Thanksgiving

This week there will not be a spelling list or homework for the kids. I prefer that you spend time discussing your families traditions and taking a break. We have been working very hard in second grade. This afternoon we will be taking the science unit assessment. Their science notebooks will also be coming home. Please take a few minutes to look at them and review with your child. Tomorrow will be the last practice for the musical on Wednesday. Have a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving to all. Mrs. Goodyear

This week and next we are practicing for the second grade musical Thanksgiving and studying about the Pilgrims and their voyage on the Mayflower. Our musical is on Wednesday, November 24, 2009 at 9:30 am. The children are asked to wear a white top and black pants. Thank you for your cooperation!
All our work is themed around Thanksgiving. We are researching the Mayflower and the Pilgrims for a report.
In Science we will be finishing our insect unit with a Butterfly show on December 18th at 1:45-2:30 pm. Please join us! The children are looking for information both at home and at school in the library and computer lab. We will be writing and constructing our butterflies in school. We hope to see you at our spectacular show!

Language Arts

Guide for Observing Reading Behaviors

Behaviors to Notice -

Behaviors indicating independence:

§ gets started quickly

§ works continuously

§ makes attempt before requesting help

§ actively searches to solve problems

­Behaviors indicating processing:

§ rereads to confirm

§ rereads to search and self-correct

§ makes several attempts

§ uses information from pictures

§ uses language structure to predict and check

§ uses visual information

§ checks one cue against another

§ self-corrects most errors

§ notices mismatches

§ recognized many frequently encountered words quickly

§ makes predictions using more than one cue

§ reads with phrasing and fluency

Behaviors indicating a positive response to reading:

§ participates actively during story introduction and discussion

§ discovers connections between personal experience and story

§ participates with confidence and enthusiasm

Basic Outline of the Literacy Model of Instruction

Guided Reading – building comprehension and fluency with reading; exposing students to a wide range of literature daily:

§ vocabulary building

§ literature circle

§ oral/silent reading

§ application of pre-reading, reading and post reading strategies

Self-selected reading – building fluency and confidence in students as readers at their independent levels.

Spelling for writers - developing numerous strategies; develop ability to look at, listen to, and think about words and extend that learning into becoming fluent writers.

§ study words from inside out

§ understand where words come from and why they are spelled the way they are

§ transfer knowledge of word patterns into their writing

§ learn proofreading techniques that are applicable to all writing

Writing-The 6 Traits - designed to support the writing process by giving students a language for thinking about writing and by breaking the writing, revising and editing into small chunks using;

§ ideas

§ organization

§ voice

§ word choice

§ sentence fluency

§ conventions