Ms. Arnold’s Classroom News (3/14/15)
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What We've Been Up To:
The first four students have read their way across the Iditaread finish line this week! Way to go Gina, Reece, Ryan, & Drew!
*Reading: Our Iditaread is well underway! This past week, every musher has made significant progress on their reading journey towards Nome. I have been extremely impressed with each reader’s motivation in this challenge. Keep it up contestants! We’ve also been having a lot of fun closely following the real Iditarod race as those mushers make their way towards Nome as well. As mentioned above, we had four students make it across the finish line this week, many more nearly reach the halfway point, and a bunch bring up the rear. Just a reminder, students need a parent or teacher signature for each entry and need to turn their reading log in everyday (they have been doing a fantastic job with this!) Please help remind your child of the importance of reading every night. It has been so fun seeing what books are hooking each reader and helping them make it to the finish line. We're knee deep in our series reading unit, which has greatly increased our reading stamina at school. The best part about series? "When you finish one, the fun's just begun!" Ask your child which series they've been reading at school.
*Writing: We wrapped up our persuasive writing unit this week and celebrated our beautiful travel brochures! Each student worked incredibly hard to create an eye-catching brochure. We had a ton of fun celebrating and looking at the brochures in Ms. Riley and Mrs. Atherton's room.
Check out two very different, very persuasive brochure covers:
We began the planning for our nonfiction expert handbooks this past week and even wrote the "About the Author" page. We'll begin writing our books this upcoming week.
*Scholastic Book Orders: March Scholastic flyers were sent home last week. Book orders are due on Monday, Mar. 17th. Orders can be placed online at scholastic.com/readingclub using the class code: HXF8D. As always, you are welcome to send in paper orders as well.
*Read Across America Month: This month we are celebrating Dr. Seuss and his love of reading (perfect timing for our Iditaread!). We've been reading lots of Dr. Seuss books, reading & watching biographies of Dr. Seuss' life, and completing some fun activities and crafts along the way! Last week we enjoyed Oh the Places You'll Go and each student was challenged to create road signs of the places they wish to go someday. We also had a little fun turning them into an adorable "Who" using the app Who Me?.
Way back in the beginning, for their first Science Magic experience, our class worked in our own room to complete the "Walking Water" experiment. Their question: Using two cups and paper towels, can water travel into another cup?
Check out two very different, very persuasive brochure covers:
Looking for a ski trip before we say hello to spring? Check out Waterville Valley Resort or Smuggler's Notch for tons of fun:
We began the planning for our nonfiction expert handbooks this past week and even wrote the "About the Author" page. We'll begin writing our books this upcoming week.
*Scholastic Book Orders: March Scholastic flyers were sent home last week. Book orders are due on Monday, Mar. 17th. Orders can be placed online at scholastic.com/readingclub using the class code: HXF8D. As always, you are welcome to send in paper orders as well.
*Read Across America Month: This month we are celebrating Dr. Seuss and his love of reading (perfect timing for our Iditaread!). We've been reading lots of Dr. Seuss books, reading & watching biographies of Dr. Seuss' life, and completing some fun activities and crafts along the way! Last week we enjoyed Oh the Places You'll Go and each student was challenged to create road signs of the places they wish to go someday. We also had a little fun turning them into an adorable "Who" using the app Who Me?.
We'll celebrate Dr. Seuss as a whole school the week of Mar. 23rd. More information will be sent home this week.
*Science Magic: I don't know if you've heard, but second graders have been having a BLAST participating in "Science Magic"! Every green day since January, they have been challenged to think like scientists and complete various science experiments. They traveled to each second grade classroom and worked with that teacher to think scientifically. In Mrs. Atherton's room they explored static electricity, in Mrs. Caporello's room they looked at chemical reactions by cleaning pennies, and in Mrs. Leonard's room they experimented with surface tension.
On Thursday, 2AA traveled next door to 2R to complete their last experiment. In this room they explored their heart beat and experimented with how the heart rate speeds up and slows down. Needless to say they were a little tired when they came back to our classroom :)
Way back in the beginning, for their first Science Magic experience, our class worked in our own room to complete the "Walking Water" experiment. Their question: Using two cups and paper towels, can water travel into another cup? |
| Waiting is the hardest part! |
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| I think something's happening! |
Results the next morning:
Conclusion? It worked! Due to capillary action (the same process used in plants), water was able to travel and evenly disburse into the middle cup!
As a second grade team we are working on our next round of Science Magic experiments which will begin on Mar. 24th.
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Coming Up:
- Monday, Mar. 16th: Scholastic Book Orders Due
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