Newsletters

December

Second Grade Newsletter

2015

It’s amazing how the year has gone by so fast and Christmas is almost here. We hope that you will find some time during the busy month ahead to enjoy some peace and family traditions during this holiday season.

¨December is a month filled with the sights, sounds and wonders of holidays, family time and remembrances. The past year is recalled even as we look forward to the next. As the days whirl past, take time to rest, reflect and read with your children. Focus on the present. Allow yourself to enjoy the moment.¨

Special Events:

Dec. 4^th:  Noon Dismissal. Presentation PK-2   at the LS playground 10:00 A.M.-11:30 A.M

Dec. 11^th:  Holiday Program 2:00 – 3:00 – Auditorium

Dec. 18^th: Noon Dismissal for all students. Class party and homemade present exchange.

Jan. 2^nd: Happy Birthday Fausto! 

Jan. 4^th: Return to School

PYP

Our children have had opportunities to reflect on our PYP Unit of Inquiry: Global Contributors. They have been able to show their understanding of the central idea at different levels.  They’ve been working on identifying problems in the world and finding solutions to these through actions plans created by them. Our students have been inspired by the different people who have come to our class to share their amazing contributions to the world. Our students have been learning about the different ways in which we can contribute. They have been inspired and empowered.

Children will continue working on elaborating and developing their actions plans. We will continue referring to this line of inquiry as appropriate during the school year in order to foster an enduring understanding.  We will appreciate if you continue to reinforce this at home, as well.

When we come back from our break, we will get started on our new PYP unit of inquiry: “Migration and Mapping”. Students will have plenty of opportunities to inquire into migrating, adapting, contributing, and change. 

Reader’s Workshop

During our Reader’s Workshop children work independently, as a whole-group or in small-group instruction. Children work towards personalized goals. 

During this month children will be working on reading strategies such as:

Comprehension (I understand what I read …)

·       Retell the story.

Accuracy (I can read the words …)

·       Cross checking

-          Do the pictures and /or words look right?

-          Does it sound right?

-          Does it make sense?

Fluency (I can read accurately, with expression, and understand what I read)

·       Voracious reading

·       Read appropriate level text that are a “Great Fit” (Just right books)

Expand Vocabulary (I know, find and use interesting words.)

·       Voracious reading

·       Tune into interesting words and use new vocabulary in my speaking and writing.

Encourage your child to practice these strategies at home.

Writer’s Workshop

This method of instruction focuses on the goal of fostering lifelong writers. It is based upon four principles: students will write about their own lives; they will use a consistent writing process; they will work in authentic ways; this will help them foster independence.

Informational Books:

·       Use writing to teach others all about their favorite topics.

·       Write information books with stamina, volume and independence. 

Children will continue working on:

·       Detailing

·       Using adjectives

·       Describing

·       Using transition words

·       Punctuation

·       Spelling

·       Contractions

Children will pick one of their informational books to edit and publish.

Math Workshop 

Unit 3: Stickers, Number Strings, and Story Problems.

-          Adding more than two numbers.

-          Adding and Subtracting

-          Counting by 2s, 5s and 10s

-          Place Value

November 

Second Grade Newsletter

Our second grade classes are off to a great start. We are settled into our classroom routines and children are learning more and more every day.  Our class is enjoying our new Unit of Inquiry: “Global Contributors”. Kids are super excited about learning about people who have contributed to the world in one way or another, and are very interested in how their actions have impacted and/or changed the world.  

A huge “THANK YOU” to our room parents, volunteer parents who contributed to our Costume Day event in many different ways and parents who joined us in our trick or treat walk.  It was a special day, our children and parents looked “spooktacular” in their costumes. The holiday season is upon us once again. The next two months are kind of choppy because of all the holidays, but we do squeeze in a lot of learning on the days that we are here.

Special Events:

Nov. 1^st – NO SCHOOL – All Saints Day  

Nov. 2^nd – NO SCHOOL - Cuenca Day  

Nov. 9^th – 13^th – Annual Book Fair  

Nov. 11^th – Happy Birthday Emma! 

-          Parent Workshop at 6PM – Annex Community Room – 3^rd floor. 

Nov. 13^th – NO SCHOOL - Parent Teacher Conferences 

Nov. 26^th – NOON DISMISSAL – Thanksgiving   

PYP

This month we started a new PYP unit of inquiry:  “Global Contributors”, under the PYP Transdisciplinary Theme: “Who We Are”.  This unit explores the central idea of “Individuals' actions can have an impact upon their local and global community.”  We will emphasize on the roles and actions that make a leader or a contributor; how individuals can have an impact in the world we live in and with people; contributors in the past and present; and the challenges in becoming a leader or contributor.   Please encourage your child to make connections with experiences at home and in the surrounding environment. Please refer to our November school calendar for special dates or events and mark your calendars so that you can plan accordingly.

Reader’s Workshop

During our Reader’s Workshop children work independently, as a whole-group or in small-group instruction. Children work towards personalized goals. 

During this month children will be working on reading strategies such as:

Comprehension (I understand what I read …)

·        Retell the story.

Accuracy (I can read the words …)

·        Cross checking

-          Do the pictures and /or words look right?

-          Does it sound right?

-          Does it make sense?

Fluency (I can read accurately, with expression, and understand what I read)

·        Voracious reading

·        Read appropriate level text that are a “Great Fit” (Just right books)

Expand Vocabulary (I know, find and use interesting words.)

·        Voracious reading

·        Tune into interesting words and use new vocabulary in my speaking and writing.

Encourage your child to practice these strategies at home.

Writer’s Workshop

This method of instruction focuses on the goal of fostering lifelong writers. It is based upon four principles: students will write about their own lives; they will use a consistent writing process; they will work in authentic ways; this will help them foster independence.

Children finished publishing their first book!  

This month of November is all about Informational Books.

Children will learn to:

·        Use writing to teach others all about their favorite topics.

·        Write information books with stamina, volume and independence.

Children will continue working on:

·        Detailing

·        Using adjectives

·        Describing

·        Using transition words

·        Punctuation

·        Spelling

·        Contractions

Math Workshop: 

In our second unit we will focus on: Shapes, Blocks, and Symmetry.

· Combining shapes to make a new shape.

· Covering a region, without gaps or overlaps, with a single shape or multiple shapes.

· Covering a region, without gaps or overlaps, using different shapes.

· Combining 3D shapes to make a 3d whole.

· Drawing 3D shapes

October 

Second Grade Newsletter

We had a rather smooth start with a fantastic group of children who have done an excellent job settling into the routine of school.  We also have an amazing group of parents with whom we’ll be working together over the course of the year. Thank you to all who came to our Back to School Night; it was a most welcome opportunity to get to know each other a little bit. Our PYP Transdisciplinary Theme: ¨How The World Works¨ has interested our children very much, especially extreme weather. They have been learning many new concepts and information about weather.

Many thanks to Veridiana Pinzan, Felipe’s mom for volunteering to be our class room parent this year. Veridiana is hosting a tea at her home on Wednesday, October 14^th to organize the events we’ll have this year.

This month of October has many fun activities lined up for us. Please keep this newsletter for future reference.

Special Events:

October 2^nd – Happy Birthday Jorge!  

October 4^th – Happy Birthday Maia!  

October 9^th – Independence of Guayaquil -  No school.   

October 14^th –  Room Parent’s Events Tea at Veridiana’s home (Felipe’s mom).   

October 23^rd – Professional Day for teachers – Noon dismissal for all students.  

October 24^th – Happy Birthday Isabella! 

Happy Birthday Nicolas V.! 

                                    PTO Community Brunch & Fun Run!   

October 30^th – Costume Day! More details coming soon. 

                                    Ecuadorian Emblem Day  

                                    Progress Reports sent home.  

PYP

During this time children have been learning about our PYP unit of inquiry:  “Weather”, under the PYP Transdisciplinary Theme: “How The World Works”.  The central idea in this unit of inquiry is: “Weather affects human action and human action affects weather.”

            Students have been exposed to plenty of opportunities to inquire into: types, changes and patterns in weather; tools and technology which help predict and record weather; severe or extreme weather conditions; climate change and personal responsibility - human action affecting weather and vs.

Through the different learning engagements proposed in class our children will have a fairly clear understanding of how weather affects human action and how human action affects weather.  We will be working on different kinds of activities and projects in order for our children to become more aware of our central idea in this unit.

Reader’s Workshop

During our Reader’s Workshop children work independently, as a whole-group or in small-group instruction. Children work towards personalized goals. 

During this month children have been working on reading strategies such as:

Making Connections:

·        Text to text

·        Text to self

·        Text to the world

Comprehension:

·        I understand what I read …

·        Back up and reread

·        Make a picture on mental image

·        Ask questions

Encourage your child to practice these strategies at home.

Writer’s Workshop

This method of instruction focuses on the goal of fostering lifelong writers. It is based upon four principles: students will write about their own lives; they will use a consistent writing process; they will work in authentic ways; this will help them foster independence.

Children are working on:

·        Detailing

·        Using adjectives

·        Describing

·        Using transition words

·        Beginning, Middle and End

·        Punctuation

·        Writing with intentions (sad, happy, exciting, funny, etc.)

Children will pick one of their small moment’s stories to revise, edit and publish.

Math Workshop

Unit 2: Shapes, Blocks, and Symmetry.

· Combining shapes to make a new shape.

· Covering a region, without gaps or overlaps, with a single shape or multiple shapes.

· Covering a region, without gaps or overlaps, using different shapes.

· Combining 3D shapes to make a 3d whole.

· Drawing 3D shapes