Is it spring yet?

Another day, another snow storm!  Please email with any questions about Blizzard Bag work and thank you for a great participation rate!

Spirit Week Update:
Winter Carnival will be Thursday, not Friday, due to anticipated rain.  The updated schedule for theme days is:
Wednesday: Blue and Gold Day
Thursday: Winter Carnival (outside)
Friday: Crazy Hat and Hair Day

To learn more about what your second grader has been up to ask about:
*making Valentine's Day bags
*their Winter Carnival Base Group time yesterday
*the story Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch
*adding three 2-digit numbers (for example 23+61+37)
*the chapter book we're reading, Matilda
(they are loving it and many want to read more Roald Dahl books)

If you're looking for more learning ideas for your child at home, you might use Study Island.  This is an online learning site we use in class and it's been a hit!

Spirit Week Theme Days

Next week is Spirit Week at Simonds School!  Winter Carnival will be held on Friday before vacation.  Here are the theme days!

Monday - Caribbean Day

Tuesday - Sports Day 

Wednesday - Blue & Gold Day

Thursday - Crazy Hat and Hair Day

Friday- Winter Carnival 

Happy Blizzard Bag Day!

I hope you and your second grader enjoy today's snow and Blizzard Bag Day!  I am available through email if you have any questions or concerns. :)

This week our class has been thrilled to use a new iPad app called Popplet!  Students have chosen a topic to research (bobsledding, dolphins, computers, the earth, etc.) and they are using Popplet to create a "mind-map" of the information they learn.  See an example from Popplet's website below.  Students will then use this visual to write a non-fiction book about their topic.  In the future we'll also being making mind-maps about different types of maps during social studies!  Popplet is a free app if you're interested in checking it out with your child at home!

We will celebrate Valentine's Day on our next day back at school by exchanging cards and making more cards with craft materials.  We'll also read some Valentine's Day books and do math activities related to the holiday!  

In other learning this week, we've been focusing on how to use map symbols, keys, and legends in social studies.  Ask your child to share about their map book they made by matching map keys with the appropriate map!  

In math, I've started to assess skills using coins and dollars to prepare for an upcoming unit on money.  In small math groups, your child will be working on money skills based on their individual needs.  Some students will begin by reviewing coin names and values, other may be adding like coins (all dimes or all nickels for example), and some will be adding mixed coins and dollar bills.  I'll post some fun money practice ideas for home once we begin the unit!

Optional Extra Home Activities

READING
Read Robot Fun and answer the questions.
Read 5 poems or more. Which one was your favorite?
Find out what it would be like to be president. Check out theScholastic website.
Pick a character from a book you are reading. Do you think they would make a good president? Why or why not?
Read part of the Presidential Oath. What is important about this promise? Use the attached sheet A President’s Promise.
Can you find a current event this week that has to do with President Obama? Write down what is happening and where you learned about it (from the radio, T.V., internet, or newspaper).
Learn about the Culture of China 100 years ago and fill out theculture page.
Learn more about Groundhog Day. There is a word search, online coloring page and history.
It is dental health month. Put the teeth words in ABC Order.
Play some Valentines Day games.
MATH 
Complete the Rearranging digit page to make big and small numbers.
Toss a coin 100 times and chart your results.
How old does the president have to be? Use the Age of a President sheet to solve some math problems about their age.
WRITING
Make up a story about the groundhog and his shadow.
Make a list of things your parents or teachers have told you 100 times.
What are some traditions and activities that we do in February?  Think of Valentine’s Day, Groundhog Day, the 100th Day and winter and school activities.
Complete the If I had 100 page.
Imagine that you are the president of the U.S.A. Write down one law you would pass to make America a better place.
MUSIC
If you were president and the country voted for a new national anthem, what would you want the song to say? How would it go?
Make a song about snow.
ART
Create an invention (picture) that would help with the snow- either cleaning it up or playing in it. Explain how it would work.
Create a special valentine to give to an adult in school.
We are celebrating the 100th Day of School! Create an art project using 100 pieces of something.
Draw a portrait of one of the presidents of the U.S.A. Check out examples on the Scholastic website.
GYM
President Obama loves to play basketball with his friends at the White House. If you were President, what sport would you have everyone play in the White House? If you can, play this sport this week!
Do 100 of your choice: Skip, jumping jacks, push ups, toe touches, or hops, etc.!

News from our 101st Day of School!

February is a busy month with the 100th day of school, Valentine's Day, and vacation coming up.  We celebrated the 100th day of the school year on Friday by making a book about 100, 100th day math activities, and doing 100 exercises!  Ask your second grader to share their favorite part of the day!

In math, we started using an online learning site called Study Island to review and practice math skills.  We will begin to use the site regularly and it's accessible from home if you're interested in having your child go on it.  Your child should know their user name and password.  :)

In social studies we are learning how to read and use maps.  In this unit your child will learn about the compass rose, map symbols, keys/legends, and different types and purposes of maps.  As we read a book called Me on the Map, we looked at Google Maps to see our school, neighborhoods, state, country, and earth.  Our class was eager to explore Google Maps more and each child will use an iPod this week to check it out more!

Also coming up this week, we'll celebrate Valentine's Day on Friday.  If you are interested in donating Valentine's art materials (stickers, doilies, etc.) we'll use them to make more cards.