ROOM 2 NEWSLETTER
Classroom Update
Welcome 2011! What a wonderful sight to see
students return from break well rested, eager to catch
up with their peers, and ready to tackle quarter #3.
Language Arts was an all-time favorite the first week
back as students demonstrated their literary prowess
and understanding of folktales through creative tiger
narratives. After reading “9 in One, Grr, Grr,” a story
from our weekly anthology, students produced
marbleized tiger silhouettes using our Suminagashi
technique. They used their unique animal outlines to
jump-start their folktale drafts, further pushing their
creative aptitudes as they layered their tigers onto
watercolor jungle/savannah scenes. What students
loved the most was our “constructive criticism” session
at the end. Children openly shared their likes/dislikes
of one another’s stories and collages along with what
they thought could be done better with each creation.
In science, we began our dinosaur discoveries unit by
taking a trip back in time. After learning about fossils,
how they are formed and what they can tell us about
life on earth long ago, students each made a fossil and
cast of their own. Thank you, parents, for saving your
milk/juice cartons for the project. The “Oohs and
Aahs” as we removed the tile fossil casts from their clay
molds were priceless!
Week of 1/3-1/14/2011
Learning Forecast for 1/8-1/28/2011
Spelling- Week 1- Words with /u/ oo
Week 2- Words with Soft c and Soft g
Math- Exploring 2 Digit Subtraction, continued
Practicing 2 digit-subtraction with and without
regrouping to find the differences
Re-writing subtraction problems from horizontal to
vertical formats
Checking differences using the inverse operation of
addition
Estimating differences in 2-digit subtraction
Solving problems by using data from simple charts,
picture graphs and number sentences
Using mental math to find differences
Practicing 2-digit addition and subtraction
Language Arts- Charlie Anderson- Jan. 18-21
strategic reading (problem/solution, cause/effect,
using context clues, making predictions/ inferences
and summarizing)
vocab. and phonics (primarily based on weekly
spelling words), linking verbs, proper noun review,
antonyms and drawing conclusions
-Fernando’s Gifts- Jan 24-28
strategic reading (problem/solution, cause/effect,
using context clues, making predictions/inferences
and summarizing)
vocab. and phonics (primarily based on weekly
spelling words), antonyms cont., helping verbs
comparing and contrasting & reading a chart
Following in the same travel vein, students began
familiarizing themselves with the 50 U.S. states. Our
weekly reader story about quarters jump-started our
interest in the diversity of the states and geographic
regions, ranging from deserts to the Great Plains.
Students were assigned a state on which they will
become an “expert”. In the next few weeks, please
watch your mail box for a very special travel brochure
created and addressed to you by your son/daughter
regarding their chosen state and all that it has to offer.
Science- Dinosaur Tracking- researching and classifying
characteristics of student fossilized dinosaurs as
well as mapping where in the world their dino’s
remains have been discovered
In math, we continued to plug away at double digits,
using chants/poems to help better remember key steps
to solving subtraction problems in vertical formats.
Religion- See Elaine Miller for questions
Social Studies- The United States- continued Atlas
application and use of other sources to research
student states and create individualized travel
brochures