April 30

This week we will discuss, read stories, and sing songs that help us explore how we can look at things in a different way!
Our spelling words this week have the "ou" spelling pattern! (Bennett)
We drew conclusions as we read the story Robby Rabbit. 
In math, we started to work on subtraction mental math strategies. (Alannah)
In writing workshop, we met with our writing partners to help us look for punctuation mistakes in our stories. (Joshua)
We planted our seeds this afternoon and we will record how they change as they grow! (Callie)
It was a great day!

Notes:
*Please click on the April's Weekly Newsletters tab above to see more about this week! (especially homework 😏)

April 27

This morning we took our spelling test.
We read about a tortoises life cycle in a new scholastic news! (Jonathan)
In math, we reviewed our mental math addition strategies. (Ozzy)
In writing workshop, we discussed ways we can be independent writers in class. (Zoe)
We ended the day in Hoot with our friends!
Have a great weekend!

Notes:
*Information about ordering yearbooks is going home today.
*Monday, April 30 is the last day to order books from Scholastic this year if interested.

April 26

We compared 2 versions of the beloved folktale The Little Red Hen. We identified how the hen solved her problem.
In math, we discussed a couple of "tricks" that can help us add mentally!
In writing workshop, we heard the story Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat to see how the author used details to help elaborate what was happening in her story. We are trying to do the same in our stories.
We compared and contrasted 4 different seeds that we will grow over the next few weeks!
It was a good day!

April 25

We read the story Digby Takes Charge and got to see how Digby solved his complicated problem with a clever solution!
Then we went to the Tech Lab. (Sandy)
In math, we started a new math unit on mental math! (Huck)
In writing workshop, we discussed how we could divide our stories into beginning, middle, and end chapters. (Jeffrey)
This afternoon we started our new science unit on living things or organisms! (Andrew)

Note:
Thanks to all that are sending in money for our Sara Smiles fundraiser! The students are so excited to see our jar fill up!

April 24

This morning we talked about the ending -le we sometimes see at the end of words. (candle, saddle...)
We read the story Tippy-Toe Chick Go and discussed the problem the characters had in the story.
In math, we took our test over addition and subtraction to 40!
In writing workshop, we worked on adding realistic details in our story to help our readers "picture" what is happening in our stories better.
We ended the day doing our last solids & liquids lesson with Mrs. Martorelli.
It was a great day!

Note:
Today you will find information about the tree seedling brought home. I hope you have fun planting it! All students were given trees for Earth Day!

April 23

This week we will read stories, sing songs, and discuss when we need to think up clever solutions to a problem!
Our new spelling words have an "ow" spelling pattern. (Bella)
We took our practice test in math. (Lia)
In writing workshop, we heard a couple of stories and identified them as non-fiction and fiction before writing our own stories. (Phin)
We went to Mrs. Martorelli's for another science lesson!
It was a great day back!

Notes:
*Please click on the April's Weekly Newsletters tab above to see more about this week (especially homework).
*We will be collecting money (coins & dollar bills) for the Sara Smiles Foundation. It is an amazing foundation that spreads positivity to pediatric cancer patients.

April 20

We read many stories today about the Earth.
We discussed some of our natural resources and endangered species.
We also talked about different ways we can help.
We went on a nature walk in our NPE garden and found some "treasures"!
In math, we played a game to review for our math test next week!
We ended the day watching the Lorax with our friends in Hootenanny!
Have a great weekend!

April 19

This morning we went to an assembly hosted by the Academy of Natural Sciences and got to see 3 real animals!
Then we went to the Tech Lab!
In math, we reviewed how to solve word problems and then did some Thinking Cap problems! (*see note below about homework change.)
In writing workshop, we started our reading benchmark test over our reading, spelling, & writing skills!
Then we watched a story called Recycle That!
We ended the day with Mrs. Martorelli!

Notes:
**I changed math homework for tonight since so many were out sick today. You will find a thinking cap page 83, 84 instead of our practice test. We did 4 problems like it in class today so it should be a good challenge! Our math test will now be next Tuesday!
**As I stated in my email sent out earlier this morning, many were out sick today. Strep, flu, and croup are currently going around our room. I am on antibiotics for tonsillitis. If your child has a cough that has lasted a few days, seeing a doctor is highly suggested given the number of our class sick. Thanks so much!
**Second grade will sell snacks again tomorrow. If interested snacks cost $1.
**Wear blue or white for Earth Day at NPE tomorrow!

April 16

This week we will read stories, sing songs, and discuss what treasures we can share with our neighbors!
Our spelling words end with the suffix -ly or -ful.
We read the story The Cat Chase and discussed the cause and effect events in the story!
In math, we learned some ways we can add 3 1-digit numbers together.
In writing workshop, we met with our partners before sharing a few of our fiction stories out loud!
We talked about the importance of recycling in our Scholastic News and then decorated a bag that we can use to collect trash in our neighborhoods!

Note:
Please click on the April's Weekly Newsletters tab above to see more about this week (especially homework)!

April 13

This morning we took our spelling test over compound words.
Then we went to the Tech Lab.
In math, we reviewed adding and subtracting double digit numbers!
We read 2 stories about the water cycle and identified the one that was a realistic fiction story like we are writing in writing workshop!
We started watching The Lorax at Hootenanny with our friends this afternoon!
Have a great weekend!

April 12

We reviewed our spelling skills today in our story Sue's Daydream. (compound words, ew/ui/ue sounds)
We also read about plants in our Scholastic News. (Mamdouh)
In math, we practiced subtraction with regrouping! (Corey)
In writing workshop, we read our stories with our partners and checked for any mistakes. (Andrew)
We ended our day with Mrs. Martorelli!

Note:
Tomorrow we are going to the Tech Lab. Please ask your child about their ear buds. There are a lot of kids without them now. Thanks so much!

April 11

We had a schedule change again today. (Joshua)
We reviewed how to write compound words correctly.
We also read the story called Peter's Grandma and saw how he communicated to her by writing an email message.
In math, we worked on subtraction with regrouping! (Ozzy)
In writing workshop, we talked about different ways we can get our characters to talk. (Jonathan)
We had another science lesson with Mrs. Martorelli. (Huck)

Note:
See our newsletter about math homework for tonight and tomorrow!

April 10

Our schedule changed today because the older kids were taking a test! (Bennett)
We read the story Peter's Chair and talked about some of Peter's treasures in his house. (Zoe)
In writing workshop, we are seeing if we can write our own series of stories about one of our characters! (Bella)
In math, we continued practicing subtracting large numbers without regrouping. (Sandy)
We ended the day going to Mrs. Martorelli's class for our first lesson on solids and gases!

April 9

This week we will read stories, sing songs, and discuss what treasures we may have at home!
Our spelling words are compound words!
We read the story The New Baby and discussed the theme of the story.
In math, we learned how to subtract double digits without regrouping.
In writing workshop, we talked about writing books in a series!
We ended the day talking about the water cycle!

*Please click on the April's Weekly Newsletters tab above to see more about this week!

April 6

This morning we took our "ie", "igh" spelling test.
We read a story called On the Way to the Ranch and reviewed features that can be found on a map.
We reviewed adjectives by describing a lost leprechaun!
In math, we went on an addition scavenger hunt! It was a fun way to practice double digit addition!
In writing workshop, we used our narrative checklists to see how we are writing our stories.
We ended the day singing in Hoot with our first grade friends!
It was a great day!

April 5

We read how important it is to eat good balanced meals in our Scholastic News.
In math, we continued practicing addition with regrouping! (Callie)
In writing workshop, we discussed how our spelling can impact how people are able to read our stories.
We also discussed how exercise helps our organs! (Hailey)
We ended the day writing about a way we can take better care of our bodies!

April 4

We read the story called A Southern Ranch and discussed reasons a ranch could be a special place. (Mamdouh)
We reviewed examples of adjectives and our  2 spelling features (ie and igh). 
In math, we learned how to add WITH regrouping! (Sky) *Remember to start in the ones place first!
In writing workshop, we discussed how we can help our characters in our stories get out of trouble. (Jeffrey)
We talked about our digestive system!
Then Mrs. DeSanctis came to our class and talked about ways we can make new friends!
It was a good day!

April 3

We read a story about a boy named Wilfrid Gordon and listened for some of our new vocabulary words used throughout the story!
We also learned about the consonant patterns "kn" and "wr". (Phin)
We ended our morning in the Tech Lab! (Lia)
In math, we continued practicing addition without regrouping! (Alannah) (Please stress the importance of starting in the ones place when adding these larger numbers together.)
In writing workshop, we discussed how having a positive attitude can improve our writing.
We ended the day talking about our lungs and heart! (Sandy)
It was a great day!

April 2

This week we will read stories, sing songs, and discuss why we can treasure special places.
Our spelling words have the patterns "ie" or "igh"! (Joshua)
We read the story Our Family's Thanksgiving and identified the details and facts in the story!
We started learning addition without regrouping in math! (Huck)
In writing workshop, we started our Realistic Fiction Narrative writing unit! (Hailey)
We ended the day talking about our brain! (Callie)

Note:
Click on the April's Weekly Newsletters tab above to see more about this week!