Week Ending 10/16/19

I hope you've all had a chance to enjoy these nice fall days while we've been off!  I love this weather because sweatshirts are so cozy and it makes for a great time to get outside and enjoy family time!

Important information:

• Wednesday, October 30th, is an early release day for conferences so please plan pick accordingly.  There are no ASCA classes that day.

3, 2, 1, things you should know for this week...

3 math skills we've been focusing on are determining if we have enough for the class, solving addition and subtraction word problems, and showing our work.  We do a great deal of work around explaining and showing our thinking.  Simply knowing the fact and writing a number sentence is not enough.  Some students are finding this difficult as they are very quick with their facts, but showing a way they arrived at that answer pushes them out of their comfort zone.  We also are asking them to show their work in two different ways.  This is also pushing them to think past the straightforward drawing of cubes and a number sentence.  We will do this big mathematical thinking all year!

*Ask your child two ways they can show their work with either an addition or subtraction problem.  

2 read alouds we read during reading work were Secret Place and Tuesday.  We focused on connections between the text and our own world using Secret Place.  As a class, we shared how nature is being cut down to make room for buildings and highways.  Using Tuesday, we focused on making prediction while reading.  When we make predictions as we're reading, we are thinking very carefully about the text and our understanding increases.

One question I've had is about spelling and wanted to be sure I touched base with you all.  Spelling skills grow a large amount in second grade!  Right now we've been working on blends (dr-, st-, etc), digraphs (sh, ch, etc), glued sounds such as -ank, -ing, and vowel teams of ey, ee, and ea.
When reading and writing there are many things happening!  Students need to think about what they're working on, create the topic, develop the ideas, and also spell accurately.  If you are reading or writing with your child, you can call their attention to words that are easily decodable.  If they struggle, you can help them.  If there are trick words (words you can not sound out), they may not know them yet but that will come as they continue to read and write.  If it is a word like a state such as Massachusetts or California or a magical place in a story, go ahead and tell them.   You can assist with spelling a bit as needed but encourage the excitement and love of reading and writing before focusing to much on the spelling!  Reading and writing at home should be enjoyable!

I wanted to share a pic of our Friday Team Time!  Each Friday, we work on an activity to help us with our cooperation, assertion, respect, empathy, and self control skills.  These activities are whole class, small group, or partner activities that require them to work together to accomplish.  This week we worked with hula hoops and the students had specific directions about how they could lift the hula hoop off the ground and their goal was to lift it as high as they could.  This meant they had to listen to each other really carefully to know when to lift, how fast, and how high.  It was challenging for many at a first!  After a few tries though, they surprised themselves and their sense of accomplishment was huge!

Week Ending 10/4/19

Just four days this week but we accomplished a lot!

Important information:

• Conferences are for you AND your child.  This is a time to chat about what we've been working on, how things are going, and goals for your child this year.  Please schedule a time that you and your child can attend.  You can sign up directly here: Conference Sign Up

• On the first Thursday of every month, we'd like to invite 3 families in to visit us for Morning Meeting (in October, it will be next week, the 10th).  Please sign up for one time to visit us.  It's about 20 minutes and you'll see how we start our day.  You can sign up directly here: Morning Meeting Sign Up
• Next Wednesday, 10/9/19, there is no school. 

3, 2, 1 things you should know about our week...

3 literacy activities we worked on this week were using our scheme to help us understand the book Stellaluna (the more we know about bats and birds before reading, the better understanding we have while reading), making connections to the character's feelings with the book The Art Lesson (the more we connect to their feelings, the better we can understand the story events and character feelings), and we worked as a whole class on our poetry routine with the poem, This Tooth.  This is a routine students will work on once a week on a rotating basis.  We focus on what the poem was telling us and highlighted Fundations rules that we've worked on (digraphs, bonus letter, and blends).  

2 writing activities we worked on were narrowing down our small moment ideas and working to tell the story to a partner starting with the beginning and working towards the end.  This helps us plan our story before we begin writing to know if we have too much information or not enough.  We also worked on our weekly letter.  Each Friday, we write about our week in school focusing on one thing we did.  As the year goes on, it's amazing to see how their writing changes and improves.  By the end of the year, you'll have a whole collection of what happened in 2nd grade!

1 math activity we began was Enough for the Class.  This activity helps us think about whether we have enough cubes for the class, too many or not enough, and then how many we have left over or how many we need.  It's this beginning activity that really focuses on explaining our math thinking and not just writing the number fact or equation.  We also share our ideas with a partner giving the partners a chance to ask clarifying questions about how work was solved.  This year we focus a lot on how we got the answer and can we explain our work to others, not simply is the answer correct.  

Week Ending 9/27

Happy Friday!  It was good to see many of you at our Open House morning yesterday!  I thank you for being flexible and trying something new with us this year.  The students were very excited to see all of you and show off where they spend their days.  I look forward to a great year with all of them and as we work hard, be kind, push through challenges, and laugh along the way, I know they are going to grow so much.

Important information:

• Monday there is no school.
• Wednesday, October 9th, and Monday, October 14, there is also no school.  
• Please help us remind your children that Monday is library day so if they want to take out new books, they should be bringing the other books back.  

3, 2, 1 things you should know about our week...

3 read aloud we read were The Mightiest, Sheila Rae the Brave, and Arthur's Tooth.  We used to The Mightiest to focus on how we self monitor while reading.  As I read aloud, students listened to my think aloud on how to self monitor.  While reading we should be thinking about our pace, stopping at punctuation, sounding out words, rereading when confused, as well as working on strategies for understanding such as making connections and predictions.  They loved telling me when I was doing something I should be paying attention to and then they practiced this with their own books before sharing with their partner what they noticed.  We used the other two read aloud books to focus on making connections to the book.  For example, we focused on how Sheila Rae was brave and a time they were brave.  We also used these read aloud to help set us up for using our binders during reading workshop.  Many times after a read aloud and discussion students will write a response to that book or their own in their binder focusing on the skill we worked on.  It helps them apply the work right then and I can check for understanding.
**Ask your child which book they enjoyed reading this week.  

2 read workshop activities we worked on were choosing our small moment story topic and stretching our ideas.  We started by looking at all our brainstorming and deciding if the story idea was a big idea or a small idea.  If it was a big idea, we needed to do some more work to choose one small idea to write about.  If it was a small idea, we began telling our story to a partner over our fingers focusing on beginning, middle, and end.  Some of us even started our writing!
**Ask your child their topic for the small moment story they started during writing workshop.

1 fun activity we started this week was Team Time!  Friday afternoons we take about 15 minutes to work together as a team to accomplish a task.  It could be small groups or the class together but it's a time to practice listening skills, patience, being open to other ideas, and following directions.  Today we played Don't Wake the Dragon and they did a great job!  

Week ending 9/13/19

We've finished our first full week of school!  We've spent a lot of time these past two weeks reviewing classroom routines and expectations for students, teacher, and class subjects.  We'll continue working on this hard in September and when we take the time now, the rest of the year runs much smoother.

A few important things to remember:

• We have PE on Mondays and Thursdays so don't forget sneakers.  
• If your child is signing up for ASCA, please email me as well so I am aware.  
• On Mondays we have two specials so our snack/recess is in the afternoon.  We will however, have a quick working snack Monday am.  Please send in an additional small easy to eat snack.  Good choices would be pretzels, goldfish, a granola bar, etc.  Something that's quick and clean to eat.  If they can work or read while they snack, we'll keep it going each Monday.
• Please remember that the school opens at 8:20 and attendance is taken at 8:30, so being on time is very important!  Also, dismissal is at 3:00.  Please be on time to pick up your child.  If there is a change, please email me ahead of the day or call the office. Thanks for your help with this!
• There is an early release day on Thursday, Sept. 26th. Please plan for a 12:30 pick up.
• Also, please save Thursday, Sept. 26th for a morning open house in our classroom.  You'll arrive with your child in the morning, check out our classroom, and hear information related to our upcoming year.  We hope to see you then!

3, 2, 1 things about our room you should know...

3 read aloud we read this week were A Quiet Place, Going On a Book Hunt, and Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't).  We use these books to think about our favorite place to read, how to decide if a book is just right for us, and to think about why we might choose a book (interest, characters we love, etc.).  

2 math activities we worked on this week was Today's Number and Do We Have 100? Today we worked with the number 7 and brainstorming different ways to show it.  They could write addition or subtraction sentences, show 7 with cubes or tally marks, or spell the word.  We also identified and counted coins, collecting pennies to get to 100 with our partner.  

Ask you child 2 different ways to show the number 7.

1 Fundations routine we started this week is Word of the Day.  When we do word of the day, we practice spelling words that fit our spelling focus and create sentences that fit the word.  We worked on the words rich and shred this week (both words with digraphs).  

Ask you child for a sentence using those words.  

We have begun setting up our reading workshop routine and so far so good!  Students have decorated their book bags and have chosen their first books!  

We started morning bins this week!  It's a great way for students to get in the room, start working on an activity, while encouraging creativity and team work.

 

Week Ending 9/6/19

We've had a great first week back to school!  We've spent this week getting to know each other, learning the classroom routines, figuring out where materials are located, and getting back into school mode!

If your house is like our house, the first week of school can be busy and everyone is going in different directions.  We spent last weekend going over the first week of school for my daughter, talking about what went well and what she was looking forward to. I encourage you to spend some time this weekend talking about school and encouraging them to look forward to a great year!

Here's some info you need about our class...

• We'll be focusing this month, and all year of course, on setting routines, expectations, and building independence. 
• During morning meeting and closing circle we are learning more and more about each other and are learning to work together as a class.  
• We started math and are focusing on identifying all the different ways smaller shapes fit in a larger shape and identifying coins and their value.  
• During reading workshop we started recording our reading stamina and reviewing letter sounds.
• Don't forget to let me know if there's any dismissal changes by sending a note in with your child and reminding them to pass it in when they arrive.  
• We have snack every day so please send in a healthy snack and please keep nuts at home.  
• We have physical education  on Monday and Thursday.  Be sure your child has sneakers for those days.  
• Library is on Mondays.
• We wrote about our week and have put it in our folder so please pull it out and see!

Here's a few pics of our math work yesterday morning:

 

 

Welcome to 2nd Grade!

August 2019

Dear Families,

Welcome to second grade at Memorial-Spaulding!  I look forward to working with your children, and you, to make this an exciting year.  Before school begins, I want to give you some information you may find helpful prior to the first day.

1.      Time: Children are allowed to enter school and go to their classrooms when the bell rings at 8:20.  School begins promptly at 8:30.  We will start morning meeting shortly after the 2nd bell rings.   Before this time, parents should say goodbye outside and let us get going on the important work we do everyday, starting with morning work. Dismissal is at 3:00, except on Tuesdays when dismissal is at 12:30.  The first day of school, Tuesday September 3rd, is a 12:30 dismissal.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation.  

2.      Snack: Please send a small nutritious snack.  Popular choices are yogurt, fruits and vegetables, cheese and crackers, pretzels, and a drink.  

3.      Recess: Please be sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather, including boots, hats, gloves, etc. 

4.      Dismissal: At dismissal, we will be coming out the front door of the building and will move off to the left.  Please pick your child up there and do not wait directly in front of the main doors. Thank you!  Please be sure to complete the dismissal form online. It is important for me to know where your child is going after school. Also, for the first few weeks of school, please speak with me directly at pick up so I can check your child off on my dismissal checklist.  This helps to keep the whole class safe during a very chaotic time at the beginning of the year.  If there are any changes, please send a note in to be sure I receive it, as email could be down or I could be absent.  Also, I will not send your child with anyone else, unless I have a note or we have a pre-arranged plan.

5.      Surveys: Parent and dismissal surveys…Please go to my website at:

Mrs. DeKing Room 250and look at the Back to School section. There are surveys for you as the parent to complete about your child (with one part for you and your child) and most importantly, a dismissal survey so I know how your child gets home each day.  Please take a few minutes to complete them by Sunday, September 1st.  Any questions, please email me.  

6.     Open House:Open House will be held late September in the morning.  More details to follow.

7.      Contact information: As the school year starts and throughout the year, you may need to contact me for various reasons.   You can do this in a number of ways.   You can send a note in with your child and have them put it in the box (Notes for Mrs. DeKing) when they arrive.  You can email me at [ mailto: megan_deking@newton.k12.ma.us.   I check email at times during the day and will reply within 24 hours.   You can also call the school and leave a message and I will return it when I am done teaching.   Email tends to be the easiest for parents and myself. Don't hesitate to contact me with questions, comments, or concerns.   

8.      I have a blog that is updated almost weekly so please take a look at that and sign up on that page to follow our blog and to receive updated blogs when posted.  Here is the site: Classroom Blog

The school website is available for curriculum information and school info...the blog will keep you updated about weekly happenings more consistently.

One of my goals for this year is to have the class work together cooperatively, support each other, share, and learn to help each other. You do not need to purchase supplies this year for your child…the team has purchased classroom supplies and we only ask for you to turn in $25 cash.   Please see the notice on my website, under Back to School, from our second grade team regarding purchasing and donations.  Thanks!

Students will receive paperwork and they are responsible for carrying it to and from school.  They will receive a red folder from me at the beginning of the year.   The folder will also be used for sending notices to you and for you to send important notes back to me. 

As the summer comes to a close, please continue to encourage your child to read nightly or listen to you read.  Also, practicing addition and subtraction facts will help them in math.   Sit down and try to write about what you've been doing all summer to help your child with their writing and get ideas flowing.

On the first day of school, please send in a snack and don't forget lunch is not served on Tuesdays.  Please place any important notes in the "Notes for Mrs. DeKing" box.  There will be various activities around the room for your child to get started with as your family leaves.  Most importantly, come over to me and introduce yourself and your child.  Also, make sure you tell me how your child will be getting home on the first day.   I love the first day of school and meeting each of my new students!  

I look forward to meeting you and working with your child this year.

Sincerely,

Megan DeKing

Week ending 6/7/19

We are in the home stretch!  I'm not sure what we're all more excited for...no more school or Summer fun!  Be sure to check out your child's bucket list so you know what they want to do this Summer!

Important information:

• Don't forget to send in items for the can food drive!
• The last day of school is Tuesday, the 18th, with a 12:00 dismissal.  Please be sure you make appropriate arrangements as there is no ASCA and no extended day.
• The last day for ASCA is Friday the 14th.

3, 2, 1 things you should know about our week...

3 special activities we attended this week were the book swap (students found some great book choices), the 4th grade concert where we saw many brothers and sisters, and we attended a 3rd grade music class to hear all about recorder that we will participate in next year.  *Ask your child which one they liked the best. 

2 poetry skills we focused on identifying when we should have appropriate line breaks using the poem "Aquarium" and writing big ideas in small spaces using the poem "A Valentine for Ernest Mann".  

1 physical education activity we participated in was Color Day!  Students did a fabulous job!  Both Ms. Ripley and myself were very impressed with the team work, cooperation, listening, and flexibility the students had!  

It was nice to see many of you at art integration morning and end of year share.  If you couldn't attend, don't worry, your child's work is coming home today.  

Here's a picture of our final project...all the quilt squares made today put together!

Week ending 5/24/05

We have 16 days after today!  Can you believe how quickly the year has gone!

Important information:

• Our field trip to the Children's Museum next Thursday, May 30th. 
• We hope to see you on Friday, June 7th, for our Integrating the Arts morning and end of year celebration.  
• Be sure to check your child's folder/backpack for an invitation and information regarding our field trip.

3, 2, 1 things you should know about our week...

3 science investigations we worked on were identifying differences and similarities between butterflies and moths, recording detailed observations of our butterflies that came out Monday morning, an identifying and drawing the life cycle of a butterfly.  

Here's some pics of our butterflies before we let them go:

 

2 literacy activities we worked on were writing our very own trickster tale and completing our opinion piece on why 2nd grade is awesome.  For our trickster tale, we brainstormed with a partner and planned our writing, then we completed the tale writing part on our own.

1 team building activity we did on Friday was playing Kahoot!  Not only is it a good review of what we've worked on this week, it's a great opportunity to practice good sportsmanship, respect, patience, and flexibility.

Week Ending 5/10/19

We've had a wonderful weather week overall and have enjoyed quite a bit of recess!  I hope you and your family are able to enjoy some of these beautiful days.

Important information: 

• Our Children's Museum field trip is scheduled for Thursday, May 30th.  More specific information about lunch, etc. will be coming.
• Be sure to save the date for June 7th for our Integrating the Arts and end of year celebration morning!

3, 2, 1, things you should know this week...

3 math skills we've worked on were measuring in inches and centimeters, meters and yardsticks, and discussing why there are higher numbers when measuring in centimeters than measuring in inches. We also worked on how to measure something that is longer than the ruler size.  

2 literacy activities we've worked on were writing our own pourqoui stories to explain why something has happened.  Students wrote stories about why elephants have long trunks, why tigers have stripes, and _____________

1 social studies activity we did was reading some books about Ghana to get us ready for our visit from Mr. Joe and Ms. Vida from Ghana.  We look forward to seeing them on Monday!

Week Ending 5/3/19

I can't believe it's May already!  We've got just 31 days of school left!  We have a lot to do between now and then and I can't wait to see how all their hard work comes together to end the year.

Important information:

• CAP forms went home this past week so please sign the permission slip and return to school if you haven't already.
• Be sure you've saved the date for Friday, June 7th.  We'll be having our Art Integration and End of Year morning.  

3 measuring activities we worked on this week were...measuring with yard sticks, inches, and centimeters.  We've been working on measuring the same items, (yarn that represents how far each student jumped) but with different measuring tools.  We've been talking a lot about good strategies for measuring.  *Ask your child 2 efficient ways to measures.

2 pourqoui read aloud we listened to were Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears and How Zebras Got Their Stripes.  We used them to focus on the elements of a pourquoi talking about how the stories not only teach us a lesson but also these stories tell us why something is the way it is.  *Ask your child why mosquitoes buzz in people's ears.

1 writing activity we've been working on is writing why 2nd grade is awesome!  The students have brainstormed ideas, we gathered all the ideas, then in their groups they chose their top ideas.  We've been working to write a whole class opinion piece on this topic.  We're working slowly and really paying attention to stating our opinion, giving our three reasons, and then adding details directly related to our reasons.  When we have a finished piece, we'll be sure to share with you all.  *Ask your child one reason 2nd grade is awesome.