Our learning really bloomed this week!

From the desk of Mrs. Schmidt...

This week we named numbers in new ways to find equivalent names for numbers.  Name-collection boxes helped us to keep track of these new names.  Using frames-and-arrows diagrams, we looked at finding patterns with numbers while practicing our math facts at the same time.  We also discussed counting-up and counting-down strategies to help us with addition and subtraction.

In “The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle, we read about the cycle of a seed to a flower and back to a seed again.  As we read, we took notes on the facts we learned and then drew conclusions based upon these facts.  Using the conclusion chart was very beneficial in organizing what we learned about seeds.  Using such an organizer will translate well for note-taking and research that we will do in the LMC in the next few weeks as we research presidents.  This will be a great tie-in to our Citizenship Unit, which we will start after bringing our Motion Unit in Science to a close next week.

We are gearing up to write our own Fairy Tales.  This week, we read different Fairy Tales with a buddy.  As we were reading, we stopped to talk about the different elements of Fairy Tales that we observed in the story, such as spells, good vs. bad characters, settings of a forest, castle, etc.  Looking at the structure of different Fairy Tales will help us in organizing our own Fairy Tales.  We will focus on having a beginning, middle, and end to our own stories, incorporating features of common Fairy Tales.

 The children are working together so nicely during the Daily 5 centers! They are so engaged while reading with a buddy!

 This is even BETTER than elbow-elbow, knee-knee! This looks like a high-interest book that both boys are enjoying!

 Wonderful teamwork! You can see the quality reading practice happening here!

 Another terrific example of the Daily 5 in action! Great reading, guys!

 Super teamwork, both sets of eyes are looking in the exact same spot! Way to go, girls!!

 It is amazing to see the children working together at school in this way. Cooperative learning like this is sure to translate across the subject areas!

 In science the children experimented with gravity. They thought about what it would be like if there was no gravity in the classroom- everything would be floating around! Here the children are thinking about how two balls of the same size but different weight (cork, glass, and metal) will fall. They thought about the speed as well as the impression the balls would make in a tray of sand. What do you think the results were?

Up & Coming

*MAP Test results come home on Thursday, October 9^th.

*A permission slip for our walking field trip to the Arlington Heights Police Station (Friday, October 24) comes home on Thursday, October 9^th as well.  Please return the slip to school by October 17^th.  Thanks!

*No school on Friday, October 10^th, for a SIP Day!

*No school on Monday, October 13^th, for Columbus Day!  Enjoy!!

*Looking Ahead:  2^nd Grade Musical on Wednesday, October 22^nd, at 2:30pm and 7:00 pm.