Wednesday, March 11

This morning students used the Words of the Week, the "qu" sound in sentences.  Students did their best to edit their work using the checklist.  Students are still working towards being able to see their errors in their work.  We needed to squeeze our dance lesson in with AJ during our recess, but not too worry I gave students back their recess in the afternoon when we went outside for 20 minutes.  We visited the library to exchange our books and had a social studies lesson on the climate in Iqaluit and Saskatoon.  

After lunch, we talked about what waterproof was and how we can have waterproof clothes such as a raincoat, rain boots, rain hat and an umbrella.  Then we did an experiment and made our paper waterproof.  Ask your child what we did!  (Hints below) We finished off a book went outside for recess.

Tuesday, March 10

An exciting morning with the Calgary Opera joining us for "The Bremen Town Musicians".  Students really enjoyed the story, singing and acting.  It was a great experience! Also this morning, students wrote down two reading strategies that they are going to work on.  Ask your child if they can remember what they choose to work on.  Students worked in social studies on natural resources in the morning and again in the afternoon.  We discussed resources for Meteghan and Saskatoon. Also in the afternoon we conducted a solubility experiment, using several different solutions with water.  Can you guess what we used?
Don't forget about library tomorrow. 

Monday, March 9

This morning students wrote in their journals about their weekend.  They continue to strive to use the checklist to help them with their writing.  In math, students played the Math Monday game with a friend and we worked on 10 subtraction problems in their math journals.  In social studies we discussed some natural resources in Iqaluit-soapstone art carvings, hunting and fishing.
After lunch we did a science experiment about density and which liquid was the heaviest.  The 3 liquids we used were water, vegetable oil and syrup.  See our results below.  We also watched a video on how the water cycle works.  We finished off the day with a dance lesson with AJ.

Friday, March 6

We started off our day by doing a science experiment.  We tested 12 different items to see which were the best absorbers, or most absorbent.  Check out the very serious scientists below, recording both their prediction and then the results. 

After our first snack and recess, we came in and spoke about what a natural resource is and what some natural resources might be here in and around Calgary.  We'll spend some more time understanding natural resources as this is a tricky concept for us.  Students also read in their Guided Reading groups.

Thursday, March 5

I made an error yesterday on the Blog.  I put a photo and wrote strategies about reading with precision, but we actually discussed strategies to help with reading comprehension (we discussed reading with precision on Tuesday). I did the Blog from my math leadership session, which I was in in the afternoon and relied on my poor memory! I've corrected the mistake from yesterday and it's accurate now.

This morning, students completed a short math quiz on subtraction and problem solving.  They also played the Math Monday game in their math journals.  Students had their music lesson with Mme. Zdrill and we finished our writing and picture for our Star of the Week.

In the afternoon, we watched a French video explaining the water filtration process. Students then drew the water cycle in their journals.  We had our PE class outside today and finished the day with some centres.

Wednesday, March 4

This morning in French Language Arts students read their two new Guided Reading books, to themselves. TODAY, we went over the following reading comprehension strategies:1. looking at the pictures; 2. reading often; 3. re-tell the story; 4. asking question about what we've read; 5. choosing a good level; 6. summarizing the text; 7. re-reading.  Please see image below.

After recess, students were given the "magic number 67" and asked to represent the number in as many ways as possible in their math notebooks.  So for example 60+7, 100-33, etc.  Some students came up for more than 40 different ways!  We also corrected our subtraction work together.  We'll have a quiz tomorrow on subtraction and word problems.  In science, we continued to develop our vocabulary around liquids.
In the afternoon, students used their words of the week in their journals, and had their third dance class with Dance Kreations.  They finished off the day writing and drawing for the Star of the Week.

Tuesday, March 3

This morning we spend quite a bit of time talking about reading with precision and how we can actually do that.  We talked about 10 different strategies we can use to help us read with precision. The strategies that a good reader uses to read with precision are 1. re-reading, 2. asking myself "does it make sense?" 3. looking at the pictures, 4. reading often, 5. looking at the end of the word, 6. looking for the little word in the big word, 7. choosing the right level, 8. looking at the sounds the letters make, 9. looking at the first letter in the word, 10. skiping the word and coming back to it.   It's important for beginning readers to have multiple strategies in which to choose from so that if one strategy doesn't work, they have other from which to choose.  You can also find these strategies in the link that I sent in my last two weekly e-mails.  In math, we finished up some subtraction work from yesterday.  Tomorrow we'll correct our work together.  Students will have a math subtraction and word problem quiz on Thursday.
In the afternoon, we spend much of the time learning about surface tension in science.  Students used an eye dropper, penny and water to see how many drops of water they could get onto a penny. Check out the scientists below!  We finished off our day by listening to Elder Randy Bottle talk to us about how water is used to grow various crops including potatoes and wheat, as well as the importance of preserving water.

Strategies to help us read with reading precision.

Monday, March 2

This morning students wrote in their journals about their weekend. Students visited the library and exchanged their books.  If you missed sending in the books, please send them in tomorrow and we'll find time to exchange them.  In math, students worked to solve some subtraction problems in their notebooks, as well as two word problems.
In the afternoon, we completed the new March calendar.  As part of the new calendar one of the language skills students are working on is to identify words as proper nouns and common nouns.  Please see picture below. After calendar, students continued to work on developing their vocabulary to describe water.  Vocabulary included "brûlant, rafraîchissant, piquante, douce, agréable, désagréable."  Ask your child if they can describe these words; I've just introduced them so it may take a few more times for students to use them correctly.  At the end of the day we visited AJ from Sound Kreations for our dance lesson.  We did not have a chance to do Math Monday, so we'll put it on the list for tomorrow.

Friday, February 28

This morning we made pictures for our Star of the Week and we had our second lockdown.  Room 8, did fantastic; quietly and patiently waiting. We are required to have two lockdowns/year. After our first snack, we used the works of the week in our journals.  Just a reminder, the March words are now in your child's red folder.  After recess, we did a science viscosity experiment.  We tested or "raced" 4 liquids down the cookie sheet.  We also timed each liquid as it raced down.  Our Star of the Week also shared some special items with us this morning.  Have a lovely weekend.

Thursday, February 27

Today after calendar, students visited Mme. Zdrill for their music class. In Math,  we corrected the next two word problems and students used the rest of the time to finish up their problem solving work.  We'll have a quiz next week on work problems and subtraction (another one so students have the opportunity to improve their subtraction mark).  In science, we talked a bit more about evaporation as well as learning vocabulary to describe water including as "buée, sale, claire, rosée, neige, glaçon, pluie, vapeur."  Our Star of the Week also shared her favourite book with us, see below.

In the afternoon, we finished off our science lesson from this morning and our Reading Buddies joined us.  At the end of the day, students had their PE class outside.  It was a beautiful day to be out.

Please remember to send in Home Reading books tomorrow for exchange, as well as red duotangs.  I'll also be placing the new words of the week for March into their duotangs. Thanks!

Wednesday, February 26

This morning we had a lesson about Pink Shirt Day and specifically the difference between unkind behaviour and bullying.  Ask your child if they can explain the difference.  In math, some students practiced their addition and subtraction skills by playing Math Monday games and others worked in a group with me to help gain a better understanding of subtraction.  In social studies, students drew some of the landmarks in our own  city.  In the afternoon, we talked about evaporation and joined M. Trevor for hockey.

Tuesday, February 25

Don't forget tomorrow is PINK Shirt Day, in recognition of anti-bullying.  Please wear pink, or as close to pink as you have.  We'll be talking more about Pink Shirt Day in class tomorrow.

Today students were placed into different groups to read their two Guided Reading books.  They did a much better job of listening to each other read then last week.  Well done Room 8.  After they had listened to friends read their books and read their own books to the group, students each made a journal entry about one of their two books. The journal entry included: title, author, words I liked, new words and my favourite part of the book.  Students had music with Mme. Zdrill and next they worked on reading comprehension activity.

In the afternoon, we played the Math Monday game.  It went much better then yesterday, however I'm still working with a small group of students to help them understand the "game."  I encourage you to play the Math Monday game with your child this week because it's quite challenging.  As I mentioned, subtraction is one of the most difficult concepts I teach in Grade 2.  Also coming home with the Math Monday game today, is you child's subtraction quiz.  The quiz is purposely divided into 2 parts-the first five questions are without borrowing and the last five are with borrowing.  We will continue to work on subtraction for the next couple of weeks, to help solidify students' understanding.  Please sign and return the quiz and send back tomorrow.  Students will have a chance to improve their mark, where possible, in the next two week because that's what teaching and learning is all about-having lots of chances to show what you know.

In science, we looked at 4 different types of liquids and the droplets they formed.  As your child about it!

Monday, February 24

This morning we reviewed our writing checklist and students wrote about their weekend.  Students are very good at checking off everything on the checklist but are still working towards going back to their work to see if they actually did what the checklist asks.  For example, the checklist asks if they have used capitals and students check "yes" but when I sit with them and ask where the capitals are they say they've forgotten.  Self-editing is a very difficult skill, and one that I have trouble with myself (as you may have noticed from errors in this Blog!).  I conferenced with every student this morning and set new goals with them on where they need to focus their attention.  We'll continue to work on this skill. 
In math, we continued with problem solving.  I did give students a quiz on subtraction last Friday, but I'm afraid I was out with the flu all weekend.  I'll correct it tonight and send it along to you tomorrow (Tues).  In social students, we spoke more about what Saskatoon looks like, as a city, and some of the first people to live there.  Students also had gym class, and in science we spoke about the importance of not wasting water.  Students played Math Monday, but really struggled with it.  I would like more time to play with students in class, so I'll practice again with students tomorrow and send it home at the end of the day.