Bring on the money ….
Dear Families,
We are off to another week of exciting adventures. Just a few reminders, the trip to the Brooklyn Bridge has been rescheduled to June 5th, 2017 due to bussing issues. Please be aware of the change. We hope that you can still join us. We can only take a limited number of parents on the bus. If you are chosen to come on the bus you will be emailed directly. Anyone else is free to meet us at the bridge. Permission slips will be going home this week. Be on the lookout! Fidget Spinners are not allowed in the classroom. They are not being used for their intended purpose and are a major distraction in the classroom. If your child has it out it will be taken away from them and an email will be sent home.
In Writer’s Workshop we have begun our investigation into “Reviews”. We have started our unit off by thinking about, “What is a Review?” We are being immersed into many different kinds of reviews and noticing how a review is different than a story. Our students are making great connections to reviews and the real world. They are beginning to notice how reviews can help us in our everyday life. The end project for this unit will consist of writing a book review and a different type of review of their choice. Be sure to check in with your student and see what they have discovered about reviews so far!
In Reader’s workshop, we are continuing to deepen our understandings of texts. We are continuously working on make deeper connections when reading. As we are approaching the end of the year the students are focusing on how they are making inferences while reading. This is something that will need to be practiced over the summer to keep our readers strong for the upcoming school year.
In Math, we are advancing our understanding of equivalence and exchange by playing money games. The first game is a version of “Twenty Questions” that you can easily play at home. In this version, tell your child how much money you have in your pocket (ex. 50¢). Then your child asks yes or no questions to determine the coins you have. The students have been able to guess my coins in less than 10 questions! We are also playing a game in class called “Piggy Bank”. Partners collect set amounts of coins, and compare to see who has more money in their piggy bank. One goal is for students to know who has more by reasoning with the coins and finding equivalences instead of needing to count up both amounts. For example, 1 quarter and 2 pennies < 2 dimes, 2 nickels, and 2 pennies. We can prove this by showing the equivalence of 2 dimes and 1 nickel to 1 quarter. Then we are left with a net difference of 5¢.
In Social Studies, we are busy preparing for the Post Office. Last week we had a wonderful visit from a Postal employee, Mr. Ronald Don. He shared information about the Post Office, and told us about the food drive currently going on. If you would like to contribute, please send in canned goods through Friday. Please note that next Wednesday is Family Math Games night. We will have a Post Office table set up outside the money room. Bring your second graders to help sell! Come buy supplies so that you can send a letter through the mail! We hope to see you there.
We have so many exciting things planned in the upcoming weeks, we can’t wait to keep you posted on all of it!
Ms. Mathis and Ms. Anne