Hope everyone had a great Passover break and enjoying our long awaited spring like weather.  “Like spring flowers, our students are blooming—getting brighter, stronger, and more awesome every day.”Just our opinion, but we feel you will agree.

 

Language Arts:

On May 8th, all Grade 2 students will be performing a Reader’s Theatre at Hillel Lodge!
Reader’s Theatre is an enjoyable and engaging way for students to build oral reading fluency and expression. It allows them to connect with characters and story lines while developing confidence and enthusiasm for reading aloud.

Grammar:

The following rules have been taught and anchor charts are posted in the classroom as a friendly reminder.

 

Poetry: April is poetry month, we just started our unit on poetry and as usual our students did a great job creating Acrostic poems which are presently displayed  on their lockers. As we had a late start our poetry month will go right into May. Excited to see creativity in action.

Workshops:

This week we explored the library looking for fiction and non-fiction books. Ms. Brigitte demonstrated how to use the call numbers on the base of the library books to locate a book we want to read.

 

This past week Ms. Beswick lead a wonderful workshop to help students have the tools they need to foster great friendships and fun recesses for all. They all have new personal goals to work on.

                 

 

Math:   

 

Numbers:

We have been working on double-digit addition and subtraction with regrouping and borrowing. Most students have now demonstrated a strong understanding of this skill. For those who are still developing mastery, we will continue to provide opportunities for review and practice.

We have also introduced multiplication, and students are learning to represent multiplication facts using both visual groupings and repeated addition. Our next step will be division, as it is important for students to understand the relationship between multiplication and division. Throughout this process, students are continuing to apply these skills to solve word problems and strengthen their mathematical thinking.

Spacial Sense:

The students have explored both 2-D and 3-D shapes in their environment. They continue to work on expanding the mathematical vocabulary as they describe the properties of each shape. Each child has had the opportunity to sort and identify 2-D shapes by comparing sides, side lengths, angles and number of lines of symmetry.

Location of Movement: 

During math lessons our students have been using grids to locate the relative positions of several objects and describe the movements needed to get from one object to another.

Financial Literacy:

Our students have learned to identify different ways of representing the same amount of money up to Canadian 200¢ using various combinations of coins, and up to $200 using various combinations of $1 and $2 coins and $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100 bills. They apply this knowledge when solving word problems involving money.

 

Science:

We are presently well into our unit on Growth and Change in Animals. The students are learning about specific characteristics of each animal group and are able to use Venn Diagrams to compare the groups. This unit will be completed by an animal research project of their choosing.

                                                                             

Social Studies:

Passover

                  

April Fools Day

In the Know

As we approach the end of the first term here is a snapshot of what we have been doing in every subject. 

Language Arts:

Novel Studies-Our Grade 2 students have begun working on their first Novel Study. There are two different Novel Study groups depending on where they are at in their learning journey. We are reading books by Judy Blume, Freckle Juice and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing.

                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writing Conventions – We continue to work on understanding that a proper noun is always capitalized and that each sentence starts with a capital and ends with punctuation. Can they spot the error? They have been given many opportunities to spot the missing punctuation and capitalization of words in a sentence as they complete Read it, Fix it Write it.

Opinion Writing- The students have been working on being able to write an opinion piece, they reference the rubric provided in order to ensure they have done their personal best.

 

Opinion Piece Rubric (Grade 2)

Criteria	4 – Excellent	3 – Good	2 – Satisfactory	1 – Needs Improvement
Opinion Statement	The opinion is clearly stated and easy to understand.	The opinion is clear but may need some clarification.	The opinion is stated but is unclear or not fully formed.	There is no clear opinion, or it is hard to understand.
Supporting Reasons	Provides 2 or more strong reasons to support the opinion.	Provides 1 or 2 reasons that support the opinion.	Gives 1 reason that partially supports the opinion.	Does not provide reasons or the reasons do not support the opinion.
Organization	Writing is well-organized with a clear beginning, middle, and end.	Writing is organized with a beginning, middle, and end, but may be a bit unclear.	Organization is present, but may be difficult to follow.	Writing lacks organization and is hard to follow.
Details and Examples	Includes specific details and examples to explain the opinion.	Includes some details or examples to explain the opinion.	Provides few details or examples, or they are unclear.	No details or examples are given to explain the opinion.
Conclusion	The piece ends with a strong, clear conclusion that wraps up the opinion.	The piece ends with a conclusion, but it may be weak or unclear.	There is a conclusion, but it does not tie up the opinion clearly.	No clear conclusion is provided.
Grammar and Spelling	Few or no errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling.	Some errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling, but they do not make the piece hard to read.	Some errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling that make the piece hard to read.	Many errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling that make the piece difficult to read.

Here is the link to the video on Digital Tracks

We have completed our unit on Movement and Simple Machines.  Our Grade 2 students did a great job working in pairs and designed a pulley able to lift water from the well (bucket). They then reflected on their experience and what they might do differently next time. The students did an excellent job completing several quizzes as artifacts of their knowledge.

We began our unit on Liquids, Solids and Gases by completing a workshop at the Science and Technology Museum. What a fun way to start a new unit.

     

Social Studies:

Our Grade 2 class compared birthday traditions and celebrations among diverse groups and can identify some of the reasons for changes in these traditions/celebrations. They are starting to become familiar with the social studies inquiry process as they investigated some of the past and present traditions and celebrations within their own family. Each child completed their Chanukah traditions project where they compared ways in which some traditions have been celebrated over multiple generations in their family.

Math:

Problem Solving-The focus has been working on 2 step problems. The emphasis has been reading for understanding and showing your work. One of our North Stars is we learn better together, so showing how we got our answer helps others see that there is more than one way to solve a problem.

Numbers:

We worked on balancing equations and math fact families. It is very important that the students understand the relationship within each family. This understanding helps with their math fact fluency. Some have been introduced to addition and subtraction double digits regrouping and borrowing. They continue to work on using these skills when solving 2-step word problems.

Curious about what your children have been doing here at the OJCS? Wonder no more. Here is a snapshot of what we have been doing in every subject. 

Language Arts:

Wordly Wise – The children have already completed three full lessons where they have been introduced to new vocabulary and read passages containing these words.  Once they have read these passages they are onto answering text based, opinion and inferencing questions which they must answer using complete sentences.

Writing Conventions – We have been working on understanding that a proper noun is always capitalized and that each sentence starts with a capital and ends with punctuation. Can they spot the error? They have been given many opportunities to spot the missing punctuation and capitalization of words in a sentence as they complete Read it, Fix it Write it.

Our students have been introduced (reintroduced) to three spelling rules. Familiarizing themselves with these spelling rules (posted on our boards) allows them to edit their own work. They are also encouraged to use their dictionaries for high frequency words such as (i.e,because, was and want). The posters below can be printed and used at home.

 

Author Study-Each month we explore yet another collection of books during our author study. The students have a scheduled library period where Brigitte (our librarian) introduces a new author and reads books from their collection. We then bring them to our classroom to use during transition times and our literacy blocks. This past month Ms Brigitte read books from the Read Aloud Picture Book Study (author Minh Le).

                                                                                           

Workshops-We participated in our first Grade 2 workshop entitled Digital Citizen. The students watched a video followed by a class discussion on how we stay safe while online.

Math:

Numbers/Algebra- Skip counting, growing and shrinking patterns, place value are just some of what we have introduced or gone to the next level within our numeracy blocks. The students have to have a strong sense of place value in order to be able to add and subtract double digits. Depending where they are in their learning journey, they are working on double digits with no regrouping or regrouping. Either way they are at their Just Right level. There are those that have moved on to more. Remember the first step is demonstrating to me that they can independently complete the tasks assigned before we move on to more. A strong foundation is very important!

Scoot (math place value game)

Data-We are continuing to expand our understanding on how to collect and create various types of graphs (bar and pictographs). As well as identify the basic parts of a graph: labels, scales, titles and data. They are completing math activities that require answering  questions and using the data from a graph or table  in a calculation, as well as using the information in the graph to make an inference.

Problem Solving-The focus has been to understand that there are 4 steps necessary to solve a word problem. The emphasis has been reading for understanding and showing your work. One of our North Stars is we learn better together, so showing how we got our answer helps others see that there is more than one way to solve a problem.

 

Science:

Our focus this term has been simple machines.  Our Grade 2 students will collaborate and work in pairs to explore the concept of design thinking where they have been presented with a challenge to design a pulley able to lift water from the well (bucket). Once their pulleys are completed they will reflect on their experience and what they might do differently next time.

Social Studies:

In Social Studies this term we have compared some significant traditions and celebrations among different cultures around the world. We are completing a unit of study (Changing Family and Community) based on Patricia Polacco’s books.

       

 

Generations Day was a huge success. Our students did an excellent job reciting their class poems about the IDF and creating notes of support for the soldiers in Israel. Our full Generations Day program can be located here. These notes went directly to the soldiers.  A big thank-you to the Gonen family for delivering them. Generations Day was also Tzvi’s  last day at the OJCS as he and his family will be returning to Israel. Tzvi you will be missed by your teachers and friends.

Language Arts:

Writing-These past months the focus of our writing blocks were on exploring and creating various styles of poetry (lists, cinquain, acrostic) and narratives. Our goal for our narratives is that they are rich in detail, have an introductory  sentence, sequential order to the events and a closing sentence.  

Library-Just before our move to KBI, Ms. Brigitte had finished reading The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater. The students had a great time completing a choice board where they choose two follow-up activities to demonstrate both their understanding of the novel and their ability to create an alternative ending to the story.

 

 

Science:

Innovation Day marked the end of our unit on Liquid, Solids and Gases. Here are a few picks and a video from that fun day.

 

    

We are presently working on our final unit, The Growth and Changes in Animals. We have examined the characteristics of mammals, reptiles and amphibians. This week we will explore  the characteristics of fish. Our students have become very good at comparing the different categories of animals using Venn Diagrams.

   

 

Social Studies:

This last project will help our students have a better understanding of the big beautiful world they are a part of. They will work together in pairs to understand and share that how close or far from the equator their country is will affect the types of homes they live in, the wildlife that lives there, etc… Can’t wait to see their finished projects. Photos will be added soon.