Writing: This week in writing we are making a special surprise for you!! We won't give away any details but hopefully you'll like it a lot.

Reading:
We are finishing up media literacy this week by looking at different types of media and deciding its purpose. We will also look at advertisements and decide what makes them successful or not.

Math:
Math this week is a review with some holiday themed math stations. We will review two digit addition and subtraction, geometry, money, and place value.

Science:
We're wrapping up natural resources this week as we look around our school for natural resources and man-made resources and the purpose of each.

Reminders:
Holiday Party- December 15th, 1:30 pm
Winter Break: December 16th through January 2nd.
School resumes on January 3rd.

From Mr. Touchet:

Science Fair Entry deadline has passed! If you were unable to get your child entered, please contact Mr. Touchet at stephen_touchet@roundrockisd.org for assistance. 

We will be sending a confirmation email for all received Science Fair submissions by Sunday. If you entered your child in the Science Fair but do not receive an email, contact Mr. Touchet at stephen_touchet@roundrockisd.org for assistance.

December 5-9

Writing:
"You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch!" We're helping the Grinch get into the holiday spirit this week by giving him some holiday cheer! We will write him a letter with some advice on how to make his heart grow. We will tell him about our favorite holiday traditions and hopefully he can turn his frown upside down. We will practice what we've learned about letter writing, correct capital letters and punctuation, and interesting details in sentences.

Reading:
A few weeks ago we learned about why authors write different books. This week we're applying what we learned to media. We will look at different types of media and think about the purpose behind it. Is it trying to inform us of something, entertain us, or persuade us to buy their product? We will also design our own cereal box as a way of practicing advertising.

Math:
We're wrapping up money this week with some more practice, games, and an assessment. At the end of the week, we will spend some time reviewing some other skills we've learned like 2 digit addition and subtraction, geometry, place value, and word problems.

Science:
We're looking carefully at rocks this week. We will learn different ways of describing rocks using the sentence stem, "I observe..." We will also practice making scientific drawings by looking at all four corners of a rock very carefully using a magnifying glass.

Reminders:
International Festival: Thursday, November 8th.
Last day of school: Thursday, December 15

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Chess Club: 

The Caraway Chess Club will host a Chess Puzzle Competition this coming Monday, December 5, at 6:00pm in the Cafeteria. All Caraway students are welcome, as long as they are familiar with Chess, Chess Puzzles, and Chess Notation.  Students interested in participating in the Caraway Chess Puzzle Competition must arrive by 5:55pm. All chess puzzles will be solved on paper, not actual chessboards. The Competition will determine the Chess Puzzle Champion for each grade level (K-5). In addition, the top three students each from grades 2-5 may qualify to participate in the RRISD UIL A Plus Chess Puzzle Competition in January.

November 28-December 2

Writing:
This week we are continuing to work on the difference between fiction and non-fiction and students will get to choose what they want to write. While writing, we will work on using capital letters, correct punctuation as well as exciting beginnings and endings. Gone are the days of "Once upon a time," and "The End!" We will use our words to show that the story has begun and ended in a different way.

Reading:
We are focusing on one of my very favorite authors this week: Leo Lionni! W will read a variety of his books and finds similarities and differences between them. We will look at characters, settings, themes, and the main idea. This would be a great week to check out some Leo Lionni books to read at home so you don't miss the fun!

Math:
It's all about the money this week as we focus on identifying and counting collections of coins. We will know how much each coin is worth and be able to identify it by the front and back. We will also learn the difference between the cent sign and the dollar sign and be able to label a collection of coins using both. We will also practice making change using the fewest coins possible so we don't have 56 pennies jingling around in our pockets!

Help your child at home: dig out your old change mug and give your child a pile of coins to count. Maybe they can receive a certain amount for helping around the house. Or let them count the change at the grocery store. We only have plastic coins at school so any practice with real change would be extremely helpful!

Science:
We're engineers this week as we have a problem to solve for a friendly community of gnomes. The poor gnomes have to walk around the lake every day to get to the market when it would be so much faster if there were a bridge! That's where we come in- we're designing and building a bridge. We will first look at different famous bridges and look at what successful bridges have. Then we will plan our bridge and build it later in the week. Then we will see if the gnomes can successfully cross our bridge without it collapsing!

Reminders:
International Festival- December 8th

November 28-December 2

Writing:
This week we are continuing to work on the difference between fiction and non-fiction and students will get to choose what they want to write. While writing, we will work on using capital letters, correct punctuation as well as exciting beginnings and endings. Gone are the days of "Once upon a time," and "The End!" We will use our words to show that the story has begun and ended in a different way.

Reading:
We are focusing on one of my very favorite authors this week: Leo Lionni! W will read a variety of his books and finds similarities and differences between them. We will look at characters, settings, themes, and the main idea. This would be a great week to check out some Leo Lionni books to read at home so you don't miss the fun!

Math:
It's all about the money this week as we focus on identifying and counting collections of coins. We will know how much each coin is worth and be able to identify it by the front and back. We will also learn the difference between the cent sign and the dollar sign and be able to label a collection of coins using both. We will also practice making change using the fewest coins possible so we don't have 56 pennies jingling around in our pockets!

Help your child at home: dig out your old change mug and give your child a pile of coins to count. Maybe they can receive a certain amount for helping around the house. Or let them count the change at the grocery store. We only have plastic coins at school so any practice with real change would be extremely helpful!

Science:
We're engineers this week as we have a problem to solve for a friendly community of gnomes. The poor gnomes have to walk around the lake every day to get to the market when it would be so much faster if there were a bridge! That's where we come in- we're designing and building a bridge. We will first look at different famous bridges and look at what successful bridges have. Then we will plan our bridge and build it later in the week. Then we will see if the gnomes can successfully cross our bridge without it collapsing!

Reminders:
International Festival- December 8th

November 14-18

Writing and Reading:
We're combining writing and reading this week to focus on the book "Turk and Runt." We will read the book and answer some comprehension questions. We will also write a letter to one of the characters with advice for next year. Adverbs and adjectives will be our grammar focus as we work on distinguishing between the two as well as using them both in our writing. We will also work on making inferences as we take clues the author gave us and figure out what she is trying to say. It's going to be a great, turkey-filled week!

Math:
Math is three dimensional this week as we learn about 3D shapes. We will work on identifying different shapes along with the amount of faces, edges, and vertices each shape has. We will find real-world examples of the shapes and play a fun game based on the game Headbandz. We will also work on partitioning shapes into rows and columns. We will assess everything we've learned on Friday.

Science:
This week we are working on force and motion as we look at different ways objects can move. We will go over the terms push and pull and what each will do to an object. We will also decide if shapes can roll, slide or spin.

Reminders:
No school November 21-25: Thanksgiving Holiday

November 7-11

Here's what is going on in second grade this week: 

Writing:
We are going to continue to write our nonfiction books that include text features such as a table of contents and captions.  We will also discuss the difference between fiction and nonfiction writing and what the author's purpose is for writing it.  We will conference about our writing and work on the goals we set for ourselves.   We are great authors! 

Reading:
Our book clubs are running strong and we are really enjoying them.  We will work on different skills with each book while continuing to focus on fluency and comprehension.  We will focus on locating examples and reasons why the chapters are either nonfiction or fiction.  


Math:
We will begin Geometry this week!  2 dimensional figures will be the place we begin.  We will locate the vertices and sides of shapes- up to 12 sided figures.  We will do some fun activities with building shapes and constructing shapes in more than one way.

Science:
We will jump back into science this week.  Types of energy such as light, heat, and sound will be the focus.  We will do some fun experiments to learn about each of these types of energy such as popping popcorn and playing with instruments.  


Social Studies:
Starbursts won our class election and this week we're wrapping up elections with the mock election in the library. Caraway students will anonymously vote for president and we will see if the Caraway vote matches what happens on Tuesday!

Reminders: 
Library day is Friday- send in books

October 31-November 4

Here's what going on in second grade this week!

Monday is Halloween and we're celebrating all day. We're dressing up a pumpkin and working using detailed language to describe his costume. We will practicing alphabetizing some Halloween-themed words. We're working on figuring out the difference between nouns, verbs, and adjectives with a Halloween mad-lib. For math, we're solving some spooky problems. We're also working on creative and critical thinking as well as teamwork with some Halloween-themed STEM challenges. It's going to be a great day!

For the rest of the week, we're back to normal and finishing up some things from the previous week. We're continuing our all-about books and thinking about the different text features we can include in our books. We will work on using our neatest handwriting and adding interesting details to teach our reader about our topic.

In math, we are finishing our addition and subtraction strategies. We will combine addition and subtraction and practice using the other operation to check our work. Toward the end of the week, we will review everything we've learned and assess on Friday.

In social studies, we're continuing the candy bar elections. We will elect the candidate for both parties and campaign for our favorite candidate by coming up with a poster and slogan. We will write a campaign speech to convince others why our candidate is the best. Finally, the final vote will be toward the end of the week where we will see who is the new candy bar president!

Question of the week: What president won the election by the most votes? What election was the closest?

Reminders:
Monday, October 31st- Halloween, no costumes please!


 

October 24-28

Hello everyone, here's what going this week.

Writing:
This week we are showing that we are an expert in something and writing a book to tell all about it. Students will be responsible for picking a topic and choosing some different ways to show, display, and write about their topic. Then we will share our "All About Books" and help someone else become an expert in our topic!

Reading:
This week we are looking at text features of non-fiction books and the purpose they serve. What does a heading tell us? What can we learn from a caption? Where is the index located and what does it tell us? All of these questions will be answered this week as we dive into non-fiction books. This week at home, choose some non-fiction books to read with your child and see if they can find some of these different text features.

Math:
We are starting subtraction this week. We will learn a few different strategies, such as splitting the smaller number into expanded form and subtracting in pieces as well as using addition and a number line to solve a subtraction problem. Toward the end of the week, we will learn how to regroup in subtraction. This week will be filled with practice problems, word problems and games to help us learn!

Social Studies:
With the presidential election coming up, we are learning about some different presidents and the election process. We will also participate in our own mock election, the Candy Bar Elections! Students will have a chance to pick a party- chocolate or fruity, vote in a primary, campaign for the candidate, and eventually vote in the election for the favorite candy bar of the class.

Question of the week: Research a former president- not a current candidate! And write down 5 facts about him.

Reminders:
Red Ribbon Week: a week celebrating our healthy lives by pledging to stay drug and alcohol free!
Monday: wear red
Tuesday: super hero shirts
Wednesday: wear a hat
Thursday: crazy socks
Friday: wear pajamas to school- make sure you have regular shoes for PE and recess!

Early Release Day- October 26- school ends at 12:00

Here are a few pictures from the fields trip:

October 17-21

Thanks for all the pictures of the secret missions! We loved sharing our good deeds today!

Writing and Reading:
Writing and reading are completely batty this week as we write our own version of the popular Diary series by Doreen Cronin! We will use books and online resources to research bat facts and use them write a diary entry from the perspective of a bat. We will edit and revise with a partner before writing a final copy. Come check them out on the bulletin board toward the end of the week.

Math:
We got a bit behind this week with OLSAT testing, so we're continuing to learn addition strategies. This week we are focusing on regrouping and learning what it means when we end up with more than 9 in the ones place. We will practice with pictures, games, and word problems. We say the rhyme "10 or more, carry next door, 9 or less, let it rest," to help us remember when to regroup.

Social Studies:
This week we are focusing on several community member that have contributed to our society. We will learn their story and how they were good citizens. We will practice our researching skills to learn interesting facts about these people and take notes on what we find.

Research question of the week: Who was Cleopatra?

Reminders:
Field Trip- October 19th- bring a sack lunch and wear tennis shoes
Early Release- October 26th.

October 11-14

Writing:
This week we are taking what we've learned about the writing process and using it to write a letter to a veteran. We're learning about Veteran's Day early so our letters are ready to send by the time the day arrives. We will make a plan, write a rough draft, revise and edit using a checklist, and make a final copy.

If you or anyone you know is a veteran, we'd love to hear your story. Please let me know if you'd be willing to come speak to the class!

Reading:
We are learning about main idea. We will read several stories and practice finding the main idea and the details that support it. While your child is reading at home, see if they can pick out the main idea of the story!

Math:
Addition strategies continue this week as we learn about adding using a number line. We will practice counting by bigger leaps than one to make the adding process easier. We will also start learning how to regroup using the traditional algorithm. We are learning these different strategies in hopes that students find one or more they really like, so we really appreciate you not forcing your child to only use the regrouping algorithm!

Social Studies:
We are focusing on being good citizens this week and what that means for our community. We will also learn about some important community members and how they contributed to our society.

Your child's homework this week will be related to this topic. They will have several secret missions to complete to help them become a good citizen. The assignment will come home in the Tuesday folder. I'm looking forward to seeing what they come up with!

Question of the week: where is the world's tallest lighthouse? How tall is it?

Reminders:
No school on Monday: see you for your conference time!

Turn in field trip form if you haven't yet.

OLSAT test on Tuesday and Thursday

Library on Friday: send books back to school.

September 19-23

Hello everyone,

Here's what is happening in second grade next week.

Writing:
Arrrrgh matey! Shiver Me Timbers, it's Talk Like A Pirate Day! Our writing is pirate themed this week as we focus on complete sentences, correct punctuation, and capital letters. We will also use our imagination to write a story about what might happen if we were a pirate.

Reading:
This week we are digging into Kevin Henkes' books. We will be reading Sheila Rae The Brave and Chester's Way as well as a non-fiction passage on Kevin Henkes. We will be comparing stories and checking for comprehension.

Math:
We are working on comparing and ordering numbers. We will learn how to notate numbers as greater than, less than, or equal to. We will also review skip counting patterns and practice putting numbers in order in different ways.

Science:
Matter matters this week! We will be learning about the different types of matter and focusing on how matter can change forms. We will perform a few experiments to watch how one material can take different forms of matter.

Question of the week: What are hieroglyphs?

Reminders:
Early Release Day: September 28th

Today we built numbers using cheez-its, pretzel sticks, and m&ms. It was very fun and a great review of everything we've been working on. Thank you to everyone who sent in supplies. Here are a few pictures!

September 12-16

Hello families,

Here is what is happening in second grade this week.

Writing:
We are continuing with boot camp this week. We will work on fixing our "How to be a successful second grader" stories by editing for punctuation and capital letters before turning out a final copy.

Reading:
We are starting buddy reading this week. Readers will be paired up and learn different strategies for reading and sharing with a partner. We will also practice different comprehension strategies such as retelling a story and deciphering tricky words.

Math:
We are continuing to work on 3 digit numbers this week. We will practice writing numbers in word form, expanded form, and block form. We will also work on adding and subtracting 10 and 100 to our numbers. We will play a game called Place Value Park It and take a short quiz at the end of the week.

Science:
This week we are learning about the scientific method and performing an experiment! We will also start looking at different forms of matter and how we can change one form into another.

Reminders:
Library on Friday. Send books back to school!

September 6-9

It's going to be a great week in second grade! Here's what going on this week.

Writing:
We are beginning writing boot camp this week! We are reviewing the steps of the writing process while working on a story about how to be a successful second grader. We will practice brainstorming ideas, writing complete sentences, editing and revising, and finally publishing.

Reading:
We are continuing to launch our reader's workshop by practicing important skills for readers. We will learn what to do when we find a tricky word as well as practice picking out good fit books for us. We will continue to build our silent reading stamina and start practicing reading with a buddy.

Math:
In math this week, we are continuing place value. We are moving onto 3 digit numbers. We will practice writing these numbers using the different forms we have learned, including standard form, block form, expanded form, and word form. We will work on comparing numbers using less than or greater than signs and decide if 3 digit numbers are odd or even.

Science:
We learned all about the brain last week and learned if we are more left brain or right brain dominant. This week we will put that thinking into practice as we dive into thinking like a scientist. We will learn the parts of the scientific method and go over science safety. We will perform our first experiment involving a penny and water!

Reminders: Open House on Thursday at 6:30 in room 108! Hope to see you all there!

We had fun this past Friday taking a fruit personality test with our friends in Ms. Wilder's class! Ask your child what fruit they chose!

Reminders: Open House on Thursday at 6:30 in room 108! Hope to see you all there!

August 29- September 2nd

Hi Parents,

Here's what we have going on this week:

Writing:
We are launching writer's workshop this week. We will be generating ideas for writing topics and learning about editing for punctuation. We will write our first story based on "The Big Orange Splot" by Daniel Pinkwater. Writers will be inspired by Mr. Plumbean's dream house and create our own dream house. We will then write a short story describing our house and our dreams.

Reading:
We are also launching reader's workshop where we will be working on building our silent reading stamina. Our goal is 30 minutes of silent reading, but we will work up to that! We will also learn how to pick just-right books for us and what to do if we come across a word we don't know.

Math: 
We are beginning our first math unit this week that is all about place value. We will look for patterns on a hundreds chart, practice skip counting by 10s, 5s, and 2s, and we will learn to look at the one’s place to identify a number as odd or even. We will also make a m”odd”ster where every part of our monster is odd or even! By the end of the week, we will start building numbers with place value blocks and learn to write numbers in expanded form.

Science:
We are thinking like scientists as we learn about different types of scientists and good procedures for experiments. We will also look a little bit at our brains and what affects our learning.

Reminders:
No School: September 5th
Parent Night: September 8th

2nd day of 2nd grade

Hello everyone,

Here are some pictures from our 2nd day of 2nd grade where we celebrated the number 2 all day, including thinking of famous pairs and writing a short story about a genie who grants us two wishes.

Some of us are still working on our hats, so I'll take their picture tomorrow :-)