FYI
Next week we'll participate in a week long celebration of Dr. Seuss!  The handout with all the dress up info will come home on Monday. :)  Psst... Monday's (March 2nd) will be dress up in red, white, and black just like the Cat in the Hat. 
Tuesday, March 3rd - Bloomington Children's Museum field trip *More info will be sent home early this week. :) *Sailors will need a sack lunch for this trip!
Wednesday, March 11th - Early Dismissal 
Thursday, March 12th - Spring PT Conferences
Friday, March 13th - Spring Break Begins
Monday, March 23rd - School Resumes ​​

Math
We started our Measurement unit last week!  We have already gotten quite a bit of hands on practice using our rulers to measure in inches.  Next up, feet, yards, centimeters, and meters!

Extra practice ideas for home:
-counting coins (such great practice for skip counting)
​-play STOP THE CLOCK online *they know how to find the game and the different levels
-Dream Box math online using chromebook, laptop, or ipad
-measuring things around the house using rulers (inches, feet, centimeters)

Reading
Spelling Skill: ou, ow
sound, mound, cloud, shout, pound, clown, brown, crown, howl, growl

We're reading Grace for President this week.  Such a neat book about dreaming big and reaching your goals!  

Scholastic class code is: VJK36  

Writing 
Last week we wrote about who is worth more to us than GOLD. :)  This week we'll be back writing about our favorite books.  We'll work on writing our opinions about the stories across several pages using text evidence to support our opinions.  

Math
Has your Sailor asked to count your change/coins yet?  It's awesome to have hands on practice at home!  Maybe your Sailor might get to keep the coins if they count it correctly! I also showed them a fun telling time game called "STOP THE CLOCK!"  Ask them how to play.  It's great practice.  There are different levels, too! We test over Money and Time this week.  

Reading
Spelling Skill: are, air, ear, ere 
dare, stare, fare, hair, pair, chair, bear, pear, where, there

Last week we compared different folktales, but this week we are focusing on poetry.  

Scholastic class code is: VJK36  I just put in an order, but I'll place another one at the end of February for anyone who is interested.  

Writing 
We're doing a great job thinking about our readers while we write book opinion reviews in writing! ​

FYI

Friday, February 14th - Valentine's day card exchange and snack from 1:00 - 1:30 *Feel free to send in cards early?
Monday, February 17th Presidents' Day - No School
Tuesday, February 18th - Land form Projects due *Feel free to send in early :)
Wednesday, February 19th -  Early Dismissal 
Tuesday, March 3rd - Bloomington Children's Museum field trip 
Wednesday, March 11th - Early Dismissal 
Thursday, March 12th - Spring PT Conferences
Friday, March 13th - Spring Break Begins
Monday, March 23rd - School Resumes ​

Math
Has your Sailor asked to count your change/coins yet?  I told them the best practice for Chapter 7 Money is with the real deal.  Who knows, maybe if they count it correctly they can keep it?! ;) After money, we'll work on telling time. 

Reading
Spelling Skill: eer, ere, ear
deer, cheers, steer, here, jeer, near, ear, dear, clear, spear

I'm certain that the Snowball fight (using our wadded up book reports) was the most fun I've ever had doing a class celebration.  It. Was. Awesome.  To top it off, we got to enjoy some hot chocolate in fancy to go coffee cups.  Some Sailors even brought their own amazing mugs.  It was too sweet!  

Scholastic class code is: VJK36  I just put in an order, but I'll place another one at the end of February for anyone who is interested.  

Writing 
We're starting our Opinion writing unit this week!  

​ FYI
Monday, January 27th - 100th day of school!  - Dress like you're 100 years old :) 
Thursday - Library books due
Friday, January 31st - Sailors' "Snowball fight!" 
Friday, January 31st last day to pay $5 to join us on our Bloomington field trip (March 3rd)... price goes up to $7 at the door after the 31st. :) 
Friday, February 14th - Valentine's day card exchange and snack from 1:00 - 1:30
Monday, February 17th Presidents' Day - No School
Tuesday, February 18th - Land form Projects due 
Wednesday, February 19th -  Early Dismissal 
Wednesday, March 11th - Early Dismissal 
Thursday, March 12th - Spring PT Conferences
Friday, March 13th - Spring Break Begins
Monday, March 23rd - School Resumes 

​Math
We are wrapped up 3 digit subtraction and addition with and without regrouping on Friday.  We are moving into money, money, money... and time! :) 

Let me know if you need any help logging your Sailor into Dream Box math at home.  I have noticed a huge difference from those students who are practicing a few extra minutes on their own time. :)  I am so impressed with those Sailors and families who continue to practice together on the optional homework packets, too.

Reading
Spelling Skill: or, ore, oar, ar
port, north, more, store, oar, roar, board, part, start, park

I'm challenging the Sailors to complete as many book reviews to get them more excited to read their baggy books and book box books.  They get to crumple each of them up on January 31st when we have a whole class "snowball" fight with our book reviews. ;) They can write reviews about any book they want!

Scholastic class code is: VJK36

Writing 
We're working on the "body" of our letters this week.  We are all working on either Thank You notes  (from the holidays), friendly letters, and notes of affirmation/appreciation in honor of Valentine's day coming up!

Science
Last week we got to enjoy the fruits of our labor with the Oreos we used for our tectonic plates lesson.  We also enjoyed a lesson from the HS AG Pals.  

FYI
Monday, January 20th - M.L. King Birthday Observance - No School
Wednesday, January 22nd - Early Dismissal
Monday, January 27th - 100th day of school!  - Dress like you're 100 years old :) 
Friday, February 14th - More information to come about the Valentine's day class card exchange 
Monday, February 17th Presidents' Day - No School
Tuesday, February 16th - Landform Projects due 
Wednesday, February 19th -  Early Dismissal 
Wednesday, March 11th - Early Dismissal 
Thursday, March 12th - Spring PT Conferences
Friday, March 13th - Spring Break Begins
Monday, March 23rd - School Resumes 

​Math
We are having so much fun with the 3 digit addition with and without regrouping.  I am SO proud of how well they are doing with this tricky concept.   

We use a couple saying to help us with subtraction with regrouping... "bigger on top, don't stop!" and "more on the floor, go next door!" 

For addition we love two strategies... traditional regrouping, and adding by breaking the numbers apart into expanded form.  

Reading
Spelling Skill: Silent Letters - r-controlled vowels
er, ir, ur, or 
clerk, herd, first, skirt, stir, churn, hurt, burst, work, worse
I'm challenging the Sailors to complete as many book reviews to get them more excited to read their baggy books and book box books.  They get to crumple each of them up on January 31st when we have a whole class "snowball" fight with our book reviews. ;) They can write reviews about any book they want!

Scholastic class code is: VJK36

Writing 
Have you noticed any letters coming home?  We've been busy writing friendly letters, thank you letters, and any other letters we can think of. ;)  

Science
Last week we got to have a wonderful water lesson from Mrs. Kaper!  We are now motivated to help conserve our precious water.  

We also completed a neat land form craftivity that helped us better visualize the land forms.

FYI
Monday, January 20th - M.L. King Birthday Observance - No School
Wednesday, January 22nd - Early Dismissal
Friday, February 14th - More information to come about the Valentine's day class card exchange 
Monday, February 17th Presidents' Day - No School
Wednesday, February 19th -  Early Dismissal 
Wednesday, March 11th - Early Dismissal 
Thursday, March 12th - Spring PT Conferences
Friday, March 13th - Spring Break Begins
Monday, March 23rd - School Resumes 

​Math
We are having so much fun with the 3 digit addition with and without regrouping.  I am SO proud of how well they are doing with this tricky concept.   

Reading
Spelling Skill: Silent Letters - wr, kn, gn, mb, sc

comb, crumb, scene, scent, gnat, sign, knife, know, wrist, writing 

We'll meet in our NEW groups this week.  We're even coming up with new names.  
​
Scholastic class code is: VJK36

Writing 
We wrote our baseline "opinion" writing piece this week.  We'll compare it to our end of the unit independent  "opinion" writing to see how much they grow.  

Science
Ask your Sailor what they enjoyed most about the Water Guy's visit.  We learned a lot of important information about Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling.  We began our new science unit learning more about what makes up our Earth's surface.  We'll be digging deeper to learn more about landforms, too!

FYI
Monday, January 20th - M.L. King Birthday Observance - No School
Wednesday, January 22nd - Early Dismissal
Friday, February 14th - More information to come about the Valentine's day class card exchange 
Monday, February 17th Presidents' Day - No School
Wednesday, February 19th -  Early Dismissal 

​Math
Our mathematicians wrapped up Chapter 5 before break.  We'll begin Chapter 6 over 3-digit addition and subtraction on Monday.  

Reading
This first week back, I'll be reading with Sailors independently to find out new independent and instructional levels.  I'm excited to see how far we've grown!  Even though they won't be officially meeting with me in their groups this week, we will still be swapping out their baggy books.  Out with the old and in with LOTS of new. ;)  
Scholastic class code is: VJK36

Writing 
I hope no one peeked. ;)  They had so much fun with their Christmas acrostic poems for you!  This week we will write new Hopes and Dreams to put up on our board in the classroom.  They are our spin on New Year's Resolutions.  Next week, we'll begin our Opinion writing unit.

Science
We have a Water Guy coming in Thursday!  Ask your Sailor what they learned from him.  

FYI 
I can't thank you enough for those of you who sent in goodies for our exchange.  It was a huge success!  They were the loudest and most excited I've ever seen from this crew, but boy they were so full of joy and the holiday spirit of giving!  We also took time earlier in our day to share some funny stories from our baking efforts! ;)

Thursday - Festive Holiday wear for 2nd graders!

Friday - Pajama day for 2nd graders!

Friday, December 20th - 12:15 - 12:45 Holiday Party, 1:00 - 1:30 Sing Along Assembly, 1:50 dismissal - One Hour Early dismissal due to Christmas Break  - Feel free to join us for the festivities!

Monday, January 6th - School Resumes

​Math
Our mathematicians took their Math MAP assessment Monday.  They rocked it by taking their time and showing great effort.  I'm extra proud of how positive they were even though the test can seem a little daunting!

We will test over Chapter 5 before break!  I can't believe how much progress they've made on subtraction with regrouping.

Reading
We will take our MAP Reading test on Tuesday of this week.  I am so proud of this crew.  

If you ordered books from Scholastic, they'll be in before the end of the week. :)  If you place any new orders, they'll arrive in January. 

Scholastic class code is: VJK36

Writing 
We're learning about 5 different holidays around the world this week during writing time!  We learned about Hanukkah in our room and we'll be rotating classrooms to learn about 4 other winter holidays.  

We're also busy on some secret business. ;)