Sept.8th, 2015 week with Ms. Selimos

Hello Parents and Students,

We have enjoyed a wonderful second week of Grade 2 with your children!

The math word of the week was ATTRIBUTE.  Ask your child to explain different attributes of patterning (colour, shape, size, direction).  We explored attributes this week using pattern blocks (triangles, squares, trapezoids, parallelograms). The children created patterns using 2 attributes AT ONCE.  Example:  size and color. . . big red square, little black square. . . The children had to explain their pattern rule for each increasing pattern.

We also began our very first PWIM POSTER.  PWIM = Picture Word Inductive Model.  The PWIM poster this month is of a classroom. We played our first sorting game on Friday.  See the photos.  For Social Studies we continued to brainstorm about BELONGING.  How do we belong in the classroom?  How can I help others feel like they belong? How can my teacher help me to feel like I belong? 

Academically, we will be administering Fountas and Pinnell; F&P (Reading Testing for Gr. 2) with your children after Sept. 21st to see what his/her present reading level is.  The F& P is based on fluency, word attack skills and comprehension. 

DNA (Diagnostic Numeracy Assessment) math testing is presently occurring.   We finished administering DNA Part 1 earlier this week.  The purpose of this first task is to check to see if your child understands the idea of balance and things that are equal.  I am continuing with DNA testing Part 2 next, which involves understanding of addition and the strategies your child uses. EXAMPLES:   Does your child use fingers to count?  Does your child bridge numbers to ten?  Does your child know his/her doubles (6+6)?  Does your child know his/her facts automatically?  Can your child count by 5s? 10s?  See Photo DNA; a sample of DNA Math Testing (Diagnostic Numeracy Assessment).

The children enjoyed their first week of Core French lessons with Mme. Selimos.  Ask your child to share about the “Bonjour Song” and “Alphabet Song”. We reviewed colors and counting from 1 to 20.   We played a traffic light action game and reviewed our numbers to twenty playing Number Twister. Some weather words and greetings were also introduced. Here is an alphabet site:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LYy3P2okyw   Here is a number site for numbers to 10:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsc3qLMaCu8 Here is a site for numbers to 20:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsEz58BblMY

On Friday at 2:30, we assembled our paper mache turkeys with our Grade 4 Learning Buddies, in preparation for next week’s fun paper mache extravaganza.  The boys and girls are super excited for next Tuesday afternoon’s messy fun!  Thank you to the grandmas and moms who have emailed that they are helping us next week with this project.

Some friendly reminders:

1. Tuesday the 15^th will be the first Spelling Test for your child.  Please practice words with them.  A wonderful site to use is https://www.spellingcity.com where you can actually plug in the words of the week and do a number of activities.

2.   We will be maaking PAPER MACHE TURKEYS on Tuesday afternoon with our Grade 4 Learning Buddies.  Please dress your child in short sleeved shirts, no jewelry and long hair tied up.  It is a fun, messy art activity.         

3.  Cross Country Club practice #3 will be in “bowl” on Tuesday at 8:30 for Gr. 3 to 8 signed up .

                                     

4.  Ms. Selimos & Miss Dundas are away at INTERNSHIP SEMINAR = Wed. 16^th to 18^th.  A Guest Teacher will be in the classroom.  

           

5.  We hope to meet you on Thursday the 17^th at the OPEN HOUSE:  5:30 to 6:30 p.m.           BBQ:  6 to 7 p.m.               

6.  Fri. 18^th (Day 3)     Return PICTURE FORMS by today please.         

Have a GREAT weekend!  Go Riders!

Ms. Selimos, Mrs. Daniels, Miss Dundas