Classroom Summary for September 8 - 12

Here's what we did this week...

Every morning as we get settled for the day, we do some math warm-ups using Xtramath. a web-based math fact practice program.  In case you have not tried it at home yet, it is a quick and simple way to practice math facts. Practicing daily both at school and at home will help build speed, accuracy and stamina in math. We also put pencil to paper and complete a "row" of math facts to make sure we are forming our numbers correctly and to give us an additional way of to maintain our math fact learning.



 In our official math "block" we began working in the grade two Envision math program. We started by reviewing the words join and sum. We practiced how to write a number sentence and continued our work with number sentences by working with joining story problems.  We will writing number sentences next week as we review subtracting and differences. We also had some exploration time with math materials this week. Here we are trying out a few of the available math tools we have to work with this year:

During literacy time this week we thought about, discussed and wrote about our hopes and dreams for the future. We then talked about what kinds of rules we might need in our classroom to help us achieve those hopes and dreams. Our class came up with 7 rules that we have agreed to abide by throughout the year. We will publish them next week as a poster and a copy of our rules will be sent home for everyone to have.

We also began reading from our annual subscription to Scholastic News, a children's newspaper/magazine that focuses on nonfiction reading skills. We talked about headlines, articles and photographs. We will continue to read from Scholastic News at various times throughout the year.

Another literacy activity we began this week was writing responses to literature. Miss Varrell read Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes and each student responded in writing about the beginning, middle or end of the story. We learned that sometimes we need to turn to a partner to tell what we want to say before we begin to write. :)

This week we also got a chance to meet Mrs. Ardizzoni, our new technology specialist. She helped us in the computer lab when we were taking our first iReady universal reading assessment. Mrs. Ardizzoni used to work at the Francis Wyman school so she is very familiar with all of the elementary school's technology initiatives and assessments. We will work with her again when we have our digital citizenship class with the new iPads. Please welcome her to Pine Glen when you come to visit at Open House night!

During science class we began learning about trees. We used our RAN (reading and analyzing nonfiction) chart to help show what we already know about trees and to collect new facts and new learning we acquire as we continue through our first science unit. Here are some books that we read this week about trees:

As our first full week concluded, we began to get more comfortable with our routines and expectations in class. Next week we will continue to improve our activity transitions, learning time behaviors and social skills. Miss Varrell is extremely proud of all our accomplishments this week!

F.Y.I.

• Thank you so much to all who sent in wipes and tissues! How did you know we always need them?! We greatly appreciate your generosity and kindness.
• Miss Govoni would like to remind all families that sneakers are a must for gym class. :)
• Math homework will begin this coming week. 
• This week book order forms will be sent home. This is a monthly opportunity to purchase books for your child through Scholastic, often at a discounted price. Please know that there is no obligation to purchase any books but that all purchases made help teachers accrue 'points' to be used to buy more books and materials for the classroom. 
• Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23.