Dear Grade 2/3 Families,
This past week was jam-packed with learning, laughing, and excitement over our upcoming field trip to Ellis Island! Here are the details of it all!
In Grade 2
Math Workshop: Last week we shifted gears from addition strategies to subtraction strategies. Since the two are related, we practiced different ways to show the relation. This week we will continue to work with subtracting, which we will then extend into working on place value. We will use several games, activities, and written work to practice our facts and develop a deeper understanding of subtraction and place value.
Readers and Writers Workshop: In writing this week we will start to look at fairy tales. We will focus on the elements of the tales such as character, setting, problem, and solution. We will find those elements in fairy tales, and then we will begin writing our own fairy tales.
In reading, we will continue to practice using reading strategies. The children will get new bookmarks which they will be able to refer to so they can choose the best strategy. We will also focus on “bossy r’s” this week. We will do a lot of word work with “ar”, “or”, “er”, “ir”, and “ur” words. Children will read them, write them, sort them, and find them in their reading.
In Grade 3
Math Workshop: With learners now having a better understanding of multiplication as repeated addition, skip counting, groups of groups or sets, and practice recording basic multiplication equations, we dove into a fun exploration of multiplication through arrays! We played 2 games: Fit! Which requires mathematicians to arrange a variety of arrays paying careful attention to rows and columns in order to figure out the total number of square units. We also worked with array cards in the game Small Array/Big Array which requires learners to fill in larger arrays with smaller arrays which. The purpose of this game is to sets the preliminary groundwork for understanding the distributive property of multiplication by composing larger arrays with smaller ones. Eventually we will explore decomposing larger arrays into smaller ones.
Coming up: we will continue our array work for several weeks while also setting groundwork for basic routine fact fluency work at in class and at home. In your homework packet this week, please pay special attention to: parent and learner resources for multiplication/division strategies and fact fluency work at home to ensure success over time. Please remember that emphasis is always on conceptual understanding first before initiating fluency of facts. Since this idea is understandably new to many parents, please click and read the article below. Parent homework is to write a reflection on the key takeaways of the article. We look forward to reading your responses! :)
http://www.usd379.org/view/12129.pdf
Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop:
In Readers’ Workshop, we practiced re-telling a story across 5 fingers. This helps learners retell the big ideas of the story without getting distracted by small details when talking about their books. Additionally, we practiced healthy partner reading habits with books from our migration/immigration IB unit. Lastly revisited all the reading mini-lessons we’ve done so far in order to create a classroom anchor chart about what proficient readers do. Here is what they came up with:
Proficient eaders…
-read new genres
-focus on story elements
-re-tell across 5 fingers
-go back into the text to support their thinking
-read books more than 1x
-visualize a picture
-talk about their reading with others
Not bad! Mrs. G. and I were impressed!
In Writers’ Workshop, we rounded things out with an Author’s Chair so writers could showcase writing they have finished and feel great about! We also dipped our toes into partner writing. Partner writing must include all story elements. We used story cubes to make up verbal stories with a partner, too!
In our 2/3 learning community
IB Unit Inquiry: Come check out our Culture Web which serves as one part of the final summative assessment marking the end of Unit 1. We embark on our next unit of study with a field trip tomorrow to Ellis Island. Here is some important information that was not included in the parent letter last week:
Because of the bus scheduling, we will not have much “wiggle time” while on the island. So in the interest of keeping our group safe and learning together, we thank you so much for your understanding and help to keep the focus on our purpose. Thank you for your understanding!
Important Dates and Reminders:
This past week was jam-packed with learning, laughing, and excitement over our upcoming field trip to Ellis Island! Here are the details of it all!
In Grade 2
Math Workshop: Last week we shifted gears from addition strategies to subtraction strategies. Since the two are related, we practiced different ways to show the relation. This week we will continue to work with subtracting, which we will then extend into working on place value. We will use several games, activities, and written work to practice our facts and develop a deeper understanding of subtraction and place value.
Readers and Writers Workshop: In writing this week we will start to look at fairy tales. We will focus on the elements of the tales such as character, setting, problem, and solution. We will find those elements in fairy tales, and then we will begin writing our own fairy tales.
In reading, we will continue to practice using reading strategies. The children will get new bookmarks which they will be able to refer to so they can choose the best strategy. We will also focus on “bossy r’s” this week. We will do a lot of word work with “ar”, “or”, “er”, “ir”, and “ur” words. Children will read them, write them, sort them, and find them in their reading.
In Grade 3
Math Workshop: With learners now having a better understanding of multiplication as repeated addition, skip counting, groups of groups or sets, and practice recording basic multiplication equations, we dove into a fun exploration of multiplication through arrays! We played 2 games: Fit! Which requires mathematicians to arrange a variety of arrays paying careful attention to rows and columns in order to figure out the total number of square units. We also worked with array cards in the game Small Array/Big Array which requires learners to fill in larger arrays with smaller arrays which. The purpose of this game is to sets the preliminary groundwork for understanding the distributive property of multiplication by composing larger arrays with smaller ones. Eventually we will explore decomposing larger arrays into smaller ones.
Coming up: we will continue our array work for several weeks while also setting groundwork for basic routine fact fluency work at in class and at home. In your homework packet this week, please pay special attention to: parent and learner resources for multiplication/division strategies and fact fluency work at home to ensure success over time. Please remember that emphasis is always on conceptual understanding first before initiating fluency of facts. Since this idea is understandably new to many parents, please click and read the article below. Parent homework is to write a reflection on the key takeaways of the article. We look forward to reading your responses! :)
http://www.usd379.org/view/12129.pdf
Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop:
In Readers’ Workshop, we practiced re-telling a story across 5 fingers. This helps learners retell the big ideas of the story without getting distracted by small details when talking about their books. Additionally, we practiced healthy partner reading habits with books from our migration/immigration IB unit. Lastly revisited all the reading mini-lessons we’ve done so far in order to create a classroom anchor chart about what proficient readers do. Here is what they came up with:
Proficient eaders…
-read new genres
-focus on story elements
-re-tell across 5 fingers
-go back into the text to support their thinking
-read books more than 1x
-visualize a picture
-talk about their reading with others
Not bad! Mrs. G. and I were impressed!
In Writers’ Workshop, we rounded things out with an Author’s Chair so writers could showcase writing they have finished and feel great about! We also dipped our toes into partner writing. Partner writing must include all story elements. We used story cubes to make up verbal stories with a partner, too!
In our 2/3 learning community
IB Unit Inquiry: Come check out our Culture Web which serves as one part of the final summative assessment marking the end of Unit 1. We embark on our next unit of study with a field trip tomorrow to Ellis Island. Here is some important information that was not included in the parent letter last week:
- 12 total chaperones will be on the trip with our 22 learners. This is an impressive child: adult ratio!
- Snacks will be provided
- Everyone must bring a bagged, disposable lunch-- even if you normally buy a school lunch.
- Everyone will go through a security check requiring backpacks to go through machine. Water bottles are OK. We will NOT need to take off shoes.
- There is a lot of walking to get from bus, through security, to the ferry. Comfortable shoes are a must.
- NOTHING other than a lunch and water bottle in a lightweight backpack please. For children, this means no electronics, mobile devices, toys, gadgets, or stuffed animals of any kind. It will streamline security process. On the bus-- we will TALK, SING, LAUGH, and enjoy each other’s company! :)
- We really need to leave on time. Please plan on arriving at school at 8:00 tomorrow morning. We want the bus to roll out by 8:15.
- Please do not expect to buy souvenirs at Ellis Island. This is a working field trip and the purpose is to broaden our mindset as we continue our research in understanding the many reasons people migrate, and the long and short term effects it has on people.
Because of the bus scheduling, we will not have much “wiggle time” while on the island. So in the interest of keeping our group safe and learning together, we thank you so much for your understanding and help to keep the focus on our purpose. Thank you for your understanding!
Important Dates and Reminders:
- October 24, Monday - Ellis Island Field Trip
- October 25, Tuesday - ASG - Open Mic @ 10:30am
- October 31, Monday - Halloween Parade - 8:30am
- November 3, Thursday - Parents' Day, Pizza Thursday
- November 4, Friday Focus - 12:00 Dismissal