Week of 10/2

Parent Teacher Conferences are October 16th-18th 

 2A Homeroom Parents please sign up here: 
http://signup.com/go/EKEeDLY

 If there is not a time that will work for you, please let me know-I am happy to accommodate schedules. Conferences are for parents only.

 Thank you so much for your continued partnership! 

Grades
I know many of you are new to Great Hearts, so I wanted to take a minute to outline a few things about the grading system, specifically for 2nd grade. 
  
In Kinder-2nd grade we do not assign numeric or alphabetic grades. Instead, you will see a scale like the one below:

1  Below Grade Level Expectations

2  Inconsistently shows Grade Level Expectations

3  Meets Grade Level Expectations    

4  Exceeds Grade Level Expectations

You will then see a long list of various learning standards that will be assigned one of these numbers.  
Quick note:
Some of our children have a natural tendency to be dissatisfied with a 3 "meeting grade level expectations" because it is not considered the best. Please help them understand that their mastery, at any level and any pace, is one to be celebrated. Help them find the positive and excitement in learning- if their natural bent is toward perfectionism. 

  

Your child has been leveled for reading. You will receive your child's level within their grade checklist. Please see below for defined reading stages (EE, UE, EF, F) and what books are available at your child's level for a-z reading (also will be noted for you at conferences).

A-Z Levels (Reading) 

Titles and Author / Books available at each level: 
http://www.archwaychandler.org/academics/reading-stages

Reading Stages Defined (Guided Reading Level)

Early Emergent (EE):
 Reader understands concepts of print and basic punctuation, can identify and name letters, is able to match sounds with letters, recognizes some high frequency words, uses illustrations for meaning and uses finger or marker to point to text.

Upper Emergent (UE):
Reader sub-vocalizes or often reads aloud, reads word by word pausing at unfamiliar words, recognizes many words immediately, is beginning to use a few decoding strategies to problem solve new words and uses one or more strategies to gain meaning.

Early Fluent (EF):
Reader is beginning to read silently with independence, uses a variety of strategies to gain meaning, is able to recognize many familiar words, uses story and text structure with guidance to establish meaning and is beginning to read a variety of materials for different purposes.

Fluent (F):
Reads silently with independence and aloud with expression and fluency, selects a variety of texts and more difficult materials, uses a variety of strategies to read unfamiliar words, comprehends and self-corrects to gain meaning, summarizes and makes meaningful predictions and self-selects and enjoys books of interest and variety.

10/2 - 10/6

Upcoming dates to note: 

• Quarter 1 Parent-Teacher Conferences- Oct. 16-18

Please see Monday's Fall Conference blog post for the day/time slot sign up link and report card (checklist) clarification guide 

• SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR! 
  http://www.scholastic.com/bf/archwayclassicalacadlincoln

• Picture Retake- Friday (Please see previous post for information link)  
• SPELLING BEE 

What can you do to prepare?We encourage every student to prepare for participation in the Classroom Spelling Bee. 

Visit http://spellingbee.com/parents-and-students to find additional materials and helpful strategies.

Once students have mastered the 100 grade-specific words provided, move on to grade-level lists for 1^st-8^th grade.       

Lists are on the home page of www.archwaylincoln.org in the side bar, under Spelling Bee Study Guide.

Get a head start preparing for the Great Hearts District Bee and Phoenix Regional Bees through Merriam-Webster’s 
        Spell It at http://spellit.com.   

A glance at our coming week...



(Please email me if your child is going to miss class.)
  
Math: Measurement Unit
Measuring length in meters, centimeters, yards, feet, curved lines. 
Mini assessment Friday 


Science: Simple Machine Unit 
Tuesday- Simple Machine Assessment (Mon. Review)
Wednesday we introduce the Simple Machine Project Assignment. Be on the look out for directions and more information regarding this project Wednesday 

History: India Unit 
Students will understand who King Asoka was and what impact he had on the spread of Buddhism in Asia 
Students will compare and contrast what they know about Buddhism and Hinduism   
Thursday a study guide will be sent home 
Friday- India Unit Assessment  

Literature: The Boxcar Children (Celebration Friday see bottom of post for information about this activity)
Idiom of the week: Keep your fingers crossed 
Grammar: Classifying a sentence for the subject noun, verb, adverb, and adjective 
Writing: Paragraph overview  


At home focus skill
Narration / Summarize / Retell / Essential Details:

Narration is a skill to be learned through practice. In narration, the student simply tells back a story in his/her own words. There are two common difficulties in learning to narrate.
1. The student gives every detail of the story, making the narration too long to write down :(
2. The student doesn't know how to start or what to say :(

To help your student summarize, ask knowledge based questions/ summary questions after a text or story is read by your student. If he or she answers with a phrase or single word, repeat the answer back to him/her in a complete sentence. Then ask him/her to repeat the sentence back to you.
This begins to train your student to formulate grammatical sentences.

Then ask the student, "what is one thing you remember about the story?" Help him/her phrase their answer as a complete sentence. Write the sentence down as he/she watches. Point out the capitalization/punctuation as you write.

If the student uses verbal "fillers" such as "uh," "like", or "you know," encourage her/him to stop and think in silence until he/she is ready to speak the sentence. When these "fillers" slip back into the narration, simply repeat what the student has said, omitting the useless word; then have them repeat after you.

There is no rush! This is a skill to be learned. You are training your student in thinking skills, so that he /she can grasp and retain more knowledge in their later stages of education. Narration exercises train the mind to grasp what is central - an essential skill for note taking later on.

BOOK BUZZ
The Boxcar Children
Students celebrate the completion of their book by participating in a class Socratic discussion called a Book Buzz or Coffee Talk. The students enjoy book-themed food. The celebration is a Socratic discussion - a question is asked and the students discuss it without raising hands. Students often invite their more timid peers into the conversation by asking "What do you think ____?" if they notice a child has not spoken. Children are also practicing their conversation skills - you will hear them using phrases like, "Can you tell me more about your thought?" and "I respectfully disagree because..." etc. 
I facilitate the discussion and manage their off-track conversations. Students are not permitted to have side conversations or interrupt one another. All words are spoken to the circle as a whole. Students thank each other for their question and everyone has a chance to share. 
It is a beautiful celebration of the book's completion. The students greatly look forward to these celebrations and I so appreciate your support and help with the supplies! 

If you would like to sign up to bring supplies or volunteer sign up here:

http://signup.com/go/aeVrBFV

Week of 9/25

Upcoming: 

• This Friday 9/29 is a half-day dismissal 

• Scholastic Book Fair: September 29 - October 6 

• Second Annual Literacy Night and Read-a-Thon Kick-Off 9/29

"Rustle up your family and friends & join us for our 2nd Annual Literacy Night, Sept. 29 from 5-8 p.m. Arizona Rick, the Balloon Cowboy, will perform his amazing act at 6:00p.m. Come peruse our great selection of books at our Scholastic Book Fair, enjoy dinner on the lawn with a BBQ and a dessert food truck, check out our crafts and photo booth, and learn more about our 2017 Read-a-Thon. We will also have a special Guest Reader on stage to read one of our favorite books. You don't want to miss this fun event!

Questions? Contact library@archwaylincoln.org
Interested in helping out? Sign-up to volunteer at http://signup.com/go/suGqyuW"

•  A note from our music teacher....

Fall Concert 

 

Thursday, November 16th at 5:30pm at the Higley Center For the Performing Arts

 

Dress Code for Concerts:

 

Girls must wear a white shirt, with a black skirt (knee length or longer)  or dress slacks, and black dress shoes (black tights if desired).

 

Boys must wear a white collared, button-down shirt, black slacks, black socks and black dress shoes.

 

The students will be wearing the same attire for the Spring Concert in April.

 

Some stores that carry appropriate concert attire:

 

o     Macy’s

o     JCPenney

o     Sears

o     Kohl’s

o     Target

o     Walmart

o     Lands’ End (landsend.com)

·           Shopstyle.com

 

Feel free to email me if you have questions.

 

Rachel Boswell

Email: rboswell@archwaylincoln.org 

Blog: http://archwaylincolnmusick2.blogspot.com

A glance at our coming week...
 
Math 
Monday we will review in class concepts from unit 2 - addition and subtraction (renaming the tens and hundreds, addition and subtraction word problems) 
Workbook pages 87-91 are a review of this unit and will be done Monday in class.
Tuesday is the Unit 2 assessment  
Please note: Following this unit's test we will be continuing to review this unit's concepts in class at the start of each math lesson- providing separate instruction: Intervention and challenge questions depending on the performance of your scholar with these concepts. 
Introducing Unit 3 (Measurement) 
with a focus on standard and non standard units of measurement to develop an understanding in your child why a standard unit is needed as opposed to using things like our hands to measure. The class will be introduced to meters later in the week.  

ELA 
Grammar: Classifying sentences for the subject noun, verb, and adverb
Literature: The Boxcar Children chapters 11-13
Heads up Literature homework Friday: Scholars need to write three questions about the book (The Boxcar Children) that cannot be answered with "yes" or "no" for our first BOOK BUZZ

Spalding: 29 word test, handwriting focus: 2:00 letters must start at 2:00 - please email me if you see your child forming these letters incorrectly at home and I will provide a resource to support correct handwriting formation at home. This prepares your child for the cursive transition (towards the end of the year)  
Writing with ease: Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Packet
This week's Idiom: Don't judge a book by its cover.  


History 
Students will understand the story of the Buddha and his importance in Indian culture (Buddha Day)
Students will understand the importance of Jataka tales in the history of India and the Buddha

Science 
Students will review a wheel and axle 
Students will discover how pulleys help us do work 
Students will understand a pulley is a grooved wheel that has a rope, belt, or chain wrapped around it 
Students will understand that friction is a force that works against motion.
10/2 Monday We will review the Simple Machines Unit 
10/3 Tuesday is the simple machine test

 

Week of 9/18

A glance at our coming week... 

ELA: 

-Poem- Two Limericks went home 9/7 to be presented 9/22 (see previous blog post) Alliteration, Repetition 

-Literature- Chapters 8-10 The Boxcar Children 
-Identify examples of Archway Virtues in the Boxcar Children 

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-New Idiom Focus- Practice what you preach and Where there's a will there's a way.

-Touchpebbles (Socratic discussions centered around text and reflection) 

-Grammar- 

Identifying the Subject Noun and the Verb in a sentence. Friday we will introduce adverbs.

• See previous post for an Amazing Shurley Grammar Resource for parents! 

4 Sentence Types (Interrogative (question), Imperative (command), Exclamatory (!), Declarative (.): An assessment on this material will be given Friday.

History

-Students will understand the importance of the Indus and Ganges Rivers for India and the mystery of the Indus River

-Students will recognize the effect the Aryans had on ancient India

-Students will identify Hinduism as an important world religion

-Students will understand the basic components of Hinduism including castes, reincarnation, and yoga. 

-Students will understand the importance and meaning of the Hindu holiday Diwali

Science 

-Students will understand a lever is a bar that rests on a fulcrum to lift or move objects 

-Students will understand a fulcrum is the point on which a lever turns or pivots   

-Students will find examples of wedges and levers in everyday life
-Simple Machines continued  

Math
-Renaming the tens and hundreds to subtract 
-Solving Word Problems 
-Rename hundreds to subtract within 1,000 
-Practice word problems and choose the correct operation
-Friday - Review and Monday 9/25 Review for Addition and Subtraction assessment Tues 9/26

For quarter one we will be attacking reading fluency . On Mondays you will be sent tools for your child's growth in specific areas.

• There will be a fluency passage 
•  There are "How to" directions listed on the form. These are due Thursday.

•  For marking errors: If your student stumbles but sounds it correctly on his/her own don't slash it. If he/she stumbles and voices incorrectly briefly then self corrects - slash it and write above it 'sc' for self corrects. If he/she stumbles and voices it incorrectly and you read it for him/her it is marked as incorrect. Count any sc as correct because he/she corrected the mistake.  

Please visit reading a-z see link below for resources/more information. They have a parents portal which I find very helpful! :) 

• https://www.readinga-z.com/ 

Week of 9/11/17

A glance at our coming week... 

ELA: 

-Poem- Two Limericks went home 9/7 to be presented 9/22 (see previous blog post)

-Literature- Chapters 5-7 The Boxcar Children Please send in the book with your child for class if it is still at home

-Literature focus: setting (time and place), sequencing (comprehension), character (what they say and do provides evidence into how they feel and who they are), vocabulary   

-New Idiom Focus- Practice what you preach

-Touchpebbles start this week (Socratic discussions centered around text and reflection) 

-FYI: Your child takes a comprehension reading assessment each Friday (Short passage with multiple choice questions) 

-Grammar- 

Identifying the Subject Noun and the Verb in a sentence. Example Sentence: The boy ran. 

• To identify the subject noun...students will ask... WHO RAN? -->BOY, SUBJECT NOUN. & label the subject noun SN above the word boy. 

• To identify the verb...students will ask... WHAT IS BEING SAID ABOUT BOY? -->RAN, VERB. & label the verb V above the word ran.
  
  Amazing Shurley Grammar Resource for parents: https://www.shurley.com/pdf/parent_help/Parent_Help_Booklet_Level_2.pdf 

4 Sentence Types (Interrogative (question), Imperative (command), Exclamatory (!), Declarative (.): 

Please note the Grandparents activity your child completed does not need to be submitted/turned in. The stapled half sheet was provided so your child could correct their sentences at home-

What makes a sentence song: 
Click here- Listen to our Sentence Parts Jingle your 2nd grader loved learning

History

-Students will be able to identify Japan on a map of Asia

-Students will be able to identify Tokyo and Mt. Fuji on a map of Japan 

-Students will color the Japan flag 

-Students will understand the importance of Children's Day in Japanese culture and create a carp kite

-Students will learn about Haikus and practice writing their own 

-Students will understand the importance of cherry blossoms in Japanese culture by creating a cherry blossom tree 

-Japan Mini Assessment Friday 

Science 

-Students will discover how wedges and levers help us do work 

-Students will understand a wedge is two planes that come together in a point 

-Students will understand a lever is a bar that rests on a fulcrum to lift or move objects 

-Students will understand a fulcrum is the point on which a lever turns or pivots   

-Students will find examples of wedges and levers in everyday life

Math
Number Bond Clarification Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn26on8U1X4

-Rename ones and 10's to add within 1,000 and solve word problems 

-Add more than 2 numbers and solve word problems 

-Subtract ones or tens from a three digit number 

(Renaming is when there are 10 or more ones in the ones place and you have to rename the 10 ones to be one ten)

Example Problem for "math language parent support" 

7 + 4

The students need to be able to explain that there will be more than 10 ones when you add 7 + 4 

...so you rename the ten ones to be "one 10" 

the answer is 11 (one 10 and one 1) 

We call it renaming ones to be a ten, & renaming 10 tens to be one hundred...not carrying the one (it is really a ten not a one, so this is an important way to speak about the numbers so the scholar can understand what is happening in the equation.) 

Skill to catch up: Your child needs to be able to mentally make ten
Ask them 1 and ___ make ten? They should be able to say 1 and 9, 2 and 8, 3 and 7, 4 and 6, 5 and 5, 10 and 0. Then backwards... 9 and 1, 8 and 2..etc. This should be automatic.  

Fly on the wall video of an addition renaming problem: 

Reminder-Parent event this week: 

September 12 - 

Love and Logic by Larry Kerby 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Archway Lincoln’s Parent Positive Series started last year as an effort to provide our parents with knowledge to help raise Great-Hearted children. Our intention is to provide you with informative speakers and blog posts containing practical ideas and information.
We’re excited to announce our first speaker for the 2017-18 school year! 

 Join us Tuesday, September 12th from 6:30 - 8 p.m. for a FREE seminar to hear dynamic and humorous speaker Larry Kerby cover the basics of Love and Logic. In this insightful and entertaining intro, you’ll begin learning how to:
•    Help children take ownership of their own problems 

•    Use tools that will allow you to eliminate arguing in the home 

•    Get children to act the first time you ask 

•    Help children to be more responsible 

•    Allow the consequences to be the "bad guy," not you

Fall Concert 

 

Thursday, November 16th at 5:30pm at the Higley Center For the Performing Arts

 

Dress Code for Concerts:

 

Girls must wear a white shirt, with a black skirt (knee length or longer)  or dress slacks, and black dress shoes (black tights if desired).

 

Boys must wear a white collared, button-down shirt, black slacks, black socks and black dress shoes.

 

The students will be wearing the same attire for the Spring Concert in April.

 

Some stores that carry appropriate concert attire:

 

o     Macy’s

o     JCPenney

o     Sears

o     Kohl’s

o     Target

o     Walmart

o     Lands’ End (landsend.com)

·           Shopstyle.com

 

Feel free to email me if you have questions.

 

Rachel Boswell- K-2 Music Teacher

Email: rboswell@archwaylincoln.org 

Blog: http://archwaylincolnmusick2.blogspot.com

 

Week of 9/4

I hope you all enjoyed your three day weekend. 

Black folders went home Friday. Please sign the enclosed page to acknowledge you viewed the contents. 

Black folder Conversations 
1. It is okay to make mistakes, that is the way we learn.
2. It is intelligent to ask for help
3. We can do more and learn more if we are willing to take risks 
4. Everyone needs time to think and to learn. 
5. We each learn in our own ways, by our own clocks. 

"I can learn how to do this." 

"What can I learn from my mistake?" 

"I can always give my best effort and improve." 

"This just needs more time and effort." 

"I can't do it yet." 

"I can learn how they do it." 

 "What other strategies can I try?" 

"I'm on the right track." 


Thank you to all who attended the Singapore and Spalding Information Night last night (Thursday 8/31). 
 
If you were unable to attend here are some of the resources:

Phonogram Phone App-(Copy and paste the link)https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.spalding.phonograms  

Singapore Resources-
 Books: 
Why Before How Singapore Math Computation Strategies 
By: Jana Hazelkamp 

The Parent Connection for Singapore Math Tools to Help Them "Get It' & Get Behind It 
By: Sandra Chen 

It's the Story that Counts 
More Children's Books for Mathematical Learning K-6
by: David J. Whitin and Sandra Wilde 

Singapore Classes:
Singapore Math Parent Classes 

Maricopa County Library 
Free with current library card: Look on Library website under "Learn" Six Week Course

Singapore Internet Resources: (copy and paste) 
http://gregtangmath.com/games.html 
http://www.Mathplayground.com 
http://www.MathFactCafe.com 
http://www.criticalthinking.com/
https://www.tinmanpress.com/
http://www.abrighterchild.com/logic-critical-thinking.html
http://www.abrighterchild.com/logic-critical-thinking.html
http://www.mindware.com/  


Other Upcoming Events:
Love and Logic Seminar (FREE)
Tuesday, September 12th 6:30-8 
Parent Techniques: 
-Help children take ownership for their own problems 
-Use tools that will allow you to eliminate arguing in the home 
-Get children to act the first time you ask 
-Help children to be more responsible 
-Allow consequences to be the "bad guy," not you

Literacy Night - (Read-a-thon kick off) Food trucks, Scholastic Book Fair, Craft, & a show
Sept. 29 5:00 
  
A glance at our coming week...

ELA: 
Literature- The Boxcar Children Chapters 1-4  

Please send in The Boxcar Children so your child has it for class Tuesday. 
Grammar- 5 parts of a Sentence 
1. Subject 2. Verb 3. Makes sense 4. Capital letter 5. Punctuation Mark  
Writing with Ease - Aesops Fables 
 Spalding- Handwriting Focus=phonograms/words rest on the baseline and tall letters approach the top-line but do not touch it.
20 word test Friday 

Math: Addition, Subtraction, and word problems 
-Subtract 2 and 3 digit numbers without renaming & solve word problems 
-Add ones or tens to a 3 digit number using mental math strategies 
-Rename ones and solve word problems 

Science: New Unit - Simple Machines 

-Students will understand that machines help us do work 
-Students will understand that work is when force is applied to an object and it moves in the direction of the force. 
-plane, incline plane, ramp  
-Students will explore inclined planes and identify its parts and purpose in everyday life and review the history of this simple machine (Egypt) 

History:
Wrap up Americas unit - Students will identify the countries in South America and review unit of the Americas (N., central, S.) 
Test Thursday - a tool to study will be sent home Wednesday 

Friday we introduce our new unit! ASIA - we will journey through Asia starting in Japan but first...
-Students will locate Japan, China, and India on a map of Asia

Tutoring Clarification: 
The week of 8/28 Tutoring invitations began to be sent out. I do not charge for after school tutoring time (I believe it is my role as a teacher to support the students that are struggling) I tutor Mon. and Thurs. Please note: Tutoring is by invitation only. If your child is struggling with a concept at home please reach out to me.  
If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to me. We can conference by phone or set up a time to meet. I am here to support your child mentally and emotionally as we journey through the deep, rigorous curriculum. 

Just because it is hard doesn’t mean something is wrong!