Hillbrook 2nd Grade Blog

In math we have been spending time focusing on place value.
The students learned vocabulary words like digit, word form, standard form and expanded form. They practiced ordering from least to greatest, as well as identifying ones, tens, hundreds and thousands place values in numbers.

Beginning with identifying digits and place values supports students as they move into larger numbers and numbers with decimals.  Being able to identify numbers written as numerals, words, and expanded form helps students to see that five hundred is different than fifty or five, and the value of the digit is dependent on the place it holds in a number.  Using these skills, students have a deeper foundation when it comes to adding multi-digit equations. 

In addition to place value we have also been exploring and naming different addition strategies. Some of the strategies students have examined include: Turn Around Facts, Doubles, Tens Partners. The complete list can be found in the attached photo. 

Students are becoming much more fluent and flexible with their addition facts, which frees up thinking space for more complex mathematical work. We appreciate all of the time and effort required to support this growth at home.

If you are looking for ways to practice addition and subtraction facts with your second graders, here are a few fun ideas:

1. Roll two dice and add them together. (You can increase the difficulty by adding more than two dice or by using dice with more than 6 sides!)
2. Play Yahtzee
3. Play the card game War and add the two cards together
4. Hold two cards, show only one card to your student, but also tell them the sum of the two numbers. Have them figure out the other card.
5. Show a flash card (for example: 4+7) and then do that many of a certain type of exercise. So in this case, 11 pushups/jumping jacks, high knees, etc. Repeat for different facts and exercises. Wear them out AND learn facts! Double win!
6. Point out when you see a fact in use in your daily life and ask your second grader to help you solve it. For example, if you order something from Amazon on Dec. 5 and it says it will be delivered in 7-9 days. What day could it arrive?

What works best for your family to practice addition facts? We would love to hear your ideas!

The second grade students have launched head first into a new unit of study in reading: nonfiction!

The first part of the unit students focused on different text features found in nonfiction texts.

To name a few: titles, bold words, diagrams, photos, and captions. Students read many different kinds of nonfiction texts and noticed how they often looked differently than the fiction texts they read. They pointed out the different features, named them, and discussed the authors purpose for including them.

Next the students made their own short informational book to teach others about nonfiction text features!

Looking at other published texts as a guide, students chose different features from our list to highlight and made a different page for each feature, combining them all into a short book.

Students will continue their reading study of nonfiction texts by making connections to what they read and thinking more deeply about how it helps them understand more completely.

They will also notice when they learn new information from their reading and how it connects to what they already know about the topic.

In addition to further developing their nonfiction reading strategies, students have begun to think about topics they are specialists on and could teach someone else about. This will guide their informational writing.

What have second graders been doing?

Second graders have been writing a narrative story focused on a memory with a special person. The process started with brainstorming ideas. Writers then told their stories across their fingers to make sure there were enough details to create an interesting narrative. After a few days of writing a first draft, many writers were surprised to find out that…

 

If your first draft is done, you as writers have just begun!

The revision process is where the real work begins. Stories become really “juicy” as we add details and other craft skills. Students were modeled good story writing by sharing many books including Stellaluna – a favorite of ours by Janell Cannon. As we were reading, writers were able to identify what the author did to make this such an amazing book. Our list included:

• painting a picture using words

• substituting boring words with snazzy synonyms

• including dialogue

• using word repetition

• adding a dash of humor

• exploring similes (the bat’s wings were as limp as wet paper)

• trying to include sound effects

• trying out different action words

  Before each writing period, each student choose one of the craft skills to polish up in their book. Writers will be completing the revision process this week and will spend a few days editing their stories next week. Students will be handwriting the first three pages of their books and we will print the other pages out for you to see during Parent Teacher Conferences starting next Friday!

  During our publishing party, second graders are able to share their final drafts with other grades. It is an earned celebration for the dedicated work second graders have devoted in creating a published story!

2nd Graders Are Spellers!

Mastering spelling is difficult for English speakers! We teach phonics rules and children quickly learn that there are many exceptions to the rule! Memorizing rules is a way to apply patterns when learning to spell new words.

This week, students used books to collect words that contained the /k/ sound. We worked as a class to sort the words into the categories: “c”, “k”, and “ck.”

The general rules we came up with include:

Use “c” before an: a, o, u, l or r.

Use “k” before an: “e” or “i”.

Use “ck” at the end of syllables or words – never at the beginning of a word.

When your child is writing at home, you can encourage them to use the phonics rules learned in class as one strategy for correct spelling of words. In addition to the “k” sound, 2nd graders have reviewed the spelling of digraphs (2 letters that make 1 sound): sh, ch, wh, th, and ph. We also reviewed the spelling of short vowel sounds: “a” as in apple, “e” as in Ed, “i” as in itch, “o” as in octopus and “u” as in up.

Students have also learned that many words are not spelled the way they sound. We call these Trick Words and have been practicing at least 3 new words a week. These are posted in the classroom because they are frequently spelled words in 2nd grade. We recommend that you and your child keep a list near their desk at home. We will continue to post the new Trick Words in each blog posting. You can access the list here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GUQbF2ZRubpO8Oxi8ancBvdsqcn-UctQf_xCnFG6lTU/edit

Happy spelling!

 

In just 5 short weeks the second grade students have participated in a variety of service learning experiences, both in the classroom and off campus.

1. On September 11 Hillbrook School as a whole participated in a Day of Service. The second grade students partnered with their 8th grade buddies to make blankets for Project Linus. We began our experience by reading aloud the book, Owen by Kevin Henkes. In the story, the main character, Owen, has a special blanket that helps comfort him wherever he goes. Our mission during this experience was to make 22 blankets for the families at the SJ Family Shelter and offer a bit of comfort during the difficult time in their lives. Parent volunteers helped to gather and prepare materials for the project. Students in both grade levels, as well as some faculty and staff volunteers, then came together and tied knots on the blankets to complete them. Together there were many meaningful conversations about where these blankets were heading, a special “blankie” or “lovey” that helped our students through difficult times, homeless people they had seen, and many more. By the end of the 45 minute period, everyone had improved their ability to tie knots, as well as having had the experience of helping someone by making blankets. A few students were so engaged that they even gave up their recess to continue to tie knots in blankets and construct a plan for how they could make more blankets in the future.
2. That Friday, September 15th, Mr. D. visited the second grade and shared with the students his organization which collects meals every weekend and delivers them to people in need. One of those locations is the SJ Family Shelter, the same place we donated the blankets the students made with their 8th grade buddies. The students were interested in where the meals come from, how he delivers them, what kind of foods he delivers, and much more.

   

   During his presentation, he shared a video of a director from one of the donation sites, that thanked a few of the students for their donation of toiletries they collected during a project in first grade. This prompted more students to be interested in bringing in spare toiletries they had at their house. Our collection is already growing rapidly! We plan to donate these to the SJ Family Shelter at the end of the year.

3. We read another book in class called The Teddy Bear by David McPhail. In this story the main character has ateddy bear that is very special to him and he brings everywhere. It becomes lost one day while his family is at a restaurant and a homeless man ends up adopting it and finding comfort it in. Students shared their experiences with losing a favorite stuffed animal, as well as feelings of sadness for the homeless man who finds it.
4. This week students had the opportunity to visit the SJ Family Shelter and personally deliver the blankets they made a few weeks before. It was a really powerful experience to see the facility.

   

   Students saw the area where residents can get clothes, eat their meals, study and read, and a room that a family may live

   

   They learned that residents can only stay for 90 days and that a case worker will help a family to find a new home and a job during that time. While we were there the students placed a couple of blankets on the beds of a resident who was moving in shortly. The students also shared that we were collecting toiletries. Visiting the shelter helped connect the collection and blanket project to reality. The director shared that their greatest needs are toiletries, new pillows, sheets and blankets, and picture and board books. The students were so excited to share they they could look at home to see what they could donate! When we got back to campus we talked about the experience and what the students learned or what surprised them. Many were surprised that the

   

   rooms for the families were so small and wondered how people could have jobs and/or cars and still become homeless. They shared that they were glad that residents could get breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in the dining area. Many students shared that they wanted to help out more.

   

5.  in.

In just 5 weeks, it has been an incredibly powerful start to our service learning in 2nd grade!