party down the big hill on the playground. Depending on the weather and snow coverage we'll be doing that sometime during the school day this week! Great job boys and girls!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Go Pack Go!
The students were so excited on Monday morning about the Packers Superbowl win! We celebrated by eating green and yellow cookies at snack time. A student passing by in the hallway asked, "Did you hear the Packers won the Superbowl?". All I could do was smile!
Thanks to all the families who came to our multicultural celebration. We hope you had as much fun as we did and learned something about different holidays too! This week in social studies we started learning about the Underground Railroad and slavery. We read "Henry's Freedom Box", "The Drinking Gourd", "Show Way" and "An Apple for Harriet Tubman". We've also begun to add important African Americans to a timeline outside our room. We will be learning about how to read a timeline in the weeks to come.
During reading we have been busy learning many reading strategies off of our reading strategy menu. The students have been working on finding parts in words, questioning while reading and thinking what makes sense to figure out a word they don't know. We also read "Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully". Students helped create a bulletin board about how to handle a bully.
On Monday we will be having our Valentine's Day party! Feel free to bring a treat and remember to bring a container to collect valentines in!
Thanks to all the families who came to our multicultural celebration. We hope you had as much fun as we did and learned something about different holidays too! This week in social studies we started learning about the Underground Railroad and slavery. We read "Henry's Freedom Box", "The Drinking Gourd", "Show Way" and "An Apple for Harriet Tubman". We've also begun to add important African Americans to a timeline outside our room. We will be learning about how to read a timeline in the weeks to come.
During reading we have been busy learning many reading strategies off of our reading strategy menu. The students have been working on finding parts in words, questioning while reading and thinking what makes sense to figure out a word they don't know. We also read "Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully". Students helped create a bulletin board about how to handle a bully.
On Monday we will be having our Valentine's Day party! Feel free to bring a treat and remember to bring a container to collect valentines in!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Happy New Year
We've been learning many new things since the new year began! The students are doing a fabulous job learning how to regroup in addition and subtraction. They've also been learning about biographies and summarizing in reading. A paper bag report will be coming home at the end of the week for students to complete as homework. In spelling we've been using spelling city to practice grade level words and word sorts. Click on the link in the post or off to the side to check out this great website! Once on the website you can click under Mrs. Yaklyvich's name to play games with the grade level words or my name to play games with the word sort words.
During social studies the students have been rotating to each of the 2nd grade teachers to learn about a different holiday. They have learned about Christmas in Mexico, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year and Hanukkah. On Friday February 4th all of the student's families are invited to our multicultural celebration. The students are excited to share their projects and knowledge with all of you! Please remember to return the orange note letting the 2nd grade teachers know how many family members will be attending and if you would like a recipe from one of the holidays.
I'd love if you or the students posted a comment or responded to the survey! This is a great way for students to use literacy skills and technology!
During social studies the students have been rotating to each of the 2nd grade teachers to learn about a different holiday. They have learned about Christmas in Mexico, Kwanzaa, Chinese New Year and Hanukkah. On Friday February 4th all of the student's families are invited to our multicultural celebration. The students are excited to share their projects and knowledge with all of you! Please remember to return the orange note letting the 2nd grade teachers know how many family members will be attending and if you would like a recipe from one of the holidays.
I'd love if you or the students posted a comment or responded to the survey! This is a great way for students to use literacy skills and technology!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Twas The Night Before Christmas
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house...The students are becoming very familiar with this classic Christmas tale this week. At the end of last week we started practicing a reader's theater of Twas The Night Before Christmas. Later in the week we will be looking at all of the interesting vocabulary in this book and using the context clues to figure out the meaning of these words. After learning the many interesting words in this story we also will be working on visualizing. Grace is also going to bring in an extra special copy of The Night Before Christmas her Grandma gave her. Her Grandma recorded her voice reading the story!
This week we are continuing to work on counting money and making change. We are going to be using touch points to help us count this week. We worked on touch points to help us count last week and the students really seemed to like counting like this. Ask them to share this strategy with you!
On Wednesday we will be walking down to the post office with Mrs. Smith's class. The students just finished writing a Christmas card to a relative and will be sending this card out on Wednesday. The postmaster will be giving us a "backstage" tour that lets the students see where a card travels before it reaches their mailbox.
Just a couple of reminders: The 2nd grade will be on stage for the Christmas program Friday December 17th at 9:50 until 10:10. There will be a bake sale and art fundraiser too. On Monday December 20th we will have a spelling test.
Have a terrific week!
This week we are continuing to work on counting money and making change. We are going to be using touch points to help us count this week. We worked on touch points to help us count last week and the students really seemed to like counting like this. Ask them to share this strategy with you!
On Wednesday we will be walking down to the post office with Mrs. Smith's class. The students just finished writing a Christmas card to a relative and will be sending this card out on Wednesday. The postmaster will be giving us a "backstage" tour that lets the students see where a card travels before it reaches their mailbox.
Just a couple of reminders: The 2nd grade will be on stage for the Christmas program Friday December 17th at 9:50 until 10:10. There will be a bake sale and art fundraiser too. On Monday December 20th we will have a spelling test.
Have a terrific week!
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