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2 Grade News
Mrs. Ealy’s Class
September 21, 2012
Letter from Mrs. Ealy Next Week’s Specials
Dear Parents,
We have added a new component to our reading block this week Monday – P.E. (Wear Sneakers)
called “Literacy Cafe.” It is a “menu” on the wall where we will add Tuesday – Art and Computers
strategies each week to help us succeed in reading. Each letter in cafe Wednesday – Music and P.E. (Wear Sneakers)
stands for a different component of reading: Thursday – Library and Music
• C: Comprehension – “I understand what I read” Friday – Wellness
• A: Accuracy – “I can read the words”
• F: Fluency – “I can read accurately, with expression What We’re Learning About!
and I understand what I read”
Math – This week students reviewed number grid puzzles and
• E: Expand Vocabulary – “I know, use, and find comparing numbers by using less than, greater than, and equal to signs.
interesting words.” We also spent a lot of time exploring different names for numbers as
This week we added “Check for Understanding” under comprehension. To well. For example another name for 10 would be 5+5 because it equals
make sure we understand the books we are reading we stop for a minute 10! Next Tuesday, we will have our first math test. A test alert was sent
and ask ourselves, “Do I know what’s going on in the book?” home earlier this week to help prepare for the test. It will be on
Thursday we had an assembly to pump up the kids for our annual number sequences, counting money, telling time, number grid puzzles,
Fun Run next Friday. During the Fun Run, students will have a warm up and comparing numbers.
session followed by a run/walk on the blacktop, then tally up their laps, and
lastly celebrate with a popsicle at the end! Our school wide goal this year is Reading – During reading this week we read a book called “Goldie
for each student to raise $25.00. If this goal is met, Oxbow will be able to Socks and the Three Libearians.” It was about how to find a just right
increase the technology in the school for the kids to use. The top two book. We reviewed the 5 finger rule that helps us determine whether a
classes will earn a blizzard party! Each student in the third place class will
book is just right for us. Our Literacy Cafe was also introduced this
receive a coupon for one free game of bowling. There are also other prizes
week. We learned about Check for Understanding to help with our
available. A donation sheet and prize list was sent home yesterday in your
comprehension. Read more about our Cafe in the letter from Mrs.
child’s binder.
Ealy!
Please remember to check your child’s OWL binder each night.
We have started math homelinks this week, which you will see in the binder
Writing – We continued working on the steps of the writing process.
behind the planner. Homelinks for each unit will be put in the binder ahead
We spent most of our time on the 'Rehearsal' step. When rehearsing,
of time. It is crucial that your child does not go ahead on homework
we start out by telling our stories out loud to ourselves, then to our
assignments. Please complete them as they are assigned on the planner
writing partners, then across a 5-page booklet, and then we sketch a
each night.
picture to hold our thoughts onto each of the pages in our booklet. The
Please look for a conference note in your child’s take home folder
rehearsal step will be key because if done properly, the children will
today. If you were unable to sign up for a time at Parent Night, I assigned
have an easy time stretching their ideas across all of the pages. We're
one for you. Please return the bottom of half of that note by Friday,
hoping that each page of our stories will be a separate event which will
September 28th. Another reminder will be sent home closer to your
one day lead us into thinking of each event/page as a paragraph! After
conference date.
we rehearsed, we moved onto the next step (which we've all been
It has been finalized that Mrs. Petersmark will be working in my
anxious for) called, 'Drafting.' In that step, we write the words to
place while I am out on maternity leave. For those of you who don’t know,
accompany our sketches.
Mrs. Petersmark is a recently retired teacher from Oxbow. Since she has
retired in 2010, she has continued to sub in the building. For every doctor’s
appointment I have until my leave, she will be the sub in my room so the Health – This week we continued to talk about our feelings and
kids get to know her better and she learns our classroom routines. Mrs. emotions. We discussed how to shareDatesfeelings with others in a
Upcoming Events and our to Remember
Petersmark is a fantastic teacher and your children will be in wonderful Sept. 25
respectful way. We brainstormed different at Applebees to use when we
Dining for Dollars techniques
hands while I am out. are frustrated and feel that we need calm down. Last, we came
Sept. 28 Fun Run
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. learned what it means to be a good listener and how to show that we
Remember you can reach me by our folder, by email, or by phone.
Conference Note Due
are good listeners.
Oct. 2 Picture Day 
Sincerely,
Mrs. Ealy
• Donations: We are in need of paper towel rolls. Thank You!
• Please remember to return library books every Thursday!