Grade 2
Here’s what’s happening in Grade 2 in Mrs. Burke, Mrs. Patrone, and Ms. Desvoyaux’s classes…
Reading: Using our curriculum Being a Reader, we have been learning about making connections to stories. Making connections helps us not only enjoy a story more, but better understand and remember what is happening. We have discussed different types of connections like text-to-self and text-to-text. Students have also learned about the characteristics of fiction stories, folk t ales, strategies readers use, and how to choose “Just Right” books.
Students in Mrs. Burke’s Class have IDR time reading independent reading books from book bags and prepare to share connections with the class.
Students in Mrs. Burke’s Class have IDR time reading independent reading books from book bags and prepare to share connections with the class.
Student in Ms. Desvoyaux’s class sharing their text-to-self connections
Students in Mrs. Patrone’s class reading their “Just Right Books” to their Kindergarten Buddies.
Writing: In the curriculum Being a Writer, students have learned about how authors get ideas for writing. These include drawing a picture, making a freewheeling sketch, using past life experiences, making a list, and writing a sentence. Students really enjoy sharing their writing and have had many opportunities to read their writing to partners and the class during Author’s Chair.
Students in Mrs. Burke’s class having pair conferences about their writing.
Students in Ms. Desvoyaux’s class took a walk around Studley to practice “freewheeling sketches” before writing.
Author’s Chair in Ms. Desvoyaux’s class
Author’s Chair in Mrs. Patrone’s class
Math: In Unit 2 of Everyday Math, students learned about different addition strategies. These strategies include doubles, combinations or 10, making-10, and helper doubles. Addition strategies help us add quickly and automatically. Here are some ideas to support math at home:
Practice combinations of 10 (i.e., 0+10, 10+0, 1+9, 9+1, etc.). There are 11 combinations in all. These number combinations are the basis for many things we do in math.
Practice doubles combinations beyond 5 to 20 (i.e., 6+6, 7+7, 8+8, etc.). Many students are fluent with doubles up to 5 but have more difficulty with doubles beyond 5.
Practice money! With a group of mixed coins, students can practice identifying the 4 coins (pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters) by naming them, telling their value, and adding small groups of coins together
“Fishing For 10” and “The Exchange Game” in Ms. Desvoyaux’s Class
Students in Mrs. Burke’s class building structures with base 10 blocks. Students then used their knowledge of place value to count the value of the structure they built.
Jiji joined us in Mrs. Burke’s class to celebrate our hard work in ST Math as the ST Math class of the week.
Social Studies / Science: We spent the month of September using Second Step lessons to help students identify feelings, show empathy, and use strategies to solve problems with friends. In October, we started our first science unit which was learning about the properties of matter and reversible / irreversible changes. We also started our first Mystery Science unit called Material Magic.
Students exploring the different properties of materials used for clothing, such as texture, flexibility, and absorbency. In this Mystery Science activity, students used this information to design and build a hat that protects them from the sun.
Special Event: Grade 2 was lucky to have a special guest reader visit Studley. Former New England Patriots wide receiver and Super Bowl champion, Malcolm Mitchell, visited to read his book titled My Very Favorite Book in the Whole Wide World. Each student received a copy of the book. Students followed along as Malcolm Mitchell, with the help of employees from Patriots Subaru, read the story aloud. This community outreach event was sponsored by Patriots Subaru of North Attleboro.
