Ways to Prevent the "Summer Slide"

Dear 2B Families,

Happy Summer!

Miss Monk and I would like to thank you for sharing your children with us this academic year. We marveled at their insight, reveled in their learning, smiled at their kindness and laughed at their humor. We were honored to walk with them as they grew in virtue, emotionally, socially and academically.

Their emotional and social growth will continue naturally throughout the summer. To foster appropriate academic growth, keep children engaged during the summer months to ensure that the brain synapses are firing and the dendrites are growing! Research suggests that sustained practice over a longer period of time aids in the retention of information.

You can ask your child to use math and reading everywhere: playing cards, at the grocery store, watching educational programs such as PBS, keeping score, monitoring sporting statistics, reading maps and billboards, traveling, volunteering, really anything that keeps the mind moving. The longer we do not use a skill or access information in our brains, the more difficult it is to remember the information when we need it. Practice does not have to be boring or involve a worksheet. In fact, the opposite is better!

In order to avoid summer learning loss, all 2nd graders bound for 3rd grade, should do the following regularly:

• Read for a minimum of 20-30 minutes a day at their level *Please see below for information about Lexile scores* Your children promised me they will read every day for 30 minutes and not play too many video games :-)
• Practice math facts ~ Use XtraMath.org
• Write in journals

Any activity that supports these second grade math concepts over the summer will be a benefit to your child’s progress early in their third grade year.

• Two and three-digit addition and subtraction with and without regrouping
• Measurement
• Data & Graphing
• Geometry 2D and 3D Shapes
• Two step problem solving (part-part-whole models)

Additionally, the following will help avoid the summer slide:

• Reading should be a combination of literature and informational text such as biographies, articles, information books and manuals, topic specific books, etc.
• Practice keyboarding skills ~ the children worked so hard at TypingMaster this year. Typing will continue in 3rd grade.
• Practice fine motor skills through proper handwriting (Spalding cursive and manuscript)
• Encourage journal writing including personal narratives, observational writing about experiences, and/or mini-research papers on a topic of their choosing.Here are some great resources you can use:
• XtraMath.org: Help your child master basic math facts *FREE! Parent e-mail required
• Moby Max Online Intervention: Online math intervention program (account required)
• Summer Reading List
• Check with your local library on summer reading programs!
• Singapore Math Lesson Videos from Archway Glendale
• Book suggestions by Lexile scores (Please e-mail Mrs. D for your child's Lexile score)
• Please keep in touch and have beautiful summer!

Love,

Mrs. Dombrowski

One More Week!

Hello 2B Families!

The time has come. There is only one week of school!

Thank you SO much to Lucy's mom for presenting about Turkey today! We learned so much! We especially loved the Turkish Dance lesson and Turkish Delight!

Desk Cleaning: Please send your child to school with a sturdy bag so they can take home items from their desk.

Monday and Tuesday are full days of school. Next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are half-days with the following release times: 11:45 K-2/12:05 3-5/12:25 Prep. Please consider packing an extra snack for the half-days.

We will have a PIZZA party on Friday! Please have your child bring in a baby picture for a fun game!

Curriculum Next Week...

Poetry: We will be graded on our recitations of Harriet Tubman by Eloise Greenfield.

Writing and Grammar: We will be writing two friendly letters in class. First, a letter of advice for the first graders. Second, a letter of questions to the third graders! We will also be assessed on our handwriting and we will make a sweet memory book.

Literature: We have completed our reading of Little House in the Big Woods! We will bring home our lapbooks.

Spalding: NO Spalding words next week due to the half days and end of year activities.

Math: We are in our last week! This week we will be doing some fun review activities built around all the mathematical wonders we have explored this year. Please email you teacher for a math review packet for the summer! Summer is a time for fun, but it doesn't hurt to review a bit of material to be prepped for the following school year.

History: Next week we have our last history test! There is a study guide coming home on Monday for the test Tuesday. Please spend just a few minutes reviewing vocabulary and Civil Rights leaders with your child Monday evening or Tuesday morning. The kids have really enjoyed this unit, so they should be able to tell you all about each person they have learned about!

With Grateful Hearts,

Mrs. D and Miss Monk

Thank you for a great Teacher Appreciation Week!

Dear 2B Families,

Thank you for an amazing Teacher Appreciation Week! We felt so loved! All of the heartfelt cards with notes of gratitude and the beautiful flowers made us so happy! Thank you!

Scholar Shout-Outs:

Happy Birthday Paige (5/6)!

Happy Birthday Cherie (5/11)!

 

Happy Birthday Nathaniel (5/12)!

Thank you to our moms for coming to Muffins with Mom this morning! Happy Mother's Day!

Thank you 2B Room Moms! We love you!

Next Week in 2B...

MAP Testing: Your child will be MAP testing on Monday. Please make sure they come to school well-rested and well-fed so they can do their best on their test.

Literature: Little House in the Big Woods will be completed next week! We will read the very last chapter on Tuesday and complete our lap books. Thank you to all of our parents who have volunteered for reading groups! It has meant so much to our kids.

Writing and Grammar: We will review parts of speech and read an excerpt from the novel Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie.

Spalding: Next week we will review some spelling words from the past, focusing on the rules used in each word.

Monday: queen, cent, gentle, hotel, tiny, nearly, words, hopping, driving, pie

Tuesday: shoes, permission, progress, delay, sign, hold, extra, almost, cheerful, bridge
Wednesday: check, June, fixed, summer, male, twelve, once, able, become

Math: We are finishing up our Geometry Unit and will be taking our Singapore Assessment throughout the week. Encourage your child to practice their math facts and work on test taking strategies such as re-checking their work and process of elimination.

History: Next week, we are continuing our study of important Civil Rights leaders such as Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and César Chávez.

With Grateful Hearts,

Mrs. D and Miss Monk

Happy May!

Greetings 2B Families,

Welcome May! Can you believe it? Your children did a beautiful job performing at the Spring Concert! We were so proud of them!

Scholar Shout-Outs:

Congratulations to Alex on your virtue award!

Music Share Photos...

Next Week in 2B...

Poetry: Please practice reciting Harriet Tubman at home. We will add in the last stanza next week.

Writing and Grammar: We will be publishing a super secret paragraph for a super special lady! We will learn about sentence fragments and continue classifying sentences with all of the parts of speech we have learned about this year.

Literature: Little House in the Big Woods will continue through reading chapters 11 and 12. We will write about the steps involved with making cheese, be introduced to some new vocabulary, and understand how oats are harvested.

Spalding Words Next Week:
Monday: due, dew, include, allow, position, ledge, claim, primary, result, appoint
Tuesday: information, whom, who, arrest, themselves, self, calves, calf, halves, half
Wednesday: special, specific, present, present, action, act, justice, just, gentleman, gentle

Math: We are finishing up our graph unit with a cumulative test on Monday ( the workbook homework has many practice problems that will be on the test) and move onto our last unit: Geometry! This will be a fun unit as we are able to place a name to everyday shapes we see. Can your child name a few 3-D shapes already around the house?

Science: Your child will be writing a paragraph about one of the three scientists we have studied recently. 

History: We are wrapping up Immigration and Citizenship with the study guide on Tuesday and the test on Thursday. Friday, we will begin our final unit learning about Civil Rights Leaders. Our first leader is Susan B. Anthony. She was an activist for women's right to vote!

With Grateful Hearts,

Mrs. D and Miss Monk

Spring Concert Next Week!

Dear 2B Families,

Happy Friday! We had a great week in 2B! We visited the Library on Thursday and I enjoyed a birthday lunch with your April babies!

Please take this PSO Survey: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfs3gqBF0kc0rdyzpLP6sqTsnoi4iSRHAM_OEQUsdlPM0N5DA/viewform

Our Spring Concert is this week! It will be at Higley Center for the Performing Arts on May 1st. Students’ attire for our performances is NOT school uniform. Gentlemen are expected to wear a plain white dress shirt, black pants, black socks and black closed toed shoes. Solid dark colored vests and ties are optional for gentlemen. Ladies are expected to wear a white top, black skirt, black tights and black closed toed shoes. Please have your 2nd graders at Higley Center for the Performing Arts by 5:00pm.

Please visit aretek-2music.blogspot.com or email jweddle@archwayarete.org for questions regarding the concert!

Next Week in 2B...

DIBELS testing will begin on Monday. I look forward to seeing how much your child has grown in their reading skills!

Literature: We will read Chapters 9 & 10 of Little House in the Big Woods.

Writing and Grammar: We are reading a passage from Dr. Dolittle. We are prewriting for a super secret paragraph!

Spalding Words Next Week:
Monday: crowd, factory, publish, represent, term, section, relative, relate, progress, progress
Tuesday: entire, president, preside, famous, fame, serve, estate, remember, either, effort
Wednesday: None - Spring Concert Night

Math: We are charting new territories with our new Unit: Bars, Graphs, and Charts! This will be a fun unit where your child will get to know their peers favorites with different activities!

Science: Next week, we are learning about Daniel Hale Williams. Dr. Williams was the first African-American member of the American College of Surgeons in 1913. He performed the first successful open-heart surgery and worked to make sure that good medical care was available to all patients.

History: Next week we continue in the Immigration and Citizenship unit. Your child will learn how immigrants came to the United States and where they went once they got here. We will talk about ethnic neighborhoods, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Your child will also learn about three influential men: Andrew Carnegie, Albert Sabin, and Irving Berlin. You can listen to Irving Berlin's music here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DUh-hfR6po.

With Grateful Hearts,

Mrs. D and Miss Monk

R&R Weekend Up Ahead!

Hello 2B Families!

I hope you enjoy the long weekend! Did you hear all about our giant water balloon fight today? It was so much fun!

Scholar Shout-Outs:

Happy Birthday to James (4/19) & Karissa (4/20)!

Buddy Bench Fun!

SAVE THE DATE: Muffins with Mom is on Friday, May 10th from 8-8:45 in the MPR. Please join us for a fun morning with your kiddo!

Next Week in 2B...

Writing and Grammar: We will write persuasive paragraphs that focus on a specific audience.

Literature: Little House in the Big Woods will continue through reading chapters 7 & 8. We'll talk about how Laura escaped from the bear and learn all about sugar snow and the steps for making maple syrup.

Spalding Words Next Week: Only 20 due to no school on Monday.

Tuesday: sometimes, engage, final, finally, terrible, surprise, period, addition, employ, property
Wednesday: select, connection, connect, firm, region, religion, convict, private, command, debate

Math: We will be continuing our Capacity unit this week followed by a Unit Assessment on Thursday! Please look out for a practice guide Wednesday night.

History: Don't forget to study for the Civil War Test on Wednesday. We will begin our Immigration and Citizenship unit this week. Ask your child why immigrants moved to the United States (land, food, freedom, opportunity). Have a conversation about how you or your families ancestors came to America and where they came from. What caused them to move here?

Science: This week, we are learning about the important contributions of Florence Nightingale, the Lady with the Lamp. Florence was a very brave nurse who worked hard to improve conditions in hospitals and served many lives. Ask your child why she was called the "Lady with the Lamp."

With Grateful Hearts,

Mrs. D and Miss Monk

Book Fair Week + Fine Arts and French Night!

Greetings 2B Families,

I hope you enjoyed the week! It was a fun week between the Book Fair and Fine Arts & French Night!

A Note From Miss Weddle...

Our Spring Concert is quickly approaching! It will be at Higley Center for the Performing Arts on May 1st. Students’ attire for our performances is NOT school uniform. Gentlemen are expected to wear a white dress shirt, black pants, black socks and black closed toed shoes. Solid dark colored vests and ties are optional for gentlemen. Ladies are expected to wear a white top, black skirt and black closed toed shoes. Please have your 2nd graders at Higley Center for the Performing Arts by 5:00pm.

THANK YOU to Mrs. Nicole Burns for putting on a concert clothing exchange. She has collected concert attire from students who have outgrown their concert clothes. If you would like to participate in the exchange by either donating concert uniforms or receiving articles of clothing, please contact Nicole at: nikki.burns@hotmail.com

Please visit aretek-2music.blogspot.com or email jweddle@archwayarete.org for questions regarding the concert!

Book Fair:

Thank you to all who attended our Usborne Book Fair this week! It was a joy to see you and we are so thankful for your support. If you are interested in purchasing more Usborne books, please visit the link below. This link will bring you to a unique page connected to our school and will be valid until April 19th. After your purchase, you will receive contact from our Usborne Representative, Mrs. Cleary, and she will refund you the shipping cost.

Please email Ms. Modisett (bmodisett@archwayarete.org) with any questions!

https://j4938.myubam.com/1272858

Next Week in 2B:

Poetry: We are introducing our last poem of the year - Harriet Tubman by Eloise Greenfield.

Literature: Little House in the Big Woods will continue as we read Chapters 5 and 6. We will compare and contrast an important holiday in our own family to the Ingall's holiday and learn about Grandpa and the PIG!

Writing and Grammar: Conjunction junction, what's your function? We will add this last part of speech to our question and answer flow. We will also be reading an excerpt from The Magic of Oz by Frank L. Baum!

Spalding Words Next Week:
Monday: laughter, laugh, lining, line, ocean, nephew, nineteen, noticed, notice, passengers
Tuesday: remained, retreating, style, subtract, tailor, thumb, trial, voyage, whisper, wrong

Math: It is time to move our math units along to the next one! This one will be tons of fun. In fact, I am sure we won't be able to have the capacity to hold in our excitement!
Quizzes: Tuesday, Wednesday

History: This week, your child will learn about the significant contributions of Clara Barton, the "Angel of the Battlefield." Clara Barton showed much courage when rushing onto the battlefield to help sick and injured soldiers. After the Civil War, she founded the American Red Cross. The Civil War test will take place on Wednesday, April 24. The study guide is coming home On Wednesday, April 17.

Science: This week, we are learning about an important inventor named Elijah McCoy. Elijah was the son of escaped slaves and had a keen interest in engineering. He is most known for inventing an automatic lubricator for steam engines.

With Grateful Hearts,

Mrs. D and Miss Monk